Secession
by Red River
Summary: COMPLETE. Combination of games and ROTK novel. Zhou Yu is dying, and has one last chance to tell his story to someone before he does. ZYxSC with other pairings on the side.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

Author's note: This is the prologue to a story I've been thinking about for a long time. I don't know if there's any interest in it – if there's not (and I do realize it's a non-canon pairing), I won't bother putting it up and formatting it. If you are interested, please review so I bother to continue.

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Secession - Prologue

210: Jing Province, Nan County – China

Nothing is crueler than poison. It licks through veins and constricts the heart like twisting fingers, cold hand consuming the lungs and cutting off breath at its source. It makes memory swim before the eyes in painful clarity; voices unheard for eternity echo in suddenly perfect ears. It makes the unsaid words unbearable.

With a gasp like the thunderstorm railing above him, Zhou Yu felt the arrow imbed into the flesh beside his quivering heart. At first, he couldn't make out what had happened, or how. He'd been watching the attack on Jing Castle – the Wei forces were holding out steadily despite their unfamiliarity with this area of the Nan Territory, and even pushing his advance squadrons back from the front line. He was concerned about the sluggish movement of Cheng Pu's assault unit on the right flank. What were they fighting that was holding them back so much?

And then the arrow had pierced him with a sound that made his blood run cold, a sound far worse than the jolt of impact itself. He stumbled back in shock as the pain began radiating from the black feathers straight into his skin, straight through the armor of his battle tunic to the pale flesh beneath. One look at the bolt, covered in a sickening sheen that defied the pounding rain all around him, told him it had been tipped with death.

He fell to his knees, sword tumbling from his useless and trembling fingers into the mud of the battlefield. A group of infantrymen who had been waiting nearby rushed to him and caught him before he fell forward, saving him from the mire that rain, hooves, and thundering footsteps had made of the wartorn hillside. The general's dark eyes rolled in his head, struggling for perception as the soldiers gaped at him in terror and shock. There was panic on their eyes – sheer, helpless panic, disbelieving horror that swallowed their rain-blurred faces.

An endless moment passed in motionless shock, beating as slowly as the dazed blinking of Zhou Yu's eyes. Then their captain shook himself and began to yell. "Get Lord Lu Meng!" Two privates sprinted to obey his orders. The rest of the squad followed his gestures and laid Zhou Yu back into the arms of another comrade, who gripped the general's shoulders in iron-fisted hands.

"You two! Take hold of his arms!" The captain was yelling again, closer to Zhou Yu's ears this time. He had knelt beside his fallen general and was carefully but quickly peeling back the chest armor beneath the arrow's shaft. Zhou Yu could feel cold hands – rough hands, hands accustomed to the staff of a pike – pressing on the flesh around his wound. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his hands into fists so hard that the nails cut his through palms; he felt blood running down his fingers and mixing with the rain.

"Chen Hao! Get the bandages!"

It was a sharp voice, a strong voice, but not an unkindly one. Wu's fabled strategist, a handsome man of music and culture, forced his eyes open and looked up into the serious but sympathetic gaze of Han Dang's 2nd Rear Captain as the man snapped the staff of the arrow in his chest and threw the fletched bolt away, his fingers gripping the stub of shattered wood still trapped in his commander's flesh.. Another soldier, nervous and shaking, knelt at his other side, a roll of drenched bandages in his hands.

Zhou Yu met the eyes of the men holding his arms with as much authority as he could, imagining the wound in his chest as his breath heaved irregularly in and out of his lungs. "You'll have to push it through," he rasped, his voice startling the squad that had surrounded him. The soldiers shifted on all sides, their inaudible whispers as meaningless as the rain in his ears, but the captain shook his head.

"Push it through and it'll hit your spine. Have to pull it out this way." Zhou Yu swallowed hard, choking on the blood of a bitten tongue and squeezing his eyes shut at the thought of the arrow's jagged edges tearing back through his flesh.

The captain pulled. A shout tore itself out of Zhou Yu's throat without volition as the arrow emerged, bloody and wicked – but the sound was truncated as he bit down hard on his tongue, and only the members of the squad around him heard it. The man with the bandages immediately leapt forward, wrapping the gushing wound with ferocity and panic.

Amid the shouting and splashing of the troops, Zhou Yu closed his eyes and breathed heavily, pain moving in a spider web outward from the wound. He could hardly even think; the blood pulsing through him rocked and roiled, making its tumultuous way toward the wound filled with poison. As the linen strips would tighter and tighter across his chest, ten terrified fingers brushing the pale skin as they tried to staunch the bleeding, the general sought to clear his mind – sought reason and logic amidst the chaos of war and death.

Where had the arrow come from? He was too far from the center of the battle for it to have been an intentional shot. Then perhaps… a rogue arrow, let off into the sky on accident when its owner was surprised. It was almost laughable. After thirty-five years, eighteen of which had been spent in battle for the service of Wu, a lone poisoned arrow was going to be his murderer.

The figure above him – Chen Hao? Was that the soldier's name? – struggled to tie the bandages securely to his general's soaked, shivering chest. One hand reached up to adjust the soldier's military-issue bun and push bangs off of a concerned forehead… and then Zhou Yu's charcoal gaze was flooded with a sudden, vibrant memory from twelve years earlier.

"_Hold still!"_ He felt his obsidian eyes widening. That voice – Sun Ce's voice. _His lord was scowling, one hand braced against the strategist's shoulder and the other clutching a roll of bandages._

_Zhou Yu scowled back. "You're doing it wrong. Let me do it myself." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue and avoided the other man's reaching hand, holding the roll of linen cloth clear above his head._

"_No way. I beat you to the supply closet fair and square, which means I get to do the bandages. That was the deal."_

_Zhou Yu's frown deepened. "You did not beat me fairly. You went through a window in the front hallway instead of the courtyard—_

_A hand over his mouth stopped his detailed account of the competition, but did not smooth the displeased wrinkles from his forehead. Sun Ce ignored the glare he was getting and continued wrapping the strategist's chest in bandages, assessing the wound with experienced amber eyes. Layer by layer, lines of linen covered the red gash that cut across muscles and pale skin. Sun Ce tipped his head to one side and chewed idly on a piece of chestnut hair that had fallen into his face._

"_That's gonna scar," he remarked. Zhou Yu made no reply. He watched attentively as Sun Ce's perpetually restless fingers tied the final knots in the bandages. The tonfa master stepped back a little to examine his work._

"_There! All done!" His smile was brilliant_ – brighter than a thousand stars, brighter than victory, brighter than dying…

_Zhou Yu sighed and let his shoulders relax – at the tiny movement, the bandages that had been wrapped too loosely around him slipped from his body and cascaded uselessly to the ground in a tumble of fabric. The two men stared at the pile of cloth for a moment in silence, both officers blinking in mild surprise. Then Sun Ce's grin exploded into laughter – and much as he tried to stay annoyed, it was only a matter of seconds until Zhou Yu was chuckling himself, rolling his eyes as he reached for the roll of bandages to make a proper job of it this time. And Sun Ce's laughter echoing _– like bells, like light, like phoenix flame, like sunshine, like…

The sound of hooves approaching drove the memory back, and Zhou Yu's eyes refocused on the man bandaging his wounds, the stranger's face bobbing frenetically above him. The general realized that he had latched onto the soldier's arm in the course of his memory, because he could feel it held tight in his hands – no doubt the blood from his palms was staining the poor cloth armor. And though it was irrational, Zhou Yu found he did not want to let go.

So he didn't. He clutched the captured limb tighter instead, fingers writhing through the thick fabric of the man's sleeve to prevent being dislodged. The soldier's face took on an expression of intense confusion at his commander's movement, and his free hand stumbled to Zhou Yu's shoulder, coal-black eyes puzzled but distracted.

An agitated pair of hooves settled sharply on the ground beside Zhou Yu's head, making his breath catch at the nearness of those powerful feet as two heavy boots leapt into the mud. Lu Meng was on his knees in an instant, high ponytail soaked and dripping down his red-clad back.

"Lord Zhou Yu! Can you hear me? Are you all right?" Lu Meng's voice had a steel edge to it – a sure indicator of concealed panic. Zhou Yu did his best to answer, but a crushing cough was all his throat permitted him; Lu Meng met his failing eyes for a moment longer before turning and shouting into one of the soldiers' faces, his harsh countenance drowning beneath the rhythm of the rain. "Get me a wagon _now_!" The soldier ran.

Lu Meng turned back to Zhou Yu and began refastening his battle tunic over the white skin of his chest. His eyes were very serious. Not that Lord Lu Meng, loyal officer of Wu and upcoming strategist himself, ever laughed much. But rarely had his commander seen this kind of worry in his expression.

With the heavy creak of slowing wheels, the wagon pulled up next to his fallen form, splashing through the puddles that had befallen Jing under the summer's unrelenting storm. Lu Meng's strength startled the squad as he lifted Zhou Yu into his arms and headed for the wagon, muscles bristling with exertion. Zhou Yu frowned at the obvious indignity of the position, but there was nothing to be done – he had to get into the wagon somehow, and it was not going to be by walking. The soldier whose arm he had snatched was forcibly dragged along beside Lu Meng, but Zhou Yu did not release him, holding on tightly even as he was placed carefully within the confines of the wagon's bed and Lu Meng drew his own arms away. Chen Hao turned to the White Tiger general standing beside him and shifting awkwardly beneath the curtains of falling rain.

"Uh… Lord Lu Meng? What should I – what should I do? He won't let go…" Lu Meng studied the young soldier, his caught arm, and the look on Zhou Yu's face telling him the strategist was not interested in relinquishing the detained limb. Despite the overall gruffness of his face, Lu Meng's lips turned up ever so slightly at the corners.

"Well, soldier… I suppose you'd better get in the wagon." Chen Hao's jaw fell open and he tried to protest, but Lu Meng was gave him a very sour look and the man's jaw clamped shut as his expression became uncertain. With a slight bow, the 3rd class private vaulted into the wagon and took a seat next to the fallen general's side, uncomfortable in every awkward angle of his posture. Zhou Yu felt his expression twisting in a cynical smile, though the pain in his chest turned his lips to a grimace in a matter of seconds. His dark eyes met Lu Meng's for a moment longer.

"Xiao Qiao," he managed to croak. Lu Meng nodded.

"I'll look after her." Then he shouted instructions to the drivers, waving one arm in urgent dismissal. "Make for Han Ni Castle – and when you arrive, tell Lord Sun Quan we'll be along as soon as we finish here."

As the wagon began to move, Zhou Yu stared long and hard at Lu Meng – his comrade, his wife's lover, and his pupil in strategy. Then the wagon bumped hard and he smacked his head against the floor – his eyes went blind with white, painful light, and for the first time in ten years, he lost consciousness.

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Chen Hao was at a complete loss. Here he was in his first important battle, and nothing was going well. In training, he'd been the weakest man in the entire platoon, so he'd been stationed in one of the squads near the back. Really, this didn't bother him – Chen Hao had seen enough minor skirmishes to understand that getting promoted was actually just a good way of getting shot.

But his demotion for lacking ability did mean he had been stuck back with the loads of provisions and siege equipment, and he had been forced to endure the endless barking orders of the man placed in charge of supply train defense, who did not seem to understand why nervousness tightened the inexperienced soldier's hands around his pike staff. Chen Hao had almost been relieved to reach the battle field, if only because it meant the anxiety rushing through his veins could finally swallow his thoughts and let muscle memory take over.

Again, things had gone wrong. His squad had barely begun advancing when an arrow had arched above the heads of the platoon, appearing in the thundering air as though from nowhere, and struck the flank general commanding them. The great strategist Zhou Yu, one of Lord Sun Quan's most respected veterans – a man who had served the Wu Empire since Sun Quan's older brother held the throne.

Chen Hao had never spoken to the general, but he had heard stories of his intelligence and skill with warcraft from the other men. Standing in the center of the mud-splattered troops, unfazed by the rain pelting his smooth features, General Zhou Yu had looked to the soldier's untried eyes invincible. Chen Hao had been struck with an instantaneous discipline, a will to follow that man into battle wherever the fading afternoon led them. Now here he was in the back of a cold, damp wagon – his arm in the grip of the very general he had admired, both of them headed straight back toward the castle the army had been forced to march from two days prior.

Zhou Yu's features were far paler even than his usual composure and Chen Hao's arm was nearly hyper extended, twisted wrong in the unconscious hands of the fallen general. The man lying on the floor at the soldier's feet looked impossibly different from the man he had been willing to follow to death or victory. It was almost too disheartening to put into words.

But his impressions aside, Chen Hao had to admit that he was even more concerned with the awkwardness of arriving at Han Ni Castle with a rotting corpse clamped onto his hand – which was surely all Zhou Yu could be after the time their journey would take. The soldier cast his eyes down and watched the general's fitful breathing, some form of pity stirring in his stomach. The general's features were calm, but they had become pallid with the cold. The white bandages around his chest rose and fell in time to his lungs, but Chen Hao knew the linen strips were only a faltering mask, and that they couldn't hold back the tide of blood beneath them for long.

What the fallen officer truly needed was pressure exerted on the wound until it stopped flowing, for what little good that would do him in the long run. Chen Hao sighed. That, at least, he could do for the commander who had captivated his loyalty without needing to earn it.

Sitting up, Chen Hao reached out and pressed down as hard as he dared on the center of the bandages. The general's dark eyes shot open and his head lurched as he convulsed from the pain, and the motion made the soldier jump nearly a foot in the air. Instantly, Chen Hao withdrew his hand, his fingers tingling as though the commander had electrically shocked him with his reaction. After a moment, when the general did not move again, Chen Hao replaced his hand on the heaving chest, clearing his throat against the weight of the storm.

"I'm trying to help you."

Zhou Yu was staring up at him with blank eyes, but they seemed to focus at his words. Through the failing light, the general observed his soldier sternly, silent but for his slowly calming breaths. Zhou Yu did not speak, his gaze shifting dazedly between the hand on his chest and the man above him; Chen Hao swallowed to moisten his dry throat and prepared to clarify his assertion. But the strategist must have been at least close to as quick-witted as everyone believed, because he managed a slight nod and relaxed back onto the floor without any questions. The dark eyes closed again, and Zhou Yu turned his face away from the infantryman at his side.

Chen Hao assumed his lord had gone back to sleep. A few minutes' time proved him wrong, when the softly breathing figure suddenly spoke. "Your name."

It was the kind of voice that demanded to be obeyed, even in its current rasping tone. The soldier dipped his head in a makeshift bow. "Chen Hao, private 3rd class under Han Dang." Though the general hadn't specifically requested such, it seemed only right to list his rank as well – as though naming credentials for being allowed in the wagon at all.

Zhou Yu's brow furrowed, but the lines were of concentration rather than anger. "Chen… Hao. I see." His voice was hoarse, though it grew stronger as he spoke, rising in power but not volume as the general wrestled his tongue under control. "Chen Hao. I am going to tell you a story."

Chen Hao frowned, worrying his bottom lip between his teeth. The commander didn't look in any shape to be alive, let alone awake and talking. "Are you certain that's a good idea, my lord?" Zhou Yu's eyes came open, just barely, and he sent Chen Hao a flat glare.

"You misunderstand me, private. I'm telling you this story not because I want you to hear it, but because it needs to be told." His handsome face contorted, and Chen Hao blamed the expression on the wound pulsing beneath his fingers until the general's next words. "This story… it is weighing me down… an anchor in my soul… I do not want to die this way."

Chen Hao had never been one for poetry – he was, in all things, a practical man. He could not read and he had never studied the Classics. He did not know what it felt like to have an anchor in one's soul. The best he could extrapolate was what it felt like to trudge through a river in heavy armor, waterlogged so that every step felt as though it would pull a man under and drown him. An anchor in one's soul hardly sounded more pleasant.

"All right," Chen Hao replied, his voice cold and slightly nervous under the rhythm of the rain – though what he was agreeing to wasn't exactly clear, even in his mind, as the general did not seem to be giving him a choice. "What do you want me to do?"

Zhou Yu opened his eyes for a moment, then they slipped shut again, heavy as jade in his alabaster face, and finally flickered to half-lidded. "Sit still and be silent." Chen Hao nodded, though the general wasn't looking at him. He was very good at fulfilling both instructions – his mother, a backhanded tyrant, had made sure of that from a young age, and whatever stubbornness he might have retained had been fully drained in his three months of training.

The general took a deep breath. His faltering gaze seemed to focus beyond the pathetic roof of the wagon, and his eyes narrowed in what might have been a glare. "This is for your sake," he murmured to no one. Chen Hao wondered whether it were the poison or the story itself that had driven his lord to speak to the ceiling and the rain clouds, but he said nothing, silent as promised. Zhou Yu opened his mouth and began to speak.

"This story starts… well, thirty-five years ago… in the province of Shucheng, where I was born."

It was late summer. Deep in southeastern China, a screaming baby boy was born to a proud couple by the name of Sun. Two months later, in the cold, frost-torn nights of early winter, a second boy emerged from a mother's womb – this one to a couple surnamed Zhou, long friends of Lord Sun and his lady wife. In the heavens above, the moon twinkled beneath a thin veiling of clouds. Away to the north, thunder shook the spattered stars. It was a mildly ominous beginning.

End of Prologue


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

Author's note: Okay – chapter two. Thanks to Winds of Eternity for the review. Hope you liked this chapter as well.

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Secession – Part One 

"I was born at my family's traditional home in Shucheng – perhaps you've never been there. It's somewhat north and east of our lord's central city, and back in those days it was even farther removed from the definite kingdoms. Shucheng is a few weeks' ride south of Luo Yang – the city burnt some years ago under the tyranny of Dong Zhuo – and another fortnight's journey north and east of Changsha…"

His voice caught momentarily, and Chen Hao was glad for the break – all of the numbers and names jumbled through his mind in an unintelligible tangle, vanishing almost as soon as they reached his ears. Zhou Yu coughed discreetly into the sodden air before continuing.

"In any case. It's a river valley – tributaries of the Yangzi pass through it – and everything to the horizon is green almost year round. My family's estate lies on the crest of one of the minor hills and slopes down to encompass a fair amount of surrounding land. It was… it still is, I suppose… an idyllic location."

Chen Hao could picture it in his mind – an elegant, rolling house with carefully scattered buildings and extensively cultivated gardens. Flowers and birds colored the emerald landscape like so many loose jewels, settling easily through the voice of a brook or two stumbling through their shared crossing and filling the peaceful grounds with their stumbling chuckle. It was a setting in which he could easily picture the young Zhou Yu, soft hair just lapping his shoulders and face firmly buried in a book.

The injured general sighed, shifting uncomfortably against his soldier's staunching hand and fixing his piercing gaze on the clouded sky as memory skipped through his dark eyes. "My father, Zhou Fan, had made his money through land leasing to the surrounding farmers. He was not a harsh master, and as far as I know none of our tenants held any grievances against him. Most of the family wealth, however, came from our ancestors – and I have only guesses as to how they got it. But regardless, we were wealthy."

Chen Hao swallowed a sigh. That much had been obvious, even in his mental picture – the boy Zhou Yu's robes were silken and embroidered, and he was well kept down to his teeth and fingernails. It was an image very much removed from Chen Hao's own childhood in the rice fields, but the soldier had always been an amiable sort of person – their difference in fortunes didn't really seem unfair, even from the vantage point of the lesser end of the deal. Zhou Yu just seemed to belong in the higher class.

"My mother – a far-sighted woman from the house of Cai – oversaw the education of myself and my two younger brothers, Zhou Qi and Zhou Xan. We were trained in music and traditional arts, but there was also significant emphasis on the art of war; four times each week we received martial arts instruction from a retired soldier, and each evening we read from military treatises." His eyes became lighter despite the growing darkness. "My favorite was strategy."

Chen Hao shifted a little – that much, he might have guessed. Zhou Yu's somewhat mocking smile was back on his face. "I could best anyone at the strategy games – even my father, a general in his own right during the Tartar wars. I could always see the holes in their plans: the weaknesses, the forgotten depots, the stranded officers. I excelled. Our instructor praised me for my intelligence, and prophesied a bright future with a strategist's fan in hand, which never failed to make my brothers jealous. We were all too young to understand what it really meant to be soldiers – Zhou Qi being two years my junior and Zhou Xan four more beneath that – but we understood praise, and they understood that I received it more often than they did."

His smirk caused Chen Hao to shuffle his feet a little in awkward acknowledgement of the mildly arrogant description; for better or worse, the expression faded after a few seconds.

"My father was a great friend of Sun Jian – yes, the legendary Sun Jian that you've heard of – and it was through this friendship that I came to meet my first enemy – and, later, my greatest friend." Chen Hao smiled. Sun Ce.

Everyone knew the two had been constant companions through Sun Ce's short 25 years – they were practically legends throughout the camps of the soldiers. Before each battle, the soldiers would follow their captains in vowing to fight with "the triumphant spirit of Lord Sun Ce" in the upcoming skirmish. Chen Hao had never put much stock in it – the great general was gone, after all. But from the way Zhou Yu's eyes softened as he spoke of his long-dead comrade, Chen Hao could almost believe all of the wonderful things he'd ever heard about the famous Wu general.

Zhou Yu laughed harshly. "I detested him."

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The sound of hooves and horses on the gravel path leading to the main house distracted Zhou Yu from his studies, and he looked up in surprise at the sudden influx of noise that had invaded the silent garden. It took a moment to reorient himself to reality – he always got caught up in the abstract when reading his strategy books. Here he was in the garden, relaxing in the shade of a flowering cherry tree with the texts spread across his lap and the surrounding grass. What was all the noise about? He hadn't known they were expecting visitors.

The dark-eyed boy frowned and brushed a few petals from his clothes. He hated company. He always had to sit up straight and pretend to be interested in whatever the guests said, despite the fact that most of them were terribly boring and awful conversationalists.

He'd also been lectured, after the first time, that it was inappropriate for a nine-year-old to debate with an adult over strategy – or, that if he were going to do it, then he must at least be sure to lose, because it was impolite to admit to being more intelligent than they were. All of this rubbed the Zhou family's young prodigy the wrong way – he hated dealing with idiocy, but he hated pretending to be dense himself even more vibrantly. It wasn't his fault he'd been born with superior intellect and had the training to back it up, but he had enough pride to dislike misrepresenting himself for the sake of the guests' meager egos.

Unfortunately, his parents did not seem to put the same worth in his dignity that he did. And so when he could, he'd taken to hiding out in the garden instead of attending social gatherings, which his father found mildly imprudent but his mother thought was probably best. Perhaps she'd let him escape today as well…

No such luck. As though summoned by his thoughts, Lady Cai appeared at the top of the sloping hill just at the back of the servants' house, her beautiful face stern with the shadows of the passing clouds overhead. "Yu! Come here!"

Zhou Yu groaned. With a dramatic sigh, he pushed himself to his feet and collected the books in two pale arms, heading toward his mother with a definite drag in his step. Lady Cai crossed her arms over her formal robe and waited, her eyes losing none of their potency in the time it took him to reach her. When he finally crested the top of the hill, she gave him a strict look.

"We have some very important visitors today – hurry up now."

Zhou Yu frowned up at his mother, trying to make his expression as disagreeable as possible, but her only response was to run her fingers through his silky, shoulder-length hair and extricate the last cherry petals. Then she took his hand and walked quickly toward the reception hall.

"Disappearing is simply not an option today, so you'll just have to stick to your best behavior. Besides, our guests have a boy just your age – I'm sure you two can find something to do."

Zhou Yu was not so sure. He'd never had any friends aside from his brothers – who, being seven and three and befitted with an older-brother-hero-worship complex, were more like slaves in any case – and he didn't want any either. Boys his age tended to be degradingly immature, and even those a few years older couldn't seem to hold a decent conversation, because their minds were as flighty as leaping crickets.

All in all, the Zhou prodigy preferred the company of his books, or the silence of the garden if studying was absolutely not an option. Why so much attention was focused on boring social interactions was something he might never understand…

By the time he terminated the string of mental grumbles, they had reached the main house. Zhou Yu could see a train of gorgeous horses being watered and fed by the handlers, and wondered absently how many visitors they had for the entire pawing herd to have been necessary. Then they were into the main hall, where the extensive tables were laid out in all their feasting decoration – and in front of him, remarking pleasantly on the comfort and spaciousness of the room, stood a markedly unique family.

A tall man, probably of years numbering near thirty, was embracing Zhou Yu's father and laughing jovially, the sounds echoing back against the great ceiling like a chuckling stream. He wore a plumed helmet of coarse metal, and the strong sword hanging at his belt seemed to churn in the shadowed light, its scabbard wrought with carvings. At his side, a woman who must have been his wife was standing, bowing her head politely as she clutched an infant that refused to stop screaming. The woman herself seemed oblivious to the child's unhappiness, but Zhou Yu's own mother winced at the wailing as it bounced between the rafters, and the obnoxious noise sharpened the scowl on her eldest son's face.

Standing awkwardly off to one side were two more children, pulling at their formal robes and whispering to one another as their parents exchanged pleasantries with the master of the house. The first was a young girl, perhaps five years old, in a flowered formal robe that was far too long for her and pooled around her feet. Even for being young, her features were pretty and her hazel eyes striking in her face – but Zhou Yu's attention was inevitably drawn to the child beside her, standing with hands on his hips and a firm frown darkening his tan countenance.

He had to be the boy his mother had mentioned – their son. He was about Zhou Yu's height, with fierce amber eyes and chestnut hair a shade lighter than his father's, which was cut short to his ears and drifted over his red headband. He wore a tunic of silk with heavy embroidering, although he looked as though he would have been more comfortable in a freer form of dress, and his eyes moved unappreciatively around the room. Zhou Yu sighed. He was clearly stuck entertaining the bad-tempered offspring of whatever friend his father had invited.

Rising unwillingly to his duty, Zhou Yu approached the children and bowed solemnly, forcing the frown back off of his face. "Welcome to our house," he greeted without meaning a word of it. "My name is Zhou Yu. I am pleased to make your acquaintance." He would have been yet more pleased had the introduction never been made, but strict manners kept the addition behind his lips where only his mind could hear it.

The boy's frown didn't budge, though one hand came up in a half-hearted wave. "Yeah… same here, or something. I'm Sun Ce. This is my sister, Shang Xiang. And we're hungry, so can you get us something to eat?"

Zhou Yu blinked. Though he'd never put any sincerity into it, there was a certain standard of behavior that politeness reinforced, and he was certain he'd never met anyone so rude before – but there was nothing to be done, because his mother had always told him that the only proper response to bad manners was to ignore them. The dark youth shifted in his stance and brought one hand up to run through his cascading hair, keeping his irritation down through force of will alone.

"I see," he answered, giving the small girl a forced smile. She blushed and hid her face in her brother's sleeve, wide hazel eyes peering at him from behind the wrinkled silk. "Well… all right. Please wait here – I'll see if I can bring you something." Then again, there could be benefits to his unwanted guest's rudeness – trudging over to the kitchen in search of snacks would at least get him away from these people. Depending on how slowly he walked, he could probably delay contact for a good fifteen minutes, if not longer…

The boy named Sun Ce smiled a little, and the expression grated against Zhou Yu's ribs, though he couldn't place exactly why it bothered him so much. "Nah, that's okay. We'll come with you. Then we can pick out what we want," the youth replied, his grin lighting his face like a beam of sunshine that the dark hall did not permit.

Zhou Yu was appalled. One did _not_ march into a stranger's home and serve oneself from their kitchen – it was beyond rude. He was about to say something to that effect, but his mother's frequent lectures came back to him, accompanied by the memory of her piercing angry eyes. _"I don't care how rude they are, Yu. No son of mine is going to be rude back. Do you hear me?"_ He bit down a scowl and glowered at the wall over Sun Ce's head, keeping his gaze high enough that the two rotten children couldn't catch it.

"…Fine. If you'll follow me." He turned and walked quickly away, almost hoping they'd get left behind and lost in the endless hallways of the Zhou mansion. Unfortunately, he only succeeded in tiring Shang Xiang's tiny legs, causing Sun Ce to offer her a piggyback ride. Watching the heir of the Sun family carry his laughing sister on his back made Zhou Yu feel slightly guilty for hurrying, and he slowed down until they could keep pace easily, all three moving in silence down the well-swept corridor.

The kitchen was located at the west end of the servants' building, the side closest to the main house so food could be brought over without it cooling too much. They slipped in the back entrance. The servants were running hither and thither in near panic, trying to round up anything special they could serve to the unexpected guests for dinner. It was an easy task for Zhou Yu to sneak a few rice buns out of the back cabinet while Sun Ce and Shang Xiang stared at the mayhem. He returned and handed them their snack with a small bow.

That put a big smile on Sun Ce's face – for all of about thirty seconds, after which he had finished the rice bun and wanted something else. Shang Xiang, who had a smaller stomach, was quite content and sat down on the flagstones to play in the dust. Zhou Yu felt like he should do something about her getting so dirty, but keeping an eye on Sun Ce as he scrounged through the chaos took his full attention. The boy – who had become very hyperactive and joyous as soon as he'd had his first snack – rambled through the servants, eating bits of anything he could get his hands on. Zhou Yu knew he oughtn't let Sun Ce spoil his dinner – and everyone else's – but the boy was so much happier now that Zhou Yu didn't even care.

At least, he didn't care until Sun Ce spotted something he really wanted – the berry dessert pastry Lady Cai had worked on the day before. It was her specialty, and the most delicious thing any of her dinner guests had ever tasted. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed. No way was Sun Ce going to eat that – not on his watch. As the Sun heir reached a now-grubby hand for the delectable dessert, Zhou Yu yanked hard on his headband straps and pulled him backward. "Ouch!" the child exclaimed, rounding on the other boy in hurt and confusion. "What was that for?"

"You can't have that," Zhou Yu answered icily. "It's for dessert." Sun Ce glared.

"I can have it if I want to!" he answered. Then he reached out and, yanking a section right out of the middle of the pastry, he stuffed it into his mouth and chewed spitefully.

Zhou Yu was filled with an irritation he couldn't quite articulate. His mouth fell open a moment – then he shoved Sun Ce backwards. Sun Ce stumbled straight into a set of ceramic dishes, which fell over with an enormous _crash_. Sun Ce yelped and barely caught himself against the counter, knocking cooking supplies all over the floor as he did so. His eyes went from very wide to very narrow and angry in a matter of seconds. Then he yanked another section of the pastry off and flung it in Zhou Yu's face.

Zhou Yu was shocked and speechless. He could feel the berry filling sliding down his face and the pieces of pastry stuck in his dark hair. Then he snapped.

He dove forward and caught Sun Ce around the waist, taking them both to the floor. Sun Ce was surprised, but it wasn't long before he regained his senses. The two began grappling, rolling indiscriminately through rice, water, spices, and the remains of the destroyed pastry. Zhou Yu winced as he landed hard on a cooking spoon, but there was no way he was letting go. His free hand cuffed Sun Ce on the side of the head – Sun Ce squawked and returned the favor.

"Yu! Yu, what in the name of Heaven is going on here?!" His mother's voice hovered somewhere above him, accompanied by the gruff roar of another.

"Ce! What the hell are you doing! Stop that immediately!" Zhou Yu felt himself pried off of Sun Ce by his mother's strong and angry hands. He glanced up into her fuming eyes, but quickly looked away – he couldn't seem to hold his glare against hers.

"What a mess!" she shouted, staring at the ruined kitchen. Zhou Yu glanced around himself. Broken eggs, scattered grains… servants hiding in corners and staring at the two boys with shock and hidden amusement. The dishes were everywhere and the floor was a disaster. Zhou Yu closed his eyes in shame. Stupid stupid stupid—

"It's his fault!" Sun Ce's voice rang out. Zhou Yu's eyes snapped open. He struggled to get to the other boy – how he wanted to sock him right in the mouth! – but his mother held him back, as Sun Ce's father was doing to his own son. The man in question gave Sun Ce a swift smack on the head.

"Quiet, you demon. Look what a mess you made – and don't try to tell me you're innocent in this! I know you better than that." Sun Ce glared up at his father through the layers of food defacing his tan face.

"Oh, by the gods," Lady Cai sighed, exasperated. She reached over and grabbed a few washing rags from the water basin, handing one to her guest as she kneeled beside her messy son. "I'm so sorry, Sun Jian. I never thought something like this would happen." She gave Zhou Yu another stern look, scrubbing roughly at his berry stained cheeks.

Sun Jian laughed as he rubbed Sun Ce's pudding-covered nose. "It's all right, Lady Cai – really. I just hope they learn to get along better with time." Zhou Yu met Sun Ce's eyes over the top of the washcloth, his glare equal to the frown on the other boy's face. He vowed then and there that they would never be friends – never. Sun Ce was his new eternal rival. And from the looks of things, the feeling was mutual.

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Chen Hao couldn't help the smile on his face. It was a funny story. "But you got to be friends after that," he prompted, forgetting that he was supposed to keep quiet.

Zhou Yu smirked mildly. "No. We were rivals for six years before we even became friends." Chen Hao felt his mouth fall open. This was a portion of the history of Zhou Yu and Sun Ce that never made it into the camp morale talks. Before he had too long to be startled, Zhou Yu had moved on with the story.

"That was the year 183. Sun Jian was headed north to deal with the Yellow Turban rebels under imperial service. He was the lord of Jiang Dong in the south, and the emperor had called for all military commanders to head north to Liang province for military duty. By that point, the Yellow Turban forces had already gained significant strength west of the capital and had their first major victory over the forces of a court minister named Dong Zhuo…" His eyes darkened. "Power-hungry traitor. But regardless… the emperor was terrified. Sun Jian had answered the call quickly, and was heading to rendezvous with Yuan Shao when he stopped at our home in Shucheng.

"Sun Jian was worried about leaving his family home in Jiang Dong alone, what with it being so close to the untamed southern border, and so he'd brought them along. With my father's permission, he decided to leave them in our home until such time as he could return to Jiang Dong. That ended up being nearly seven years. So Sun Jian marched off for the Yellow Turban forces, leaving Lady Wu behind with the infant Quan in her arms, Shang Xiang wrapped around her legs, and Ce pouting." His lips quirked upward slightly. "He thought he ought to have gone along and fought with his father."

Chen Hao frowned and scratched his elbow. "I thought Sun Ce _did_ fight in the Yellow Turban Rebellion," he injected. Zhou Yu let out a light laugh.

"That's ridiculous. He was nine when it started, just as I was. Even after Luo Yang was burned and Sun Jian returned from the campaign against Dong Zhuo, we were both only fifteen. No… but, then again, I'm sure Ce would approve of a rumor like that. It's the kind he might start himself." Chen Hao's shoulders slumped ever so slightly. It had always been fun to imagine Sun Ce as a child tyrant tearing through the battlefield.

"After that… things were a bit complicated for a while. It took a few months for my parents to accept that Sun Ce and I were simply not going to get along. They made the mistake of giving us joint martial arts lessons at the beginning, and we tore each other to pieces in our mock battles. After the third time we came home covered in bruises, my mother asked our trainer to segregate us by family in the future – I trained with my brother Qi and Sun Ce trained with Shang Xiang, who was just old enough to have started fighting. My youngest brother, Xan, was three at the time, and Sun Quan was barely one. Neither of them participated, but Xan – and Sun Quan, when he was older – loved to watch us practice…"

His eyes misted slightly, and Chen Hao could tell he had returned momentarily to that childhood battlefield. The solider could picture him standing in a red robe, wooden sword in hand, and Sun Ce standing across from him in like position. _Crack crack crack_ went their weapons as they clashed on the open grass.

His mental wanderings were cut off by Zhou Yu's voice resuming the story. "My mother was a patient woman, but even she was not entirely happy with the arrangements. Lady Wu was pleasant enough – if not exactly grounded in the here and now – but she was a very flighty woman, and it was up to my mother to oversee all of us children. I think the six of us practically drove her insane those first few years. You see, it took Sun Ce and I until twelve years of age to realize maybe we ought to just avoid each other. In some ways, it was more peaceful to stay apart. But in another way, a way I didn't understand, it lit a fire in me to be near Sun Ce.

"We were such opposites, and he annoyed me in nearly everything he did. But no one had ever brought out so much emotion in me… I was a quiet child. I liked to read, to study, and to train in solitude. But being with Sun Ce made me feel… well, angry, for one. So irritated and vexed. But at the same time, he made me feel alive. I was out of control and I was furious, but I was alive. I don't know that he felt the same way, but he certainly enjoyed our arguments in the same masochistic way that I did – much to my mother's displeasure."

There was an expression on the general's face that Chen Hao had never seen before – somewhere between smiling and trying not to cry. The soldier couldn't seem to tear his gaze away. He had never seen anyone look so torn… he wondered how long it had been since Zhou Yu had felt alive, like he used to.

The injured officer coughed, and his chest heaved from the effort. Chen Hao bit his dry lip and checked the bandages under his hand. No blood was soaking through yet, which was certainly a good sign – but the infantryman wasn't sure how long the general would hold out in this condition. And as awful as it was, he wanted to hear the end of the story – he wanted to hear about their great friendship and sworn brotherhood. It would be best for the general to stop talking, he was sure, but not now – not right in the middle of the story…

Maybe he could hurry things along a bit. "But you did become friends," he encouraged again. Zhou Yu blinked, then let out a biting laugh. He shook his head and his hair moving across the wooden planks made a soft swishing sound.

"You don't understand, soldier," he murmured, eyes on the hidden sky once again. "This is a long story." Chen Hao let out a silent sigh. He'd been afraid of that. Not that he wasn't enjoying the tale – but, well, there had to be some glorious battles in here _somewhere_… Chen Hao had always preferred war chronologies to biographies. It looked like he was going to be out of luck for a while, though.

"The one person who did not seem to be aware of our mutual hatred was my father – although how he missed it, I can't begin to guess. He insisted on teaching us together, which was a problem not only because of our rivalry – Sun Ce, who detested schoolwork, was far behind me. I was not pleased to start back at his level, and I made no secret of that.

"Sun Ce loathed studying in all forms, and he was very vocal about it, which I in turn complained about. Between us, we gave my father hell, but he kept tutoring us together. I once overheard him telling my mother that it was his persistence that eventually reconciled Ce and I…" He scoffed. "It wasn't, of course – not even close – but I assume he thought he was doing us a favor. I don't know how he put up with us…"

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_Tick tap_. Zhou Yu's head snapped up from the book where he was diligently pretending to copy his father's notes off of the sheet of paper spread out on the floor beside him. Zhou Fan, not one for activities, taught the two boys by lecturing each day – generally, while he lectured, he asked them to copy notes from a paper that he'd written out the night before. It was one of the most useless exercises Zhou Yu had ever performed. Of course, since they'd been forced to move backward in mathematics, literature, and history to accommodate their houseguest, Zhou Yu had already heard this lecture and taken these notes – six months ago.

_Tick tap_. Zhou Yu looked around as the noise came again. What was that? He glanced over at Sun Ce, but the other boy had his eyes glued on Zhou Fan, apparently following along attentively. Zhou Yu glared. He didn't buy that for a second. What was the troublemaker up to now? His father, oblivious as always, continued talking about the Yin Dynasty, waving his hands for emphasis. Sun Ce was snickering about something behind his raised brush. Finding nothing openly incriminating, Zhou Yu turned back to his book.

_Tick tap tap_. This time, as he looked up, a large grain came bouncing past him on the floor. Zhou Yu stared at it. So that was making the tapping noise – the sound of the grains on the wooden floor. But where were they coming from? And what-

_Ptick._ Zhou Yu's eyes widened as a similar grain collided with his ear and fell into his lap. He turned to look at Sun Ce, who now held a packet in his hands and was not even trying to look innocent. Not that he could have gotten away with it anyway – that impish grin was beyond hiding. Zhou Yu scowled and made a low sound of displeasure in his throat. Sun Ce flicked another grain at him and missed. Zhou Yu's frown intensified.

"Don't you dare—" he whispered, but another grain flew through the air and smacked him right in between the eyes. Sun Ce snorted. Zhou Yu snarled and slammed his book shut, making the other boy jump and his father turn to look at him.

"Yu – be quiet and pay attention." Zhou Fan's eyes were dark and cold. "This is an important lecture. You ought to set a good example for your guest."

Zhou Yu could hardly keep the words down. They rushed up in his throat and threatened to pry his jaws open to get out, but he gritted his teeth and kept the tirade in. _My guest. He's not my guest. He's your guest, and I hate his guts. I hate being in this room with him. I wish he would fall off a cliff and smash his stupid face on the rocks at the bottom-_ Not that a mental rant got him anywhere, but it made him feel a little better. He flicked his hair back over his shoulders and refocused on the book, eyes drilling holes into the innocent pages.

Sun Ce was still snorting to himself and flicking the occasional grain at Zhou Yu's annoyed head, but his game stopped abruptly when Zhou Fan turned around and asked him to recite a particular passage from their study book. The boy's face went completely blank, and Zhou Yu smirked. That was just what Sun Ce deserved for never doing his homework – and, moreover, accosting Zhou Yu during his own study time. Sun Ce caught the smirk in the corner of his eye.

"What are you laughing at? I know it!" he claimed indignantly. Zhou Yu just looked at him, daring him to pull up the passage, or _any_ passage from the study book. Sun Ce's face contorted a little, and he sat deep in thought for a moment before shining a brilliant smile in Zhou Fan's direction.

"Okay, so… probably starts with 'long, long ago' or something like that…"

Zhou Yu's smirk turned into an arrogant snort under his breath. Sun Ce heard it loud and clear, though, and leapt to his feet, patience significantly tried. Zhou Fan didn't even have time to answer this response to his question before Sun Ce was off on a rant, shaking his fist at his rival.

"You think you're so smart, don't you?! You could probably recite that whole damn book, but you know what? None of it matters! Because you're still just a self-centered pansy who couldn't beat me in a fight to save his skin!"

Zhou Yu was on his feet as well. Insults like that stung, chiefly because Sun Ce was so violently confident in what he said. It wasn't true – no one had ever won in the bouts between himself and Sun Ce, and so their relative battle prowess was as yet undetermined – but it seemed like as good a reason as any to get in a fistfight. Unfortunately, his father stepped between them and snatched both of their sleeves.

"Stop it immediately." His voice held a good degree of authority, but Sun Ce was in no mood to be cowed. He yanked his arm back and braced himself in a fighting stance.

"Let me go! I don't need to be lectured like this! What does it matter? History, books, blah! I'm going to be a famous general! I'm going to unite all of China! I don't need anything but my own two hands!" He raised the said appendages, which were balled into fists. Zhou Yu couldn't help responding.

"Good thing, too, since you obviously don't have a brain in your skull." Sun Ce reddened. He wanted a fight – it was swimming in his eyes – but Zhou Fan still stood between them, and even Sun Ce would not hit his caretaker. His hands shook from the effort of keeping them in check. Finally, he shook his head and ran for the window, pausing just at the sill to shout a last exchange back.

"You just wait! I'm gonna rule this whole country – and when I do, Zhou Yu, I'm going to grind you under my boot heel until you scream for mercy!" Zhou Yu bristled, but he was already gone – out the window and into the garden, books and papers left untouched on the floor.

Zhou Yu was so busy glaring at the abandoned schoolwork that he didn't see his father's hand coming until it had slapped him full across the face. He startled and stumbled backward a few steps, one hand reaching up to touch the tender spot. Zhou Fan was looking at him in supreme displeasure.

"How ridiculous – is this how you think we raised you to behave? To be impolite to your betters?" Zhou Yu snarled.

"He is not my—"

His father grabbed his wrist and held it tightly; Zhou Yu winced at the force of the hold. "His father is the esteemed lord of Jiang Dong, and a great friend of mine. You will treat Sun Ce with respect, do you hear me?" Zhou Yu hated that phrase. Of course he heard them – they were always shouting when they used it. "No more fighting, no more rudeness, no more rivalry – understand?" He released the boy's hand with a flourish and turned away, raising a hand to his temple. "Heavens above," he murmured sullenly, "what did I do to deserve this behavior from my eldest son. Already ten, and still he acts like a squalling child!"

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. Zhou Fan didn't mean it – he was just an intrinsically melodramatic man. Most days, he was beyond proud of Zhou Yu's accomplishments. In fact, whenever it came time for an academic or martial arts examination, Zhou Fan was overcome with praise for his son's prowess in both areas. Fits like this were generally an act to make Zhou Yu feel guilty for his behavior. Thankfully, it had stopped working years ago. Still, despite his complete lack of shame, his mother always hated it if the family came to dinner in a spat – which meant he had to do his duty and apologize.

He stepped forward and knelt, pressing his forehead to the ground in the traditional sign of submission. "My apologies, Father. I was out of place. My anger has made me act in a manner unbefitting my age. I should not allow myself to become angry over the exploits of the immature persons surrounding me." He smirked at the dark floorboards. Wasn't it nice to be able to insult Sun Ce while delivering an insincere apology. Zhou Fan, however, was far too taken with the formal ceremony of the matter to even notice the jab. He turned and laid a hand on Zhou Yu's head, expressing his forgiveness.

"You are wise to understand your mistake, my beloved son," he responded. Zhou Yu fought down a groan. Ceremony needed to be abolished. "I hold no anger against you."

"Thank you, Father," Zhou Yu answered, voice absolutely devoid of emotion. Zhou Fan nodded to himself and helped the boy to his feet.

"Now then – why don't you and Sun Ce go play a game? It's always nice to see you two getting along." Zhou Yu's smile was surprisingly genuine.

"Yes, Father." He turned and left the room. He knew just what game they would play, too – the let's-see-how-hard-I-can-hit-you-with-this-wooden-sword-before-you-scream-for-your-mother game. It was their favorite.

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Chen Hao's face was slightly pale. This was not the kind of childhood he had envisioned for the two great generals. Playing games, romping together, mock battles – sure. But actual hatred? It was counterintuitive. He shook his head a little. How could they have overcome a rivalry like that? Chen Hao had never hated anyone in his life, but he could imagine the feeling like a raging fire inside of him. He wanted to ask exactly what it was that brought them together, but Zhou Yu had started talking again.

"That was his dream, you know. Uniting all of China. I thought it was childish and stupid." He laughed a little, laboriously. "And to think… I've given twenty years of my life to chasing that dream with him – for him." Chen Hao swallowed. Sometimes you couldn't really find words to describe things like dedication. And sometimes you could.

Zhou Yu's expression had gone sad again. "He never gave it up. He chased it until the very end. Which is why… afterward… I vowed not to give it up either. He believed in his cause with so much passion and so much integrity; nothing could deter him, nothing could slow him down. And I think it was that passion that first changed my mind… that first made me soften toward him. And, eventually, that made me love him."

Chen Hao's eyes went wide as wagon wheels. Wait – what???

End Chapter 2


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 2

_Zhou Yu's expression had gone sad again. "He never gave it up. He chased it until the very end. Which is why… afterward… I vowed not to give it up either. He believed in his cause with so much passion and so much integrity; nothing could deter him, nothing could slow him down. And I think it was that passion that first changed my mind… that first made me soften toward him. And, eventually, that made me love him."_

_Chen Hao's eyes went wide as wagon wheels. Wait – what???_

He choked a little on his surprise. Surely Zhou Yu meant… love like brothers, love like best friends… the look on the general's face was not reassuring. It was almost gentle, which scared Chen Hao simply because it was not an expression he was accustomed to seeing on Zhou Yu's stony countenance.

Zhou Yu was quiet for a long time after this pronouncement, and Chen Hao wondered idly whether he'd died. He wasn't sure what to do with himself – he was positive that the general had all but forgotten he had a listener at all. Zhou Yu was simply not the kind of person who would go around announcing his affection for people, particularly not to strangers.

Which meant, as Chen Hao had presumed some time ago, that the officer was primarily talking to himself. Or, rather, not to himself – but to someone far beyond them… someone in the sky Zhou Yu kept his eyes fixed on perpetually. Most likely, the soldier realized with a start, he was talking to Sun Ce. And he, Chen Hao, was just the unfortunate soldier in the grasp of a dying man with a long but oddly captivating story to tell.

So Chen Hao sat stone still, and Zhou Yu stared up at the canopy of the wagon with unblinking eyes. After what seemed like eternity, he gave a deep sigh. Then he gingerly raised a hand and rubbed at his forehead, as though soothing a headache. Chen Hao didn't dare breathe, lest he remind the man of his presence. Despite where the story seemed to be going, he needed to hear it – he needed to get to the end. He needed to know.

Finally, Zhou Yu's lips cracked open and he started speaking again. "It went on like that for a long time. We squabbled back and forth, we fought, we bruised each other's flesh and egos. We drove the entire household up the wall. We couldn't help it. We were naturally repellant. I was dark, he was light - I was serious, he was playful. I hated noise and he couldn't stand silence. I found peace in solitude, he loved being around people. And so we clashed. Until finally, one day, we went our separate ways and didn't even speak to each other for three years.

"During that point, his father came back regularly from the campaigns against minor outlying tribes and rebel factions – they couldn't go home for good yet, but Sun Jian was enough of a diversion to keep Sun Ce busy and give us good reason to be apart. I kept to my studies and my training, and he played with his siblings and his father – Sun Quan was his favorite target, being only four. It was a good system. But I'll admit that even in those years, he was never far from my mind – I couldn't seem to make him stop tormenting me. Every time I turned around I would catch a glimpse of him, and he stayed on my mind for hours, making me just as angry as he had when we'd actively argued together. It bothered me.

"From when I was twelve to my fifteenth birthday, I went back to being a recluse. I stayed up in my room or in the quiet quarters of the house, and read for hours or practiced my strategy. I was getting better – I could even outwit Sun Jian now, when we very rarely played strategy games like xiangqi together. He was impressed with my skill – which made Sun Ce a little jealous, I think. But he had more love than he could ever want from his father, so I don't think it really grated him.

"My own father I saw only during lessons, which was fine by me – he kept bringing up the infernal business of finding me a wife. My argument was that there was no sense in taking a wife in my late childhood with no way to support her, and my mother agreed with me, thankfully. But I knew he would not be deterred for long. I set about figuring out how to get away from home as soon as possible. My best option was to become an officer in someone's army – Sun Jian had offered me a position, but I had quickly declined. I did not want to spend years of my life near his abomination of a son."

Zhou Yu laughed breathlessly. Chen Hao thought that might have been funny if it weren't for the gray pallor stealing over general's features.

"So, I… I didn't know what my other choices were, at the time. But I had a few years to make a decision. I concerned myself with it more than I should have, I suppose, but not much all the same. I was content going about my daily business and ignoring the world at large. Sun Ce had essentially disappeared from my life, and everything was going along with a proper semblance of order. I couldn't get him out of my head, but as long as I didn't have to interact with him it hardly mattered."

Zhou Yu glared at the canopy, as though reliving an unhappy memory. Chen Hao blinked. "As I said, we ignored each other for three years, until my fifteenth birthday. That was the year 190, and Sun Jian had left a few weeks prior on another campaign – this one against Dong Zhuo, who had risen up as a dictator to the north and taken the young emperor captive – we didn't know at the time that the child ruler was already dead.

"Sun Ce had been pouting a good deal of the time and staying out of my way – he and his father were very close, and he always missed Sun Jian terribly when he was away on tours of duty – and after three years off, I was handling our infrequent meetings much better. We still argued, but it was more in the spirit of always having argued than for any real malice. My pessimism and realism still drove him up the walls, and his erratic and unpredictable behavior could annoy me faster than anything else, but we'd lost our iron edge of childhood rivalry.

"Those first few weeks of winter were difficult for my family. First Xan, who was only nine, and then the seven-year-old Sun Quan fell ill with colds. My mother and Lady Wu were kept busy taking care of them, which put the rest of the household on edge. To make matters worse, a strong wind had ripped roofing tiles off of part of the sleeping quarter section of the main house. Thankfully, those rooms were mainly unused, although Sun Quan did have to move into Qi and Xan's shared bedroom. We moved all of the furniture out of the damaged rooms and put layers of reeds down to protect the floors during the winter, but they were completely unusable. At the time, it didn't matter a bit, although… although Sun Ce and I did form a small bond during that escapade. I'd forgotten…"

His eyes went blank as he tried to remember the details. Chen Hao waited in silence, shifting his hand ever so slightly to put more pressure on the wound. After a moment, Zhou Yu smiled tightly and nodded.

"I remember. We were moving one of the sleeping couches out of the room – my father was a great supporter of those, although I preferred the full beds myself. My father had gone off with a particular vase he wanted to ask my mother about, and we were stuck moving the thing… it was surprisingly heavy," he murmured, hands unconsciously twitching at the memory of carrying the heavy load.

"We got one of the legs caught on the doorframe. Ce pulled – I tried to tell him not to, but I wasn't quick enough. He lost his balance and lurched, causing me to do the same. We tipped and fell over, with the couch on top of us." His mouth turned up in a tiny smile. "I remember lying there under that damn thing… I didn't want to get up. It seemed like too much effort to move. I had decided to just lie there and die when I heard a groan from the other side.

"I'd forgotten about Sun Ce. And at his groan… I don't know what happened to me. I was up in an instant, pushing the couch off with a strength I certainly didn't have. I got it up in a minute… looking at Ce lying there on the floor was like a shot of panic directly to the heart. He was surprised, I remember, when I helped him up and asked if he was all right. His eyes were so wide…"

Chen Hao was surprised at Zhou Yu's chuckle. "And he said yes. So we hauled the couch the rest of the way to the storage room. But after that – at least for a little while – we weren't quite so sharp with each other. I think Ce was more confused then anything else, and I couldn't get that feeling out of my mind – that feeling I got from seeing him lying there on the ground, unmoving…" The general shook his head again. His face went dark, and Chen Hao could almost see the terrible memories flitting across his pale skin – paler in the failing, wet light.

Chen Hao took advantage of the break to glance outside. The rain was still coming down steadily. He couldn't tell where they were – everything was gray and indistinct in the drizzle and fog – but they were still moving along at a fair pace, which was the best he could hope for, he supposed. He could see the two soldiers who'd been assigned as drivers chatting up front, but between the noise of the rain and Zhou Yu's heavy breathing he couldn't hear what they were saying. It took him a moment to realize that this meant they couldn't hear the general either – a fact of which he was glad. Beyond the matter of rumors and gossip, there was simply the fact that it made Chen Hao feel special to know he was the only one who had ever, and would ever, hear this story.

Caught up in his thoughts, the soldier was mildly surprised when Zhou Yu resumed his story. "But that's… not really important. As I said, everything was going all right until the night of my fifteenth birthday. The celebration was not particularly eventful at first. We were hosting a few revered guests – unexpected, as usual – so I had been seated beside Sun Ce, something uncommon given our disagreements. When we were younger and seated together, he would poke me with his chopsticks or flick vegetables at me."

The general shook his head a little, a slight smile touching his lips before it ghosted away beneath the ream of the story. "But that night – perhaps because of our uncertain position with each other – he sat quietly and spoke primarily to Shang Xiang, who was by that point a cheerful, vivacious girl of eleven…"

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"Are you even listening to me, Ce?" Shang Xiang gave him a stern look she had copied from Lady Cai, her auburn hair bouncing around her shoulders. Sun Ce ignored the question and picked up a shrimp-like creature by its red tail.

"What do you suppose this is, anyway?" he wondered aloud. Zhou Yu deigned not to answer, and Shang Xiang merely frowned.

"Brother! I'm telling you a story!" she protested. Sun Ce merely blinked at her through the fringe of bangs that were in serious need of trimming.

"No, but seriously. What is this thing? Do you eat it? And how?"

"Don't try it," Zhou Yu said quietly, eliciting the full attention of the two Sun children despite his low tone. "You won't like it." He himself had carefully segregated the dreaded, spicy creatures to one side of his plate and was eating around them. Qi and Xan, a few seats down, had done the same. Anyone who'd lived in the Zhou household for a long time knew not to touch them.

But Sun Ce was intrinsically curious. "What do they taste like?" he wanted to know.

"Bad," was Xan's efficient answer. The timid boy was carefully slipping them into his napkin for disposal at a later time. Qi had dropped most of his to the dog, and Zhou Yu's were cleverly disguised amid the roughage of the vegetables. Shang Xiang and Ce examined the boys' plates with interest. Then Shang Xiang began putting hers into the pocket of her robe, following their example in waiting for a moment when no one was watching to dispose of them.

Sun Ce was not as bright as his sister, and considerably more adventurous. He stared hard at the creature he still held in his merciless chopsticks. "It can't be that bad," he ventured, raising the morsel to his lips.

"Don't!" Xan warned, voice pitching higher in panic, but Ce refused to heed. In moments, he had the thing in his mouth and was chewing thoughtfully. Then his eyes went very wide, and he started to cough and choke, body heaving in convulsions. The children all stared at him, terrified, until Zhou Yu reached out and smacked him hard on the back. He succeeded in dislodging the shrimp, but Sun Ce gave one last cough and the detestable organism went sailing through the air, only to land with a bright splash in the water glass of the highest-seated visitor.

Shang Xiang's hands flew to her mouth. Xan and Qi exchanged worried glances. Sun Quan started to cry. Zhou Yu put his head in his hands. And Sun Ce started to laugh – a nervous, halting laugh that came out too loud and drew the attention of everyone in the room. At their looks, he froze motionless, mouth hanging open in an outrageous grin.

No one had noticed the shrimp yet, but it was only a matter of time. Zhou Yu was sure he had never been more embarrassed in his life. He gave Sun Ce a strong glare through his fingers. _Moron_, his eyes shouted, but Sun Ce wasn't looking at him. He was staring uneasily at the creature in the water glass. Lady Cai's eyes narrowed as she followed his gaze – then they shot wide open, and she snatched the water glass from the table just as the emissary finished a conversation with his neighbor and reached for a drink.

Their eyes met for a moment, but Lady Cai whisked the glass upward before her guest could protest. Her gaze screamed murder as she glanced over and caught Sun Ce's terrified expression, but her sweet smile stayed firmly in place. To prevent any awkward questions, she turned and bowed to the emissary and his friends, careful to keep the glass concealed in her long sleeves. "A toast!" she proposed, raising the stolen glass again. "To good friends and company, and to my dear son's birthday."

It wasn't fair. It was Sun Ce's fault – why did _he_ have to be punished? Now everyone in the room was looking at him and applauding, and here he was seated next to the crying Sun Quan and Sun Ce with his idiotic grin still in place. It was all he could do to bow his head respectfully at his mother's toast, but he felt that, seated amongst the peanut gallery as he was, there was no way he was giving these people a good impression of himself. By the time the toast was over, his mother had stolen the glass away permanently and replaced it before the emissary had time to miss it. Everyone continued talking jovially, although each of the children gave Sun Ce a stern glare when he next looked their way. Zhou Yu sighed and rubbed his forehead, willing his headache away. At least things couldn't get any worse…

With time and maturity, Zhou Yu would learn to never use absolutes. Only about ten minutes later, it did get worse – significantly worse. Zhou Fan had caught sight of the children drooping over their plates, and had suggested with a smile that perhaps it was time for them all to retire. He turned to his guests and apologized for having to put them up in the main sitting room for the night, but what with the damaged roof there were simply no guest rooms available. The three men exchanged glances.

"Actually, Zhou Fan… we have a favor to ask of you. We are currently being hunted by the forces of that despicable Dong Zhuo, and we were hoping to seek sanctuary in your house for a few weeks…" The speaker bowed low, understanding that he was putting his host under a good deal of pressure. Zhou Fan frowned in thought, and Zhou Yu did the same. There was no way they could put such dignified guests in the sitting room for weeks – even one night was a stretch. But there were no other rooms open…

Then Zhou Fan brightened and snapped his fingers. "You know, my dear friend, I do have a room to put you in, where you are welcome to stay for as long as you like – provided you don't mind sharing with each other?" The men all consented eagerly. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed. There weren't any open rooms. What was his father planning?

Zhou Fan rose from the table, gathering his long robe about him. "Allow me to go and prepare the room for you – perhaps Sun Shang Xiang would be kind enough to dance for you?" He eyed the girl with a smile, which she returned forcibly as she rose and bowed deeply to the guests. Then he made for the exit, pausing just at the door. "Yu, Sun Ce – why don't you help me with this."

Zhou Yu exchanged a suspicious look with Sun Ce, and they both followed Zhou Fan into the corridor. He walked a few paces, then stopped and turned to face them. The sound of the lute filtered through the door and floated in the darkness hiding his expression. "Sun Ce… I'm going to have to ask a favor of you. I'm afraid I need to put our guests in your room for the next few weeks."

Sun Ce scowled, but there was nothing he could do - so after complaining mildly under his breath for a moment, he nodded. Zhou Yu frowned at his father. He'd figured it would be something like that. It wasn't a brilliant solution, but it was probably the best they had. But that left the question of where Sun Ce would sleep. Somehow, Zhou Yu doubted his father would give Sun Jian's son the sitting room either.

"You'll be staying in Yu's room until they leave." Both boys felt their jaws drop, and identical expressions of shock and horror came over their faces.

"No!" Zhou Yu argued, eyes dark. Sun Ce shook his head furiously.

"I'd rather sleep on the roof!" he shouted. Zhou Fan clapped a hand over his furious mouth to keep him from disturbing the performance in the other room.

"Quiet," he hissed, giving them both a stern look. "No one is sleeping on the roof. You are going to get along just fine." His eyes left no room for arguing, although Sun Ce surely would have tried if his mouth had not been clamped. "Now help me move another bed in there," he commanded, straightening up and releasing Sun Ce, whose face was contorted in such a vigorous scowl that it looked like he'd never smile again.

"There isn't room," Zhou Yu announced icily. It wasn't a very big room – there certainly wouldn't be room for another bed with his own bed and desk already taking up most of the space.

"There's room," Zhou Fan assured him, already moving toward the room where they kept the extra furniture. The two boys followed in stony, furious silence. It took some time to maneuver two extra beds into Sun Ce's old room and carry his belongings out, and when they finally got the second bed into Zhou Yu's room Zhou Fan was forced to admit that it didn't fit very well after all. Both boys hoped this would prompt another solution, but Zhou Fan just shoved the second bed against Zhou Yu's – so close that they were touching at the side – and muscled it up against the wall. Zhou Yu scowled. His thin mattress had become one enormous bed – a bed he had to share.

Zhou Fan clapped his hands tiredly. "Good. Perfect. Now, Sun Ce, move your things in and get settled. You two should go to bed soon, even though I'm sure you'll want to stay up and talk." He smiled as though the children beside him were grinning up at him instead of giving him two distinct varieties of death glare. "Goodnight."

With that, Zhou Fan was gone, turning on heel and disappearing out the bedroom door with a speed that suggested either an unusual haste to return to his guests or some inkling how displeased he had actually made the two youths with his unyielding solution. As the paper door slid closed behind his heel, Zhou Yu ground his teeth together and felt his eyes narrowing in a useless glower, gaze burning into the wall beside the exit in place of his father's features.

Finally there was nothing to do but turn to his new roommate, and the young Zhou heir did so reluctantly, watching Sun Ce with an open glare. Sun Ce glared back. Anger flashed like lightning between them. Then Zhou Yu scowled and looked away, walking to stand at the window and stare into the chilly night. He could hear Sun Ce rummaging in his things, presumably polluting the already limited space with his junk.

Zhou Yu was sure he'd never been so unhappy. How dare his father! This room was his sanctuary – his private hide-away from everyone else. And if he had to share, why did it have to be with Sun Ce, of all the people in the world… he wanted to throw something.

But mature fifteen-year-olds did not throw temper tantrums. No. Which explained why Sun Ce was chucking what sounded like bricks against the wall. Zhou Yu turned to see the boy hurling a wide variety of knick-knacks and useless items into the closet. The room, which had always been immaculately clean, had been covered in mere minutes by all manner of clothing, paper, and garbage.

"Stop making a mess," he spat. Sun Ce turned to look at him, frown still firmly in place.

"It's not a mess," he retorted, folding his arms across his chest. "It's creatively cluttered." Zhou Yu's scowl deepened, but Sun Ce ignored him and continued unpacking.

Zhou Yu sat down heavily on his bed. These were going to be the most awful months of his life, surely – there was nowhere he could go to get away from Sun Ce now. The garden was far too cold, and the damaged roof tiles had ruined all the undiscovered corners of the house. He had been planning to spend most of the winter in his room, but now where could he go? It seemed as though the entire world had become a noisy, messy rubbish heap with hordes of people at every turn. How were they ever going to get through this?

Sun Ce had finished unpacking and seated himself on the end of his own cot. When Zhou Yu turned to look at him, he was watching his new roommate with a curious expression.

"What?" the dark youth asked, his voice like venom. Sun Ce shrugged, the tangled strands of his hair falling thoughtlessly over his shoulders.

"I don't know. You wanna play a game or something?"

Zhou Yu's face contorted. Circumstances or not, the last thing he wanted was to be friends with this hellion, regardless of the new opportunity for reconciliation that Sun Ce was apparently pursuing. The Zhou prodigy's frown deepened, and he glowered at his unwanted roommate beneath the fringe of his bangs, shoulders tense with disapproval.

"Play a game?" His glare intensified, meeting the open, unguarded amber across from him with the force of a lightning strike. "The last thing I want to do is willfully spend a minute in your company, and I'm sorry there's nothing I can do to prevent the hours of hell I'm going to have to put up with this winter."

The words came out harsher than he'd intended, but he meant them all the same, frustration and annoyance that were mostly directed at his father finding release in the familiar conflict of his eternal rival. Sun Ce's expression, which had been amenable with his attempt at offering the olive branch, snapped into shadow as anger fell across his countenance again.

"Well fine, you jerk! Not like I want to be here either! I hope you choke on your bad attitude and die!" With that, he leapt up and ran out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Zhou Yu collapsed backward onto his bed, hair falling around him like water. It wasn't fair. Everything had been going so well… and now here he was, locked in a small room with Sun Ce, for a completely unspecified length of time. Things could not get any worse.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chen Hao wanted to laugh, but he couldn't. Their constant bickering wasn't actually funny unless you knew they ended up as best friends. And even if he had thought Zhou Yu would appreciate being laughed at – which seemed extremely unlikely given the serious nature of the general's character – the situation was far too serious, underneath the ironic humor of the story, to warrant laughter. So he kept quiet and watched the wind playing with tendrils of hair around his commander's face, silent as the afternoon creeping away above them.

Zhou Yu shifted in his place against the floorboards and frowned a little, his expression contorting with the memory of earlier times. "I don't need to tell you it was one of my father's stupider ideas. Any friendship Sun Ce and I had been cultivating was instantly dismantled. Childish though it was, we did everything possible to irritate each other. I would woke up early and open the shutters so that he couldn't sleep late – he would be as loud as humanly possible whenever the opportunity presented itself."

The general shook his head, a tiny smile flitting across his lips before it vanished again in the darkness of his expression. "We couldn't fight outright, because my mother disapproved, and Sun Ce was already on her bad side for the shrimp incident – but we took stabs at each other whenever we could manage it. We each slept on the far side of our beds – he against the wall, and I mere inches from the floor – lest we roll at night and touch each other on accident. I don't think either of us got much sleep those first two weeks."

Zhou Yu became quiet once more, the darkness of the wagon playing through his obsidian eyes, and at last Chen Hao couldn't help prompting him, the silence growing too loud in his ears. "And then?" he asked softly, shifting to let the leg he'd been sitting on and which had subsequently fallen asleep resume blood flow. Zhou Yu gave a barely perceptible grimace.

"And then the impossible happened. Sun Ce got sick."

Chen Hao blinked, surprised by the simplicity of his general's answer. That wasn't really something he considered impossible, especially not after hearing how recklessly the King of Wu had apparently behaved in his younger days. As though guessing his train of thought, Zhou Yu shook his head in a smooth arc, his gaze trailing across the canvas of the roof as though he could see the distant past reflected above him.

"In all six years I'd known him, he'd never even had a cough – he was the healthiest of all of us, despite doing plenty of foolish things and constantly staying up too late or playing too long in the snow. All I can think is that he had some kind of natural immunity to disease – or perhaps he just hated to be forced into relaxation and hours of doing nothing, and stayed well by sheer force of will. This time, though, there was no denying it – he was ill."

Chen Hao repositioned himself against the side of the wagon, and Zhou Yu smiled a little, the vacant expression seeming so unnatural on his stern features that his subordinate almost couldn't help favoring his frown instead.

"It was his own fault. We'd had a bit of a warm spell, and Sun Quan, who had just gotten over his cold, was playing with Ce outside. I was reading nearby – not by choice, mind you. My mother instructed that I keep an eye on them both while they played… in the beginning, I can't even describe how annoyed it made me to be considered responsible for Sun Ce. But I reluctantly did as I was told, and so I watched them between the leaves of my study materials."

Chen Hao wondered how long it had taken before being responsible for Sun Ce became a privilege rather than a chore in Zhou Yu's mind – how long it had taken before he wanted to keep that responsibility. But he didn't ask, and the general was caught up in his train of thought now, pushing on without a glance to his silent audience.

"They were having a mock battle down by the frozen pond – Sun Ce on his knees to make the game fairer for Sun Quan, though he could have let the boy win once in a while – and I have to admit I was watching them out of the corner of my eye, distracted by their open affection. I still looked after Xan somewhat, as he was only nine, but Qi had lost his respect for me somewhere between ten and thirteen, and we did not get along."

The commander's exhalation was halfway between a laugh and a sigh, and it teased the corners of his lips into a smile that contained only a hint of cynical amusement. "I haven't seen him in years, but we did not part on good terms – if we ever meet again, in the next stage, it will be with our swords at each other's throats."

His harsh tone surprised Chen Hao, who started a little in his seat and blinked at his stern general through the waning light. Zhou Yu, whose face had stolen into shadow, shook his head again.

"But that isn't important now. Where was I… oh… yes. I was watching them play. And then, in the dead of winter, a frog hopped out of the rushes. It was the oddest thing, and none of us could keep from staring. Sun Quan started screeching, in delight I assume – he had quite a pair of lungs as a child." The general's face cracked into a smile, the expression lighting his face like a lonely sunbeam through the gray drizzle. "He was always screaming about something."

Chen Hao had never met Sun Quan personally, but he had seen him on several occasions during his training around Han Ni Castle, and the Lord of Wu had always struck him as an intensely powerful man, fully confident and hard as stone despite his sea-gray eyes. It was hard to imagine that dignified man screaming about a frog.

"He wanted to play with it," Zhou Yu continued, one hand rising to brush at his disheveled bangs. "It hopped out onto the ice of the pond and looked back at us, as though daring us to follow it. Sun Quan tried, but it was too dangerous, and I wouldn't let him go. He looked ready to cry until Sun Ce promised to get it. I decided that if Sun Ce fell through the ice, it would be his own fault, as he was old enough to know better, so I kept hold of Sun Quan's hand and we watched Sun Ce approach the wary creature."

Chen Hao couldn't help smiling at the mental picture that was shining so clearly through the fabric of time. There was young Sun Quan, dressed in too-long robes and eyes full of tears, holding onto the hand of fifteen-year-old Zhou Yu, whose hair bobbed in a ponytail hanging just to his shoulders. Beside them, Sun Ce, shaggy hair tied briskly back at his neck, was stepping cautiously onto the ice after a frog, his tongue protruding from one corner of his mouth in serious concentration. They seemed like the ideal childhood snapshot, whatever the results of the misadventure.

"He did catch it," Zhou Yu remarked softly, amusement underwriting the neutrality of his tone. "But he had to dive for it, and the ice broke underneath him. Sun Quan screamed, and I couldn't help the way my heart leapt into my throat. He came out covered in pond scum and dripping wet, with the brightest smile I'd ever seen and the frog wriggling in his triumphant hands. Sun Quan was delighted and frightened of the frog all at the same time, and he and Sun Ce played with it for the rest of the afternoon until the sun went down and we had to go inside.

"I remember watching him in wonder. He was always catching me off guard with the things he did… I couldn't predict his actions from one moment to the next. But it was in moments like that when I had to admit that his laughter and his willingness to make people happy were infectious. Whether you liked him or not, Sun Ce got into your heart – he became a part of you that there was no discarding. He became important to everyone who met him. He was so alive that the people he touched became alive, too, sharing that spark, reflecting it like a mirror…"

His voice trailed off, losing coherency as he cleared his throat and the soft wind whisked through the open back of the wagon once again. Chen Hao could almost see Sun Ce's spark shining in Zhou Yu's face and along his shivering skin, lighting the obsidian eyes that were narrowed in concentration as words tumbled from his lips again.

"And then he became ill. It was likely the cold water combined with a weak immune system from spending too much time with Quan... he lay in his bed and moaned all morning the day after, so I went to inform my parents of the situation. I was hoping they would remove him to Lady Wu and Shang Xiang's room in order that his own family could care for him and I could get my room back. Instead, my mother looked me straight in the eye and told me the cruelest thing I'd heard to that point of my young life."

"What was that?" Chen Hao's voice was unintentionally hushed, snagging as it emerged from his throat in honest curiosity.

Zhou Yu coughed into a vague chuckle. "She said I'd be taking care of him myself."

End Chapter 3

xxxxxxxxxxx

A note for Winds of Eternity: Congrats on being able to find any fanfics for this pairing – I can't. But as for why they don't get along in childhood… as the saying goes, opposites attract, and mostly I believe this is true. But when you're a kid, your opposite just annoys the hell out of you. I felt it was more realistic for them to be rivals as children then to get along well.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 3

"_I was secretly hoping they'd move him to Lady Wu and Shang Xiang's room in order that she could care for him (and I could get my room back), but instead my mother looked me straight in the eye and told me the most awful thing I'd ever heard."_

"_What was that?" Chen Hao's voice was hushed._

_Zhou Yu coughed in a vague chuckle. "She said I'd be taking care of him myself."_

xxxxx

Zhou Yu stared. His mouth hung open and his eyes, unnaturally large in his pale face, seemed ready to fall out of his head. His mother barely spared him a glance.

"Don't give me that look," she told him, not even pausing in her activity of sewing a tear in Xan's shirt. "There's a covered bowl of soup on the table – you can take it up to him."

Zhou Yu finally found his voice. "You're not serious." Her eyes met his, completely calm and honest.

"Yes, I am." Xan struggled a bit, anxious to get away from the needle and the room's growing tension. All was silent for a moment. Then Zhou Yu exploded.

"What?! Why me? Why can't his mother do it?"

Lady Cai's expression was neither pleased nor sympathetic. "Lady Wu is currently under the weather herself – I believe she's caught whatever Quan had. Your father and I both have other matters to attend to. You, on the other hand, have nothing better to do – besides which, you're my eldest son and in the proper position to assume his care."

"What position is that?" Zhou Yu snapped, stinging a little at the implication that his time and activities weren't important.

His mother's voice was completely flat. "Roommate."

Zhou Yu steamed. Xan seemed to sense his brother's anger, and pulled a little, earning himself a stern look from Lady Cai. After another good bout of silence, Zhou Yu fell to his last resort – defiance.

"I won't do it," he announced. Lady Cai looked up, and set the needle carefully down on the table.

"Yes, you will." Their eyes met. For a long moment, Zhou Yu met her stare evenly, throwing all his anger and indignation into the look. He was not giving in on this one. No way. He refused to be stuck with Sun Ce in this condition.

But in a battle of wills with his mother, Zhou Yu always inevitably lost. She had the most inscrutable gaze of anyone he'd ever met, and could not be stared down despite one's intensity. After minutes had gone by in silence, during which time Xan began to cry quietly, Zhou Yu looked away. His mother, knowing instantly that she had won, returned to her sewing and wiped Xan's tears off of his face. Zhou Yu turned to the window, watching the slowly falling flakes in their tireless dance.

"I don't know how," he muttered after a minute more. His mother smiled – it looked like a kind smile, but truly it was a smile of triumph. He had seen that expression countless times before.

"It's not very difficult," she assured him, holding the needle in her teeth as she finished knotting her thread. "Keep him still, and let him sleep as much as possible. Make sure he's warm at all times, but use a wet cloth to keep his face cool. Give him plenty of water and soup, but nothing substantial. There's a dish of herbs on the table – mix a pinch of that into his food twice a day."

She paused, and Zhou Yu collected the soup and medicine from the table and headed back toward the door, sulking. Just as he reached the threshold, her voice stopped him.

"Oh, and Yu?" He turned to meet her gaze. "Remember to think encouraging thoughts. Humor is half the battle." Lady Cai smiled at her son.

Zhou Yu wanted to throw the dish at her, but he refrained and bowed instead.

It was an arduous trip back to the room, and he took very slow, small steps to delay the inevitable. No way was Sun Ce going to be in a good mood, and even when the boy was feeling pleasant they didn't get along. When he finally reached the door and could not prolong his journey any more, he heaved an enormous sigh and pushed it open.

Sun Ce was sleeping. The light from the winter landscape outside cast his features in pale relief, and he looked more like a painting or a statue than a living creature. It was only the slow, rhythmic rise and fall of his chest that disturbed the sense of unreality. Zhou Yu set the bowl down on his desk and dropped a few leaves of the herb into it, stirring thoughtfully. He wondered if Sun Ce would even eat. Whenever he'd been sick himself, he hadn't had much of an appetite.

With a start, he realized he'd forgotten to grab a cloth and bowl of water for Sun Ce's forehead – reluctantly, he left and retrieved it. He was only gone a minute, but by the time he returned, Sun Ce was conscious and sitting up, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "Man," he remarked. "I am so done sleeping." Zhou Yu sighed – that meant he was going to have to forcibly keep the boy resting for the next few days. At the sound, Sun Ce seemed to notice him for the first time and frowned.

"Hey…" he greeted cautiously. Zhou Yu dipped his head slightly and pretended to be concentrating on the soup. Sun Ce straightened a little. "So… where's my mother?"

"She's not coming," Zhou Yu muttered, and Sun Ce balked.

"She's not?" His eyes were confused, and Zhou Yu frowned.

"She's sick herself. Same thing Quan had." He stirred the bowl again. The soup didn't really look very appetizing, but even less so with green herbal flecks swimming in it. Sun Ce smiled.

"Well, great! I'm glad. I get better much faster when no one's making me lay around all day." Zhou Yu winced. Yes… he was in for hell. Sun Ce hated being confined and grew restless after mere moments of inactivity. How he was going to get the tenacious demon to sleep until he got better was one of those questions Zhou Yu simply could not answer, sort of like how many stars were in the sky or why the Yangzi River ran the wrong way.

"My mother said you're not to leave the room," he remarked, tone listless and riddled with cynicism. As though it were going to be that simple with someone as stubborn as the boy in front of him. Sun Ce stared at him for a few seconds before his brain could put this statement and the bowl of soup together in one momentous deduction.

"_You're_ supposed to take care of me?" He was incredulous, and rightly so. Usually Lady Cai didn't make such foolish decisions. Zhou Yu nodded nevertheless, dipping the cloth into the bowl and then wringing the water back out of it. Sun Ce groaned and flopped back on his pillow. "Oh, hell," he mumbled. Then he shook his fist at the ceiling. "Just what have you got against me, huh?!"

The ceiling did not answer.

xxxxx

"He was a handful."

Chen Hao didn't doubt it. Taking care of anyone who was not interested in sitting still was an awful job. He himself had been one of six children, and had often been employed as babysitter when one of his younger siblings fell ill. Keeping them still and resting had been almost more than he could take – and from what he'd learned of Sun Ce's disposition, it didn't seem like the youth would have been any easier to care for.

Zhou Yu's smile was faded but genuine. "At first he refused to eat everything I brought him – and then he did eat, but he got tired of the soup and wanted something else. I took him a few rice buns against my mother's orders, but what he really wanted was sweets, and as so many of the staff were ill, no one was bothering to make cakes at that time. I would have given them to him gladly if it would have inspired his silence. He was continuously talking – or rather, continuously complaining – and what made it so much worse was that all he wanted was to get up and do something. I could see the restless energy burning in his blood, but there was nothing I could do. Letting him run around in the snow was not going to make things any better. Or, at least…"

His brow furrowed in thought. "I didn't think it would. I later learned that he actually healed best by not letting whatever it was get the best of him – by continuing to do everything just as he would have. Laying down and resting was the slow route to recovery for him, although I can't fathom why." He gave himself a little shake. "Regardless. I didn't know that at the time. All I knew was what my mother told me, and I followed that as best I could without allowing him to drive me crazy.

"As is usual in this case, things got worse before they got better. For the first two days, he was irritable and irritating. On the third day, his fever worsened significantly. He was less trouble then, but it was much more frightening – although I didn't want to admit to being frightened for him. He lay in bed and moaned all through the next three days, and I piled every blanket I could find on top of him, and kept the wet cloth on his face.

"I could barely make him eat at all, and he still put up a hell of a fight about taking the medicine and refused flat out to consume anything he considered suspicious. Primarily he just drank a great deal of water those few days – but that was all right, I suppose, as that's what his body needed most anyway. It was those days when he experienced delusions and dreams that would wake him up in the middle of the night. I remember one night in particular… he was tossing and turning in his sleep, and I was holding the cool cloth to his face. He shot up with a start and we nearly bumped heads – his eyes were wild in the darkness. He turned to me, but I could see that he was looking right through me, out to some distant point.

"And then he grabbed my hand. He was crying – it shocked me, because I'd never seen him cry before. It was an awful kind of crying. Crying in fear." Zhou Yu's hand twitched, and in his mind Chen Hao could almost see another pair of fingers twined tightly through the general's, unnaturally pale with illness and separation. The fallen strategist sighed, reminiscence flitting through his eyes in a dissipating shadow.

"He said… 'Father, don't leave me.' I didn't know what to do. I knew he wasn't talking to me, but all the same he had my hand…" Zhou Yu shook his head, the motion drawing a slight wince onto his features before the concentration of his narrative chased it away. "I did the only thing I could think of – I pushed him back down on the bed and told him to go to sleep. In the morning he was a little better, and he didn't seem to remember anything from the night before – but I was not so lucky. I still see the expression on his face when I think about it." He closed his eyes and memory washed across his countenance like waves.

Silence invaded the wagon and held, suspended, for a long moment, until Chen Hao broke it by bumping his funny bone against the wooden side. His face twisted in mild discomfort and he rubbed the sore spot, biting down on his lip not in pain but in apology to the overwhelming quiet that was hanging over their creaking vehicle. Zhou Yu's eyes blinked open at the mild sound, and he cast the soldier a fleeting glance. Then he continued, words hanging in the darkening air.

"On the sixth day his fever went down significantly, but he wasn't fully recovered yet. I remember it, because that was the day everything changed for us. It wasn't instantaneous, by any means… but that day was the catalyst for our shift from rivalry to the friendship that had been impossible for so long."

xxxxxx

"Stop fighting me."

Zhou Yu's eyes were hard as ice, and from the way he could feel his patience preparing to snap, he wouldn't have been surprised if steam had begun to rise from his ears. Sun Ce wasn't fazed. He crossed both arms over his chest in a pose of open defiance and met his caretaker's glare with one of his own, amber and obsidian clashing above the disheveled sheets of two joined cots.

"Never," he answered, pushing the bowl of soup that was balanced precariously in his roommate's hands back in the other youth's direction. The gray liquid splashed a little at the indelicate motion, and Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to simply grab the dish in one hand and the obnoxious boy's chin in the other so he could jam the entire ceramic down his rival's throat. He had been lenient about the medicated food in the preceding days, but this was it – the last straw. He was not giving in this time.

Zhou Yu had always known that the Sun heir was as stubborn as a mule. A long week in his illness-infused company had taught the Zhou prodigy that the only time Sun Ce was more annoying than when he was gallivanting around the estate like a half-wild chimpanzee was when he was not, because then the irritating boy was in close enough proximity to bother his roommate instead of the servants who kept the grounds. And the spastic youth being sick was even worse, because it meant that Zhou Yu was responsible for him, a job the dark boy would be relinquishing as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

But as the temporarily responsible party, he wasn't going to let the sunshine youth get away without swallowing at least half of the soup this time. He was partly interested in getting the food into his roommate's stomach because his mother had been giving him no end of hell about the full dishes that returned day after day to the kitchen, which apparently constituted an enormous waste that the household didn't need to be affording. But in the vein of pure honesty, the dark youth knew he couldn't stand one more day in Sun Ce's undivided company – and if force-feeding the Sun heir was the only way to prevent it, that was not an option Zhou Yu was ruling out.

"That stuff makes me feel terrible," Sun Ce announced, flicking the strands of his disheveled rattail back over one shoulder. Zhou Yu sighed and raised one hand to rub at his roiling temples, cursing his headache and his mother and the boy before him as he extended the soup dish again.

"It won't kill you."

The dark youth supposed he couldn't actually swear to that, seeing as he had no idea what the medicine was actually made of or where Lady Cai had managed to procure it. But the assurance did nothing to change the other boy's attitude, and Sun Ce drew himself up straighter in his cross-legged seat, shifting against the mattress of his cot as a scoff escaped his lips.

"So? I said I'm not eating it, Zhou Yu. That's that."

A sharp nudge to the edge of the bowl accompanied his stalwart declaration, and a dribble of soup rolled down the lacquered rim until Zhou Yu caught it with his sleeve, scowling darker for the stain on his sleeping robe. He sent his roommate a stoic glare, fighting down the coals of annoyance that were festering ever brighter within his stomach. Where his mother thought he'd have found the patience to deal with a hellion like the eldest Sun child was considerably beyond her son's understanding…

"It's good for you," the Zhou prodigy asserted, brushing back his bangs as he tried to push the bowl in Sun Ce's direction again. But now the other boy had taken hold of the dish as well, and he kept it from moving any closer to him with two determined hands, tan and pale fingertips brushing with the same angry sparks that were shooting between their masters' clashing glares.

"Oh yeah? If you like it so much, why don't _you_ eat it?" The Sun heir stuck out his tongue and Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, his grip tightening around the richly lacquered ceramic as his muscles stiffened in restrained aggravation.

"Because I'm not sick," the dark youth shot back, gaining the advantage in their pseudo tug-of-war long enough to push the bowl up against his rival's chest. But Sun Ce pushed back just as hard, and this time soup splashed over both of their hands, the warm liquid leaving a greasy trail as it chased down Zhou Yu's knuckles.

"Neither am I!" the Sun heir declared, his tone bordering on a shout as it dashed around the room and escaped through the half-open shutters, scaring the night air away with the force of his restless voice. "And I've been cooped up in here for a week already, so would you give me a break? Why do you always have to be such an arrogant jerk?"

With every infuriated syllable, the sunshine youth jostled the bowl hovering between them, and Zhou Yu gritted his teeth as slops of the unappetizing liquid scattered across the border between their cots, leaving a splatter of wet marks and skimming down his pale wrist in a decidedly unpleasant fashion. The dark youth huffed under his breath, wrenching the dish out of his roommate's hands so that the irrepressible young demon couldn't make even more of a mess.

"You are so childish," Zhou Yu accused in a low growl, placing the soup into the nest of covers between them so that he could wipe his dampened hands against the folds of his robe. But the fabric did nothing to relieve the sticky residue left behind, and the young prodigy's glower deepened as he lifted the lacquered pottery back into his hands, not daring to push it toward his companion for fear of the tidal wave of medicated slush that might result. "Why do you have to be difficult every time you open your mouth?" he muttered, staring into the other boy's amber eyes with nothing short of a death glare.

Sun Ce made a face at him, the expression only reasserting his maturity level. "You started it! You're the one who wants me to eat this stupid stuff in the first place." Zhou Yu did not respond, and the Sun heir reached out to take hold of the bowl again, shoving it toward his rival with a series of ever more precarious jerks. "If you would just drop it, we wouldn't be arguing about this for the fifth time! And why do you have to be such a control freak all the—"

"Stop that," the dark youth snapped, trying to stabilize the rollicking liquid as it began to rock ever faster within the confines of the painted ceramic. "You're going to make it—"

His warning came too late. With one more fervent heave, Sun Ce's upset the bowl's precarious balance – Zhou Yu's eyes widened as the dirty liquid headed toward his lap in an unbridled cascade, and without thinking he shoved the dish away as hard as he could, releasing his hold on the smooth clay to send the bowl flying across his roommate's cot instead. The Sun heir squawked as a large portion of the soup landed directly in his lap, and the rest of it splashed haphazardly across his bed, the last few drops scattering over the floor as the bowl landed with a resounding crash.

Zhou Yu gaped and Sun Ce stared, and for a moment everything went quiet between the boys, two pairs of eyes watching in helpless surprise as the soup soaked into the depths of the mattress and the folds of one damp sleeping robe. Then the sunshine youth groaned and dropped back into his pillows with a frustrated groan, two hands coming up to hide his face as his rival slowly regained his composure.

"Oh, great…"

The Zhou prodigy sighed, one hand rising to cover his mouth as he glared at his unwanted roommate through the thin lines of his bangs. "Idiot," he muttered, pushing himself off of the cot and gathering his companion's soaked blankets into his arms. "Now look what you've done." Sun Ce shot up in his seat, his mouth falling open in rampant indignation as he gestured to the emptied bowl.

"Me?! That was totally your fault! I didn't want to eat that stuff in the first place, and if you hadn't been pushing it at me—"

"All right, forget it," Zhou Yu snapped, his headache flaring within his temples as he dumped the pile of soiled covers against one wall and turned back to glare at his companion across the expanse of ruined sheets. One pale hand settled at the dark youth's waist, rendering his posture yet more severe as he confronted the other boy in unguarded exasperation. "Just change clothes. You're soaking in it."

"No thanks to you!" Sun Ce retorted, holding up his soaked sleeves to examine the damage before he got to his feet as well. The Zhou prodigy rolled his eyes and reached out to strip the drenched cot as his roommate headed for his trunk, digging out a new set of sleeping robes through his unceasing mutters. "Stupid jerk of a…"

Zhou Yu ignored him, pulling the stained sheets away from the mattress so that he could examine the stain their soup accident had left behind. The dark youth shook his head, tendrils of hair falling around his shoulders as he turned back and deposited the damp bedding in the company of the Sun heir's useless coverlet. There was a high possibility that the discoloration would never come out – which was just one more example of how mindlessly irresponsible the Tiger of Jiang Dong's eldest son had managed to remain over the fifteen years of his life…

By the time Zhou Yu kicked the ruined blankets and pillows into a suitably compact pile and turned back into the center of the room, Sun Ce had long finished dressing, and the sunshine youth was considering their two beds with thoughtful eyes, his nose wrinkled in obvious distaste at the greasy mark encompassing most of his cot. Then the Sun heir took a step back and dove onto his roommate's mattress instead, both arms stretched in front of him as he landed in the midst of the pillows head-first.

"Well, this'll have to do, I guess…"

The Zhou prodigy started at the sudden movement and the unconcerned voice emanating from somewhere within his bedding, and he stared at his bed in silence for a long moment, watching the back of his companion's chaotic head and the blankets crushed beneath him with uncomprehending eyes. Then a heavy frown fell over his thin lips, and the dark youth moved to stand at the edge of the occupied cot, his footsteps pulling Sun Ce's gaze up to meet his own cold obsidian above the disorder of the sheets.

"Get off," Zhou Yu ordered, crossing both arms over his chest. The Sun heir scoffed.

"Yeah, right. You spilled soup all over my bed, so I get to use yours. That's the way it works." The boy rolled onto his back and cushioned both arms under his head, kicking his feet into the wealth of blankets with a carefree air that made his irritated host grit his teeth. "Besides, my bed's a mess. Where am I supposed to sleep?"

Zhou Yu scowled at him, reaching up to knock his ponytail back over one shoulder as he glared into unconcerned amber. "How about in the stable with the other animals?" the young prodigy snapped, and Sun Ce threw a pillow at him, missing by a few inches and sending the missile back into the plastered wall before it fell into rest against its soggy comrades.

"I hate you!" The sunshine youth's voice rang around the walls in a passionate echo, quieter than usual under the strain of his illness but no less sincere for the drop in volume. "You're a complete jerk, you know that? No wonder you don't have any friends!"

Zhou Yu didn't want any friends. And he definitely didn't want any friends like the loud, obnoxious, selfish, stubborn, accident-prone idiot of a boy lounging across his bed, his tongue protruding from his mouth in an expression of unashamed immaturity. Nor did he particularly want to be in the company of the above-mentioned imbecile at that moment – but the rest of the household was already asleep, and it was too cold outside to retreat to the garden, though the breeze sifting through the cracked shutters was cool against his exasperated skin. Which left him very few options…

The Zhou prodigy rubbed one hand against his forehead in a vain attempt at clearing his headache, and then he snatched a scroll from the surface of his desk and dropped to the floor next his cot, snapping the bamboo strips open with enough force to make the candle on his bedside table sputter. Sun Ce started at the sudden motion, and as the dark youth leaned back against the edge of his bed he could see his infuriating roommate peering at him curiously, chestnut bangs interfering with his brilliant eyes.

"What are you doing?"

The question was almost an accusation under the tension of the boy's uncomprehending tone, and Zhou Yu sighed as his gaze trailed up to the ceiling, leaving the characters of his study materials momentarily so that he could glare at the unpainted roof above him.

"I am utilizing this opportunity to improve my mind," the dark youth replied, dragging the scroll farther across his lap so that his eyes could move down the next line of text. "Which isn't something I'd expect you to understand, let alone engage your minimal intelligence in pursuing. Just shut up and go to sleep – the faster you recover, the less time I have to spend with you."

Every aspect of his retort was sharp, and in his periphery the reluctant host could see that his rival had bristled at the millifold insult, his frown curving into a deep arc as fire flashed through his blazing amber eyes. But after a moment of consideration, Sun Ce sat up and tipped his chin to one side, studying his companion with a thoughtful expression.

"So… you're going to sleep down there?" His rival said nothing, lips pressed into a thin line as his gaze scanned the bamboo slips but absorbed little, and the Sun heir raised one hand to rub the back of his neck, doubt taking hold of his features as he glanced across the single remaining cot. "Y'know… we could probably… share this. I guess."

He didn't sound nearly as confident as the offer might have implied, and Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, turning around so that he could catch his roommate's gaze above the sheets that Sun Ce had already begun to tangle. The last thing he wanted in the entire world was to be near enough to the sunshine youth that they might end up touching, especially as he was well-acquainted with how disorderly the boy became when he was fast asleep. The dark youth leaned one elbow against his mattress, brushing back the strands of his ponytail as the candle shadows flickered over his companion's waiting face.

"No, we couldn't," Zhou Yu asserted, pressing on before the Sun heir could take offense as his open mouth indicated he was preparing to do. "First of all, the bed is simply not large enough for that." He hated to think how close they would have had to be to remain within the borders of the minimal space… the Zhou prodigy shook his head, holding his rival's gaze with disinterested obsidian eyes as his voice dispelled the silence once again. "And that aside, you're sick. While it's probably too late to avoid catching whatever you have, I'd rather not invite the opportunity." Or at least, no more than he already had by being stuck in the same room as his diseased rival for a week straight.

Sun Ce's mouth closed again at the straightforward explanation, and his hand move to scratch the base of his ear, contemplation heavy on his shadowed face. Then the sunshine youth sat back and dropped into the pillows once again, regarding his companion from his retreated position.

"Oh…"

The single syllable answer trailed away on the wings of the night wind, and Zhou Yu directed his attention back to the scroll laid across his lap, letting the dark characters fill his mind as the silence stretched on around them. But the air wasn't quite comfortable, and after a moment he found himself shifting a little against the edge of the cot, his reluctant voice falling like gravel from his lips.

"But… thank you. I suppose."

The statement was so awkward on his tongue that the dark youth felt as though he had swallowed a mouthful of thorns instead of five simple words, likely the first semblance of gratitude he had ever directed at the boy behind him. Sun Ce sat up a little, fidgeting with the blankets before he yanked them over his body and collapsed back into the pillows, only his face visible above the edge of the fabric.

"Yeah. Sure. I mean… no problem."

Once again silence descended between them, broken only by the Tiger's son fidgeting beneath his covers and the click of bamboo strips brushing together in the Zhou prodigy's lap. Then the Sun heir's voice came again, his tone lighter than usual and underwritten with an almost hopeful current.

"Well… goodnight, Zhou Yu."

Against his will, Zhou Yu found himself stiffening, and the frame of the cot dug into his rigid back as his gaze lifted to find the partly open shutters, studying the creased wood and the tree branches beyond as he listened to his companion breathing behind him. Then the dark youth sighed, one hand rising to brush his bangs back out of thoughtful eyes.

"Goodnight."

Out of his peripheral vision, he could see that his detested roommate had begun to smile, just a slight curve quirking his lips as he turned away to bury his head in the depths of the pillows. Sun Ce sighed and the sound trickled over Zhou Yu's ears on its way outside, distracting him momentarily from his studying before he shook the sound away and forced himself to concentrate. The night was very dark, with the moon not daring to rise out of the clouds beyond his window, and the candle wavered gently back and forth under the hand of the unseen breeze, its flame the only movement in the heavy air.

Or at least, it should have been. But after he had laid flat for a few minutes, the Sun heir rolled onto his stomach, shifting against the embrace of the blankets with an absent sigh – then he turned onto one side, and then onto the other, and then flopped out across the entire bed like an upside-down turtle. The Zhou prodigy raised his eyes from the contours of his scroll and sent the wall across from him a flat look as exasperation built between his ribs; but it wasn't until the other boy's knee suddenly collided with the back of his head that Zhou Yu bothered to speak, his words more like a growl as the impact made him bite his tongue.

"What's wrong?"

The movement behind him paused, and he heard Sun Ce sprawling out across the cot again, one tan hand falling off the edge of the mattress to dangle beside his shoulder. "Nothing," the youth's stubborn voice asserted, his fingers retracting as another great shuffle announced the tangling of bedclothes around him. "I'm fine."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, pulling the next section of the scroll across his lap and trying in vain to focus on the Kongzi text before him. "If you're fine, then stop moving," he ordered, determined to ignore the fidgeting of the unwanted roommate behind him. The Sun heir kicked his feet and one of the blankets slid off the bed to land beside his rival, and the young prodigy sent it a firm glare before he turned back to his work. But the silence was short-lived, and in another minute or so Sun Ce had rolled back onto his stomach, his voice little more than a mumble where it escaped the confines of the pillows.

"I can't sleep."

Zhou Yu sighed, one hand rising to rub his temples in preparation from the headache that the sunshine boy was undoubtedly going to bring him within the next few breaths. But he set the scroll aside and got to his feet anyway, staring down at the Sun heir's ragtag form and the twisted sheets cocooning him as he crossed both arms over his chest.

"What can I do about that?" the dark youth asked, less in the spirit of honest generosity and more in the interest of keeping his rival silent for the remainder of the night. Sun Ce turned over and looked up at him with sleepless amber eyes, his hair sticking out from his head at odd angles as the ribbon he used to keep the chestnut bird's-nest back slunk across the mattress.

"I'm hungry," the boy admitted, his gaze shooting to the window to avoid the expression of superiority consuming his roommate's face.

Zhou Yu shook his head, both hands slipping to his hips as he regarded his rumpled companion with unsympathetic eyes. "You should have eaten when you had the chance. The kitchen's empty now."

The Sun heir made a face at him, glaring through the mess of his disheveled bangs. "You think I don't know that? Sheesh. I said I'm fine. Just go back to your stupid book already."

The Zhou prodigy was sorely tempted to do as his companion had suggested and leave the Tiger's son to his fruitless fidgeting, but there was no way he was going to get anything done as long as the restless monster was rolling around behind him, and the headache throbbing at the back of his skull told him he didn't particularly need to be kicked again. The dark youth sighed again, shifting in his stance as he studied his roommate and the knot of bedclothes that surrounded him.

"You're ill, Sun Ce. You have to get to sleep."

Sun Ce stuck out his tongue, one arm curling back to rest beneath his head as he kicked his feet through the chaos of covers. "You think I'm doing this on purpose? It's not that simple, Zhou Yu. I can't just turn my stomach off."

A regrettable fact – Zhou Yu was sure that the household would have seen an enormous reduction in food costs if the ravenous boy beside him were capable of disengaging his hunger impulse. But if that wasn't an option, then they would have to find something else to distract the Tiger's son long enough to send him into dreamland…

"Anything else?" The Sun heir blinked at his question, and the dark youth rolled his eyes, mildly irritated with the role of an attentive servant he had temporarily been forced to adopt. "Is there anything else that will put you to sleep?" he clarified, the candle's glow sending fickle shadows across his face. Sun Ce turned onto his back and considered, kicking idly at the sodden cot beside him before his gaze came back to find his companion's.

"Maybe… tell me a story. Or sing me a lullaby or something."

Zhou Yu stiffened, his fingers tightening to fists at the offhand request. "I don't sing," he responded coldly, his arms returning to a knot over his chest. Actually, it was a lie – he did sing a little, though not well, because his mother had required all her children to attempt music in every form and singing was apparently considered a useful skill. But there was no way he was slaughtering his dignity by singing in front of Sun Ce, not even if it were the only way to get the boy out of his hands.

The Sun heir groaned again, flinging one arm over his face to block out the light of the dim candle. "Well, do _something_," he urged, driving one useless fist into the mattress beneath him.

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to retort, two dozen words of criticism concerning the spilled soup and a certain stubborn Sun child already on his lips – but he paused to consider before they hit the air, watching his roommate with hesitating eyes. Sun Ce really did look exhausted, and his mother had said sleep was essential to a swift recovery, which was daily becoming more and more imperative for the sake of his own sanity. The sooner the sunshine youth recovered, the sooner he would be out of Zhou Yu's hands, and the sooner they could go back to hating each other from a distance. In which case…

The young prodigy pressed his lips into a thin line, steeling himself before his voice hit the night-brushed air. "I could play…" The words broke off halfway, pale fingers twitching at his side as the dark youth second-guessed himself. Sun Ce's arm fell away from his face and he blinked in confusion at the truncated offer, and Zhou Yu sighed as he reluctantly continued, the wind chasing tendrils of hair across his shoulders. "I could play the flute for you."

The Sun heir snorted, his expression disbelieving beneath the pattern of his well-mussed bangs. "You don't play the flute," he asserted, shifting against his wealth of stolen pillows.

Zhou Yu nodded softly. "I've played the flute since I was four." Sun Ce's jaw dropped, and his amber eyes grew impossibly wide as he pushed himself up onto his elbows, staring at his rival with unabashed astonishment.

"I've never heard you in my life!"

The dark youth looked away, staring back out the window to where the snow had begun to fall in large flakes, some of the ice crystals resting against the sill as the rest decorated the tree boughs beyond the shutters. "I don't play for anyone very often," he muttered after a moment, doubting his companion had any idea what a large exception he was making in offering to do so at all. Only his father had ever heard the loose strains of music falling from his instrument, and he'd have been happy to eliminate even that audience…

Sun Ce seemed to consider the proposal for a minute, his eyes tracing the contours of his host's impassive face. Then a wide grin stole across his features, and he nodded his assent, chestnut hair falling sloppily across his skin as he rolled onto his stomach and propped his chin up on two ready hands. "Okay," he agreed, sending his roommate a thumbs-up symbol. "Go for it."

Zhou Yu retrieved his thin bamboo flute from a cabinet against the far wall and returned with it held in seemingly calm hands, keeping his uncertainty firmly trapped within the confines of his ribcage. Now that the offer had been accepted, he wasn't sure that his playing the flute was such a good idea – he hadn't even practiced in months, and he was not at all sure how well the song would come out. And Sun Ce had never been anything but blunt, which meant he was more than likely to laugh at the meager performance…

The young prodigy pushed his misgivings aside and seated himself on the bed, leaning back against the wall and folding his legs comfortably in front of him as he glared into the contours of the blameless sheets. It didn't matter. This wasn't about his dignity – the entire purpose of the exercise was to put his irritating rival to sleep. If the flute didn't manage that, he was going to have to resort to suffocating the Sun heir with one of his borrowed pillows. And even if his playing were awful, he had very little to lose – he'd never held the other boy's respect in the first place.

Sun Ce scooted closer to his roommate so that he could study the modest instrument and surveyed the dark youth from beside his knee, an expression of curiosity lighting his drained face. "So, how does it work?" the Tiger's son wanted to know, tilting his head to one side as he caught the onyx gaze above him. Zhou Yu briefly considered trying to explain the process, but he surrendered the idea without even trying, settling for a practical demonstration instead.

"Just watch."

With a last deep breath, the young prodigy lifted the instrument to his lips and began to play, sending a stream of notes into the night's deep silence. Within the first few lines, his shoulders relaxed from their uncertain position – he wasn't as good as he'd once been, but the song was only a little unpolished, ringing clearly enough that the melody's progression and changes of rhythm were not unpleasant. As long as he could remember the proper fingerings, the song would remain bearable at the very least.

The dark youth closed his eyes for a moment in concentration, and when he opened them again it was to see that Sun Ce was watching his fingers in their movement along the crest of the reed, his fascinated expression bordering on outright hypnotism. The music didn't seem to be putting him to sleep any faster than tossing and turning had, but he was smiling now, and the expression was enough inspiration to keep his companion playing for a few long minutes.

When Zhou Yu paused for breath after the first section, lowering the carved bamboo away from his mouth to rest in his lap, Sun Ce broke out into a fit of haphazard clapping, a hint of laughter falling from his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Wow – you're really good," the sunshine youth declared, his amber eyes glowing with the warmth of the flickering candle. "I mean, I guess I don't really know what good sounds like. But I liked it."

It was probably the best compliment to his playing Zhou Yu had ever gotten, even in earlier times when he'd been forced to take up the instrument by his ecstatic, fickle father. Zhou Fan's praise, while never hollow, had been technical and spoke to the dedication of his son's exercises rather than to the music itself, which was all he had really expected of the man when their lessons started. But Sun Ce had never been anything but honest, and his simple answer was infinitely more gratifying than anyone else's words had been, perhaps because it was such a rare occurrence when a smile like that was directed at the young prodigy.

Zhou Yu shifted in his seat, and he couldn't help the way his lips were quirking upward just slightly at the corners, softening his harsh features as one hand rose to brush back his ponytail. "Thank you…" His murmur drew another measure of light into the sunshine youth's grin, and the Sun heir pushed himself up to a sitting position, fighting against the tide of tangled bedclothes until he could manage to cross his legs in front of him.

"Can I try it?" the boy asked, tan fingers chasing his hair back from his face in a way that left the strands no more orderly than they had been before. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, watching his companion above the battleground of his tousled cot.

"Aren't you supposed to be going to sleep?" he prodded, crossing both arms over his chest though he'd lost the annoyance that had been filling his stomach all evening. Sun Ce made a face at him, the expression childish despite his undimming smile.

"Oh, come on. Just for a minute?"

His roommate rolled his eyes, but he handed over the thin tube with only a small measure of reluctance, releasing the instrument as his gaze followed the grin growing ever larger on his rival's carefree face. The Sun heir straightened in his seat as he turned the flute over in captivated hands, fingering the tiny holes and adopting a bad imitation of the Zhou prodigy's position. Then he placed his mouth across the lip plate and blew hard, and a whoosh of air burst from the end of the bamboo, taking nothing but an abstract whistle with it.

Zhou Yu smirked at his companion's attempt, and Sun Ce blinked as he pulled back to study the instrument, amber eyes baffled but determined in his amiable face. A few more attempts yielded the same result, and in spite of his usual composure the dark youth found he couldn't quell his offhand smile, shaking his head a little at the confusion furrowing his rival's brow.

"You blow _across_ the hole, not into it," he instructed, condescension threading through the simple explanation. But for once, the Tiger's son did not take offense, only adjusting his grip on the bamboo cylinder and trying again with little more success. Sun Ce laughed and Zhou Yu suddenly realized that he was doing the same, a rare chuckle breaking from his lips and drawing his companion's gaze to his normally stoic face.

"Hey – you're smiling," the Sun heir accused, his grin growing stronger as a current of teasing wound through his observation. "I didn't even know you could do that."

The young prodigy opened his mouth to retort, but he found his tongue empty of a sharp reply and he could only press his lips into a thin line, trying to squash the expression that was so unfamiliar to his stony countenance. Sun Ce laughed again, shaking his head as he pushed the flute back into his host's waiting hands.

"Keep smiling, Zhou Yu. It's a nice change."

Zhou Yu blinked, staring into his companion's amber eyes as they danced like playful fire, amusement chasing the shadows of the oscillating candle away from his face with a warmth that defied the night wind. They drifted in silence for a moment, neither boy certain where the suggestion had left them – then the Sun heir sighed and slumped back onto his stomach, bracing his chin against upright hands as his gaze latched onto the obsidian holding position above him.

"You know what, Zhou Yu?" he asked, his feet kicking lightly back and forth beneath the heap of scattered blankets. The dark youth raised an eyebrow, wiping his flute across one sleeve to chase away his rival's germs as his voice broke through the gentle breeze.

"What?"

Sun Ce smiled again, chestnut bangs falling into his eyes as he tipped his head to one side. "You're not really such a bad guy… when you're not being an arrogant jerk, I mean."

Zhou Yu stared at him in silence, unsure whether he ought to take offense at the backhanded compliment or not. Then at last a shrug rolled through the prodigy's shoulders, rearranging his ponytail as he glanced to the half-open shutters and back to his companion's unguarded countenance.

"I suppose… you have your moments of tolerability as well."

The Sun heir stuck out his tongue, laughing in spite of himself as he elbowed the other boy's knee. "Jerk," he accused in a low voice, pulling a customary insult from his rival's lips as well.

"Idiot."

But there was no malice at all in the title, and Zhou Yu found that his lips were curving into a smirk again, a vague shadow of the full grin still encompassing his roommate's cheerful features. A moment slipped between them in something like camaraderie, and then Sun Ce prodded the boy beside him with a hopeful finger, smiling up at him through the light of the dying candle.

"Keep playing?" he asked, the statement half a request and half an order. Zhou Yu didn't even hesitate before complying, choosing a softer piece than before and spidering his fingers across the bamboo with mindless grace. The Sun heir watched in interest until he could no longer keep his eyes open, and then he listened, the night wind dancing through the strands of his scattered hair.

As the music wore on, Sun Ce's head began to droop, jerking a little as he tried to keep himself awake – at last it slipped from his hands and fell onto Zhou Yu's knee, sliding deafly into the flutist's lap. The dark youth stopped playing immediately and stared down at his roommate with wide eyes, his pale fingers tightening around the flute as a shot of automatic displeasure chased through his stomach.

His first instinct was to shove the other boy away from him as hard as possible, but the Sun heir's soft breathing made it obvious that he was fast asleep and his muted smile made his rival hesitant to move him, worried that if he disturbed the sunshine youth at all he would never get him into the world of dreams again. On the other hand, leaning against the wall with the uneven plaster digging into his back was not the way the young prodigy had been intending to spend the rest of his night, especially because he could already tell that falling asleep in that position would give him nothing but a sore neck. And Sun Ce was undoubtedly still contagious, which made the contact between them a little worrying, though sharing the flute had probably ruined whatever health a week of caretaking had left him…

Zhou Yu's mind warred internally for a long moment, but at last he shot his companion a heavy glare and dropped his flute onto the bedside table, extinguishing the candle with a breath that did nothing to alleviate the annoyance in his stomach. "Damn you," he muttered as he shifted to find as comfortable a position as possible against the wall, one hand settling onto his snoring roommate's shoulder – but for perhaps the first time in his life, the words were hollow, and so quiet that Sun Ce did not even stir, content with the warmth of his host's lap and the silence of a snowing midnight.

With one last sigh, Zhou Yu closed his eyes and moved from one form of darkness to the other, flute melodies trailing through his mind as he felt the pulse of the Sun heir's irrepressible heart moving up his fingers. Then he took a deep breath and willed himself to sleep, leaving the winter air soundless beneath the weight of the lessening storm.

.x.

When morning began to filter through the shadows cloaking Zhou Yu's obsidian eyes, his first thoughts were very confused. He seemed to be sleeping sideways, which was extremely unusual, and his body was badly cramped in many places, particularly along his back and through the curve of his neck. His eyes came open to stare around the room, and slowly memory returned to him, drawing a soft groan from his lips as he sent a glare down at the top of Sun Ce's tousled head. It was just like the other boy to make things as difficult as possible…

The sunlight was shooting through the clouds outside like a field of falling javelins, and as the young prodigy turned his neck from side to side he could see that snow was melting off of the branches beyond his window, sliding to the ground under the force of the unexpected thaw. A stray patch of light had settled across the Sun heir's still sleeping face, and Zhou Yu lifted a hand to feel his untroubled forehead, smiling just a little at the remarkably cool skin beneath his palm. The fever had finally broken – Sun Ce was almost well again.

His touch and the new day shining through the window pulled the Tiger's son slowly from the weave of his dreams, and sleepy amber eyes came open to regard his human pillow with a degree of confusion, the boy's eyebrows drawing together in a visible attempt to understand the pale face above him. Then a sheepish smile fell across the drowsy youth's lips, and his roommate felt his mouth falling open slightly in surprise at the sheer amount of unrestrained joy that was conquering the Sun heir's countenance.

Zhou Yu had seen Sun Ce smile a thousand times before, but never had the expression seemed so complete, and never had it meant anything to the prodigy beside him. But now it was, and now it did, and so did the chuckle sliding under his voice.

"Oops…" the sunshine youth volunteered, stretching above his head and sitting up gradually from his sprawled position. The extended fingers brushed his companion's arm and the dark youth found himself jumping at the light touch, a reaction that sent a small shrug sliding through the other boy's shoulders. "My bad," Sun Ce admitted, his hands rising to force his chaotic hair into some semblance of order. "Bet you didn't sleep so well, huh?"

He hadn't. But that didn't seem important anymore, somehow – or at least, not as important as the blinding smile shining in his direction beneath sparkling amber eyes. Zhou Yu shook his head, coaxing his voice across his dry tongue as one hand reached up to adjust his ponytail.

"I wasn't the one who needed it."

His simple response pulled a laugh from the Sun heir's lips, and the boy yawned before vaulting from the mattress in one smooth motion, punching both fists into the warm air in a gesture of victory. "Yep. But I don't need it anymore. I feel great!"

Zhou Yu got to his feet more slowly, rolling the stiffness out of his shoulders and sending his companion a flat look in response to the exuberant exclamation. But he couldn't stop the tiny smile from possessing his lips, and he only shook his head as he pulled the ribbon out of his messy ponytail before tying the dark strands back into a long cascade, his gaze holding Sun Ce's above the crumpled bed.

"You should be resting," he chided without much heart, the memory of his roommate's cool forehead beneath his fingers more powerful than his mother's suggestions. Sun Ce laughed, shaking his head and sending the chestnut strands over his excited shoulders.

"Are you kidding? It's a beautiful day outside! No way am I staying in here!"

And so saying, he spun in a circle and pivoted on one dexterous heel, heading for the door without bothering to so much as change out of his wrinkled robe. It was only when he reached the heavy frame that he paused and turned back into the room, an exuberant grin playing across his face as one tan hand reached up to brush his bangs back.

"You know what, Zhou Yu?"

The dark youth rolled his eyes, crossing both arms over his chest as he met the other youth's excited gaze. "What?" he repeated, their mimicked exchange from the night before echoing around the room. Sun Ce sent him a glorious smile, scratching the side of his neck before he slid the door open and leaned back against its frame.

"I've decided I don't want to be rivals with you anymore," the sunshine youth declared, his typical confidence ringing through his words. Zhou Yu blinked in surprise, his hands falling back to his side at the unexpected pronouncement.

"You… you don't?"

The Sun heir shook his head vigorously, chestnut bangs impeding his eyes but not the light shimmering within them. "Nope," he asserted, pushing away from the wall and taking a backward step into the deserted corridor. "I've decided I want to be best friends instead."

Zhou Yu's mouth fell open, and his voice abandoned him as he stared into the playful contours of his companion's face, a feeling he didn't recognize and couldn't name coalescing in his stomach. Sun Ce watched him for a moment longer with a smile on his face, and then he turned and darted through the shadows of the hallway, disappearing into the depths of the Zhou estate before his roommate could summon a response.

The clouds above the quiet residence began to clear, and a pool of sunlight gathered around the dark youth's frozen feet, heralding warmth and the return of spring with its unbroken brilliance. And for startled but softening obsidian eyes, it was going to be a beautiful day.

End Chapter 4

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A note for Winds of Eternity: Well… I may go look that fic up, but I don't read mature/true yaoi stories when I can help it. I just kind of consider that none of my business. There will be a little bit of mature content in here, because that's part of the relationship, but nothing graphic and mostly written in deceptive prose. But hey – whatever barbeques your canary.

A note for Shen Xia: Thank you for your kind review. I also have been somewhat disheartened by the influx of SC/DQ and ZY/XQ fics. I actually really like the Qiao sisters (although in DW5 the creators made them so weak and pathetic – that's not their fault, though), I just don't necessarily like them with their husbands. But anyway… I hope you liked this chapter as well.

A note for Firesaddle: I tried a new method of separating the flashbacks this time – is it any better?

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Thank you for the vote of confidence.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 4

Zhou Yu's face had gone wispy in memory, but he was smiling. So was Chen Hao, who couldn't seem to make the corners of his mouth turn down. He hadn't expected to smile. In fact, if he was right about where this story was heading, they were getting to the part where he expected to turn tomato red and possibly leap out of the back of the wagon. But he was doing neither of those things. He was smiling. Not because it was cute. Not because it was sweet. But because it was honest, strong, and vibrant – like a cup of black tea early in the morning. It was everything he'd expected out of their sworn brotherhood – everything, and more.

Chen Hao took a moment to ink that picture into his mind with the others – young Zhou Yu, eyes flickering closed, face washed in the light of the candle burning on his desk and the shadows of the dancing snow. And in his lap, mouth open in what might have been a light snore, Sun Ce – his disheveled hair painting Zhou Yu's tunic in brown, uncluttered strokes, his eyes quietly dreaming of sunshine. The reed flute lay abandoned on the edge of the bed, cutting the white sheets with the sharpness of a ripple in the water; Zhou Yu's hand on his companion's shoulder, light against the dark folds of cloth.

Zhou Yu's chuckle invaded the mental picture like a soothing summer breeze. "That winter's end brought the beginning of year 191. Not to say that everything was perfect after that. We still squabbled occasionally over petty things… we were still rivals in a way. But now when my father made us work together on our studies, the worst thing that happened was Sun Ce actually getting his work done, or sometimes copying mine. And when we had to watch the children together, I was there to catch his wrist when he tripped, and he was there to make funny faces at me when I was in an exceptionally black mood. I had to admit it… he could make me smile like no one else.

"The household was amazed. My mother, in particular, would stare at us when we came in from the garden talking together, or when I'd let Sun Ce drag me off to the training field without complaining. Despite shoving us together on numerous occasions, I don't think she actually believed we would ever get over our hatred. My father was smug – as I mentioned, he took the credit for it without any validation – and the servants were nothing but pleased. We had made plenty of trouble for them with our constant bickering).

"I think it was the other children who adapted to it best. Qi liked to roll his eyes when we went by – he was always a bit spiteful – but neither of us paid him a great deal of attention until much later. Xan and Quan were still too young to really care what all the fuss was about, but Quan at least gave us enormous smiles – he was a peaceful child, you see, and hated argument almost as much as he hated confrontation." He snorted softly. "Ce always called him a bit of a pansy, and I'd have to agree with him – even now. It was Shang Xiang, though, who was absolutely delighted. She had always liked me as a friend and a kind of older brother, but her loyalties were with Sun Ce… it made her miserable to see us divided. Once we became friends, her joyous smile never left her face. Well, until…" He coughed a little, and Chen Hao thought he saw a faint blush rush across the general's face, but it was gone before he could be sure. "But that's not important. What is important is that our friendship brought peace to the household for the first time in six years.

"Immediately, my mother gave the retired soldier permission to train us all together again. That was…" He trailed off for a moment before an inexplicable look blinked onto his countenance. "Quite an experience."

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"Hayah!" The sound of the bamboo sword cracking against Shang Xiang's shoulder made Zhou Yu jump from where he'd been staring off into space. Qi and Shang Xiang, the current participants in the duels their trainer considered essential, were watching each other warily. Shang Xiang, the recipient of a harsh blow moments before, was on one knee, her hand rubbing at the sore shoulder. Qi, sword raised in a defensive position, watched her with serpentine eyes.

Next to Zhou Yu on the sidelines, Sun Ce had his hands clenched into fists and Sun Quan was biting his lip. Both watched the fight with complete attention. On his other side, Xan had his arms crossed over his chest and was looking on with considerably more detachment. Zhou Yu almost smiled at the difference between them. Whereas the Sun family had a strong sibling bond, the children in the Zhou family pretty much considered the world to be a place where one fended for oneself. Even Xan, whose tenth birthday was approaching swiftly, knew that – were it to come to a quarrel – their brotherly ties would not stop an argument. Neither of the Zhou children were particularly rooting for their brother in the fight – not that it mattered. Qi's skill was significantly beyond Shang Xiang's.

It was a routine fight. Their trainer, a man named Liang Pen – who was in his late sixties but approaching old age with the speed of a mountain turning into pebbles – tended to pair them off by age to practice battling. While the Sun and Zhou families were segregated, he'd had to improvise, but now he had three matched pairs: Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, Shang Xiang and Qi, Sun Quan and Xan – although Xan, who was incredibly good with the sai for his age, had been instructed to take it easy.

Most of these bouts were uneventful. No matter how gently Xan attacked, Sun Quan always burst out blubbering after a few minutes, after which Xan and Shang Xiang would have a brief match, to make up for Xan having to fight such a dismal opponent. Matches between Qi and Shang Xiang were interesting, because of Shang Xiang's extensive experience dancing and her ability to work the moves smoothly into her fighting – but the result was always the same. Qi's bamboo sword would come down victorious, and Shang Xiang would walk away with bruises, determination, and an encouraging smile. Between Zhou Yu and Sun Ce, no one had ever won – because short of death, a match wasn't over until someone gave up or it was time for dinner. And neither of them ever gave up.

Two more strikes to the back were all Shang Xiang could take. She raised her hands in surrender, laughing a little. "All right, I give up – I guess I need more practice." She smiled, but her eyes were slightly sad. Zhou Yu felt a fleeting spark of remorse. She was truly better matched with Xan for fighting – Qi was genuinely brutal with a weapon.

"Okay! My turn!" Sun Ce shouted, bouncing onto the field. Zhou Yu followed more quietly. Watching Shang Xiang fight – and lose – always energized Sun Ce, but today he seemed to be practically glowing with energy and impatience. Zhou Yu tightened his grip on the handle of the sword. It was not going to be an easy fight.

They took their positions opposite each other on the grass, and Liang Pen shouted to begin. Sun Ce smiled. Zhou Yu smirked. Then they were off, tearing across the grass like they had wings on their feet. _Crack crack crack!_ The weapons met in the air, but neither found skin – their wielders were much too quick to get caught and slipped sideways out of the line of attack. Zhou Yu couldn't help a smile as he dove right, mimicking Sun Ce's roll to the other side. They had this down to practically a routine by now.

Both rose, weapons held high. Then Sun Ce charged. Zhou Yu blocked. Sun Ce thrust. Zhou Yu parried. An overhead swing met the bamboo of the other weapon with a resounding crack, and then Zhou Yu kicked him in the ribs. Sun Ce flew backward and skidded along his back. In a moment, he was up again – breathing heavily, grass in his hair, but that same delighted smile on his face. He gave a barking laugh and charged again.

Three strokes later, Zhou Yu lost his balance and misstepped. Sun Ce seized the opportunity to give him a resounding smack on the collarbone, which sent him stumbling backward and onto his knees. Sun Ce didn't wait for him to get ready – he came charging forward. A rising block saved Zhou Yu's head from a potential pummeling, and two quick slashes to Sun Ce's unprotected stomach pushed the boy back into the center of the field again.

So it went. On and on, back and forth, they fought and hammered each other without mercy. The children on the sidelines watched the fight with interest and a vague cataclysmic excitement – they didn't want anyone to get seriously hurt, but there was nothing as gut wrenching as a strong strike and a sickening smack.

They were fighting in close quarters, swords making a continuous _cha cha cha_ sound as the banged together, when the first boom of thunder echoed in the air. Everyone jumped – the fight had been engaging enough that no one even noticed the change in the weather – and Zhou Yu, who'd been aiming for Sun Ce's chest with the end of his sword, slipped. The bamboo end shot up over his shoulder and caught him right above the ear, making a sharp _ktack_ against his skull. Sun Ce yelped and fell over, one hand on his face.

Liang Pen rushed over, but Zhou Yu was already on his knees, examining the wound in panic. It had begun to bleed, and red rivulets ran down Sun Ce's face and over Zhou Yu's fingers. Sun Ce grimaced, and Zhou Yu winced in sympathy.

Liang Pen was not pleased. "You're not to strike the head!" he reminded them, giving Zhou Yu a strong disciplinary cuff to the shoulder. Sun Ce scowled.

"It was an accident," he challenged. Zhou Yu didn't say anything. It _was_ an accident, but he should have been more careful anyway. A warrior could not afford to be distracted by something as stupid as thunder or the rain that now fell in curtains across the field. It was the fastest Zhou Yu had ever seen a storm come up, and everyone was soaked in moments.

Sun Ce rose to his feet, sword still gripped tightly in his determined hand. "And don't beat him up," he ordered Liang Pen. "That's my job." Liang Pen blinked.

"Put that down. We're done for the day, and you need bandaging." Sun Ce laughed.

"No way! The fight's not over till it's over!" Zhou Yu rose warily to his feet.

"We don't have to keep fighting," he assured Sun Ce. "You need a bandage. I'll just—"

"Don't you dare give up!" Sun Ce insisted. "I'm just getting started!"

Zhou Yu wanted to put the sword down. Blood, diluted from the rain, was all over Sun Ce's shoulder and tangled in his hair. But his face was filled with so much determination and expectancy, and such a contrasting smile, that Zhou Yu couldn't bear to disappoint him.

They began again, despite Liang Pen's gruff shouts and Sun Quan's crying. Through the mirage of the rain, Zhou Yu could see that Xan and Qi – taking Sun Quan with them – had retreated to the shelter of a tree to watch the battle. Shang Xiang alone still stood in full brunt of the storm, watching them move tirelessly. Her eyes were deep and drenched with emotion; concentration stained her face like rivers of rain.

Zhou Yu lost count of the blows. He felt bruises collecting all over his body, and could see the welts his own weapon had raised on Sun Ce's skin, but he could feel neither strike nor pain. His consciousness disappeared somewhere in the gale – he felt himself lifted out of his body and watched it fighting by muscle memory and raw instinct alone.

Sun Ce's face was hard, but smiling. His hair was sopping and his clothes dragged against his skin, but he fought on. Not even the storm could cut his spirit – he was unassailable. Left, right, center – his feet moved through the mud with speed and a dexterity Zhou Yu found surprising, given his common clumsiness. And then Zhou Yu realized that this was probably what war felt like – a detachment, a bitter sense of survival, two blades clashing and two bodies of flesh being torn apart. This was what they trained for. To hurt, to maim, to kill.

A gentle soul like Sun Quan would have been moved by that, but Zhou Yu's cynical spirit and tumultuous heart accepted it without question. People were precious, but sometimes they had to die. Fighting was about winning – and if you feared to hurt your opponent, you would always lose.

And so he fought on, bringing a new strength into his blows and swinging with a speed he'd never before possessed. He struck with abandon and drove Sun Ce back across the field in a flurry of cracks and smashes. Fighting was about winning – and to win, he could not hold his hand. He wouldn't.

And then Sun Ce slipped. One knee buckled and went down in the mud, throwing him off balance and swinging his weapon out of the way. Every part of him, every possible strike zone, was wide open. This was the moment for the final blow – for the strike of victory. But as he raised his bamboo sword and aimed for the shoulder, Zhou Yu was blinded by the memory of Sun Ce's blood on his hand. It ran down his fingers and crept under his nails, sinking into the creases of skin and staining the pale hand the color of death. And with sudden alacrity, Zhou Yu was back in his body – back in control of all his nerves and fully feeling each place he'd been hit. And he didn't want to hurt Sun Ce anymore.

Sun Ce recovered almost instantly. Zhou Yu hesitated. Sun Ce leapt forward, sword flashing like lightning and connecting harshly with every centimeter of Zhou Yu's body. The bamboo burned against his skin and his mind demanded retaliation, but his hands didn't move. He couldn't hit Sun Ce again.

It wasn't long until Sun Ce drove him to his knees. One more strike knocked the sword right out of his hand, and Sun Ce dropped his own to give Zhou Yu a quick jab in the jaw. In moments Zhou Yu felt himself collide with the mud beneath him, Sun Ce's position pinning him and one hand waiting at his neck. Palm open, fingers splayed, Sun Ce wrapped the edges of his fingers lightly around his opponent's throat. Zhou Yu watched him blankly. A strangulation hold.

His hand tensed at his side. Sun Ce's position was imperfect – Zhou Yu could easily get his fist into the soft part of his opponent's stomach and drive him off. He considered it for a long moment while he stared into Sun Ce's vivid eyes and felt the soft fingertips pulsing against his skin. They would start all over again – stumbling to their feet, grabbing their swords, heading back into the war. But he couldn't do it. The thought of feeling Sun Ce's swelling flesh and crackling bones under his fist made him sick. He didn't want to hurt Sun Ce anymore.

The proper thing to do was give up, but he couldn't make his mouth form the words – they sounded so pathetic, so weak. He chose something that meant the same thing instead. "You win." His voice was hollow, and soft, but it carried up to Sun Ce's ears nonetheless.

Sun Ce let go. He straightened and sat up somewhat, raising a hand to rub unconsciously at the wound on his head, which was still bleeding weakly. Zhou Yu made no move to get up. The rain, which had begun to lessen, ran down Sun Ce's face and fell onto Zhou Yu's cheek. Zhou Yu closed his eyes and tried not to picture the drops, stained red, and the blood slipping off of his cheek and down into his long, sodden hair. It was too much.

"You gave up." Sun Ce's voice was cold and accusatory, and the empty feeling of a hollow victory was written in his face. Zhou Yu shook his head.

"I couldn't fight anymore." Perhaps it would have been more honest to say _I couldn't fight you anymore_, but the sincerity reeling in his thunder eyes made Sun Ce pause.

"You mean I… I really beat you?" Disbelief, amazement, a hint of excitement. Zhou Yu nodded and felt the mud surging up to swallow him whole.

"You did."

Sun Ce's smile was instantaneous and miraculous, like a rainbow in the darkened sky above. He let out a whoop and leapt up, freeing Zhou Yu and punching the air. "Oh yeah!" he shouted, exhilaration rushing out of him and lifting him in a high jump. "I'm the best!"

The sound of feet rumbling across the soaking grass announced the arrival of the exuberant cheerleaders. Shang Xiang launched her petite form into the air and knocked Sun Ce to the ground, squealing in joy. "You did it, Ce!" she cheered. "I always knew you could!" Sun Ce laughed as she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. They were bombarded moments later by Sun Quan, who had also come to celebrate and tripped at the last moment over his long robe. He stumbled and fell into a heap beside them – there were grass stains on his knees and mud splatters on his rosy cheeks, but as he looked at them both, his eyes were shining so brightly that it seemed they would blind everyone in range. His siblings just laughed and hugged him.

Zhou Yu got slowly to his feet and retrieved his sword, heading back across the field to where his brothers were standing side by side. As he reached them, Qi smirked. "Pathetic," he murmured, and Zhou Yu paused. "And here I always thought you at least had the skills to beat the Sun brat."

Two quick turns of the wrist had Qi flat on his back in the mud, a hiss of intense pain slithering from his lips. Zhou Yu returned his bamboo sword to his shoulder and watched Qi stagger to his feet, bright welts already forming on his neck and shoulder. The Sun children, still tumbling and celebrating in the field, didn't notice. Zhou Yu met Qi's angry eyes with indifference.

"I would be happy to oblige you in a match," he intoned quietly. Qi's lip curled in a snarl, but he did not accept – the boy might be good with a weapon, but he was still nowhere near a match for Zhou Yu's swordplay, and he knew it. With a backward look of loathing, Qi limped away, internally stunned at the speed of his brother's blade.

Xan was different. He regarded Zhou Yu coolly, and in his dark eyes Zhou Yu knew his younger brother – who was much smarter than Qi and had a better grasp of detail – had seen him hesitate in the fight and hold his hand at the end. His eyes asked why. Zhou Yu did not answer.

After a moment of silence, Xan sighed and turned toward the house, Zhou Yu falling into step beside him. "You'll need some medicine for his wound," Xan remarked, pausing to abandon his wet shoes as they reached the door. "And good luck getting it on." Zhou Yu nodded, but he wasn't really listening – he had turned back to gaze out at the training field. Sun Ce, swinging Quan in circles. Sun Quan, screaming delightedly. And Shang Xiang laughing merrily along with the music of her family's joy. Zhou Yu watched silently for one more moment, eyes full of something Xan couldn't place. Then he turned and went inside, shutting the door behind him.

.x.

"Stop squirming." It was an order Sun Ce ignored, yanking his chin out of Zhou Yu's steadying hand and glaring hard at the medicine being mercilessly applied to his wound.

"It stings," he complained. Zhou Yu sighed and raised his finger, covered in herbal paste, back to the cleaned abrasion.

"It's supposed to sting." This did not apparently make Sun Ce any happier to have it on his face. Zhou Yu took the boy's chin back into his hand; Sun Ce made a face and stuck his tongue out at the crumpled sheets beneath him.

He put up with it for half a minute longer, but when Zhou Yu dabbed at a particularly sore spot he yelped and slapped his companion's hand away. Zhou Yu sighed and examined the patchy job he'd done. Well… good enough.

He reached for the bandages next, and scowled to himself. It was always difficult to bandage head wounds without suffocating the injured. While it might be nice to cover Sun Ce's energetic mouth and make him effectively mute, he doubted that would last very long. Instead, he wound the cloth length upward over Sun Ce's forehead and across his hair. Sun Ce obligingly held still, only getting in the way once when his head itched.

When Zhou Yu stopped to cut the roll and fasten the end of the bandages to his patient's now-white head, Sun Ce spoke.

"You better not have given up." He meant in the battle, of course. His eyes were fierce and determined, and also hauntingly open. Vulnerable. Ready to accept that he'd been lied to, but ready to make you pay for doing it.

Zhou Yu paused and considered this, staring at the length of fabric in his hand. Had he given up? No. Physically he could have kept fighting, but Sun Ce had beaten his spirit down with something even more deadly than a sword – his smile. And if your opponent can't fight any longer, isn't that a true victory, regardless of how you get there? He nodded to himself.

"I didn't." It was still bitter to think of losing, though – even to Sun Ce. Especially to Sun Ce. Part of him wished he had taken it up one more level – pushed them both all the way to the edge. But the other part of him, the part that was carefully tucking Sun Ce's bangs back inside the bandage, did not. That part of him didn't want to fight Sun Ce ever again. That part almost wanted… to protect him instead.

He shook it away. That was one of the most ridiculous thoughts he'd ever had. Sun Ce didn't need to be protected – he had proved it beyond anything that afternoon. But as time wore on, Zhou Yu would come to recognize that as his curse – wanting to protect Sun Ce and being largely unable to do so.

Sun Ce's expression said he wasn't sure he believed his comrade's words, but he was willing to take them on faith. Zhou Yu finished securing the end of the bandage inside its folds and met Sun Ce's eyes. Well… eye. The bandage wrapped over one of them, and the top of Sun Ce's hair stuck straight up from being pushed aside by the tight cloth.

Zhou Yu couldn't help it. He laughed. "What's so funny?" Sun Ce wanted to know.

"You look like that officer, Xiahou Dun," Zhou Yu answered. Sun Ce screwed up his face in an angry scowl.

"No – _now_ I look like Xiahou Dun." His grin popped back. "Or, wait, my mistake – that's _your_ facial expression."

Zhou Yu punched him in the shoulder, but it was a light punch – hardly worth flinching over. Sun Ce snickered with glee. Zhou Yu hit him harder.

"Hey!" Sun Ce protested, but his indignation was fake – he was smiling all the brighter. He returned the hit, and the next thing Zhou Yu knew they were wrestling, smashing the bandages and knocking the bowl of herbal paste off of the bed and onto the floor with a small crash.

He had never been so out of control, and he didn't even care. He wasn't sure he would have chosen fun as the right word, but it was… liberating… to just let himself tumble and pretend the whole world wasn't watching. He was even laughing right along with Sun Ce, who was having a grand time until – limbs flailing – he rolled too far and fell off the bed. He landed with an enormous _thud_ and a breathless 'oof!' Zhou Yu was up and at his side in less than an instant.

"Are you all right?" Sun Ce cackled, laughter breaking out anew. Zhou Yu gave him a stern look. "You fool… you could have hurt yourself."

Sun Ce just kept laughing. "Nah… no need to worry. I've had worse." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and looked down at the bandaged boy, frown still in place at his companion's completely lackadaisical attitude.

Sun Ce reached up and shoved the corners of Zhou Yu's mouth into an unconvincing smile. "Cheer up, Yu. No reason to be gloomy."

Zhou Yu was not amused, and he pulled away from Sun Ce's teasing fingers. There were plenty of reasons to be gloomy. He'd lost a battle today, he was covered in bruises, he was losing control of himself, and… wait… wait…

His expression must have shown his surprise, because Sun Ce blinked and rolled up onto one elbow. "What?" he asked, eyes inquisitive. "Do I have something on my face?"

Zhou Yu opened his mouth soundlessly once and closed it again before finding his words. "You… you called me Yu."

Sun Ce blinked again, clearly not understanding the significance of this. "Yeah? So? It's your name, isn't it?"

Zhou Yu reached up distractedly and ran his fingers through his hair. "No… it's not that. It's just – you've never called me that before."

Sun Ce shrugged. "Yeah, well… we're friends now. So I can call you Yu and you can call me Ce."

"Ce…" The syllable was heavy and sharp on his tongue, like a piece of metal or a spoonful of vinegar… but he liked it.

Sun Ce grinned. "Yep. Ce."

One boy lying sprawled on the floor, bandages on his head. One boy kneeling beside him, hair flowing over his shoulders. Two sets of eyes meeting in the middle.

End Chapter 5


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 5

Zhou Yu's voice broke at the end of the memory, and he coughed harshly, turning his head away politely despite the effort it took to move. Chen Hao watched him sympathetically. The general had been talking for quite some time, and his lips were beginning to crack even though the air was soaking with the moisture of the rain. An idea struck him, and he removed his canteen from the pocket sewn into his pants. He removed the top and held it up for Zhou Yu to see. Zhou Yu eyed it with distaste.

"I don't… drink… anymore," he muttered haltingly. Chen Hao smiled.

"It's just water, my lord." Zhou Yu hesitated, then nodded minutely in acquiescence. Chen Hao leaned forward and tipped the liquid into the general's mouth, watching cautiously as Zhou Yu choked a little and finally got it down. When he spoke again, Chen Hao was amazed at the difference a small drink of water made in the man's now steady voice.

"Thank you." There was nothing else to say, and Chen Hao allowed the silence to fill his mouth when he inhaled. Nothing moved for a long time – even the landscape seemed to freeze, although Chen Hao could feel the wagon bumping beneath him as it rolled along. Darkness had drifted down to settle on the lone wagon – Chen Hao wondered absently what time it was. He was hungry and cold, but there was nothing to be done, so he sat back against the wood and thought.

He thought of his home, only a few miles from Han Ni castle where they were heading – he thought of his wife and his young son Chen Li, and the warm dinner they would be eating soon. He thought of the troops back at the battlefield – the blood on the weapons, the restlessness of the night watchmen, the dread of death seeping into the dreams of tossing soldiers. And he thought of himself, sitting silently in the wagon – and of Lord Zhou Yu lying on the floor beside him. He wasn't sure quite what he thought of it all, but he thought it for a long time.

Just as the first star glimmered out the back of the wagon, Zhou Yu seemed to rouse himself. "I'm sorry…" His voice was clogged with sleep. "I guess I… drifted off…"

Chen Hao nodded to the darkness. "It's all right, Lord Zhou Yu. Really. Go back to sleep."

Zhou Yu shook his head. "No… no time… there's so much left-" He coughed again, and Chen Hao gave him another sip from the uncapped canteen. The general's eyes slid closed in pain, but he forced them open again and stared up at Chen Hao's mildly concerned face. "Where was I?"

"After your battle," Chen Hao reminded him, feeling slightly guilty for allowing the man to continue the story. Zhou Yu nodded.

"The battle. Yes…" He paused to put his thoughts together. "That spring Sun Jian came home from the campaigns against Dong Zhuo. A few of the other factions were pursuing Lu Bu at the castle of Xia Pi, but he had turned his forces around and was ready for a rest. He brought an old friend with him – a veteran general named Huang Gai – whom he'd met early in his youth and run into again during the campaigns. About this time the emissary and his guests left our home – now that Dong Zhuo was dead, they had nothing to fear – which gave us a spare room again. My father gave it to Huang Gai, and Sun Jian stayed with his wife and daughter. Huang Gai offered to let Sun Ce stay in the room with him – if he'd rather not share with me – but Sun Ce declined. There was no reason to move away, now that we were friends.

"Shortly after that, Liang Pen moved away – he didn't give any reasons, but I suspect we had something to do with it – and Huang Gai became our instructor in his place. Things were much more interesting with him around. He was the one who first taught us about all of the different weapons we might choose and let us try each one out. Myself… nothing but a sword ever felt right in my hands. But Sun Ce fell instantly in love with the tonfa. He had a natural ability for them – within a few days, he swung them like he'd been born with them in hand. Shang Xiang chose the chakram because they were the most unique weapon, but she ended up being very good with them – they worked out nicely for the dance moves she liked to add."

He smiled a little. Chen Hao could picture the young Lady Sun, chakram swinging wildly and hair bobbing energetically as she turned cartwheels on the training field. No doubt, her smile, which Chen Hao would never have admitted to finding unmatchably beautiful, was just as brilliant then as it was now – perhaps more.

"The sai had always been Xan's specialty, so it was no surprise when he chose to stick with that. Qi ultimately decided on two daggers, which suited him." The grating undertone of the general's voice told Chen Hao that Qi was matched to his choice of weapon – shadowed, deceptive, and untrustworthy. "I for one was startled that Sun Quan wanted to use a sword as well, but no one questioned him. Huang Gai derived real enjoyment from watching Sun Quan totter around the training field with the bamboo short sword in his hands…" Zhou Yu's eyes almost seemed to reflect the stumbling boy. "…It _was_ fairly amusing."

Chen Hao shook his head. It seemed impossible – Sun Quan, the ever-dignified, elusively passionate, dedicated man who led his troops without a sign of fear… tripping over the hem of his robe and swinging an ineffective wooden sword. It was unbelievable. Adorable, but unbelievable nonetheless.

"Huang Gai's method of training was rather different from Liang Pen's had been. We did have the occasional duel, but Huang Gai told us that warfare – at least these days – was much more complicated than a one-on-one battle. He had all sorts of drills for us. One of Sun Ce's favorites was the one-on-three battle – either of us against Qi, Xan, and Shang Xiang." His smirk bordered on arrogant. "Even against the odds, there was truly no contest. Qi might get a good shot in every once in a while, but all in all they were petty competition. All those bouts really did was swell Sun Ce's head, but at least he had a good time. He could intimidate his opponents like no one I've ever met." Chen Hao wondered if the general had ever seen Han Dang angry – the generally mild-mannered warrior became inescapably terrifying when he was in a bad mood.

Zhou Yu continued, unaware of Chen Hao's wandering thoughts. "I personally preferred the ambush drills… Sun Ce didn't like them because he had trouble keeping still and quiet for so long. They were excellent for me, though. I would wait in the branches until one of the others came by, biding my time and watching for any moving shadows down on the ground…"

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From between the jade leaves of a plum tree, Zhou Yu's clever eyes searched the ground for unwitting victims. His fingers were wrapped securely around the pale brown branch, feet braced on two large boughs and sword hanging ready. His task today was to defeat two of the other children in a surprise challenge, although he'd been strictly reminded that Sun Quan didn't count. The proof of his victory would be the orange cloth each child carried.

The best strategy was to go for Xan, Qi, or Shang Xiang. Sun Quan only cried if you challenged him, and fighting Sun Ce simply took too long – and with no certain victory at the end. Since their momentous battle in the rain, they had fought many times – sometimes Sun Ce won, and sometimes Zhou Yu did, and sometimes they tied. Zhou Yu hadn't gotten over his inclination against hurting Sun Ce, but he had developed a compromise between that and his natural competitiveness – he still hit Sun Ce, he just didn't hit as hard.

Zhou Yu shifted on the branch, unlocking his knees so blood could move more freely through his legs. He was by far the best at this drill. Sun Ce couldn't keep quiet, which ruined the element of surprise, and as all you were given was a short bamboo sword while the other children could carry whatever weapons they chose, surprise was a crucial element. Shang Xiang and Xan weren't bad fighters, but they weren't strong enough to beat as many of their opponents as required. Qi probably could have managed well enough, but his pride got in his way and he always challenged Zhou Yu to a battle, which inevitably led to his defeat.

Zhou Yu truly had it best of all. Xan, Qi, and Shang Xiang were all cannon fodder – and if he was feeling particularly adventurous, he could challenge Sun Ce and expect about a fifty-fifty outcome of victory and defeat. Keeping quiet was hardly a challenge, and surprise was one of his strengths as a fighter. That, and speed – he was somewhat renowned for his ability to strike swiftly.

The crackling of a twig under someone's foot drew his attention back to the garden floor. Qi was moving cautiously through the trimmed bushes, orange cloth in the front pocket of his robe and daggers in plain view. Zhou Yu smirked. _Target number one._

Swift as hail, he swept out of the tree and across the small path. Two decent hits to the back informed Qi he'd been attacked – his now empty pocket informed him he'd been robbed. He snarled and spun, scanning the bushes in vain for his attacker.

"You coward!" he shouted. "Come down here and fight me!"

Zhou Yu considered. He already had the cloth – there wasn't really any reason to fight Qi any longer. But if he didn't at least knock his brother unconscious, the boy would complain to Huang Gai and they might have to do the exercise over again. With a graceful flip, he landed steadily in the grass behind his angry victim.

Qi spun to look at him, face still contorted. "You cheated, Yu," he spat, tone hissing like a threatened snake. "You didn't defeat me before taking the cloth."

Zhou Yu smirked and shook his head. "I did defeat you. You failed to protect your objective – which is synonymous with defeat, isn't it?" Qi was not amused by this string of logic. He snarled and darted forward, daggers drawn, only to be caught behind the ear with the short bamboo sword and driven to the ground.

Qi came out of his ungraceful roll and turned to find his opponent had once more disappeared. Eyes wild, weapons high, he searched the ground and gazed into the trees. "Running away, are you?" he hissed. "I knew you were afraid to face me."

"Don't be so arrogant, Qi." _Crack!_ The sharp blow to the head knocked Qi to the ground, and white light blinded him. "You will never be anything but weak to me."

Qi struggled to get up – but it was a losing battle, and he slumped back into the grass for a short, unintentional nap. Zhou Yu watched with dispassion. Then he started off through the garden, searching for a few more victims.

Ten minutes later, unharmed and unopposed, Zhou Yu headed back toward the training field, three pristine orange cloths in his hand. He walked with what could almost be called a bounce in his step – today's training had been easy, and he was getting that superior feeling that he always experienced when he'd proven himself better than the other children yet again. Sure, he'd gone above and beyond the required task in getting three cloths instead of two, but it had simply been so enjoyable to fight the others that he could see no good reason to let Shang Xiang go by unchallenged.

As he approached the training field, he heard a rustling sound in the bushes ahead of him. Immediately, he dashed up a nearby tree, concealing himself in the foliage and peering down with sharp eyes. No one emerged from the moving bush, but he could faintly hear what sounded like giggling coming from the same area.

Quietly, cautiously, he moved through the trees, stepping carefully only on branches that would hold and being sure not to rustle any leaves. When he reached the tree just above the rustling bush and looked down, he had to smile. Sun Quan and Sun Ce were sitting cross-legged beside the trunk, peering out of holes in the bush at the path beside them. After a minute of silence, Sun Quan drew back from his spying hole and blinked at his brother. "What are we doing again?"

Sun Ce smiled and ruffled the eight-year-old's hair. "We're waiting to ambush Zhou Yu, remember? You go for the legs and I go for the stomach." Zhou Yu smirked. The irony of it all. If he'd wanted to, he could have dropped down from the tree and turned the attack right around on them.

Sun Quan nodded slowly. "Right… why are we ambushing him again?" Sun Ce rolled his eyes at his naïve and precious little brother.

"Because we're outlaws, Quan – and that's what outlaws do. Ambush people and take their money." Sun Quan's brow furrowed.

"Does he have any money?" Sun Ce shrugged.

"Maybe. We'll never know until we ambush him." Zhou Yu shook his head. Outlaws? Sun Ce certainly had a healthy imagination.

Sun Quan, who was still doubting the success of this particular venture, put a hand to his chin and considered. "But how are we going to get him to hold still while we take his money?"

Sun Ce's grin became almost evil. "Easy. First we tie him up—" He produced a cord from behind his back for demonstration, "—and then you sit there and look at him with those enormous eyes, while I tickle him mercilessly." Sun Quan giggled a little as Sun Ce reached out and tickled the boy under his chin.

"Stop that!" he cried, and Sun Ce slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Shh! Quan!" he hissed, smile bright but chiding. "You have to keep quiet, or he'll hear us!"

Quan looked up at him piteously. "But… but you're tickling me!" Sun Ce shook his head.

"Doesn't matter – you've got to keep quiet, or we won't get any money." Then he grinned and went right back to tickling the poor boy.

Sun Quan did his best to be silent while squirming away from his older brother's evil fingers, but he screeched anyway. Sun Ce, who was having too good a time torturing his younger sibling to even care about the noise, laughed aloud and yanked Sun Quan's slippers off in order to tickle his weak spot – the bottoms of his feet. Sun Quan, nearly bawling with giggles, rolled ineffectively back and forth on the ground and kicked at Sun Ce's impish hands.

"Brother! Brother, stop it!" Zhou Yu leaned his head against the tree branch and watched them with a small smile. Joy. Joy was what Sun Ce brought to his siblings, and to everything he touched – to everything he did. Joy was something Zhou Yu envied – but watching them now, tussling and tumbling in the grass, he was content just to observe. Observe, and wish.

As the two brothers paused to catch their breath, Zhou Yu heard the whistle sounding that warned that the drill would be over in a short fifteen minutes. He straightened. Now was the time to get to the field and present his winnings. He began moving along the branches toward the next tree, but his gaze caught once more on the figures beneath him and he paused. Well… _oh, why not?_

With a speed like death, he swooped out of the tree and down to the ground, catching both Sun children completely off guard. In instants he had the cord in hand and was tying it securely around Sun Ce's wrists and chest. Sun Ce squawked and struggled – he put up a hell of a fight, but Zhou Yu had the element of surprise and it wasn't too long before he had Sun Ce, glaring terribly and straining against the ropes, tied tightly and completely immobile. Sun Quan watched the proceedings in shock, too surprised to either help Sun Ce or run away.

"What the hell, man?! Lemme go!" Sun Ce demanded. Zhou Yu smirked.

"Turnabout is fair play." Sun Ce, realization dawning that his ambush party had been ambushed, growled and kicked at him. Zhou Yu ignored him and turned to Sun Quan. What to do about the little one…

Sun Quan was standing quietly, but his hands were joined in the middle almost in a pleading position and his eyes were enormous. Zhou Yu sighed. No way he could tie _that_ up. Instead, he knelt down next to Sun Quan and looked him straight in the eye.

"Sun Quan?" Sun Quan gulped.

"Yes, Master Zhou Yu?" Sun Quan was the only one who ever called him that, but he did it without fail. Zhou Yu bit back a smile.

"Sun Ce was tickling you… wasn't he?" Sun Quan nodded, eyes still huge and unsure. Zhou Yu finally let the smile slip a fraction. "Well… I guess I'd say, now that he's tied up, you should get him back."

Sun Quan blinked, then squealed. Sun Ce started and nearly fell over from where he was standing uncomfortably beside the tree. "What?" he protested. "That's no fair – I'm tied up and I can't—" He was cut off mid-complaint by Sun Quan's deft fingers finding the soft spot on the inside of his knee. Sun Ce yelped and laughed unhappily. "Quan! Quan, hey! Knock it off!" He twisted and turned, but only succeeded in losing his balance and toppling sideways.

He had no hands to put down – almost in slow motion, Zhou Yu foresaw him falling flat on his face and smashing it against the ground. He jumped forward and caught Sun Ce against his shoulder before the boy could fall very far. Sun Ce looked up. Zhou Yu's eyes got very wide, and all of a sudden every point of contact between him and Sun Ce burned like white incense.

Too close, too close, too close – their faces were a mere few inches apart and he could feel Sun Ce's breath on his skin. Sun Ce was looking right up at him, so near that their noses were almost touching, and there was a flush spread across his cheeks – too close. Much too close.

Zhou Yu panicked. He stumbled backward with a start, dropping Sun Ce entirely and turning to run out of the bushes and toward the training field as fast as his feet could carry him. He heard a surprised shriek as Sun Ce collided with the ground, and Sun Quan calling after him in confusion, but he ignored it all and kept running. The branches whipped his face and the leaves swallowed his heavy breathing.

He didn't stop until he reached the field, and then only paused to hand in his three cloths before racing back up the hill into the house and slamming the door to his room behind him. He tumbled onto his bed and lay facedown on the pillow, breathing violently and squeezing his eyes shut. But no matter how much he willed it, he couldn't make the feeling go away – the fire burning across his skin, the breath sifting over his cheek, and the memory steadfastly flooding his eyes.

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"It was a problem." Zhou Yu's comment sliced through the story's thread like a knife. Chen Hao was almost startled to find himself in the wagon – he'd been so caught up in the memory that he'd transcended the dark, creaking structure and left his body behind for a few short minutes. He shook himself and settled back against the side again, picturing the scene in his own mind – Zhou Yu and Sun Ce, shoulders touching and faces so close together, both sets of eyes impossibly wide. He imagined it had been rather shocking.

"As time went on and summer replaced spring, I began to feel things about Sun Ce that I didn't want to deal with, or even feel in the first place. Somewhere between Xan's tenth birthday and Shang Xiang's twelfth a few months later, his eyes caught my attention and his smile became hard to look away from. When he grabbed my hand, I didn't feel his hand in mine anymore – I felt ten thousand pins and needles in my flesh. It seemed as though he shone no matter what he was doing, which was something I had never noticed before."

The general hesitated, the past slipping through his obsidian eyes like a fleeting shadow, and to Chen Hao it seemed as though the wind had begun to whisper in an understandable tongue, the words just outside of his understanding. The fallen strategist took a deep breath and his pale fingers clenched into the fabric of his muddied battle tunic, the contrast between the two starker for the limited light.

"When he called me Yu, it made my breath catch. It wasn't as though he were the only one who called me that. My family called me Yu, in varying tones from my mother's gentle murmur to Qi's harsh snarl, and had as long as I could remember. But when Sun Ce said it…"

Zhou Yu paused and raised a hand to rub his forehead, his features pulled into an idle scowl as though he were uncertain what words would complete his explanation. "It was different. When he said it, it was as though the rest of the world disappeared around him. Perhaps that was partly because we never called each other by our first names when we were in the company of others. Only when we were alone, spending time in the garden or in my room – and then it sounded… different… like a charm, or part of a song, or…"

Chen Hao shifted a little in his seat, uncomfortable sympathy stealing across his countenance. They were coming to the part of the story that would likely be difficult for a very private man like Zhou Yu to share, but the general pressed on, biting back his pride with the necessity of getting the story out. The soldier wondered if it were easier to tell the story to a complete stranger than it would have been to recount it to one of his companions, because his subordinate's opinion wouldn't have mattered much to the famous commander… or perhaps encroaching death made it possible to say anything.

Zhou Yu sighed, the soft exhale slipping between his teeth so that the sound had a harsh edge under the stillness of the damp air. "What made it worse was that Sun Ce began spending even more time with me. His presence was torturous in a way that I couldn't overcome. I wanted to be with him, even if I couldn't place why. And at the same time…" The general paused to shake his head, the ghost of a thin smile settling over his lips. "He terrified me."

Chen Hao nodded a little, though the general wasn't looking at him and his understanding went unnoticed. He knew what Zhou Yu meant. It wasn't the young King of Wu who had been terrifying so much as the unfamiliar feelings that came with him, the way the world stopped making sense in the wake of that person's voice. He knew because he had gone through a similar stage with Meicheng after their marriage, when the line between parental arrangement and true feeling began to disappear…

Zhou Yu's hand fell to cover his lips, thoughtful and vague against the general's skin. "Sun Ce was so free, and so open. He was selfish, too – he pursued the things he wanted relentlessly, and when he felt something, he came out and said so. His way of speaking was so different than my phrasing and my cautious words. And I…" The fallen strategist shook his head, his expression shading back to emptiness as his words slipped into the tenuous air. "I drowned. I lost myself in him. When I did, I felt as alive as I had when we had been given to fighting all those years earlier. He made me smile, and laugh, and frown… he made me feel. And I was at a loss of how to deal with it."

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The night's blackness swept through the window and doused the candle, an invisible breath suffocating the stalwart flame in simple silence. Zhou Yu, his sleepless gaze trained on the ceiling, noticed it dying and did nothing. His eyes flicked between the smoke trailing upward and the candle itself, melted and warped on the surface of the desk. Then they moved to count the stars visible from where he lay unmoving on the mattress, each pinprick glittering in the ebony outside his window. Thirteen – as always this time of year.

In the bed beside his, Sun Ce shifted and murmured under his even exhales, deep in dreams and completely unaware of the world around him. Zhou Yu cast the boy a fleeting glance, taking in the scattered strands of his chestnut hair and the limbs sprawled haphazardly across the second cot before his attention focused on the ceiling once again.

A mask, a cloud, a fox – the smoke wove and spun in patterns over the silence of the room. The deep gray folds of the candle's ghost caught the milky light of the moon and seemed to freeze in midair, hanging precariously like frost from tree branches. Outside, the breeze shifted and began to blow through his open window, and the silver particles dissipated beneath its touch, shimmering as they slipped into the warmth of the early summer air and left the ceiling unobstructed.

Zhou Yu sighed. It was another long night – not the first that week, and seemingly destined not to be the last, either. No matter how he tried, his thoughts refused to stop clamoring, tumbling endlessly within the confines of his skull. Sleep was not coming to him; he could see it running in twilight strands throughout the midnight room, but he could not reach them. He was trapped in the restless corridors of his mind with no route to a release.

The dark youth closed his eyes, but the blackness behind his lids yielded no more peace than the night swirling around him. Images from the afternoon swam between the folds of his thoughts, showing up in sharp relief against the backdrop of his exhausted irritation. Sun Ce laughing, talking, smiling… Zhou Yu rolled over and faced the window, a scowl consuming his features. It wasn't fair. The Sun heir was fast asleep – why was only he tormented by every infinitesimal facet of their moments together?

It wasn't as though he were _trying_ to pay particularly commemorative attention to everything that the other boy did and said in the course of a day. It was just that each smile sent his direction seemed to have taken on the warmth of the glowing sun, no matter what vestige of a meal Sun Ce had smeared around his mouth. It was just that those amber eyes were burning like embers in the back of his mind, preoccupying his thoughts even without the intention of the youth in question.

It was just that Zhou Yu had turned to face the window because despite the fact that his roommate looked like a disorderly moron when he was slung all over his cot without a shred of dignity, there was something almost endearing about the far-flung limbs that couldn't help holding his young host's attention, and the Zhou prodigy was _not_ going to watch his friend sleep for the second night in a row…

The dark youth sighed again, digging his fingers into the covers as he banished memory from his restless mind. As he did so, there was a slight nudge against his back, and Zhou Yu turned his head to see that the still-sleeping Sun Ce had rolled across the tiny gap between their mattresses and run into him, the weave of his dreams carrying him over the twisted sheets with as little direction as a thunderstorm. His hands were pressed up against the flat of his companion's back, and the steady rise and fall of his chest was hidden in the folds of his loose robe, only a light sigh every time he exhaled breaking the room's silence.

Zhou Yu blinked as he surveyed his friend's peaceful expression, amber eyes tightly closed though his mouth remained slightly open as though he were just about to speak. Then the dark youth frowned a little and pushed his elbow back into the boy's stomach, the prodding as soft as his voice though no less displeased.

"Get off."

But the mutter elicited no change in the Sun heir's position, and at last Zhou Yu was forced to turn over and push the unwanted intruder away, scowling at his sleeping roommate as his hands came away from the silk of the other youth's robe. It was bad enough to have the boy's every action jammed into his consciousness – he didn't need to suffer a physical connection as well.

The separation drew Sun Ce's face under the power a muted frown, and he shifted unhappily against his pillows, furrows of vague confusion falling across his forehead. Zhou Yu only rolled his eyes, adjusting his position so that he could lie comfortably on his side with one arm folded beneath his head, the other tangling through the sheets where it lay still along the line of his body.

"Stay over there," the dark youth ordered in a murmur, his words disappearing beneath the flow of the night wind. "That's where you belong."

Something about the final statement sent a mildly unpleasant shiver down his spine, but the Zhou prodigy shook it away and forced himself to close his eyes, the darkness supplanting the image of his companion's sleeping countenance. But Sun Ce didn't seem to agree with him, and within a few minutes the sunshine youth had begun to work his way back across the battlefield of the scattered sheets, gradual rolls taking him back toward his disapproving host.

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed as he watched his roommate's haphazard approach, and he reached out to stop the Tiger's son when he crossed the border between their cots, pale fingers bracing against one determined shoulder. But the Sun heir gave a little groan beneath his deepening frown, and the dark youth found his hand jumping back automatically at the sound, startled by the objection and the tingles it had sent dashing across his skin.

The lack of obstruction drew a measure of neutrality over Sun Ce's tan features, and a little at a time he continued his trek across the joined mattresses, his chestnut hair scattering around him with every unconscious motion. Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line and considered the boy in silence for a moment, lifting his voice back to its ineffective whisper again only as the Sun heir finally reached his destination and fell up against his companion's chest, nuzzling into the warmth of another body and sending a thread of cold silver down the dark youth's spine.

"Idiot," Zhou Yu muttered, trying not to flinch as Sun Ce buried his face in the curve of his friend's pale neck. But his tone wasn't as steady as he would have liked, and he couldn't help the way his breath had hitched just a little inside his lungs, making his next words almost uncertain beneath the edge of his dismissal. "What are you doing that for?"

Sun Ce didn't answer, but his hands wound into fists around the fabric of the dark youth's robe and his sigh tickled the other boy's ear, both arms crushed between their adjacent forms. Zhou Yu ground his teeth together in mild annoyance, trying to focus on the displeased part of himself so that he didn't have to deal with the uncertainty lingering in the back of his mind. This was undignified, unprecedented, and highly unusual, even considering the sunshine youth's less than normal sleeping habits. If the Tiger's son wouldn't stay on his own side of the bed without interference, then his roommate would have to put a barricade between them… but what?

"Why do you always have to be so damn troublesome?" Zhou Yu asked the night air, glaring down at his companion's sleeping face through the rays of the descending moon. But a tiny smile had come over the other boy's features, curving his lips beneath the ragtag strands of his mussed bangs, and the dark youth found that his eyes were softening against his will, losing some of their harsh shadow as he studied his friend's dreaming countenance.

The Sun heir was a moron – that much never changed. But there was something about the contrast between his bursting energy when awake and the stillness that only came to him in sleep that was almost worth watching…

It was then, with Sun Ce nuzzled firmly into his robe and the moon streaming through the window behind him, that Zhou Yu realized his arms were shaking, and he looked at them in shock, obsidian eyes widening with the sudden realization. His limbs were outright trembling, almost spasming where they lay against his body, one along his side and the bent other above his head. In a matter of moments, the quivering had spread throughout the rest of him, and soon his entire form was shaking, vibrating against his will and out of his control.

Zhou Yu squeezed his eyes shut, and he pressed his lips into a thin line, trying to hold down the tremors with the force of his composure. Ina way that he couldn't explain, he knew why he was shaking. It wasn't cold. It wasn't fear. It was adrenaline joining the battle between his pride and his soul.

It took every fiber of resolve in the dark youth's body to tear the arms out of the grasp of his willpower and put them around Sun Ce, where they tightened despite their continued quivering. Zhou Yu leaned forward and rested his chin on the top of his companion's head, and his eyes were dark and mirthless as they stared into the shadows, his exhale rearranging the bangs across his friend's untroubled brow.

"What the hell is wrong with me?" he whispered, his tone as unsteady as the rest of him. Sun Ce did not respond, but his warmth along his roommate's chest was soothing, and eventually the trembling stopped on its own, relinquishing the dark youth's body to the stillness of the tangled sheets.

Zhou Yu held him for a long time. He listened to the scratching of colliding tree branches outside his window and felt the other boy's breath warm and soft against his skin, rhythmic as the peaceful pulse buried somewhere between them. Sun Ce's hair grazed his roommate's cheek like flickering silk as his eyes fluttered and moved with the pattern of his dreams, yielding no indication of the impressions within his mind though the Zhou prodigy watched him carefully.

When the first creases of daybreak began to drip down the walls, lines of crimson the same shade as the Sun heir's ribbon, Zhou Yu pulled away. He sat up from the bed with one hand still lodged in Sun Ce's robe, pushing the sheets back from his legs so that he could swing them over the edge of the mattress. He made an effort to rise, but the Tiger's son latched onto his arm and tugged it sleepily back toward himself, holding the dark youth hostage at the side of his abandoned bed.

"Nn…"

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, his gaze tracing the contours of his friend's face through the dapple of shadows that remained. Wherever Sun Ce's dreams had taken him, he did not want to let go of the hand he held so tightly between his tan fingers – but there was no telling how the Sun heir would feel about waking up in that position, and his companion had enough to think about without adding a confrontation he wasn't ready for.

With a small sigh, Zhou Yu pulled away, straightening to his full height as the sunshine boy's touch disappeared from his skin. Sun Ce tossed a little and curled in on himself, missing the warmth of another body beside his, and he wrapped one arm into the folds of the blankets to replace the connection that was still strong in his silent host's memory. The dark youth watched him sleep until the sun began to dawn beyond the garden and its red brushes swept scarlet across his face, tainting the pale skin with the blood of daybreak and the contemplation that had rendered his eyes so black. Then Zhou Yu leaned down and placed a kiss against Sun Ce's unconscious temple.

It was the first time he had ever kissed anyone, but it didn't really count, since it was only on the forehead. Sun Ce did not stir. Without further goodbye, Zhou Yu turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him and heading for the abandoned paths of the flourishing garden, where he lay in the shadows of sunrise until sleep overtook him at last.

End Chapter 6

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A note for Fairren: Thank you.

A note for Winds of Eternity: Okay… I'll look that fic up. Thanks again.

A note for WOE: He didn't really give up. I personally think Sun Ce really did win. But hey… that's okay. Thanks for the review. : )

A note for Shen Xia: You know, it's funny and vaguely counterintuitive, but I've never been called 'Red' before. Anyway, thanks for the review and the new nickname.

A note for Jenn: I'm glad I could make your morning. I also wish there were more ZyxSC fics to be found – but admittedly, if there were, I wouldn't have bothered to write one. Thank you for the compliments.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 6

Chen Hao was pleased with himself. Instead of the deep flush he'd expected when the subject of kissing came up, he was only slightly red. Granted, it hadn't been much of a kiss, but he'd assumed the first one would probably be the worst, because of the surprise factor.

Zhou Yu's face looked faded and worn – Chen Hao supposed it was difficult to remember the earlier years, when he'd been complete, compared with the bleak existence he lived now. When he was a younger man, Chen Hao had believed that anyone in Zhou Yu's position would surely be happy – wealth, prestige, power, and a beautiful wife – but as time wore on, he'd come to detect the sadness lying beneath the general's broken eyes. Earthly gain did nothing to ease the sorrow of the heart – a fact he'd never experienced first-hand but had seen played out on the faces of men a million times over.

With effort, Zhou Yu began to speak again. "Things were only getting worse. I could hardly look at Sun Ce without seizing up. I know he wondered what was wrong with me, as did I. You have to remember that, despite my parents' affection for me, I did not grow up in an adoring family. I was not familiar with… emotion. With love."

Love. So finally, it had come to that. Chen Hao's only experience with love was his dutiful love for his parents and the blushing, innocent love he still shared with his wife – but he understood nonetheless how powerful and even frightening an emotion it was. He understood why Zhou Yu hadn't taken it well as a young man – for someone who found reassurance in routine and control, love was a very uncomfortable feeling.

"I'm not sure how long we could have survived that way – his trying to be close to me, and my trying to get away – but thankfully something interceded that brought us back together and saved me from losing my mind."

"What was that?" Chen Hao had learned by now that, occasionally, prompting Zhou Yu was the only way to keep him talking.

Zhou Yu's smile was made of lead. "A dinner party."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had been a long time since Zhou Yu had picked at his food. Usually, he was an obedient eater who ate whatever was put on his plate, minus occasional spicy seafood. But this evening he couldn't summon any kind of an appetite. He wasn't ill, and the food was not particularly distasteful – it was simply that they had company.

Or perhaps it wasn't that simple. Company did not usually drive a stake through his will to consume food. If anything, he usually ate more at dinners where company was involved, if only so that he could use his perpetually full mouth as an excuse for avoiding dull conversations.

But tonight, things were different. Not _that_ different, really. As usual, the guest of prominence was given the highest seat, and he chatted with Zhou Fan and Sun Jian as he enjoyed his fish. Also as usual, the guest's wife was seated beside his mother and Lady Wu and was talking conversationally between much daintier bites. And, as per rules of conduct and placement, the couple's children were sitting between himself and Sun Ce. But that's where the problem started – their children.

Their children were two twin girls of thirteen, dressed in pretty robes with their hair done up in fantastical whirls. The one sitting just to his left, whose name he hadn't managed to catch, was giggling with Shang Xiang a few chairs down, after discovering that Zhou Yu was not at all in the mood to play charming host. She had a tendency to talk very loudly, but she wasn't truly being very irritating – he didn't mind her. Her sister, on the other hand…

Her sister's name was Shin Fuu, and she was grating on his nerves. She was two seats down, next to Sun Ce, but her high-pitched voice carried immaculately down the table and into his wincing ears. She shrieked with laughter every few seconds, and Zhou Yu was sure any banshee would have to crawl under a rock in shame for his inability to best her in a screeching contest. But that wasn't even so bad. What was really killing his appetite was the way her owlish eyes darted to Sun Ce's face with her jagged smile, and the way she accidentally bumped elbows with him every time she reached for her water glass.

It wasn't that he was jealous. Nothing like that. A better word for it would have been displeased. He didn't really care that Sun Ce was smiling back and laughing right along with her, a counterpoint of harmony to her unfortunate lungs, or that he said her name every fifth word. It was just that…

Honesty crept into him as he stared down at the blackened vegetables. All right. Maybe he was a little jealous.

But just a little.

As the night wore on, Shin Fuu's laughter became more obnoxious and Zhou Yu's tolerance for it decreased significantly. It was all he could do to keep his hands balled up around the chopsticks and resist the urge to throw something at her. He wished he could just stop looking at them – and having to admit to what a handsome couple they made, when she wasn't using her voice to defame her face – but his eyes kept drifting to them unconsciously. Her hand on his wrist, his bright amber eyes, her painted lips – but more than anything, his smile, which Zhou Yu had recently considered so precious. It had never been brighter than it was tonight.

He got away as soon as he could, and wandered out into the moonlit paths of the garden. He walked for a long time in silence. The night seemed to shimmer and the stars to radiate pure silver, but he wasn't interested in being awed by natural beauty. He wasn't interested in anything but brooding.

Eventually, his feet brought him to his favorite spot in the garden – an enormous cherry tree hanging over the lake. He looked down into the water, memory swimming on the surface and caressing the reeds. Had it really only been about five months since Sun Ce fell into the water while catching Sun Quan a frog – since he'd fallen ill and their friendship had grown out of their mutual hatred? It seemed like forever. With a heavy sigh, he climbed stealthily into the branches of the tree and settled back against the trunk a fair distance above the ground. Then he gazed out at the stars, and time rolled past him.

He had to face the facts. He wasn't entirely sure what the facts were, but he had always believed it was best to follow them, regardless of where they led. And in this case, that probably meant admitting to some things he didn't want to think about.

He was jealous – there was no denying that. His mind tortured him for a brief moment with the image of Sun Ce and Shin Fuu sweeping through the garden, her hand on his arm and the stars in their eyes – but then it was fortunately gone. Zhou Yu shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like being jealous. It was an ugly feeling that coiled like wire in his stomach. And there was no denying that whatever he felt for Sun Ce was something he'd never felt before… he smacked his head against the tree trunk several times.

The root of the problem, he decided as he braced his feet more comfortably in the forks of the branches, was that he didn't know what he felt for Sun Ce in the first place. Was it friendship – the kind of extreme friendship that comes from holding one person so close to you? He'd never had a friend before – maybe this was natural. Perhaps everyone felt like this when their best friend was spending time with someone else.

Somehow, he doubted it. If this were what having a friend felt like, no one would do it, he was sure. This had to be something else… something deeper.

But that was impossible. He didn't feel anything deep at all for Sun Ce. He didn't. There was nothing intangible, nothing vaguely terrifying behind why he'd been watching the other youth more closely in the past weeks, for why he'd found himself staring at the brilliant smile that rarely left his companion's face. There was absolutely no reason that his limbs froze if Sun Ce accidentally touched him. And there was no reason at all that Shin Fuu had driven him from the dining hall, no reason for the knot in his stomach…

"There you are. I was looking everywhere for you." Zhou Yu glanced down, his eyes locating the speaker through the darkness. The boy took hold of a few branches and vaulted into the tree, scrambling up to where Zhou Yu was and taking a seat beside him. The dark-eyed youth fought down the customary storm of fire ants as Sun Ce brushed against him, fidgeting to find a comfortable spot against the harsh bark.

The Sun family heir glanced sideways at his companion as he kicked branches out of the way of his feet, a frown bothering his lips. "Why didn't you tell me you were leaving? I would have come with you." Sun Ce scowled, shoving a stubborn patch of leaves away from his face. "You left me with that witch."

Zhou Yu raised a dark eyebrow, keeping his tone neutral despite the warring emotions the boy's words prompted. "You seemed to be having a good time." Seemed to be. But perhaps he hadn't been. And if he hadn't, then the jealousy was even worse, because it meant he'd been bothered over nothing…

Sun Ce snorted. "Are you kidding, Yu? Her voice, man – I thought I was going to die. Couldn't make conversation to save her life, but she almost talked my ear off anyway!"

Zhou Yu remained unconvinced. "You were smiling."

Sun Ce just gave him a look, prodding him in the stomach with an indignant elbow. "You know how company is. Even _you_ smile for company most of the time." He paused and sat up a little straighter, studying Zhou Yu curiously through the starlit branches. "Speaking of… what's got you tonight? You looked like you wanted to kill something the whole time."

Zhou Yu avoided his gaze, choosing to stare out across the small lake instead. "…Nothing."

Sun Ce rolled his eyes, expression thick with disbelief. "Oh, sure – nothing, huh? You don't look like that over nothing. Come on – you can tell me. We're friends, right?"

Zhou Yu's stomach wrenched a little at the words, and he turned away, staring into the tree boughs to hide the blood draining from his face at some emotion he couldn't describe. The youth beside him sulked, brushing his chestnut hair out of his eyes as he leaned forward to poke his companion in the cheek with an insistent forefinger.

"Yu… Yu, what was it? Tell me! Yu…"

Zhou Yu jerked his head away, glaring at the Sun lord's heir. "Stop that," he ordered, rubbing at the lightly throbbing center of his cheek. Sun Ce stuck out his tongue.

"I'll stop it once you tell me. What was it?"

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to retort, but two voices calling from the edge of the garden stopped him before the words could emerge. Though he couldn't understand the actual hails filling the air around them, Zhou Yu recognized his mother's voice – and Lady Wu's – emanating from somewhere near the back door of the estate.

He tensed in his spot against the trunk, a fairly good idea of the women's intended criticisms already forming in his mind. It wouldn't do to be discovered now – not when he had excused himself so impolitely from his guest and Sun Ce had done the same. It was best to hide out in the garden until the weight of the party diminished – or, at least, until he couldn't be dragged back to it.

Sun Ce huffed, shaking his shoulder to regain his companion's attention. "Yu—" The dark-haired youth started a little, and he slapped a hand over Sun Ce's mouth, surprising the other boy with his signal for silence.

"Shh! Do you want to get caught?" Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed with his hissing whisper, and he turned around to stare through the dark foliage, judging the distance to their audibly irritated mothers as the voices grew louder. Sun Ce squirmed a little, but the dark boy ignored him, focused on the mild threat he could hear coming closer and closer as the wives wound through the garden.

"Are you certain they came outside, Lady Cai?"

Lady Wu's voice was too close for comfort, and Zhou Yu moved stealthily behind a denser patch of greenery, pushing Sun Ce between himself and the trunk so he could turn his head away from the open sky before them. If the moonlight caught his face, it would shine far more conspicuously than the long lines of his hair… Zhou Yu braced his arm around the tree trunk and counted on his stomach muscles to hold him still, pressing himself as close to the trunk as possible.

A flurry of soft footsteps moved almost teasingly around the base of the tree beside them, Lady Cai's slippers skimming the summer grass. "Fairly certain. I saw Yu coming this way, and I thought Sun Ce would surely follow him…" Zhou Yu could picture his mother's sharp eyes scanning every shadow beneath the milky moonlight, her vision honed from nearly sixteen years of chasing children around the large estate. Lady Cai moved closer, the sound of her silk skirts hissing in the grass. "I told Yu to be on his best behavior tonight. I don't know what's gotten into him lately."

A soft chuckle ricocheted across the garden, drawing closer as Lady Wu joined the mistress of the estate beneath the tree one to their left. "I can't explain it either, Lady Cai. Ce's usually so good about entertaining company – even if he's entertaining them in a way I don't approve of. I suppose I'll have to speak to him about this, when I find him."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, glaring into the bark of the tree before him. No doubt both women would have plenty to say to their eldest children for abandoning their guests with Shang Xiang and Qi – who were closer to their age anyway – and committing some kind of deadly hosting sin. But for the moment, Zhou Yu was willing to risk any punishment in order to escape his parents' dinner party and the young women who had put him in such a bad mood to begin with. Sun Ce wriggled against him, but the dark youth shook his head sharply, tightening his hand across the other boy's mouth.

For a long moment, the women deliberated at the base of the orchard trees, their soft voices murmuring in background to the crickets and soft wind decorating the night with sound. Zhou Yu tried to focus on what they were saying, but he found himself distracted by a feeling he'd never experienced clearly before – a heartbeat other than his own throbbing against his skin. Where his arm rested against Sun Ce's chest, he could feel the youth's pulse – it was very fast, far faster than his own, dimming and intensifying with the young man's breath. It was such an odd feeling that Zhou Yu found himself pressing closer to the other boy, flattening his forearm against his companion's torso to register the tiny movement more clearly.

At last Lady Wu sighed, the sound lifting aloft on the light breeze and settling into the ears of her quarry a short distance above. "I suppose we should go back inside. We'll be missing the toast – I do hope Master Fan isn't too displeased with their absence." Lady Cai laughed, the silk of her robes audibly ruffling as both sets of footfalls headed back toward the estate.

"He's temperamental, but easy to pacify. I suppose the same is true of Master Jian?"

Lady Wu's amused answer got lost in the rustling cherry leaves around them, but Zhou Yu had a feeling he was happier not knowing, content in his ignorance of the power games married couples had to play. As the voices grew softer and softer, Zhou Yu felt his shoulders relaxing a little, and he dropped his hand back into his lap, releasing Sun Ce's mouth. The dark youth turned his head away from the trunk, seeking his companion's eyes with a firm glare shadowing his features.

"Idiot. You almost got us caught—"

Zhou Yu's words halted abruptly, stopping the instant his gaze found Sun Ce's. The eldest Zhou child felt his jaw falling slightly open as he stared into the shaded amber opposite him, wide to match his fast heartbeat despite their mothers' retreat. Zhou Yu knew his expression must have looked similar. It hadn't occurred to him just how _close_ Sun Ce's eyes were going to be – how there were only a few inches between their faces and the other boy's breath was brushing across his skin with each exhale.

Sun Ce squirmed, his cheeks flushing as his companion's intense stare bored into his and he summoned bravado to his audibly uncertain voice. "Give me a little space here, would ya? I've got this knot digging into my back, and…" The sunshine youth trailed off, swallowing hard as his companion shifted a little and braced his hands more securely against the branches beneath them. Twin amber eyes flickered across his pale face. "I can feel your heartbeat," Sun Ce finished, his voice barely more than a whisper. Zhou Yu nodded.

"I can feel yours, too."

For a moment, neither of them moved, watching each other through the night's silence. Sun Ce inhaled and Zhou Yu felt it against his ribs. Then the dark youth started, realizing suddenly that with one arm around the trunk and the other resting at his knee he was practically holding Sun Ce in his arms. Zhou Yu pulled back sharply, losing his balance and falling halfway through the branches before he caught himself. He winced as his elbow banged against the primary bough, twigs scraping him on all sides and tearing at his exposed skin. Sun Ce's hand leapt to his shoulder.

"Yu! Are you okay?"

Zhou Yu grunted, struggling a little as he pulled himself back into a sitting position. He couldn't be sure, as he had no mirror, but his cheeks felt odd and he had a feeling he was either blushing or unnaturally pale. Zhou Yu turned to brace his back against the trunk again, as far from Sun Ce as he could get this time, and tried to regain his dignity with a simple shrug, staring out over the lake that spread like a shimmering sheet from the tree's base.

"Fine."

Sun Ce punched him in the arm, the teasing blow lighter than usual. "Now who's gonna get us caught?" he accused, making a face at his usually dexterous companion. Zhou Yu scoffed but didn't say anything, trying not to notice the faltering hesitation beneath the boy's words, and trying to ignore the way his heartbeat accelerated when he noticed it anyway. Sun Ce watched him in silence for a moment, and then the youth tapped him on the shoulder, drawing the dark eyes back to his tan face.

"You didn't answer my question." Sun Ce raised one hand to fiddle with the messy rattail falling over his shoulder, but his eyes never left Zhou Yu's face, searching his expression in the minimal light. "What were you thinking about during the party? What put that extra grumpy frown on your face?"

Zhou Yu was tempted to tell him off again, but there was something about the softer tone of his voice that left the dark youth unable to do so. The eldest Zhou child leaned back into the tree and closed his eyes, blocking out the vision of Sun Ce's earnest curiosity.

"I was thinking about…" Zhou Yu shook his head and looked out over the water again, biting the inside of his cheek. He couldn't tell Sun Ce the truth – not when he didn't know the truth himself. "I was thinking about Shin Fuu and her sister. It won't be long until my father makes me marry someone like that."

Sun Ce stiffened at his side, his features doused in alarm. "What? No way! Really?" Zhou Yu nodded in disgust, the distasteful subject coaxing the residual tension from his shoulders.

"He brings it up whenever I see him. He's determined to have grandchildren as soon as he can – apparently, fifteen is old enough for that." Zhou Yu wondered how early his own parents had gotten married, and approximately how old that made his already graying father – but his thoughts were disrupted as Sun Ce latched onto his hand, tugging hard on his arm and drawing his obsidian eyes back to the boy's urgent face.

"Tell him no! Promise me you won't do it." Zhou Yu blinked, surprised at the depth of unreadable emotion he could see swirling in Sun Ce's eyes. The dark youth ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head at the boy beside him.

"Won't what? Get married? I can't just say no," he protested, protocol and filial duty heavy on his mind. "He's my father." Zhou Yu had never so much as heard of someone defying their father's marriage betrothal – or rather, he'd never heard of someone getting away with it.

But Sun Ce only frowned, tightening his hold in his companion's silken shirt and shaking his head furiously. "What does that have to do with anything? Tell him no." Zhou Yu snorted under his breath, and Sun Ce shook him again, scooting closer across the net of branches. "Yu, I'm serious. Don't let him push you into anything. If he throws you out, you can come live with me."

Zhou Yu blinked, a puzzled frown suffusing his features. "I already live with you," he pointed out. Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"I meant in Jiang Dong. When my family goes back home next spring." Zhou Yu's breath caught in his throat, nearly strangling him in its stranded weight. The youth coughed a little in surprise, his gaze flashing across his companion's countenance at the offhand statement.

"You're… you're going home next year?"

He didn't know why the idea rattled his heart so badly, shaking his core like his heartbeat had spiraled out of control. He should have known – should have guessed, anyway. Sun Jian was back from his tour of duty for now, and there had been rumors flying around the estate on the servants' lips that the Tiger of Jiang Dong would not serve in the coalition much longer. But somehow the thought hadn't crossed his mind, and he found it paralyzing now. Sun Ce shifted a little uncomfortably, his hand falling from his companion's shoulder to the crook of his elbow.

"Well… yeah. That's the plan anyway." They sat in silence for a moment before Sun Ce shook himself and spoke again, inching closer to the quiet youth as his hand tightened in the shirt's soft fabric. "You can come with us, Yu. I know Father asked you to join our army. Everybody'd miss you if you stayed here." The Sun heir rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, untangling more strands of his hair from the crimson ribbon. "I'd miss you."

Zhou Yu swallowed hard, his heart pounding so intensely at the hushed admission that he wondered if Sun Ce could hear it. Tentatively, he reached out and dropped his hand onto the other boy's knee, trying not to flinch as his companion jumped at the contact. The dark youth shook his head.

"I'd miss you, too." Sun Ce smiled, his eyes brighter than seemed possible in the summer darkness. Zhou Yu watched him silently. Every small line of his face seemed to shine in the darkness, and he glowed ethereal with the cascading moonlight. He looked invincible – unbreakable. Unbroken.

Sun Ce laughed, but the sound was halting and held none of his usual confidence, matching the hand that came up to scratch at his ear as he wetted his lips. "Yu… look, there's something I… something I've been wanting to say. I mean, you don't have to answer or anything – you don't have to say anything at all, okay? But I just…" Sun Ce dropped his hand back into his lap, slumping a little as he leaned his head against the tree trunk. "It's about why I don't want you to get married."

Zhou Yu eyed him curiously, as baffled by the boy's unusually defeated posture as by the qualifier itself. "Why?" he asked finally, deciding that the question gave adequate permission for an admission all on its own.

The other boy tightened his grip on his friend's arm, closing his eyes for a moment before they locked on their onyx opposites. "Because… because your father's high class, right? So you'll probably marry some girl who's really pretty. And then you might fall in love with her, and… that would be awful."

Zhou Yu furrowed his brow, something he couldn't place fluttering in the pit of his stomach. "Why?" he asked again, keeping his voice neutral only through great effort.

Sun Ce's eyes bled with honesty. "Because I love you," he answered, his voice quiet and blunt in the moonlight.

Zhou Yu could only stare, his heart motionless in the cage of his ribs as he gazed into the waiting amber before him. His mouth went dry, and when he tried to swallow he found he could hardly even breathe, too surprised by his companion's confession to do anything more than regard him in silence with his jaw hanging open. For a moment, he couldn't speak, couldn't find a response to the words he had never expected to hear – not from anyone, let alone the young man he… had also fallen in love with.

Sun Ce watched him without speaking, and Zhou Yu stared back, feeling the matching rhythm of their shared heartbeat in his arm. Then the dark-haired youth let out a deep sigh, his shoulders relaxing back to their normal posture as the knot of wire in his stomach disintegrated, tingling down his spine one last time before it disappeared.

Sun Ce had turned to look out over the lake before them, and Zhou Yu raised a hand to find the line of his jaw, drawing the amber eyes back to his own as he shook his head. He felt his fingers shaking as they brushed across the soft skin of his companion's cheek.

"I love you too, Ce."

He tried to keep his voice still, but it rolled on the last syllable and dove into a whisper. Sun Ce stared at him in silence. Then a brilliant smile broke out across the boy's face, chasing the night's blackness from his features with the brightness of a thousand candles. But it wasn't just a smile – it was an absolute grin, shining as though he'd never been made so happy in his life, and it sent a shiver down every nerve fiber in Zhou Yu's body.

"Really?" Sun Ce asked, his voice hushed, his expression unguarded in the summer moonlight. Zhou Yu could only nod. The Sun heir closed his eyes with a contented sigh, leaning forward to drop his forehead against the fabric covering Zhou Yu's shoulder. The dark youth's breath hitched at the contact, but Sun Ce didn't seem to notice, burrowing his face in his companion's chest. "Good," he asserted, his words muffled in the fine cloth. "That makes things a lot easier."

Tentatively, Zhou Yu slipped an arm around his back, rubbing circles into the smooth shirt similar to his own. He could feel the sunshine youth's heartbeat against his skin as he took a deep breath, striving to settle and sort the storm of emotions that had overtaken his thoughts. After a few moments of silence, during which Zhou Yu's heart hammered against his chest like ten thousand smiths forging a single blade, Sun Ce turned his eyes up again, pulling back from his companion's cautious embrace.

"I love you," he repeated, smiling like eternity. "I really love you."

Zhou Yu opened and closed his mouth ineffectively. He couldn't bring himself to say the words so freely – but his hand traced the contours of his companion's hopeful face, and Sun Ce felt it all the same. The young Sun heir let out another tremendous sigh and flopped back to lean against the tree trunk, one arm still draped haphazardly across the youth beside him.

"You know what, Yu?" His question echoed between the cherry boughs, seeming too soft for the declaration that had preceded it. Zhou Yu shifted.

"What?" he obliged, his voice quiet and full. Sun Ce chuckled into the darkness, his fingers winding through his companion's sleeve.

"I think today has been a good day. Even in spite of what's-her-name."

Zhou Yu couldn't help it. He laughed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Chen Hao felt oddly short-changed. It wasn't that he'd been looking forward to an extreme love scene, or anything of the sort – but Zhou Yu and Sun Ce just sitting in the top of the tree and looking at the lake seemed rather anticlimactic. It seemed like there ought to be _something_…

"And then?" he asked, fishing a little despite the general's faraway expression.

Zhou Yu looked at him blankly. "And then Sun Quan came looking for us, and we had to go back inside."

Chen Hao slumped. Somehow, if that were the conclusion, the story lacked any kind of dramatic value.

Zhou Yu was speaking again, oblivious to his listener's disappointment. "And everything was… better after that. Not perfect, of course. Sun Ce and I were very awkward for each other for a long time – but things were better nonetheless. Perhaps the improvement was simply that I wasn't trying to push him away from me, or perhaps just because we'd lost the uncertainty that had hung between us – either way, life moved more smoothly afterwards."

The general shifted, appearing mildly uncomfortable as he overcame a cough and rubbed at his throat – but Chen Hao couldn't tell if his discomfort was from the words or the pain searing through him, and he did not ask. Zhou Yu shook his head softly. "I cannot claim I was particularly affectionate, but he accepted my occasional 'I love you' without question, even though he must have told me the same thing seven times a day. It was different with him. He said it so calmly and so… flippantly… that sometimes it was hard to believe he even meant it. But his eyes… they were nothing but honest."

Chen Hao tried to imagine the contrast – such heavy words falling in a tone of voice almost unbelievable in its casual edge, offset by gleaming sincerity in a pair of vibrant amber eyes. He wasn't sure he'd ever experienced anything similar enough to the general's description to construct an accurate picture, but he tried anyway, forming the thoughtless words in his mind and matching them to the face gradually taking shape under the weave of Zhou Yu's story. Tan features bright with inquisition, a ready smile conquering his lips, laughter never far from his playful voice. Chen Hao wondered if his image was anything like the memories burned into his commander's mind – but he didn't know how to ask.

Zhou Yu cleared his throat and wiped one hand against his mouth, resuming his narrative with his eyes locked on the sky beyond their poor roof. "Being involved with… loving Sun Ce was not always pleasant. He couldn't stand to live for anything but fun, and it meant that – as he'd always done – he got himself into difficult and dangerous situations. The difference was, now he had me to chase him down and chastise him for it. Seeing him taking risks was heart wrenching. But he couldn't help it. It was just his way of experiencing life. He couldn't seem to—"

The soldier found he couldn't stand it anymore. "Didn't you even kiss him?" Chen Hao finally interrupted, unable to stand it any longer. Zhou Yu stopped dead and gave him an incredulous look. Chen Hao shuffled uncomfortably. Perhaps that hadn't been the best way of approaching the subject, but he couldn't help it – he wanted to know.

All was silent for a long moment while the injured man gave the twenty-three-year-old soldier a look of absolutely cutting scrutiny. Chen Hao met it as well as he could, though he ducked his eyes down and stared at the bouncing floor when he couldn't take the piercing gaze anymore. Finally, as Chen Hao was reaching his breaking point and the silence was becoming unbearable, Zhou Yu let out a heavy sigh and closed his eyes. "Yes… I did," he muttered. "A week later."

"A week?" Chen Hao had forgotten his shame in surprise, and the question emerged from his lips far louder than he had intended. Zhou Yu gave him an icy look.

"Yes." His tone dared the soldier to interject again. "And I didn't intend to, either. I was walking in the garden…"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Spring had blown past – too quickly, it seemed to Zhou Yu, who stood under the boughs of the summertime peach trees gazing up into the unhindered olive of their bursting leaves. It had been a warm year, and a few of the trees were bearing fruit already, bright pink globes hanging between the open branches and the cascading sunshine that brought out their color. All around him, the garden was awash with the sounds and silence of the thick of summer, insects' lazy humming trailing through the soft breeze to linger in his ears as his dark eyes stared into the depths of the foliage, lost in contemplation.

His thoughts had turned to the peach blossoms. Most years, he took the time to admire them when it was the right season, but this year things had been so busy – or at least, it seemed like they had – and the flowers had come and gone without attracting his notice at all. He and Sun Ce had been caught up in their personal transformation, a struggle that continued day in and day out and had been made both better and worse by their condition as roommates. True, it meant there was a place for them away from the eyes of the world, but sometimes the proximity was more trouble than it was worth…

Zhou Yu reached out to take hold of one of the branches and watched the tree moving in the light breeze, shaking his head a little at his thoughts. It seemed as though the admission of feeling from both sides should have made everything easy again – smoothed out all the awkward wrinkles that their relationship had been acquiring over the last few months. But at this rate, it looked like things were still going to be uncertain between them for a while…

A rustling in the leaves caught his attention, and he glanced up a nearby tree to see a mischievous face smiling at him where it protruded from the greenery. Sun Ce grinned down at his friend and waved and energetic arm. "Hey!" he shouted.

"Hello," Zhou Yu answered, keeping his composure far better than the hyperactive boy above him. The Sun heir disappeared for a moment, and there was another burst of whispering leaves before he slid down the trunk a moment later, the ample pockets of his light robe bursting with globes of ripening fruit. The youth paused to flick leaves and broken twigs from his rattail, and Zhou Yu moved to stand beside him, rolling his eyes a little at his roommate's scruffy appearance.

"Trust you to make a mess no matter what you're doing," he murmured, and Sun Ce stuck out his tongue, both hands falling to rest at his hips in answer to the mild insult.

"Hey. Give me a break, all right? I've been eating peaches all morning."

Zhou Yu shook his head, fighting back a tiny smile as his dark eyes scoured the other boy's countenance, most of which was covered in the sticky, sweet juice that inevitably went everywhere when one ate peaches straight out of their hand. "I can see that. Did you manage to swallow any of it, or did you just get it all over yourself?"

Sun Ce made a face at him, his expression waxing childish as he stepped back into the shade of the leafy canopy and sent his companion a mild glare. "I got plenty in my mouth, thanks. I brought one down for you, too, but I don't really feel like sharing anymore."

So saying, the youth moved back and plopped down into the thick summer grass, propping both arms behind his head in a makeshift pillow. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at his miffed comrade and took an unconcerned step backward, keeping his slight smirk in check as he turned back toward the garden and let the cool breeze trickle through his hair.

"Fine. I was taking a walk anyway." Solitary walks were a habit he was slowly falling out of, not because he disliked the pastime so much as because there was now someone's company he liked better than the silence…

The Sun heir huffed under his breath, refusing to acknowledge the unspoken threat in his friend's words, but it only took one step into the orchard before he shot up in his seat and leaned back on his elbows, a pout taking the place of the mild glower that had occupied his features before.

"Yu!" Zhou Yu turned back to his companion with mild inquiry clear on his features, and Sun Ce slumped back, his disheveled hair falling across his shoulders like the slats of sunlight echoing in his amber eyes. "Okay, I didn't mean it. C'mon – come sit with me."

A beckoning wave accompanied the request, and though Zhou Yu held himself still for a moment before complying he knew from the beginning that it was a lost cause – disregarding Sun Ce's entreaties was not something he'd ever gotten very good at. With an exaggerated sigh, the eldest Zhou child moved across the grass and dropped into the cushion of summer flora beside his friend, leaning back against the trunk of the peach tree to maintain at least a little more dignity than his companion.

"If you insist."

Sun Ce grinned, rolling over to lie on his stomach against the stalks of the emerald groundcover so that the intermittent pattern of light and shadow through the overhead canopy fell across his face like a transparent piece of cloth. "Here – have one," he encouraged, digging into his pocket to produce one of the stolen fruit and shoving the pink globe into Zhou Yu's face. The other boy rolled his eyes, pushing the proferred food away with a hand gentler than his reply.

"No, thank you. If I do that, I'm liable to end up looking like you, and then neither of us could claim a maturity to match our age." Sun Ce wrinkled his nose, but he was laughing anyway, beating the peach against his companion's knee in a rhythm as soft as the breezes scattered above them.

"Jerk. You are so uppity, you know that?"

Zhou Yu's eyebrows knit together in mock consideration, his features taking on an aspect of the enveloping shade and concealing his passing amusement in the depths of stoic eyes. "I don't want to hear that from you, Ce – you who intends to conquer all of China and rule it as emperor."

Sun Ce shrugged as he tossed the peach aside, inching forward so that he could sprawl across the other youth's lap, and Zhou Yu's breath hitched a little at the movement, every point of contact between them tingling, which he had come to expect with every touch though it hadn't stop making his heartbeat race yet. The boy swallowed and his companion grinned up at him through the flickering shade of the tree's abundant foliage, though Zhou Yu couldn't tell if the Sun heir were smiling at his reaction or at the lazy assertion falling from his lips.

"Well, I am. Going to conquer China, I mean. You just wait and see. And when I do…"

Zhou Yu shook his head, a threat from years earlier flickering across the folds of his mind as he lifted a tentative hand and brushed the chestnut bangs back from his friend's gleaming eyes. "When you do, you'll grind me beneath your boot heel, correct?"

Sun Ce seemed to consider for a moment, his gaze tracing the other youth's features with the same energy as his swinging feet, and then he shrugged and sat up from his reclining position, rising to a kneel and sliding into his companion's lap. Zhou Yu started a little and adrenaline slammed into his breastbone like a spearhead, uncertainties he hadn't managed to kick yet about the right place to put his hands and the warmth of the Sun heir's skin darting through his mind like a school of runaway kites – but Sun Ce either didn't notice his stiffened shoulders or he didn't care, his smile undimmed by the closer proximity.

"Nope. Not really." Zhou Yu blinked, and his roommate grinned, the early summer wind sending his ragged hair ribbon trailing like a banner behind him. Sun Ce leaned forward a little ways and dropped his voice to a whisper, each shard of anxious, prickling glass in the dark youth's stomach sharpening with his words. "I'd rather have you with me. You're gonna help me, right? Conquer China, I mean?"

Zhou Yu's mouth fell open a little, the sensation in his stomach changing just slightly as the conversation suddenly drew the full attention of his previously preoccupied mind. "You mean… come with you?"

Sun Ce nodded once, his crimson ribbon dancing in the breeze as his smile became more serious. "Yeah. You know there's nobody else I'd rather have around. Besides – I've never met anybody smarter than you. Between the two of us, we'd be unstoppable! What do you think?"

It was a playful question, but there was an undercurrent of sincerity to the teasing inquiry that pressed the Zhou youth's lips into a thin line, drawing his obsidian eyes across his companion's face as the leaves muttered among themselves and the sunlight scattered over the other boy's features. He'd never come to a definite conclusion in his own mind about where his life's path was taking him, but the only direction he now had was that he wanted Sun Ce to be walking with him, even if that meant leaving behind everything he'd ever known – or perhaps, all the more if it did.

Zhou Yu shifted a little against the tree, gathering his courage and holding composure as one arm reached out and wrapped around the Sun heir's waist, pulling his companion just a little closer and sending another shot of adrenaline through his own stomach at the increased contact. "I think…" Sun Ce tipped his head to one side, smile shining brighter than the summer sun above them. Zhou Yu sighed. "I think I'd like that."

The other boy grinned, chestnut bangs not nearly strong enough to block the light of his shining eyes. "You mean it? You'll come with me?" The dark youth nodded, and his roommate reached out to drape an arm around his neck, pulling them so close that Zhou Yu couldn't feel the wind against his face anymore. "Promise?" Sun Ce asked, sincerity chasing the shadows away from his countenance.

Zhou Yu nodded again, his mouth going dry with the pulse of his pounding heartbeat. "I promise."

The Sun heir laughed, one hand rising to poke his friend in the cheek as a flight of birds took to the air above them and set the peach leaves rustling with their careless wings. "I'm gonna hold you to that. Don't think you can get out of it now."

Sun Ce wasn't pulling away, so Zhou Yu took a steadying breath and wrapped his second arm around the other boy's back, the silk of the light robe smooth as flowing water against his pale skin. "I don't want out of it," he answered after a moment, obsidian eyes trailing up to find their amber counterparts. And it was true, though he hadn't given the matter a great deal of thought in the preceding weeks and was surprised to find how sure he actually was of his choice. Perhaps that was what love did – it put certainty where there'd never been any before.

Sun Ce smiled at him for a moment in silence, and then the other boy leaned forward and his eyes slipped closed, hiding the playful amber that shone so brightly even in the shade. Zhou Yu watched his cheerful features without moving, and as he did so a feeling he wasn't accustomed to settled into his stomach – a feeling like contentment, like there was nowhere else in the world he would rather have been than beneath the summer sky with the Sun heir wrapped around him. His hand came up to trace circles in his companion's back, chasing the line of his shoulders in a massage that found no tension to release, and the contact made one of Sun Ce's eyes crack open, a flicker of surprise dashing across his face and pulling a slight frown onto his lips.

"…Well?"

Zhou Yu blinked, his forehead furrowing as his hands fell still. "Well what?" he asked, and the Sun heir rolled his eyes, drawing back as far as his arm around the dark youth's neck would allow him.

"Aren't you gonna kiss me?"

Zhou Yu's eyes widened, and instantly whatever sense of peace he'd been cultivating vanished from his stomach, banished by the question and the adrenaline it sent hurtling through his veins. The Zhou prodigy's mouth fell open, and for a long moment he stared at his companion in motionless silence, emotions and uncertainty tumbling end over end in his ribcage. Kiss him? It wasn't as though Zhou Yu had never been tempted, but—

Sun Ce sighed, shrugging a little though his eyes appeared less than jovial and his idle frown remained in place. "Ah, forget it. Sorry. Can't rush these things, I guess."

He smiled as he said the last, a teasing expression that drew the summer sunlight to his face, but Zhou Yu was still struggling with his inner conflict and couldn't summon a response. The intermittent light and shade of the peach boughs was scattered all over his companion's face, and the wind was trailing the boy's messy rattail all over his shoulders, and there was so little space between them that the dark youth could feel his friend's heartbeat, throbbing against his skin in a kind of closeness he might never get used to—

Zhou Yu steeled his courage and ducked forward, aiming for the other boy's lips over the short distance of their separation. But at the last moment, Sun Ce had turned his head away to watch the breeze shivering in the olive leaves, and Zhou Yu hit his ear instead, pulling back just as fast as he had moved forward in an abort that came two seconds too late.

The Sun heir's eyes went wide and his startled gaze snapped back to his roommate's face, and the dark youth unlatched one pale hand to cover his mouth in embarrassment, squeezing his eyes shut as mortification circled his stomach and swallowed all of the adrenaline that had been festering there. Of all the times to have bad accuracy—

Then Sun Ce began to laugh, the sounds tumbling out of him so thickly that he was shaking in the dark youth's arms and clinging to his shoulder for balance. Zhou Yu shot him a sharp glare, but it seemed to have no effect on the tremendous grin quickly superseding the Sun heir's frown and swallowing his expression.

"My ear?" Sun Ce cackled, shaking his head in a delight that his companion decidedly did not share. "You got my ear?"

Zhou Yu glowered at him, leaning back as far as he could into the tree and directing his gaze out over the flourishing grasses to avoid meeting the gleeful amber eyes in front of him. "Sorry," he snapped, pulling his arms back from their position around the other boy and dropping them stiff as stones into the lush carpet of groundcover. His stomach was roiling with embarrassment, and if his face wasn't flushing then it had definitely gone completely pale by now… Zhou Yu curled his hands into fists, closing his eyes as a sharp frown fell across his features. "I won't try it again," he promised, gritting his teeth to hold down the current of shame that was threatening to overwhelm him.

That got Sun Ce's attention, and the sunshine youth leaned forward in his seat, one hand reaching up to shake his companion's rigid shoulder. "Hey, don't say that. I want you to." Another spike of some unidentifiable emotion shot through Zhou Yu's stomach, and he pressed his lips together to keep the feeling from showing on his face, his silence earning another shift from the boy in his lap. "I mean it. Come on, Yu. Can't you find this at least a little funny?"

Zhou Yu turned back from the orchard to glare at him, mildly irritated to see that his companion's eyes were still reeling with amusement. "No," he answered flatly, and Sun Ce leaned toward him in response, tightening his hold around the dark youth's neck and pressing forward until there was no space at all between their forms.

"Okay, don't find it funny. Just try again." The Sun heir smiled, his eyes so close now that no sunshine entered the amber depths and Zhou Yu could feel every exhale brushing over his face, a whisper of the wind their proximity had expelled. "And don't miss this time."

Zhou Yu balked a little, glancing away from his friend's hopeful face and finding refuge in the shivering foliage above him. Sun Ce closed his eyes, waiting silently less than an inch away, and at last the dark youth turned back to him and assembled his courage again, vowing in his mind that he would never do this again if he messed up once more.

But this time he didn't miss, and the instant sparks that the contact shot through him were almost worth the mortification they chased away, wrapping his arms involuntarily around the other boy and pulling him as close as the physical space of their bodies allowed. Sun Ce relaxed into his embrace and kissed him back with the same enthusiasm as his voice, his eyes flickering open for a moment to share a satisfied glance with their obsidian opposites before they fell closed again and the sunshine youth tangled both hands into the dark strands of his companion's long hair, smile still curving under the other boy's lips.

A peach fell to the ground a few feet away with an undignified _splat_, but neither of them noticed, too caught up in the contact to hear anything outside of their matching heartbeats. Zhou Yu wondered what Sun Ce tasted like when he hadn't been eating peaches all morning – but then he decided it didn't matter, because they had a lot of time and finding out was a habit that might take the place of walks on his list of priorities.

End Chapter 7

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Last chapter before hiatus – hope everyone enjoyed it.

A note for Winds of Eternity: You're very perceptive – Zhou Qi will be a problem later (although honestly not too much of one). I read that story you recommended – very nice! I'm glad they had the pairing in the right order (you know, YuxCe instead of CexYu – those kind of reversals bug me).

A note for Shen Xia: I know – it's mildly amazing isn't it? But, no – never been called Red before. My friend says 'hi' back.

A note for Firesaddle: Did you like the fight scene? I'm glad. I spent a lot of time working on that one, because action sequences are not my specialty. Great to hear you enjoyed it.

A note for Burger: Huzzah for kindred souls. I like ZY/SC too. : )

A note for Jen: I'm pleased you like it; particularly the imagery. I was hoping it would make good mental pictures! Thanks for your review.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 7 

Zhou Yu lapsed into silence, but he cast Chen Hao a vibrant glance that said clearly: _happy now?_ Chen Hao didn't say anything. He was staggering under the story and not quite sure what to do with it. He wasn't sure what he'd been anticipating… a sunset, a thunderstorm, a moonlit night – a boat on the river, perhaps, or the cleansing of a nightmare. He hadn't expected a sudden moment and the vulnerability that painted his general's face in silver strokes, but once he'd heard it he knew it couldn't have happened any other way. Lots of things were like that – different than expected, but so full once they were revealed that all other possibilities disintegrated.

After a fair amount of quiet, Zhou Yu picked up the thread of the story from the floor of the wagon and seemed to roll it around in his fingers for a moment. His eyes considered the roof, and Chen Hao guessed he was deciding where the story ought to go from there. No doubt the days after he and Sun Ce finally became… whatever… were just a haze with few distinct points in the middle of it. He knew what it felt like to be in love with someone – your sense of time and date was the first thing to go. Every minute seemed like eternity, and at the same time days slid by like scattered clouds, barely noticed and achingly unimportant.

"There's not much to tell you about the remainder of that summer. Sun Ce's sixteenth birthday came and went, and his father gave him a beautifully crafted pair of tonfa. I recall thinking he was a little young for such a present, but it wasn't my choice to make, so I left it alone. He was delighted, and it encouraged him to practice all the more – being his sparring partner, that meant I practiced more as well. A few months went by – we both improved by a great deal, and I spent all of the time I could spare with Sun Ce. I enjoyed his company."

If there were a prize for understatement, Chen Hao would have awarded it to his general right there in the back of the damp wagon. Zhou Yu's eyes had taken on an incredible hue at the mere memory of those far-distant days, and his lips had inclined ever so slightly upward in what Chen Hao would have to assume was the shadow of a long-dead smile. He wanted to know what Zhou Yu's real smile might look like – how it might shine out of that darkened face – but he had the feeling he would never find out.

"Qi and I squabbled far more than usual those few weeks. He was fourteen and had developed a petty streak while he grew up, and I found him intolerable. As I was only about eighteen months older than he was, he didn't see any reason to respect me as an elder – if anything, we were enemies. We got into more fights than I could count, which made my mother angry and tore my father apart. But there was no help for it. We were simply incompatible in personality. The problem with family is that no matter how you detest them, you cannot escape them – and in light of this, Qi and I fought constantly."

"But you used to fight with Lord Sun Ce, too." Chen Hao couldn't keep himself from interjecting – he was hoping for a happy family ending, despite Zhou Yu's earlier comment concerning his current status with his younger brother. Zhou Yu merely shook his head.

"That was different. Sun Ce and I fought because of all of the distinctions between us – the little mannerisms and the basic rivalry of two people shoved together against their will. We fought because the adrenaline was too much otherwise – but our arguments were, at core, harmless. With Qi… it was much more serious than that. Qi and I fought because, at our most basic level, we truly hated each other. His very existence was a step toward everything I did not believe and detested about the world, and the same was true in reverse. It is unfortunate that we were siblings with this kind of a raw revulsion in between us." Chen Hao sighed. No happy ending after all.

"In either case…" Zhou Yu frowned as he tried to remember where he'd been going before he was interrupted. "Ah, yes. Of course. Things went on this way until mid-autumn – a few weeks before my sixteenth birthday. At that time, Sun Jian had had a falling-out with Yuan Shao after he discovered the Imperial Seal in a well and refused to hand it over, and was preparing to depart for Jiang Dong with his family and the few soldiers who'd taken up with him – Huang Gai among them. I still had not announced my decision to accompany them, either to Sun Jian or to my own family, and it likely would have ended in an argument had circumstances not forced me to make an immediate announcement."

"Circumstances?" Chen Hao readjusted his position and folded his legs underneath him.

Zhou Yu's eyes were bitter. "Yuan Shao was not a patient man, and he was not accustomed to being crossed. He sent for Sun Jian several times and demanded the Seal. And when he was met with defiance, he fell to threats Sun Jian could not ignore – harm to his family."

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It really was not an interesting book. The pages drifted by so slowly that Zhou Yu was tempted to just abandon the task and let the autumn air lull him to sleep. It was a quiet afternoon, tending toward evening as the long rays of the sun wrapped themselves around the trunks of the trees and lowered the glowing ball of fire down to the horizon, and outside the window he could hear birds whistling and humming through the late foliage. He longed to drop the damn thing heedlessly onto the sheets and let himself fall back on the mattress with a deep sigh – to soak up the coming evening and thread it through his fingers in prolonged memory of a carefree existence.

But he couldn't do that. His father had asked that he read this book for lessons the next day, and Zhou Yu, for one, always did his homework. Not that the same could be said of Sun Ce, who had disappeared off somewhere after only a few pages of the bothersome historical text. Sun Ce had no patience for the long-winded narratives and confusing characters of the ancients. Sometimes Zhou Yu wished he could ignore his father's instructions as easily as Sun Ce did, but it was simply not in his nature. So instead he gave a dramatic sigh and flipped to the next page, eyes weary but resigned.

He was lost in the contemplation of the next few lines when two bronzed arms slipped over his shoulders from behind and met across his chest. He could feel Sun Ce's bangs soft against his temple, and his companion's breath filtered over his cheek like morning rain. He kept himself from tensing by sheer force of will, and made himself keep his eyes down and directed at the book. He tried to pretend the contact meant as little to him as it did to Sun Ce, who reached out a tireless finger and skimmed it down the page. _And don't look up,_ he reminded himself. _Because if you do, you'll bump heads._

"Are you still reading this?" Sun Ce asked incredulously, voice mildly too loud. Zhou Yu nodded slightly. Sun Ce sighed and leaned against his partner's back. "Wow."

Zhou Yu closed the book and set it down in front of him, pleased at how steady his movements were despite his increased pulse. "It's interesting," he lied, wondering absently why he'd done it. Sometimes he found himself defending the oddest things.

Sun Ce shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat, man. But if you're done, come play with me for a while."

Zhou Yu turned his head very carefully until he could meet Sun Ce's eyes, cautious not to jerk lest he collide with the other boy's chin. Sun Ce was smiling – not a brilliant smile, but the one that was always on his face when things were going all right. "Play what?" the long-haired youth asked, raising a placid hand to brush his bangs back behind his ear. Sun Ce waved carelessly.

"There's got to be something to do in the garden. It's a nice day." Zhou Yu looked over to the window. It was more than a nice day – it was the kind of day children dreamt about when they were stuck inside studying. He sighed. Studying. What he was supposed to be doing.

"Ce…" He turned to meet the boy's eyes again, but stopped. Maybe he couldn't play in the garden, but that didn't mean he had to go right back to reading. He pulled back a little and considered Sun Ce, whose hair was falling out of his ribbon in jagged clumps. Zhou Yu frowned. Something had to be done about that. Sun Ce's hair was just going to get into his eyes, and then who knew what would happen. "Sit down," he instructed.

Sun Ce blinked in peaceable confusion, but did as he was asked, withdrawing his arms and taking a seat on the ruffled sheets. Zhou Yu rose to his feet and stood behind the other youth, loosening the ribbon from what little hair it still contained and pulling it out. "You need to put this in a ponytail," he admonished. Sun Ce shook his head a little, sending the dark chestnut strands scattering through Zhou Yu's fingers.

"I like it this way." Zhou Yu scowled, gathering the hair tentatively into one hand and being careful not to pull.

"It doesn't keep your hair back."

Sun Ce twitched as his companion picked delicately at the knots. "Sure… but it's comfortable."

Zhou Yu didn't have anything to say to that, so he kept silent and twisted the hair gently upward before tying the ribbon back into it. When he pulled his hand back, Sun Ce's hair cascaded softly down in a secure arch. Zhou Yu almost smirked. Much better.

Sun Ce bopped his head from one side to the other a few times experimentally – the ponytail positively bounced above his shoulder, brushing at the nape of his neck and the collar of his shirt. Sun Ce nodded. "Well… I suppose it'll do."

Zhou Yu let his hands fall down to the other boy's shoulders and watched him breathing in and out. His eyes closed, and for one moment everything seemed to stop – the wind, the flutter of the trees, the setting sun, the breath in his chest. Time paused for him just long enough for the atmosphere to crystallize into memory and slip into his mind. Then the world started moving again, and he opened his dark eyes to see Sun Ce looking up at him, a confused smile on his face.

"Apologies…" Zhou Yu breathed. Sometimes he got a little lost.

"No problem," Sun Ce assured him, blinking. "What's up?"

Zhou Yu sighed silently. "I was… just thinking about something," he offered, voice nearly gravel. Sun Ce nodded.

"Ah… I see. Well, include me next time." Zhou Yu thought this statement might have deserved a glare or the rolling of one's eyes, but Sun Ce's smile was too bright for retribution – all he could do was smile aimlessly back.

"Whatever you say." Sun Ce's spirit hummed with sunlight as he leaned back to rest his head against Zhou Yu's stomach, face upturned and catching the fall ambiance in between its smiling lines. Zhou Yu's fingers twitched on his companion's shoulders, but he met Sun Ce's eyes evenly despite the tiny moth having a panic attack in his gut. Someday, _someday_ he would get used to being in easy contact like this… maybe.

The moment shattered like porcelain as the heavy thunder of boots pounded down the hallway toward their room. Zhou Yu took two steps backward and Sun Ce straightened – and not a moment too soon. The door burst open to reveal Sun Jian, shaking with fury and face hastening toward crimson with each furious breath. Zhou Yu's hands tightened into fists of worry and shock. Sun Jian never looked like this – _never_. He was calm and easygoing as a rule…

"Father…?" Sun Ce asked, rising slowly from his seat on the cot. "What's going on?"

"Pack your things, Ce," Sun Jian spat. "We're leaving."

Zhou Yu's heart contracted. He squeezed his fists even tighter and the nails cut into his palm, pinpricks of pain in the canvas of disaster encompassing him. Sun Jian was absolutely livid – what had they done to make him so angry?

Sun Ce stared at his father, but Sun Jian's expression held no room for argument, so the youth headed to his trunk and began shoving his clothing into the bags he'd procured months ago. Zhou Yu watched anxiously as the angry general began to pace in front of the door. "That man," he snarled, pausing to slam one fist into the wall. "The nerve! How dare he cross me this way! To think I ever trusted him – called him a friend even!" His feet stomped up and down the short length between the desk and the edge of Sun Ce's cot.

Zhou Yu winced. What had his father done now? Whatever it was, it had clearly been enough to snap Sun Jian right out of his usual temperament – not an easy feat to accomplish. Muttered curses fluttered from Sun Jian's lips and sifted over the disarray that Sun Ce shoved haphazardly into his bags, and Zhou Yu's heart sank. He didn't want Sun Ce to leave. Maybe there was a way…

He crossed the open floor and came to stand before Sun Jian, head bowed and loose hair falling to hide his face. "My lord, please – I do not know what my father has done, but I beg your forgiveness on his behalf. Please forgive my family any injustice done upon you." Maybe politic lessons could be useful on occasion – he remembered reading about the proper conduct of apologizing for one's relatives in some textbook somewhere.

His act of contrition was cut off by Sun Jian's short laugh and the hand the general placed on his bowed head. Zhou Yu couldn't help scowling at that – he was almost sixteen, and nearly as tall as Sun Jian anyway; was it necessary that he still be treated like a child? – but was surprised into widened eyes at Sun Jian's words. "Your father? My boy, your father has never been anything but kind to me – the dearest of all my friends! It is that other man I speak of – that ill-mannered nobleman with no right to his arrogance!"

Zhou Yu was mildly baffled, but Zhou Fan's appearance in the doorway stopped any questions. Zhou Yu's father was out of breath, and looked as though he'd been running. His face was awash with confusion and a kind of terror wrapped in doubt. "Jian! Jian, please! There's no need to go this far." Even his voice, which had always been so calm and steady, seemed to buck and roll in worry. Zhou Yu raised his head, and Sun Jian's hand fell to his shoulder.

Sun Jian was shaking his head and giving Zhou Fan a sorrowful look. "Fan… truly, I did not intend to leave you with such discourtesy. But this time Yuan Shao has gone too far, and I will not stand for it!" His fingers tightened in anger, and Zhou Yu almost winced at the painful grip. Yuan Shao… the leader of the allied forces at Liang. Zhou Yu had heard his name many times over the dinner table, particularly recently, but never with as much venom as Sun Jian expelled now.

Zhou Fan's eyes were desperate and almost black with displeasure. "But you don't think he'd truly dare move against you, Jian? You're too powerful an enemy – and in this region, you have too many friends—"

"Wait, hang on." Sun Ce rose from his kneeling position on the floor and came to Zhou Yu's side, filled bag slung across one shoulder. His eyes were wide in confusion and anxiety. "Stop talking so fast – what's going on?" Zhou Yu saw a look flash between Sun Jian and Zhou Fan, and then Zhou Fan slumped back against the doorframe. Sun Jian took a deep breath and gave his son what might have passed for a calming look, had he not been shaking with adrenaline himself.

"Yuan Shao… Yuan Shao has threatened that if I don't turn over the Imperial Seal to him immediately, he will bring his army here to Shucheng and take it from me by force – and kill anyone who stands in his way." He shot Zhou Fan a look as he said this last part, and his hand unconsciously tightened on Zhou Yu's shoulder. Zhou Yu felt his eyes widen even further, if that were possible. A vision of Shucheng burning flitted before his eyes, and he heard the imaginary cries of pain and fear in his mind. Somewhere in the middle was his family, probably dying beneath the writhing flames… He shook his head, but the uncomfortable feeling in his stomach did not go away.

"He wouldn't dare!" Sun Ce's voice was vibrant and angry, but a harmony of insecurity echoed beneath it. He was not nearly as sure as he sounded that Yuan Shao was bluffing, and neither was anyone else in the room. Sun Jian sighed heavily.

"I don't know," he admitted. "But I can't risk having my family here – and I can't risk bringing trouble to the Zhou family because of my presence. And that's why we have to leave – and soon. Scouts have spotted distant fires, which means Yuan Shao may already be on his way. We're leaving immediately." He turned to Zhou Fan. "If he does come, send him on – let him chase us instead. I'll not have you come to harm for my actions." Zhou Fan hesitated.

"We could at least stall him—"

"No!" Sun Jian's voice was harsh, but not with anger so much as worry. "Yuan Shao is dangerous – if you oppose him, there's no telling what he might do. Think of your wife, Fan, and your children." His hand reaffirmed its grip on Zhou Yu's shoulder, but Zhou Yu could look at no one but Sun Ce. Sun Ce's eyes were impossibly large, and he stared at his father in a mix of anxiety and anticipation. Zhou Yu wondered what he was thinking.

He himself could only think one thing, selfish though it was. Sun Ce was leaving. Leaving him here, all alone again, like he had been six years ago. Taking the light back out of his life. He didn't want to let go – not after everything that had happened – but there was no choice. Sun Ce's safety came first. He had to leave.

The minutes began to flash heedlessly by as the entire household rushed to prepare for the Sun family's departure. Zhou Yu felt himself dragged into the entry hall by his father, where he stood beside his brothers in a daze. He could see the streams of people running back and forth, could hear the cries of the hurriedly prepared horses, but his mind refused to focus. All he could truly feel was the emptiness closing in around him.

With dizzying clarity, the world snapped back into his vision, prompted by the touch of his mother's hand on his arm. He found himself staring straight into Sun Ce's eyes from where the boy stood several feet away, Shang Xiang's bag in one hand and Sun Quan's in the other. Zhou Yu felt himself drowning in the dark eyes that seemed to reflect every thought in Zhou Yu's own mind. He took an unconscious step toward Sun Ce before his mother's hand, firm around his wrist, stopped him cold.

The two families faced each other, and Sun Jian's eyes were wet. "Fan…" he began, but Zhou Fan raised a hand to cut him off.

"There's no need for thanks, my friend." He smiled and put his hands on Xan's shoulders. "Many a time I have been in your debt – consider our hospitality a mere dent in this grand gift of companionship you have given me."

Sun Jian's face crinkled into a smile as well. "In all my life, never have I known a better man," he murmured, but his soft voice carried across the rammed earth floor and Zhou Fan closed his eyes in response. Sun Jian cast them all one last look, then turned on his heel and headed for the courtyard where the horses waited. His family followed behind him, heads bowed in thanks to their hosts – all but Sun Ce, who stood his ground.

"Hang on," he insisted, face troubled. Sun Jian paused and turned to look at his son, who had walked to stand right in front of Zhou Yu and was looking at him with puzzled eyes. "You're coming with us, right Yu?" He reached out and took hold of Zhou Yu's hand, squeezing it in his own. "You're coming back to Jiang Dong with us, right?"

Zhou Yu didn't know what to say. His mouth fell slightly open, but his eyes – dark and sad – filled in the words he couldn't. Sun Ce's expression became worried and uncertain, even as Zhou Fan interjected.

"What? Going with you? I never heard about that…" His eyes moved to Sun Jian, who shrugged, face tumultuous.

"I offered that he could come to live with us when we left, but he never answered me one way or another." Sun Jian's eyes focused on the two boys. "I wasn't aware he was considering it now…"

Sun Ce yanked on Zhou Yu's hand a little to bring the youth's attention back to him. He shook his head violently, and his new ponytail flew from side to side. "You have to come with us, Yu! You have to!" His fingers, so tight around Zhou Yu's own, emphasized his words, but Zhou Yu still did not know what to say. He didn't want to leave his home and his family, and he didn't want to let Sun Ce go either…

He wanted to ask Sun Ce to stay with him instead, but it was impossible. First, it was unsafe – who knew what Yuan Shao might do to Sun Ce if he were discovered here? And more than that, Zhou Yu knew he couldn't take Sun Ce away from the father he adored, the mother he looked after, and the two siblings who needed and loved him so desperately. He just couldn't.

Sun Ce almost looked like he was going to cry as Zhou Yu's prolonged silence filled the entry hall. His other hand reached forward and latched onto the fabric of Zhou Yu's tunic, twining into the folds as though never intending to let go. "You have to come, Yu." His voice was quieter, but no less intense for the decrease in volume. "You're going to help me conquer China, remember? You promised you would. We're going to take on all the other warriors together. And then I'm going to rule the whole land, and you'll be my strategist – remember? You promised." His eyes burned with determination and fear. "You have to come with me."

Zhou Yu remembered the promise. He remembered everything. Walks in the garden, staying up too late with laughter and conversation, sparring matches, the countless times Sun Ce had said 'I love you' – ten nightmares, six late night raids to the kitchen, one adventure down the nearby creek, forty-two times with his hand held just like this, twenty-four hugs, two deep discussions, and seventeen kisses. His hand tightened around Sun Ce's.

He looked over his shoulder at his family. Yes, he supposed he loved them. He would always be devoted to them, and remember them with the fondness reserved for one's relatives. But he and Qi could barely stand each other these days, and Xan was old enough to take care of himself – and his parents, though close to his heart, were distant from him in every other way. He straightened a little and quashed the urge to smile at Sun Ce as reassurance.

"Yes," he answered finally. "I'm coming with you."

Sun Ce's face split into an instant grin, and he surged forward to catch Zhou Yu around the middle – the dark youth fought down a flush and tried to pretend this was natural, despite all the people watching. Sun Ce's arms were so tight around him that Zhou Yu felt his breath catching, but he didn't mind; he closed his eyes and listened to the cries of surprise coming from both sides of him.

"Yu!" His father's voice was loud with shock. "This – this is so sudden—"

"Zhou Yu's coming with us!" Shang Xiang's tone was nearly a squeal, and Zhou Yu could hear Sun Quan's gasp from somewhere beside her.

"Do you truly mean that?" Sun Jian's question made Zhou Yu open his eyes and look up at the general, whose face was stern but not unhappy beneath the light of the torches. "Do you truly intend to come with us the Jiang Dong, and to join my army when the time comes?"

Zhou Yu felt himself straighten in Sun Ce's firm embrace. "I do." Sun Jian nodded.

"Then you'd better hurry and dress your horse."

Zhou Yu's eyes widened. He hadn't even thought of that – and he didn't have anything packed, either. He'd end up in Jiang Dong with no clothing, no supplies, nothing at all. His eyes must have shown his concern, because Sun Ce let go and backed up a step. He was still smiling with impossible brightness, and his eyes shone out of his relieved face.

"Don't worry – you can borrow some of my clothes," he offered, voice low. Zhou Yu wondered whether anyone else knew how sudden and rash his decision had been. "If there's anything you really need to bring, go grab it now – I'll equip the horse for you."

Zhou Yu's thoughts flew to his room and scattered as he tried to remember everything it contained. Clothing could be replaced, as could books and papers, and he wasn't really one for mementos. But was there anything…?

His eyes shot open as he remembered it. He took two steps backward and then ran, forgetting his dignity in the necessary haste. He had to hurry, but he couldn't possibly leave _that_ behind.

It seemed to take forever before he reached the door and flung it open, hurrying to the bed and dropping to his knees. His urgent hands fished beneath the cot until they finally encountered the cool metal he hadn't touched in years. With impatient hands, he dragged the long, heavy sword out from its place beneath the bed – a place it had sat for fifteen years. The long sheath fell back beneath his hand to reveal a few inches of the sharp, polished blade and the characters running down the length. Zhou Yu didn't need to look at them to know what they said – the words were seared into his memory. Courage, trust, loyalty; honor, valor, wisdom. A piece of parchment, much worn, tumbled from the hilt and skittered across the floor, message soaring in faded ink across the irregular parchment.

To my son: Today, you are one year old. When you have grown to maturity, I hope this weapon may become a shadow at your side – a friend and guardian at all times. Raise this sword to protect the things you love, and to fight injustice in the world. My love always – Your Father

Zhou Yu lunged upward from the floor, the sword in his hands held tightly despite the trembling of his fingers. This was what he couldn't leave behind – the sword he'd admired for fifteen years. When you're older, his father had always said. But now he was older, and leaving, and it was time to take the weapon with him. His eyes narrowed as he looked down the length of the weapon. If Yuan Shao caught up with them, he'd take this sword and cut down every soldier in the army – they could just try to hurt the Sun family.

In reality, Zhou Yu was far too logical for that kind of a self-glorifying thought to last long. A sigh escaped him as he faced the undeniable truth that, were it truly to come to a battle with Yuan Shao, he would be a corpse – but damned if he wouldn't go down fighting anyway.

A shout from somewhere outside brought reality back to him, and he raced from the open door, casting the room one last look over his shoulder as he ran. He skidded into the entry hall just as Sun Ce led the deep brown horse, fully equipped, up to the gate of the main house. Zhou Yu shoved the sword through his sash and hurried over to where his family members were exchanging their extended goodbyes with the Sun family once more. Sun Ce gave him a smile, which was accompanied by a confused look when the older boy noticed the sword in his belt, but he didn't get a chance for questions – two arms wrapped around Zhou Yu from behind and he felt his mother's forehead against his neck.

"Promise me you'll be safe."

Zhou Yu was surprised to hear her normally stoic voice waver, but no tears ran down his back – Lady Cai was far too strong to cry over something as trivial as his departure. He did his best to nod, and she pulled away, sleeves trailing like butterflies across his arms as they drew back. His brothers came to face him next, and both bowed deeply, although Zhou Yu could see Qi's smirk dabbing his face in sinister colors. Zhou Yu bowed back, loose hair falling across his face again. Finally, Zhou Fan stepped forward, face wet and hands trembling. He had not taken the sudden announcement as well as his wife. He placed two unsteady hands on his eldest son's shoulders and looked deep into Zhou Yu's dark eyes.

"You have always been my greatest pride and joy," he whispered, tears leaking out of his shimmering eyes and trickling into his beard. "I could never have asked for more in a son." Zhou Yu found this mildly ironic given the many times his father had chastised and scolded him, but he kept quiet and simply nodded respectfully to the wavering man. Zhou Fan shook himself, as though to force some courage through his veins, and turned his eyes to Sun Jian.

"Promise me, old friend," he pleaded, pulling Zhou Yu into an uncomfortably tight hug. "Promise me you'll see my son wed to a good woman. Promise me you'll find him a happy marriage."

Zhou Yu almost groaned, but he bit it back and held his tongue against his cheek to keep from saying anything he'd regret. He'd hoped that one side benefit of leaving home would be avoidance of the marriage issue – but, as usual, Zhou Fan had managed to mess things up. Zhou Yu caught Sun Ce's eyes over his father's shoulder, sympathizing with the sudden scowl on the other youth's features.

"You have my word," Sun Jian promised, voice serious. Sun Ce rolled his eyes and Zhou Yu frowned. There would be no getting out of it once Sun Jian set his mind to fulfilling his friend's wish.

Zhou Fan squeezed his son one more time, and then released him with a flourish that Zhou Yu found overly dramatic. Regardless, he turned and pulled himself onto his horse, fingers through the reins and eyes not quite meeting his father's. Then Sun Jian gave the signal, and they all began to ride. The horses thundered down the gravel path leading away from the main house – seven sets of hooves making their way toward Jiang Dong in the falling twilight. As they rode, Zhou Yu glanced at the garden flashing by, and a sliver of sadness swept through him. There was the tree he liked to study under, and the pond where Sun Ce and Sun Quan had chased the frogs, and the thicket where he went when he truly desired complete solitude…

It struck him suddenly that he might never sit in any of those places again – might never walk in this garden again. Life was unpredictable. Who knew if he would even return to this house, or be forced to embrace his family one more time? There was no telling. All of this – all of his childhood – was effectively dead. There was no turning back now. It was just gone. The thought filled his eyes and threatened to consume him, melancholy slithering through his mood and quenching the fires of freedom he'd been toying with.

The sound of another horse steering closer caused him to look away from the darkened trees and into the eyes of Sun Ce, whose one thousand star smile was back as bright as ever. He reached out vaguely as though to grab Zhou Yu's hand – which was impossible while riding, of course – and gave a little laugh that chased the angst right out of Zhou Yu's reminiscent mind. "Now I finally get to show you where I live!" His voice was smooth, and so free… but not as free as his eyes, which laughed and danced and threatened to simply explode.

Twenty-four hugs, two deep discussions, seventeen kisses… Zhou Yu couldn't help it. In spite of everything behind him, in spite of the darkness slipping across his shoulders and through the wind like sand, in spite of the weight of the sword at his side and the meaning it carried, he smiled.

End Chapter 8

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Well… the hiatus on this fic isn't actually over yet. I just got a little more time than I'd expected this last week, so I did this chapter. I apologize that it's not very long… oh well. Hope you all enjoyed it anyway.

A note for Shen Xia: I'm glad you liked the chapter – but I'll bet Zhou Yu would be offended to be called 'cute'.

A note for Winds of Eternity: Of course he wasn't going to be rejected… that would make a terrible fic! This story has to have a happy aura to it most of the time, because it can't really have a happy ending, of course… anyway, hope you liked this chapter as well.

A note for Crazy Insanity: Thank you so much for your review, and for reading my story in the first place. We all have our preferences and our beliefs – and I don't think it's pathetic that you're doing what you can to reverse some of them in yourself. Congratulations! Many people never do. I certainly hope this story never makes you uncomfortable – if it does, please tell me so. It is my intention only to portray this couple in the way I think most respectful to readers and the characters themselves (is that possible?). In any case, thanks again for your review and good luck finding quality slash fics in the future.

A note for Fetisha: I'm curious – did the story make you uncomfortable? If so, I apologize – that was not my intention. If you do ever draw a scene from this story, I would be delighted if you would email me a copy – I can't draw to save my life, unfortunately. Thanks for your review.

A note for Chinzty: Thank you for your kind (if run-on) review. I wasn't exactly clear if you wanted to be noted at the end of each chapter or not… but regardless, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

A note for Sage Serenity: I always find it fascinating to get reviews from people who are not exactly interested in the featured pairing – thank you so much for reading the story despite its unconventional relationship. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, and are pleased with the story overall even though you don't support the pairing. Thank you for your review.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 8 

_Zhou Yu couldn't help it. In spite of everything behind him, in spite of the darkness slipping across his shoulders and through the wind like sand, in spite of the weight of the sword at his side and the meaning it carried, he smiled._

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Chen Hao smiled, too, his eyes light against the backdrop of the shadows crisscrossing his face. It had never even occurred to him that Zhou Yu might not go to Jiang Dong, knowing as he did that the general served the Sun family all his adult life, but he supposed the sudden decision had been startling for anyone who didn't know the end of the story. He tried to imagine what his own mother and father might have done had he simply walked out their door one day, but their faces were faded with time and distance and the picture in his mind only looked watery. So he stopped, and thought instead of young Zhou Yu and Sun Ce riding through the night toward a future neither of them could predict.

His hand wandered unconsciously to the sword at his own belt, and he touched the cold metal hilt with thoughtful fingertips. He himself had never carried a sword until he joined Sun Quan's army six months prior, but he understood the feeling Zhou Yu must have felt wearing one for the first time – the weight, the pressure, and most of all the responsibility that seemed to seep out of the cold steel and into your skin when you held it. He wondered idly whether the sword Zhou Yu used now were the same one he had taken from under his bed all those years ago. It seemed unlikely, given the madness of war and the frequency of shattered weapons, but it was such a fantastical idea that he decided to believe it, and that put another smile on his face.

Zhou Yu's hands were fingering the empty sheath at his side, and Chen Hao remembered with a rush of sadness that the general had dropped his sword after being shot. In the confusion, no one had thought to pick it up; he wondered if it were still lying in the mess of the battlefield, caked in dirt and rusting under the splatters of war. He wanted to send a message back for someone to go find it – it seemed like a shame for such a renowned sword to drown in the damp earth and vanish – but he had no way of sending such a message and was not sure Lord Lu Meng would appreciate it in any case. He consoled himself by gripping his own sword more firmly and watching the stars slip by overhead. He wasn't sure why the degradation of the sword bothered him so much. But it did.

Zhou Yu's lightly shaking hands pulled away from the scabbard and resettled across his bandaged chest, brushing at the cloth distractedly. Chen Hao tried not to notice that his lord's breathing had softened to a mere whisper and threatened to disappear into the cold night air. He didn't want to think about Zhou Yu fading and dying in the back of this wagon. If he thought about that, he'd have to realize that there was nothing he could do to save the man in front of him – nothing at all.

"It was a long ride from Shucheng to Jiang Dong," Zhou Yu murmured, twisting the edge of his shirt in his fingers. "It takes about two and a half weeks to reach Jiang Dong by horseback if you ride hard each day, but Sun Quan was still only eight and couldn't go very fast for too long, so we expected to travel for a little over three weeks at best. I had never ridden so far, and it was hard at first to make myself get up and back on the horse every morning. But that passed soon enough, and I came to enjoy the hours we spent passing through the countryside.

"We crossed the Yangzi only a day or two after leaving my parents' home, and moved soon after into a region of the land I'd never visited before. There were villages scattered around through the dense trees, and we passed through them sometimes, but for the most part we were completely cut off from the rest of the country. It felt as though we'd ridden right out of reality."

His expression became a wispy smile that scattered after a few moments. "There was danger involved, of course. Although we heard no rumors, there was still a chance Yuan Shao would follow us, or send word ahead for someone to ambush us. We kept on the lookout, and I never let my sword stray far from my side." His fingers slipped coarsely across the empty scabbard again. "Sun Jian told us that we must be wary of bandits as well, which Sun Ce thought was a grand prospect but I kept in the back of my mind just in case."

A soft gust of wind swept through the wagon and out the back again – Chen Hao watched it ruffle Zhou Yu's hair and send his bangs into his eyes. The general shook his head a little in irritation, and Chen Hao reached out to direct the dark strands of hair off of his lord's pale forehead. Zhou Yu startled a bit at the touch, but closed his eyes and continued his narrative as Chen Hao drew his hand back to his side. "My sixteenth birthday came and went while we were traveling. It was the first birthday I'd ever spent away from my family, but I'd be lying if I said I gave it much thought. I was too busy getting used to Ce's family to remember my own.

"The Sun family was very different from the one I grew up with. For one thing, there was a realm of affection between them that I had only ever glimpsed, even after living with them for seven years. Within my own family, there was a measure of personal space and dignity that wasn't crossed save in extreme circumstances. I can only remember once when Xan sat in my mother's lap after he had breached infancy, and he was deathly ill at the time. But Sun Quan crawled all over his parents and siblings, and was rarely happy if he wasn't being held or played with."

Zhou Yu barely bit back a chuckle, and Chen Hao felt himself smile at the confused image of Sun Quan crawling all over anybody. "He was such a social child – and happy so long as he was with the people who loved him. He was obedient, too, and looked at all of his siblings with stars in his eyes. Even me – Sun Quan may have been the first one to really adopt me as a member of their family. Shang Xiang was close on his heels, and Sun Ce was different of course… but all I can remember is that the first time I truly felt like I belonged with the Sun family, it was Quan who gave me that feeling.

"We had been riding about a week when we reached a small valley where Sun Jian intended to rendezvous with a few of his old companions – generals by the name of Han Dang and Cheng Pu." Chen Hao was surprised to hear the name of his own commanding officer come up in the story, and pondered briefly how old the wizened general must be if he were already a renowned warrior nineteen years ago. "We stopped to stay the night a short distance from the small river at the base of the valley, and Sun Jian went off to find the two generals with Huang Gai, leaving myself with the Sun children and Lady Wu. We were watering the horses and setting up camp for the night, and Sun Ce had started a game in the stream…"

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"Aren't you coming in, Yu?" Zhou Yu looked up from removing the harness from his horse and back to where Sun Ce stood, rolling his pants up to the knees and taking off his shoes. His ponytail bobbed back and forth as he struggled to keep his balance, hopping around on one foot as he forcibly dragged his sock off. Zhou Yu smirked to himself, but Sun Ce was too busy with his footwear to notice it. "The water's nice and cold."

Zhou Yu watched Shang Xiang preparing to enter the water as well and shook his head. "Go ahead. I'll deal with the horses." He turned back to his own horse, and in doing so effectively missed Sun Ce rolling his earthen eyes.

"You could stand to have fun once in a while, you know." He finished piling his stockings on a nearby rock and moved over to take hold of Zhou Yu's arm, giving it a shake to get the other boy's attention again. "Come on, Yu – come play."

Zhou Yu hesitated a moment longer, but the decision was effectively taken out of his hands when his horse pulled away and went to graze with its fellows, robbing him of his reason for declining the invitation. Sun Ce laughed and slung his arm through Zhou Yu's.

"There – see? He agrees with me." He began pulling Zhou Yu back toward the stream. Zhou Yu dragged his feet a little, but didn't put up much resistance otherwise. There was no point once Sun Ce had decided something.

"She's female," he muttered, casting the creature in question another look over his shoulder. The horse ignored him, pulling up plants and chewing on them diffidently. Zhou Yu glared, but hardly meant it.

"Yeah, whatever you say," Sun Ce allowed, wading out into the deep, still water as he waited for Zhou Yu to finish removing his shoes. Zhou Yu frowned a little as the wet mud squished between his bare toes. What an unpleasant feeling. Why did anyone like playing in rivers anyway? All it amounted to was getting wet and dirty.

When Sun Ce decided he was taking too long, he sent a splash of icy water to remind his friend to hurry up. Zhou Yu nearly dropped his carefully folded socks into the mud as the cold liquid found his back, and he shivered as the drops soaked through his shirt and trickled down his skin. Sun Ce was laughing, which made it a declaration of war, and Zhou Yu stormed into the water to avenge his damp clothing. He knocked some water Sun Ce's way with the flat of his palm, and Sun Ce yelped as he got his first taste of water warfare right in the face.

"Ce! Zhou Yu!" Shang Xiang, who was farther down the stream searching for interesting rocks, looked up at the sound of their game and put her hands on her hips. "You can't have a water fight, guys – your clothes will get drenched and everything else is packed away!" Neither of them listened to her.

Sun Quan, sitting on a nearby rock and watching the fun from a safe distance, giggled as Zhou Yu reached out and swiped at his friend with a wave of water and a grasping hand. Perhaps if he dunked Sun Ce it would count as a victory. The eldest Sun child danced away from him and tried to dodge the artfully aimed stream of water sent his way, but he slipped on a rock and only managed to end up sitting in the river instead. He laughed and wrinkled his nose and held up his soaking clothing for inspection, and Zhou Yu's smile sprang to his lips without his volition. He offered Sun Ce a hand and helped him to his feet, although he nearly overbalanced in the process and sent them both back into the cold river.

Sun Ce was laughing, and the sun on the water was dancing light all over his face, and more than anything Zhou Yu wanted to kiss him – but the gurgle of the stream didn't quite drown out Sun Quan's giggles from his place on the shore, or the sound of Shang Xiang humming as she searched along the riverbank, and he couldn't bring himself to do it in front of them. So he sighed instead and backed up a foot or so, releasing Sun Ce's hand and trying not to let his face show how uncertain he was about his mossy footing. Sun Ce didn't seem to catch his thoughts – he was having too much fun playing in the water to even notice the look that sped across Zhou Yu's face, and for that Zhou Yu was glad.

Sun Ce began chasing the small fish that darted between their feet as Zhou Yu made his way back to the shore, somewhat disenchanted with the river now that his wet clothing was registering in his mind. Sun Quan scooted over to make a place for him on the warm rock, and Zhou Yu took a seat beside the boy. Sun Quan giggled at his brother, who had just taken a dive straight into the water in pursuit of his quarry – Zhou Yu watched him from the corner of his eye as he rung out his sopping sleeves.

Sun Ce, who had emerged from the water coughing but joyous, waved at Sun Quan excitedly. "C'mon, Quan!" His clothing hung off of him like dead weight as he brushed his hair off of his face. "The water's great!" Sun Quan bit his lip and dangled one foot into the cold water, fingers toying with the grainy rock beneath him.

"No thanks," he called back, smiling meekly beneath the fringe of his delicate bangs. Zhou Yu watched him closely. He himself was not big on river play, but Sun Quan's wavering eyes told him the boy truly wanted to join in the game. What was stopping him? Sun Ce would certainly play nicer with his baby brother than he had with his best friend – Sun Quan knew better than to be afraid of rough treatment. Zhou Yu cocked his head to the side and swept his mostly dry hair off of his shoulder, studying the boy beside him.

"Why don't you want to play, Sun Quan?" he asked finally. Sun Quan looked up at him in surprise and regret, almost as though he had expected his fake smile to go unnoticed. "It's truly not that cold…" Not until it's sliding right down your spine, he thought to himself, but left that unsaid. Sun Quan blinked a little and shook his head, tight bun bobbing back and forth.

"I don't mind the cold," he answered, drawing his knees up to his chest and wrapping his thin arms around them. Sun Quan was small even for his young age, and his petite form rocked back and forth as he dropped his voice to a whisper. "I'm just afraid."

Zhou Yu started, and glanced back to Sun Ce in the middle of the river. Afraid? "Afraid of the water?" he asked, needing clarification. He couldn't see anything worth fearing – unless you counted Sun Ce, and that only held true for certain people.

Sun Quan shook his head again and rested his chin on his knees. "I'm afraid that…" He ducked his head down, and Zhou Yu had to lean in closer to hear him. "The fishes will bite me."

Zhou Yu couldn't keep himself from rolling his eyes. "They won't hurt you, Sun Quan." Sun Quan looked up at him from his huddled position.

"You don't know that," he maintained, wrapping his fingers into the folds of his pants. "Shang Xiang got bitten by a fish once."

Zhou Yu found that hard to believe, but before he could say anything they were interrupted by Sun Ce wading over and emerging from the river to stand on the other side of Sun Quan. "What's the matter?" he asked, the lilt of his voice indicating he'd missed the last piece of the conversation.

"Sun Quan is afraid of fish," Zhou Yu stated blandly. Sun Quan looked up at him in shock as though he had betrayed some great secret – but Sun Ce just smiled widely before hiding it under a stern expression.

"No!" he responded, dramatic disbelief heavy in his voice. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes again. "He's not afraid of a little fish – not Quan!" He elbowed his brother lightly. "Right? You're not afraid of fish, Quan. Not puny little fish."

Sun Quan shifted uncomfortably. "Not all fish," he clarified, shooting Zhou Yu a pout over his shoulder as he looked up at his brother. "Just the biting ones." Sun Ce grinned and nodded authoritatively, clearly deciding this was too good a game to pass up.

"Sensible of you," he agreed, taking on a tone that reminded Zhou Yu distinctly of Sun Jian. Sun Ce raised one finger and waved it in front of his brother's face. "But I am happy to report there is only one kind of biting fish in all the world, and that is the dumpling fish."

Zhou Yu almost snorted, and even Sun Quan looked skeptical – as skeptical as a nervous eight-year-old could look, anyway. "The dumpling fish?" Zhou Yu had to agree – it was a dumb name. If Sun Quan weren't so gullible, Sun Ce's trick would have fallen completely flat, but for some reason Sun Quan almost looked like he bought it.

"Uh huh," Sun Ce assured his brother brightly. He formed his hands into a pantomime of heavily toothed jaws and clacked them together once or twice. "Now the dumpling fish has teeth this big, and if it gets hold of you it'll take your whole foot off." Sun Quan shifted uneasily and shrank away from his brother's hands.

Sun Ce smiled at the worried child and put his hands on his hips in a way that Zhou Yu was sure he'd seen Shang Xiang use. "But don't worry, Quan – there are absolutely no dumpling fish whatsoever in this stream." Sun Quan looked distinctly unsure. Sun Ce winked at Zhou Yu, who rolled his eyes once more but unwillingly played along.

"It's true," he followed, tone bland and face straight as ever. "No dumpling fish at all." At least it wasn't a lie. Dumpling fish. He sighed to himself. He was going to have to talk to Sun Ce about naming the perilous creatures he invented to torment Quan. What was it last time? The Chopstick Bear, perhaps?

Sun Quan looked between the pair of them nervously, and eyed the cool water with longing swimming in his deep eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked, voice meek and childlike. Zhou Yu didn't say anything, but Sun Ce nodded fervently.

"Positive." He ruffled Sun Quan's tightly bound hair and tugged on his feet. "So come on out and play with us."

Sun Quan hesitated a moment longer, shooting his gaze back to Zhou Yu. "You're coming out too, right?" Zhou Yu kept the frown down with difficulty. He had no interest in sloshing back up and down the stream, but the eyes of the two Sun boys were telling him he didn't have a choice. Reluctantly, he rose and waited with Sun Ce as Sun Quan shed his footwear and rolled his pant legs up. Then the three of them headed back into the icy water. Sun Quan squealed as it splashed his face, but it was a happy squeal and Zhou Yu couldn't help the settled feeling seeping into his stomach.

Shang Xiang joined them several minutes later, a few gleaming rocks clutched in her fist. She watched as Sun Ce and Sun Quan chased each other through the shallower water, and Zhou Yu in turn watched her simple expression from where he stood out of place in the depths of the current. She was growing to look more like her mother every day, with her cheerful eyes and high, noble forehead underneath a closely cropped shock of auburn hair. Zhou Yu wondered aimlessly what it might have been like to have a sister instead of Qi – if they would have gotten along, how he would have treated her, how it might have made the entire family different. He shook his head to will the thoughts away as Sun Ce skittered across the mossy river bottom and nearly collided with him. There wasn't really any point in wondering about it.

Sun Quan adored playing in the cool, crystal water for perhaps five minutes before Sun Ce simply couldn't help himself. He stood up from the water to watch Sun Quan showing his sister a strand of riverweed and grinned broadly, eyes teasing and bright. Zhou Yu saw the expression, but not in time to stop the impish joke as Sun Ce cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted, "Oh no! Everybody run! An enormous dumpling fish!"

Sun Quan screamed. He yelped and hollered and jumped up and down in panic, stretching his arms up and throwing his pleading gaze on Zhou Yu. "Pick me up!" he cried, tears collecting in his eyes. "Don't let it bite me! Pick me up!" Zhou Yu stared at the boy and his panic-stricken expression for a moment as Sun Quan's demands became all the more frantic and high pitched. "Pick me up!" he cried again, yanking on Zhou Yu's dripping shirt.

Zhou Yu didn't know what else to do – he leaned down and lifted Sun Quan up into his arms, where the terrified boy wrapped his arms around Zhou Yu's neck and tried to tuck his feet up even higher. Zhou Yu winced as Sun Quan's knee accidentally slipped into his stomach, and he readjusted his grip on the squirming, squealing child. Sun Quan was bawling and clinging to him as though to life itself, fear of the mystical dumpling fish having completely unnerved him. Sun Ce had doubled over with laughter and lost his footing, slipping straight into the water and down onto both knees, and Shang Xiang had folded her arms in disbelief but was glancing around warily nonetheless.

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes for what must have been the thousandth time, and freed one hand to flick his hair back over his shoulder. "Sun Quan," he said sternly, causing the petrified boy to look a scant few inches into his eyes. "There is no such thing as a dumpling fish."

Sun Quan shook his tear-streaked face and twined his fingers through Zhou Yu's dark hair. "But Sun Ce said—"

"Sun Ce is playing a cruel joke on you," Zhou Yu informed him, shooting the youth in question a glare where he sat half in and half out of the water. "There are no biting fish in this stream, and that is final." Sun Quan's eyes said he wanted to believe this, but he still eyed the rollicking water fearfully.

Sun Ce finally managed to get hold of his laughter, and he crossed the few feet to stand beside Zhou Yu and the terrorized Sun Quan he was holding. "He's right, Quan – I made it up. Sorry about that." He reached out and placed an apologetic hand on his brother's shoulder, but the smile tugging at his lips somewhat ruined the contrite effect.

Sun Quan pouted heavily and turned his face away from his brother, resting it against Zhou Yu's damp shoulder. "I've told you not to do that!" he insisted, just a bit of a whine creeping into his voice. Sun Ce fought back the smile valiantly, but it broke out onto his lips anyway and he finally gave in to the chuckle building behind his grin.

"Oh, come on Quan," he urged. "It's funny. I think it might be fun to meet a dumpling fish." Sun Quan didn't seem to agree, and Sun Ce smiled all the brighter. "I'll bet it'd go right for your itty bitty toes," he teased, reaching out to tickle his younger brother along the bottoms of his feet.

Sun Quan screamed again, and the loud noise coupled with his resumed squirming startled Zhou Yu so badly that he lost his footing. He wavered and slipped for a moment, feeling his foot catch on Sun Ce's as the young strategist toppled into the icy water, taking the squealing boy and the yelping youth down with him. He landed hard against the riverbed and winced as a large, spiny rock found his back. Sun Quan shrieked at finding himself abruptly in the water again and clung to Zhou Yu like a drowning man, which involved much whimpering and pulling of hair. Sun Ce only made matters worse by falling forward onto the two of them – he managed to put one arm out to break his fall, but he smacked his forehead against Zhou Yu's and landed right on top of the sandwiched pair.

"Damn it, Ce!" Zhou Yu shouted, forehead bruised and back aching, but his anger got lost in the musical laughter coming from Shang Xiang and the sound of Sun Ce coughing up water after accidentally shoving his face into the stream. Sun Quan was crying again and clinging to his probably ruined shirt, and Sun Ce was hacking to get the water out of his lungs and crushing Zhou Yu's legs – but Shang Xiang had her hand to her mouth and was laughing so hard and so freely that Zhou Yu almost forgot to be angry at Sun Ce again once he stopped choking. With an enormous groan, Zhou Yu pushed himself to his feet, one arm holding Sun Quan to him and the other yanking his sopping clothes out of Sun Ce's amused grip.

When he looked up, it was to see Sun Jian standing on the riverbank and laughing right along with his children. Zhou Yu stared for a moment before approaching the cheerful general, clothes dripping and his face set in a stern scowl. As he handed the still wailing Sun Quan over to his father, Zhou Yu felt his annoyance being superseded by an unusual feeling creeping up in between his ribs. It felt kind of like… belonging. Like home. Like—

Sun Ce scrambled to his feet and slung his arms around Zhou Yu's waist. "No hard feelings, right?" he quipped between his ceaseless laughter. Shang Xiang's smile sparkled as she wiped the tears of mirth away from her eyes. Sun Jian's booming chortling covered Sun Quan's soft sniffs like a warm blanket, and a smile crept up onto the shaking boy's face despite his flowing tears. And Sun Ce's eyes were just so bright…

Zhou Yu's arm slipped around Sun Ce's shoulders as he closed his warm eyes. "…You're a mess, Ce," he accused in a mutter that barely carried to his companion's ears. But Sun Ce heard it, and grinned up at the reserved, dignified youth who was drenched in river water and almost smiling about it.

End Chapter 9

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Wow… it's been a while since this fic got updated. Maybe I'll get more done in the next few weeks, but college is starting up and I can't be sure. I will, however, finish it and post it as I go along. Anyway, thanks to all for your continued support despite the time lag.

A note for OraeRyu: Thank you for your kind comments. The reality of the relationship between Zhou Yu and Sun Ce is something I try very hard to maintain, so I'm honored you picked up on that. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the rest of the story so far, and that you continue to read it in the future.

A note for Poached Pears: Thank you for reading and reviewing my fic, and again compliments on your own 'Birdsong'. Lu Meng and Xiao Qiao is certainly not a common pairing, but I see them as a good match because of Xiao Qiao's light attitude as it contrasts to Lu Meng (who I consider a bit of a sour grape). I hope that when I reach that part of the story, you are pleased with the way I approach the pairing of the two Qiaos with their respective partners.

A note for Crimson Jester: Thank you for the compliments and details on the departing scene. I'm glad it came across realistically for you.

A note for Burg: Thank you again. It's always nice to hear that the characters are believable. Apologies for the long wait on this chapter.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: True, parents can be difficult – and Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's parents still have a fair amount of trouble to offer. Thank you for the review.

A note for Chinzty: Thank you again for your review – I have read 'Moonlight Madness'. Thank you for your suggestion.

A note for Winds of Eternity: Thank you once again for the encouraging review. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as the last ones, and my apologies for how long it took me to update again.

A note for Sage Serenity: I also think Zhou Yu and Sun Ce are a nice fit, and am so honored to hear my story has increased your appreciation for them as a pairing. It's also good to hear Zhou Yu's character is not unbelievable. Thank you again for your review.

A note for Crazy Insanity: There is certainly nothing wrong with "huge clumps of review gibberish," but I am pleased that the story is not awkward or uncomfortable to read. I hope you enjoyed Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and this chapter as well.

A note for Shen Xia: How was this chapter? Sorry for the lengthy time away from updating, but I hope it was worth it.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 9 

_Zhou Yu's arm slipped around Sun Ce's shoulders as he closed his warm eyes. "…You're a mess, Ce," he accused in a mutter that barely carried to his companion's ears. But Sun Ce heard it, and grinned up at the reserved, dignified youth who was drenched in river water and almost smiling about it._

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Chen Hao could imagine it – the half-smile Zhou Yu must have had on his face at that moment. The soldier had been in the wagon long enough now that he understood Zhou Yu's smile. It was like a red ribbon – it wove and twisted across his face, flickering in the current of the story. It was fickle, and fleeting – but there were times when Chen Hao saw that Zhou Yu simply could not keep the corners of his mouth turned down. Chen Hao imagined Sun Ce had often brought those smiles to Zhou Yu's coldly reserved face.

Zhou Yu let the trailing end of the story hang in the air for a moment before he continued speaking. "The trip to Jiang Dong was something I've never forgotten. It seemed like every day brought a new adventure and exasperation in the form of Sun Ce's endless, accident-prone curiosity. No matter where we were, or what was happening, Sun Ce found a way to bring mirth into it – sometimes at my expense, sometimes at his own. Ce refused to let a single day go by without enjoying it, and those of us around him couldn't help but enjoy them as well." Chen Hao watched the yellow streaks of memory floating in Zhou Yu's dark eyes and nodded. Sun Ce's light still shone in the expression of his companion – Chen Hao was sure the great leader would have been pleased to know he kept the smile on Zhou Yu's face even after death.

"About a week after we added Cheng Pu and Han Dang to our party, we received word that Yuan Shao's forces had halted at the Yangzi and were not pursuing us. This was good news, and we slowed our pace in response. We had reached Hunan province by this point, and Sun Jian wanted to rest for a few days in the small town of Xiangtan just south of Changsha. Both Lady Wu and Sun Quan were tired from the extensive riding, and Sun Jian believed it would be beneficial for all of us to regain our strength and spirits before we headed south on the final stretch toward the province of Jiang Dong. Jiang Dong, as you know, is the name of the province that was under Sun Jian's control – the traditional Sun family home is in a city called Fu Chun, not a full day's ride from the boundary of the province…"

Zhou Yu paused and shook his head. "But that isn't important. In either case – Sun Jian wanted us all in good shape for the last stretch, because bandits and nomadic intruders were more common in that part of the country. Although Sun Jian had most of Jiang Dong under control, these tribes of thieves and barbarians did occasionally bring their skirmishes into the Sun family's territory. Primarily, though, they kept to the thickets and mountains between Changsha and Jiang Dong and attacked parties traveling on the road."

Chen Hao nodded, although he wasn't really following very well. Zhou Yu's forehead was beaded with sweat despite the chill air, and the soldier imagined that putting the story in a logical order was getting harder and harder. Still, the general pressed on, only pausing a moment to swallow a little more water from the flask before continuing.

"As I said, Sun Jian intended to rest for a few days in Xiangtan – I can tell you we were all looking forward to it. Whether the rest of us were as worn out as Sun Quan and his mother or not, we were all sore from our long journey and ready for a break. The Sun children were excited to see the town, as Sun Jian told us it had many unique merits, but I just wanted a few days of quiet. Spending a week and a half in the constant company of the Sun family had worn me down. It wasn't that I chafed with any of them, or that I disliked their company, so much as I was simply in need of some time by myself. I had never been someone who flourished for long in the company of others, and I was sorely missing my solitude." Chen Hao scratched his ear and nodded a little. Some people were just like that – they needed time alone.

Zhou Yu smirked ruefully at the canvas ceiling. "Unfortunately for all of us, staying in Xiangtan became impossible. Much though we missed the opportunity to rest for a few days, I think we were all glad Cheng Pu caught Liu Biao's messenger along the road."

Chen Hao sat up a little straighter. If his history was right, then Liu Biao was the man responsible for Sun Jian's death… but surely it was far too early for that. What was Liu Biao doing in the story already? "A messenger?" he couldn't help himself from clarifying. Zhou Yu nodded against the floor.

"We were a day's ride from Xiangtan when it happened. Cheng Pu had chosen to ride and scout the road ahead, just in case any bandit parties were gathered in the ditches and copses prevalent south of Changsha. The rest of us were riding along a fair distance behind him – I remember Sun Ce was teasing Sun Quan because the boy refused to stop whining about how sore he was – and were surprised to see his horse tearing back with an extra passenger. Apparently, the messenger had poked his head out of the bushes at the wrong moment, and Cheng Pu – a formidable general, as I'm sure you know – had snatched him.

"It was very lucky for us that this particular enemy was badly trained. The man carried a message for Yuan Shao, written and signed by Liu Biao, a powerful lord in the Hunan region. The message was, it seemed, a response to a request – a request that Liu Biao ambush our party along the road to Xiangtan and take the Imperial Seal. Liu Biao was an old friend of Yuan Shao's from their days in the Tartar campaigns, and the message revealed that he had agreed to help and was preparing the ambush with all speed." Zhou Yu paused, and Chen Hao almost shivered at the unpleasant look on the general's face. "Liu Biao…" Zhou Yu muttered, and his fingers clenched – but after a moment, he relaxed them and closed his brooding eyes.

"As you can imagine, this threw our group into a panic. Cheng Pu dealt with the messenger as Sun Jian conferred with Huang Gai about what they ought to do." Chen Hao wondered briefly what Zhou Yu meant in saying Cheng Pu had 'dealt with' the messenger, but the general had gone on and there was no time for the question.

"The ambush was certainly a death trap, and that made going through Xiangtan impossible – but the only other road to Jiang Dong traveled east and then south through Hengyang, a town known for its vagrant inhabitants and constant thievery. A train of horses as extensive and rich as ours would certainly be noticed, and probably attacked in that region populated by outlaws." A thin smile slipped over Zhou Yu's face. "After Ce took the Wu territory, he cleaned the unfortunate inhabitants out of that region and sent them in Shu's direction – but that was still some distance off at this point, and Sun Jian had no power over that uncomely city.

"It was my idea to lessen our chances of being attacked by decreasing our forces, and Sun Jian concurred. I suppose it wasn't much of a strategy, but from that point on I was the person Sun Jian looked to when military planning was needed." He smiled a moment before twitching his fingers and continuing.

"We took all of the fine-looking baskets that held our possessions and traded them to an old farming couple who happened to live nearby… they seemed quite shocked, but were happy to give us their old, hand-woven baskets in exchange. They were also kind enough to sell us some nondescript clothing – even the most rugged of our garments bore the look of wealth, and thieves are notoriously good at reading the folds of one's outfit." Chen Hao tucked that particular piece of information away for safekeeping. Should he ever need to travel in a shady part of the country, he would be sure to dress unimpressively. Not that it would be hard – nothing in Chen Hao's clothing chest could be called fine silk.

"We then doubled up on the horses, so that we wouldn't attract as much attention passing through. Ce rode behind me because his father and I agreed that, though he was the better rider, he was more likely to get distracted and lost in Hengyang if he were steering. Sun Jian himself took Sun Quan on his horse, and Cheng Pu and Hang Dang were courteous enough to carry Lady Wu and Shang Xiang with them on their pair of warhorses. Huang Gai, partly by virtue of his… stature… rode alone." Chen Hao smiled – it was hard to imagine another person fitting on a horse with the impressive figure of Huang Gai. He'd never met the man, of course, but he'd seen him from afar a few times in the months before the great general's death two years prior, and he had always been astounded by the man's sheer size. "With that settled, we left our unused horses with the elderly couple and headed for Hengyang.

"I am pleased to tell you we got through the city without any trouble. Our unremarkable appearance kept anyone from giving us a second glance, and we stayed on careful lookout until we had left the city far behind. It wasn't far now to Jiang Dong, and we rode hard – harder than we should have, perhaps, with two riders to a horse, but we were anxious to get out of danger. We knew it wouldn't be long until Liu Biao discovered our change in route, and we wanted to be far away before he could do anything about it." Chen Hao closed his eyes for a minute to let the image invade his consciousness – five horses flying through the night, their riders' poor cloaks snapping behind them as the wind carried the tiring hooves south of the city of thieves.

Zhou Yu's tone shifted, and an edge of long-past anxiety filtered through his delicate words. "Our luck held for a few more hours, until late that night. As we guessed, Liu Biao had learned of our change in course, and his soldiers rushed to meet us. We became aware of them just as we neared the mighty Xiang Lang river."

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Zhou Yu ducked closer to the neck of his horse and gave it an extra kick as the biting wind ruffled his cloak and hair. Sun Ce, clinging tightly to his waist and chattering nonsensically in his ear, watched over his shoulder as the line of the Xiang Lang River widened from a thin ribbon to a band of midnight blue in front of them. Even from this distance, they could hear the rushing and churning of the water ahead – Xiang Lang was not a river to be trifled with. They would have to be careful to find a calm, shallow part of the water before they attempted to cross.

Sun Ce sighed, and his breath tickled Zhou Yu's neck. "I can't wait until we get to Fu Chun," he announced, and Zhou Yu wondered how many times he'd already said it that evening. "I'm never ever riding a horse again."

Zhou Yu decided it wasn't worth arguing about. He himself wasn't enthusiastic about the idea of riding anytime soon, and if Sun Ce wanted to speak in foolish absolutes that was his own business. Instead of answering, he focused his gaze on the river ahead, scanning the bank for a possible crossing. He could see the other riders, all four ahead of him, angling to the east – perhaps Sun Jian knew of a convenient crossing already.

"When I rule this country, the first thing I'm going to do is build a lot of bridges," Sun Ce continued, fingers toying with the fabric of Zhou Yu's shirt. "I'm tired of wading through all these rivers – and I'll bet the horse is sick of it, too."

Zhou Yu wasn't listening. Sometimes he didn't. It never seemed to make much of a difference – at least, not in cases like this, where Sun Ce was just talking for the sake of filling up space. The dark youth watched the feather in Sun Jian's helmet bouncing back and forth and felt a groan building in his stomach, but he pushed it back, clenching his teeth to keep the admission of hunger in the depths of his gut. Forget tired of riding – Zhou Yu was tired of rationing their meager food supplies day after day. He supposed that wasn't a very mature attitude to take in regards to the situation, which was desperate in its own way and growing steadily more dangerous, but his grumbling stomach didn't care.

Something was missing. It took him a moment to figure out that Sun Ce's voice was eerily silent, though the other boy's arms around his stomach assured him his companion was still present. Zhou Yu tried to glance over his shoulder and failed. "Ce?" he asked after another moment of unnerving silence had gone by. No answer. "Ce, is something wrong?" Maybe he ought to have been paying attention after all-

"Shh… listen," Sun Ce suddenly responded, and his arms tightened around Zhou Yu's stomach. Zhou Yu listened. At first he heard nothing, but slowly a dull pounding wrenched itself free of the other sounds in the night air and became clear.

"Do you hear that?" Sun Ce whispered, and Zhou Yu nodded, ears still hanging on every beat throbbing through the air. It sounded like… like…

He felt Sun Ce turn to glance behind them, and then the youth's arms got so tight Zhou Yu could hardly breathe. "Oh gods," Sun Ce cursed under his breath, and Zhou Yu turned his head as well. Behind them, careening down the prairie they had just left, was a fleet one hundred horsemen strong, and their banners told Zhou Yu everything he needed to know. After all, there was only one man in this region powerful enough to muster that kind of cavalry.

"Lord Sun Jian!" he yelled, but his voice got lost in the wind rushing at his face. "Lord Sun Jian!"

Sun Ce's voice joined his. "Father! Father!"

At his son's cry, Sun Jian turned his head. Even from some distance behind, Zhou Yu could see the renowned general's eyes widening. With a vicious kick, he spurred his horse even faster, charging for the river headlong. "Don't stop!" he yelled, and at his voice the other riders increased pace as well. Zhou Yu gave the tired creature he was riding another strong kick and gripped the reins in very anxious hands.

Sun Jian hit the water first – his horse plowed straight into the swirling depths and disappeared for a moment under the splash of impact. Zhou Yu's heart constricted, but Sun Jian resurfaced moments later and his horse began swimming for the other side. Cheng Pu and Han Dang followed suit, yelling and stomping to urge the horses into the icy spray.

Huang Gai's horse was an older, more skittish creature. He too hit the water head-on, but the horse screamed and whinnied and danced backward from the licking current. Huang Gai barely managed to stay atop the prancing animal, muscular hands fisted into its thin mane.

Zhou Yu's horse heard the other animal's cry and panicked. It leapt and bucked, and Zhou Yu flung his arms around its neck to keep from being thrown off. The horse shook its head, panicky eyes rolling, and darted away from the rest of the company. Zhou Yu could feel Sun Ce's fingers wrapped tightly into his shirt, and the pulse in the other boy's wrist was in time to Zhou Yu's own anxious breaths. He kicked the frightened horse once more and yanked the reins back toward where he wanted to go – the horse bucked twice and then fled in the direction it was being ordered.

"Agh!" Zhou Yu's heart absolutely stopped as he heard the thud against the hard earth and felt the unavoidable loss of another person behind him. He threw his head back to look for his fallen companion, and he couldn't help the way his eyes widened and his breath crumpled in his lungs. There was Sun Ce, staggering to his feet - bruised and dusty but apparently unharmed. And there, achingly close behind him, were the soldiers of Liu Biao. The armed, galloping soldiers of Liu Biao. Sun Ce watched them coming at him and seemed unable to move.

Zhou Yu yanked the reins with every ounce of spirit he'd ever had, and the bewildered horse heeded, turning and galloping back toward its fallen passenger. "Ce!" Zhou Yu was screaming, but he didn't care. "Ce!" He drove his knees into the horse's flank even harder, and with a panicked whinny it dashed yet faster toward the approaching enemies.

Sun Ce had turned, and was running toward him now – that had to be worth something. Zhou Yu felt his eyes pinned to the earthen gaze of the youth who was running so fast, adrenaline launching him forward with every step. He could see the line of horsemen coming ever closer from across the streaming prairie grasses, and he could almost taste the desperation in Sun Ce's eyes.

He was going to make it in time. He was. Because as long as there was still breath in his lungs and a heartbeat slamming against the cage of his ribs, he would never let anything happen to Sun Ce.

And then, with an enormous jolt, he felt the Sun heir latch onto the saddle and pull himself up onto the gasping horse. Zhou Yu twisted the reins hard again and sent his horse skittering for the river once more, aiming half-heartedly toward Sun Jian, who had reached the opposite bank and was shouting something at him. He couldn't hear it, though – all he could hear was his heart pounding so loudly in his ears and Sun Ce's frantic breathing behind him. The other boy's arms were around his waist again and he could feel the boy's face pressed into his back – not to mention a heartbeat fast enough to match his own.

The horse plowed into the river headlong, driven onward by Zhou Yu's heels and its own terror. After a few frantic strokes, it managed to find the sandy river bottom and began half-swimming and half-running toward the opposite bank. Liu Biao's forces were closing in behind them, but the dark youth was fairly sure they wouldn't pursue them across Xiang Lang – a favor to an old military friend wasn't worth the chase into the nearby mountains.

Sun Ce's breathing had calmed somewhat, but he held as tightly as ever to his companion as the horse neared the other side of the river. Zhou Yu could see that the others were all mounted and ready to ride on – it wasn't safe to stop yet. Not with Liu Biao's troops just one river away. The young strategist let out a breath he didn't realize he'd taken and tried not to think about how close his companion had been to the soldiers' spears.

Sun Ce gave a halting, choked laugh and tucked his face against the nape of Zhou Yu's neck. "That… that was… pretty wild," he offered haltingly, voice muffled against the long-haired youth's skin. The dark youth could hear the quiver under the Sun heir's words telling him that, like himself, the boy had been scared to death.

Zhou Yu tightened his grip on the horse as final splashes of foam ushered them out of the river. If anyone asked, he would just blame the autumn chill – but company or not, he was holding Sun Ce tonight.

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Chen Hao let his shoulders slump back down as the tension slithered out of him. The story had made him nowhere near as frightened as the actual event must have made Zhou Yu, but it had been nerve-wracking to hear about Sun Ce's close escape regardless. While he knew for a certainty that Sun Ce would ultimately have been all right and reunited with his family, there were enough surprises in this story that it was conceivable Sun Ce might have been kidnapped and held by Liu Biao until a later time, and Chen Hao didn't want to think about how unpleasant that would have been. Fortunately, he wasn't given the chance – Zhou Yu pressed on with barely a pause.

"As you can imagine, Sun Ce's family was beyond relieved when we reached the other bank, but there was no time for a tearful reunion until hours later. We were deep into the Hunan mountain range by that point, and the lights of their campfires told us Liu Biao's soldiers were not pursuing. We stopped to rest the horses, but not for long – we were very close now to Jiang Dong, and Sun Jian was more eager than ever to return to his own land. Besides this, the mountain made us all uneasy – there were many opportunities for ambush along its thin, winding roads. By the allowance of Heaven, we made it out of the mountains without any further incident, and two days' ride brought us to the edge of Jiang Dong province.

"There was plenty of rejoicing once the news of Sun Jian's return reached his people. The governors he'd set in place seven years prior were grateful to step down – they had done a fine and dutiful job of ruling in his absence, but Sun Jian held the hearts of the people in a way none of his vassals could, and ruling without public affection had been hard on the four men Sun Jian had left in his stead. When we reached Fu Chun, it seemed as though the entire province had come out to meet us – banners waved, songs were sung, and the streets filled with people eager to catch a glimpse of their long-absent hero. We were greeted with excitement and great respect, although everyone was at first shocked by our ragged appearance."

Parades shifted through Zhou Yu's eyes, and Chen Hao watched their brightly swinging flags and cheerful waves. "I myself was astonished by Fu Chun – it was, and still is, a flourishing and expansive city, much larger than Shucheng where I had grown up. The buildings piled around us were so close together they almost seemed to be climbing on top of one another, and the Sun family home looked like a glorious castle compared to my own family's house. It took me some time to get used to the extensive grounds of the Sun house, but after a few days of hectic transition – formal protests had to be made against Liu Biao, councils of all sorts had to be abolished, and all of us needed to move into the glittering rooms – I began to feel comfortable in Sun Ce's home."

He stopped for a moment, and Chen Hao almost missed the hitch in his intake of breath. "My own room, down the hall from the rooms of the Sun children, was far more elegant than the room I'd used in Shucheng. My family certainly was not poor, but our wealth was little in comparison to that of the Sun family. Other than the bed, my room held a beautiful table – a long, dark table of fine wood with carvings etched into its legs. When I asked Sun Jian what it was for, he told me this was a table deserving of a fine strategist. That flustered me – I was barely sixteen, and my greatest stratagem to date had involved keeping Sun Ce out of the cookies some months before. I told Sun Jian someone of my age did not deserve praise like that – those were the words for a tried, trusted general, not a youth in the vaguest beginnings of strategy.

"I remember the smile he gave me, even now – of all the mental images I hold of Sun Jian, that moment is still one of the strongest. Sun Jian, like all of his beloved children, was open in everything he did, and his smile showed it the same way Sun Ce's eyes did whenever he told me he loved me. Sun Jian patted my shoulder and told me he was truly grateful for my aid – I suppose the fright of nearly losing Ce beneath the hooves of Liu Biao's soldiers had not worn off yet – and announced proudly how fortunate he was that his son had found such a good friend."

Zhou Yu coughed discreetly and raised one shaking hand to rub at his temple. "I remember feeling very awkward and wondering what Sun Jian would have said had he known exactly what kind of a friend I was to Sun Ce… fortunately, he never found out."

Chen Hao thought this was very fortunate indeed. Thankful though he probably was of Zhou Yu's prowess as a general and military mastermind, Sun Jian might not have looked as kindly on the youth had he been aware of the real relationship between his eldest son and their new strategist. But of course, there was no knowing. Perhaps it wouldn't have bothered Sun Jian in the slightest.

Or maybe – more likely, in truth – he would have eventually gotten used to the idea until it was faded like an old weaving in his mind. In the beginning, it would have rubbed against his consciousness and unsettled him, but with time the idea would churn and soften until it no longer chafed inside of him. Chen Hao knew the feeling – it was the way the idea of Zhou Yu and Sun Ce together had progressed for him.

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to continue, but he was interrupted by a shiver so violent that it threw his head from side to side against the floor of the wagon. Chen Hao started at the sudden movement, and sat stunned for a moment as Zhou Yu shuddered in the chill air and squeezed his dark eyes shut. Then Chen Hao snapped back to awareness, and he began hurriedly undoing the ties across the front of his military jacket. Of course Zhou Yu would be cold – the open bandages on his chest couldn't possibly provide much warmth. And beyond that, injury made one more susceptible to temperature – Chen Hao knew that. He should have made sure Zhou Yu was warm enough from the start.

"Leave it on," Zhou Yu ordered, but his voice was trembling and Chen Hao ignored it, picking rapidly at the knots across his chest.

"I said leave it on." The command was stronger this time, but Chen Hao pressed on, undoing tie after tie. His rushing fingers stumbled over the tiny knots, but they didn't halt until Zhou Yu's hand shot out and snatched them.

"Leave it on, soldier," he barked. Chen Hao froze, then slowly dropped his hand back into his lap. His chin drooped a little, but he met Zhou Yu's iron gaze forcefully nonetheless.

"But you're cold, my lord…"

Zhou Yu scoffed, bringing his disciplinary hand back to his bandaged chest. "It doesn't matter," he murmured. "It's not the cold that's going to kill me."

Both of them went quiet after this harsh statement, and Chen Hao fiddled with the seam of his pants. He'd forgotten. In his moment of panic at Zhou Yu's shivering, he'd forgotten that nothing could save the general now, and that slowly freezing was just a stair step on the way to the inevitable conclusion. He'd forgotten that Zhou Yu was going to die. He'd wanted to save him.

Zhou Yu let the silence reign for another minute, but there was too much of the story left to pause for long. With a resigned but dignified tone, he continued his account of the first weeks in Jiang Dong. "Fu Chun and the area surrounding it were quiet at that time, so there wasn't much for me to do in terms of aiding Sun Jian. Nonetheless, I made sure to spend time thinking about my work each day – if a battle did come, I wanted to be ready to provide Sun Jian with the perfect strategy to defeat his enemies.

"Sun Ce griped a little about how much time I spent on things he considered endlessly dull, but for the most part he was content. He was home for the first time in seven years, and during the first few days the house seemed as strange to him as it was to me. After that, though, he settled into his old haunts and pastimes, and there was always something for him to entertain himself with when I was working. Not that it stopped him from bothering me," Zhou Yu added, wrinkling his nose a little, "but it still made him happy in the large part, and that made me happy as well.

"Regardless of the lack of battles, I began to establish a reputation for myself – although not exactly in the way I would have chosen. At first, I was the victim of adoration based upon my looks, which Sun Ce found hilarious and made sure to mention whenever possible. But after a certain banquet several weeks subsequent to our arrival, I earned a reputation as a musician as well – and, with it, a bit of a prodigy."

"How did that happen?" Chen Hao wanted to know, and Zhou Yu shook his head almost contritely.

"For once in my life, I couldn't keep my mouth shut."

End Chapter 10

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Hiatus has officially ended. College is in session now, and despite homework I ought to have time to update this story fairly regularly now. Thanks everyone for hanging in there – I hope this chapter was at least somewhat enjoyable to read.

A note for Chinzty: Thank you for the compliments – when I get this story finished, I may do another fic for this pairing, but I'm afraid this story is a fair distance from over yet.

A note for Emma: I'm flattered to be called your favorite author, and pleased to hear that you like some of the same pairings I do – I tend to find that fandoms for them are rather rare. I hope you continue reading this story, and continue to tell me what you think of it.

A note for Sage-Serenity: I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I'm also pleased to hear that the narrations aren't too repetitive – I try to make them unique and engaging, and it's nice to hear I've at least succeeded thus far. I'm also touched that you too are concerned about Zhou Yu's sword – it's always nice when a small part of a story makes an impression with the reader.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Glad you liked the last chapter. The thing is, Zhou Yu may not have much longer, but he's going to have to keep holding on for a while… author's time manipulation privilege, I suppose. But yes – it is a long ride to the castle.

A note for Crazy Insanity: Thank you for your energetic review. I apologize that this chapter was a long time in coming and not as cute as the others, but I had some storyline to get through… down with plot. Anyway, please keep reviewing – I enjoy hearing what you think of it.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 10 

_"After a certain banquet several weeks subsequent to our arrival, I earned a reputation as a musician as well – and, with it, a bit of a prodigy."_

_"How did that happen?" Chen Hao wanted to know, and Zhou Yu shook his head almost contritely._

_"For once in my life, I couldn't keep my mouth shut."_

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Zhou Yu placed his chopsticks carefully on the table and tried to ignore the tittering a little way to his left. From his place at the highest table, six seats down from Sun Jian, he could see the entire banquet – and it seemed that no matter where he looked, everyone was staring at him.

The worst were the serving girls, who stood in the alcove nearby, gawking and giggling at him. Sun Ce had found this amusing for the first half hour of the tedious formal dinner, but then the boredom had gotten to him and he'd slumped half-heartedly over his empty plate. Zhou Yu sympathized with the youth, but there was nothing he could do – Sun Jian had made it very clear that this banquet was not optional for either of them. This hadn't sat well with Sun Ce, who was exhausted – and rightly so, as he'd been up all the previous night playing with Sun Quan and getting into trouble.

Sun Ce had no one but himself to blame for his current fatigue – but Zhou Yu figured that if he wanted to sleep through the banquet, that wasn't really much of a loss to anyone anyway.

It was the first large event Sun Jian had arranged since his return, and as far as Zhou Yu could see, it served three purposes. The first was simply to reconvene with the military and noble families and reestablish Sun Jian as the ruler of Jiang Dong – after so many years, many of the nobles had undoubtedly come to consider themselves somewhat in charge. The second reason Sun Jian was holding the banquet probably involved impressing these same nobles with the wealth and power of the Sun family – now that Sun Ce was lawfully an adult, he could be looked on as a true asset to the family, rather than a mere child. Not that Sun Ce was really establishing his prowess with his face down on the table, Zhou Yu noted, but the idea still held. And finally, Sun Jian probably wanted to win the loyalties of a few generals who hadn't served him previously – Zhou Yu had noticed five such men earlier, and they sat in a clump around one of the far tables.

None of these reasons, so far as Zhou Yu could tell, required his presence, and he resented having to sit at this table in full view of the hall and be speculated over by everyone – particularly the men with daughters. Zhou Yu knew he was being studied as a target for marriage to some hideous girl – he was dressed richly and clearly in Sun Jian's favor, and that was all many of these men would care to look for. Zhou Yu scowled, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. He hated being looked at like an object for sale.

With a final toast to the general at his left, Sun Jian stood up and prepared to make a speech. The hall quieted, and Zhou Yu elbowed Sun Ce, who stopped snoring and sat up with a sleepy look on his face. Sun Jian glanced once around the hall and smiled at all of its occupants, and then he began to speak.

"My friends, colleagues, and companions – I have returned!" He raised his glass dramatically as a chorus of claps and laughter followed this statement. Sun Jian laughed right along with them and downed his cup of wine before continuing. "I hope you've all enjoyed your meal and the copious amounts of wine I'll undoubtedly find are missing from my storeroom." More laughter followed this statement, and a few men who'd had too much to drink cheered loudly. "Tonight is a night of celebration – but not just at my being home again. We have many things to celebrate tonight, my friends. The fall of Dong Zhuo! The return of peace to northern China! And an end to the chaos that plagued Luo Yang for so many years!"

Zhou Yu frowned and studied Sun Jian's face hard. Sun Jian knew as well as his young strategist did that nothing was peaceful in the north. The great general Cao Cao had moved to establish himself under the wing of the flailing emperor, and would no doubt stir up trouble as soon as he was finished dealing with the elusive warrior Lu Bu. And in the west, a man named Liu Bei, claiming legitimate heritage to the throne, had begun gathering an army of volunteers and was preparing to declare his own dynasty. Any peace in the capital at that moment was completely temporary – Sun Jian knew that. Why was he saying these things? Was it just to calm the nobles and spread false tranquility? Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed at the seriousness hidden under Sun Jian's smile. He didn't understand what the general was doing at all.

The toast went over with great excitement, and Sun Ce even managed to shake himself awake enough to clap a little, though he leaned over and slumped onto Zhou Yu's shoulder a few moments later. "When is this going to be over?" he complained. "I'm so tired… and I hate things like this." Zhou Yu sighed.

"Get off," he encouraged, prodding Sun Ce's drooping form. What was this going to look like should anyone choose to glance their way?

Sun Ce yawned and settled his head more comfortably against his friend's silken shoulder, ignoring the deterrent nudges. "No thanks," he answered mildly. Zhou Yu didn't have a chance to respond, because Sun Jian had started speaking again – but he could hear the damned serving girls giggling again.

"In light of all of this good news, I invite you – drink, eat, and be merry at my expense tonight! Let the Sun family shower its friends with gratitude for the patience and dedication they have shown in the last trying years!"

Zhou Yu blinked as he finally understood what all the posturing was about. Sun Jian needed the loyalty of all the regional lords – should it come to war later, he would need these men and their sons for his army. News of coming strife, true or not, wasn't going to encourage the nobles to stand beside the Sun family – in particular, the information that Yuan Shao and Liu Biao had conspired against the lord of Jiang Dong would send potential supporters scattering. Sun Jian needed to garner every resource he could for the coming chaotic times. Zhou Yu shook his head and wondered whether any of these drunken men would really be worth their swords on a battlefield. He had his doubts.

Zhou Yu started a little as Sun Ce's fingers wound through his own, and he looked down to meet the eyes of the drowsy youth on his shoulder. He hoped all of the guests were otherwise engaged, because anyone who cast Sun Ce or him a glance was probably going to get the wrong impression – or rather, the right impression, but not one he wanted to be giving. Zhou Yu gave Sun Ce a potent frown.

"You shouldn't do that," he protested, voice low. Sun Ce smiled and nodded his head toward the distracted guests.

"They don't care. They're all drunk anyway. But you're a lot softer than the stupid table." Sun Ce scooted his chair closer to hide their joined hands. "There – happy?"

"No," Zhou Yu muttered, but Sun Ce merely shrugged.

"No big surprise there." With that, he closed his eyes again. He must not have been exaggerating on his exhaustion, either, because he drifted off almost immediately.

Zhou Yu watched the guests' revelry with distaste. The wine had clearly gone straight to their heads – the antics of the once-dignified men were disgraceful. Zhou Yu decided then and there, as he watched two renowned generals calling after the serving girls, that he would never drink if he could help it. Alcohol, like love, did funny things to a man's brain.

He glanced down at Sun Ce as he thought this, and another sigh escaped him. Even intoxicated, the guests probably weren't stupid enough to mistake this for platonic friendship. And even if they were, Sun Jian would surely realize that they were a bit too close together for the general conduct of best friends. Zhou Yu didn't want to have to deal with explaining this to Sun Jian, and he prodded Sun Ce again, but the sleeping boy merely frowned and readjusted his pillowed head.

"Get off," Zhou Yu murmured, but it was more of a stubborn gesture than anything else. "I don't want to have to deal with you father—"

It was at that moment that Sun Jian appeared in front of them, bracing himself against the table and leaning a little bit to the right. Zhou Yu tensed, squeezing Sun Ce's hand on accident. Sun Jian was staring at them hard, and Zhou Yu felt his throat tighten. This was sure to bring about a confrontation – and in front of all of these guests, too. Sun Jian would throw him out, and he'd have a nice long walk back to Shucheng to think about what to do with his life now that he was banned from southern China.

Oddly, though, Sun Jian was smiling – not only that, he was smiling impossibly wide and looking at them with almost clear eyes. The full cup of wine in his hand couldn't be his first, if the flush across his cheeks was to be believed. The general gave a booming laugh and clapped Zhou Yu on the shoulder, which rocked the youth's form and disturbed Sun Ce. The boy blinked sleepily at his father, and Sun Jian laughed again.

"I take it you're not as enthusiastic about this banquet as the rest of us, Ce?" Sun Ce rolled his weary eyes.

"Oh, sure Father – it's a real blast," he muttered, settling back onto Zhou Yu's shoulder and ignoring the man once again. Sun Jian's expression softened, and his eyes turned to meet Zhou Yu's.

"Letting him sleep on your shoulder… that's very good of you," he informed the youth quietly. Zhou Yu felt beads of sweat collecting at his temple. What was that supposed to mean?

"I… I'm just… ah…" His voice was level, but his eyes were not. What on earth was he supposed to say to explain this? Sun Jian was certainly sober enough to realize that this was not exactly a 'best friends' position – why was he still smiling like that?

"I understand completely," Sun Jian assured the stuttering youth. "The burden of friendship is heavy, but always worthwhile." Zhou Yu blinked as Sun Jian patted his shoulder again, somewhat less energetically this time. "I must thank you again for taking such good care of my son – I look forward to the world he will create with your help. I know that together, the two of you will be unstoppable, and spread our name of Sun all across the land." Sun Jian winked and took another deep swig from his cup. "I hope the two of you will forever stay as close as you are now."

This… was very awkward. Very, very awkward. Zhou Yu shifted a little and tipped his head in some semblance of a bow. "I… echo that hope," he managed. Seemingly satisfied, Sun Jian moved back into the array of his guests, waving the now-empty cup purposefully.

Zhou Yu let out a breath of relief, then glanced down at the boy on his shoulder. To be this close forever… Sun Jian hadn't known what he was talking about. But Zhou Yu couldn't help wanting it anyway. I echo that hope.

"I truly do," he whispered. Fortunately, the banquet drowned out his words, and Sun Ce didn't hear them.

.x.

"Lord Sun Jian! A moment please!" Zhou Yu shook himself back from drowsiness as the strong voice resounded throughout the room. Sun Ce was still sleeping on his shoulder, and the majority of the guests had succumbed to slumber as well, lying in heaps on the floor or leaning back against their chairs, mouths wide open in vigorous snores. By the looks of the night sky outside, it was nearing midnight – Zhou Yu realized he must have drifted off at some point during the meaningless revelry.

The man who had spoken was a tall, slim general whose family name – Jia – Zhou Yu had barely managed to catch. He had a thin scar running the length of his cheekbone, and his sharp expression led Zhou Yu to believe he hadn't been affected by the wine quite the same way as his fellows. There was a slick frown on his lips despite the images of joyous idiocy around him.

Sun Jian turned to his guest, smile far more sober than the last time Zhou Yu had seen it. Apparently, the wine was starting to wear off – Sun Jian moved steadily as he crossed the room to his guest.

"Yes, my Lord Jia? What may I do to assist you?" Zhou Yu straightened a little. He had been right – this was one of the generals not yet loyal to Sun Jian. Sun Jian's formal tone and bow were proof enough of their uncertain relations. Jia stretched a little and drummed his fingers on the tabletop.

"Those of us still awake would be pleased with some music," he silted smoothly, and Zhou Yu gritted his teeth. Snakes always reminded him of Qi. "I don't suppose there would be anything of that sort available?" The four men seated near Jia nodded in turn. All of them looked infinitely more pleasant than the outspoken man at their center, but there was no denying the hard, rational edge in their eyes. Unlike the rest of the guests, these men probably had true potential as worthwhile comrades and allies. Couriering their favor might be worthwhile.

Sun Jian frowned a little to himself, rubbing a hand along the base of his neck. "Music… well, my lords, I'm afraid the musicians had a little too much to drink during the course of the banquet. They're no doubt sleeping peacefully beneath one of these tables…"

It was a mild joke, but it felt flat as Jia's haughty laughter cut into the light rhythm of his words, the sound tingling uncomfortably down Zhou Yu's back. "It's all right, my lord. It's so difficult to keep one's guests under control – particularly when one's just returned from a long journey, as you have. It's understandable that things might be in disarray." Zhou Yu ground his teeth together but kept back the scowl with difficulty. People like this…

Sun Jian looked taken aback. "Truly, Lord Jia, things are rather orderly around here – I'm afraid it simply didn't occur to me to arrange for secondary musicians. If you'd care to wait a short while, I can arrange for a few replacements—"

Jia waved a hand dismissively. "No matter, my lord – no matter. I understand that readjusting to your position as lord will take some time." Zhou Yu's fingers were clenching unconsciously as the hidden meanings and accusations dripped out of Jia's words. Disorganized. Unprepared. Ineffective. What was Jia trying to prove?

Sun Jian was clearly struggling with his response. "I assure you, Lord Jia, that I'm perfectly capable of organizing much more than a banquet. I do rule this province, after all—"

"The little actions are so telling," Jia murmured, but Zhou Yu heard it, and by the way Sun Jian's ears were turning red he had as well. "In my own region of Zhenhai, we do our best to provide visitors with all the slight niceties we can… and I'm sure you would do the same," he purred into his half-full cup, "had you not been gone so long."

Zhenhai. So that was it. Zhou Yu knew that Zhenhai was a small region on the northwestern edge of Jiang Dong. When he was younger, he'd occasionally heard how its ruling families had tried to break away from the main province or take over their neighboring regions… Jia's extremely childish attempt at making Sun Jian look like a fool was either a spiteful family stab, or the man was attempting to incite rebellion.

Either way, it needed to be stopped – the looks on Huang Gai and Han Dang's faces said that they agreed. If Jia were trying to cause trouble, he might be fighting Sun Jian for the loyalty of the four undecided generals around him, and Zhou Yu didn't want to let the promising-looking men fall under the spell of Jia's forked tongue. Unfortunately, Jia was still within the realm of polite observation – his words were passably harmless, so protocol dictated that nothing could be said. Zhou Yu tried to think. What could he do to put that man back into his place?

Jia had risen dramatically from his seat and come around into the center of the room. From one long, flowing sleeve, he withdrew a reed flute. The decorative golden thread passing through one end glittered in the light of the smoldering torches and reflected hungrily in his black eyes. "But let it not trouble you, my lord," he sluiced, moving to raise the flute to his lips. "Let me respectfully step up to fill the gap for now."

Zhou Yu did snarl this time. Music was nothing, but the looks on the other four generals' faces told him they were not yet inclined to be on Sun Jian's side. An incident like this, small though it was, could have unfortunate consequences were their loyalties ever to be divided. Sun Jian had come off looking like a thoughtless spendthrift who had just stumbled back into his province with no concept of organization – Zhou Yu knew that could be disastrous for first impressions. Zhou Yu wanted to turn this around – he could see Qi's face floating just over Jia's, and anger directed at his younger brother was fixing itself to the serpentine man – but his mind was blank.

Jia raised the flute to his lips, snickering smile still slipping over his countenance. As he began to play, Sun Jian's lips settled into a tight frown, and the four generals began to whisper amongst themselves. Zhou Yu felt his jaw drop a bit as the notes hovered and dove through the air. Huang Gai exchanged looks with Cheng Pu, and all around the room the guests began to stir and awaken, rubbing their eyes and squinting at the influx of sound.

He was horrible. There was simply no other way of putting it. Jia's playing was absolutely wretched. Zhou Yu's face contorted as the harsh notes fought to enter his ears and overlapped uncomfortably in the open center of the room. The groggy guests shook themselves and rubbed their foreheads – the awful playing was like a rude alarm, and they looked unhappily at the musically challenged general and his host.

From Jia's surprised but persistent expression, Zhou Yu could assume the serpent himself was startled at the appalling music he was making. The general kept going, however – stopping now would have looked ridiculous. With a slight smirk, Zhou Yu noticed that the end of the decorative gold tie had gotten lodged in the open end of the flute, jamming it and contorting the sound. It was a simple accident, and had happened to Zhou Yu's own flute on occasion. The reed flute, a difficult instrument to play without hindrance, turned terrible in the hands of chance – but Zhou Yu saw it as an opportunity. He stood up so quickly that he surprised Sun Ce into putting his elbow into the now-cold soup in front of him. Sun Ce blinked in shock as his headrest strode around the table and toward Jia.

"Yu? Where are you going?" he asked, but Zhou Yu did not answer. All of his attention was focused on keeping his smirk under a cold expression.

Jia paused in his painful playing as the youth came to stand before him. Zhou Yu bowed respectfully, and then reached out a hand. "My Lord Jia," he began, eyes bright with superiority. "May I try?"

Jia seemed unsure, but he handed the flute over in any case. "Please," he encouraged, venom laced politely through the cobweb of his words. Zhou Yu bit down the smile with all his might.

As he raised the borrowed flute to his lips, he inconspicuously pulled the golden thread back out of the hole. With another bow to Jia and Sun Jian, he played a simple floating scale – it wasn't much of a song, but the unclogged passage of the flute vaulted cool, clear notes into the early winter air with far more grace than Jia's accidental droning.

The guests sighed and settled back in relaxation, some even clapping at the change in musician. Sun Ce was watching him and wringing the cold soup out of his sleeve, and Jia's face had turned sour beneath his sickening smile. Zhou Yu kept his attention focused on Sun Jian, who was staring at him and rubbing his unshaven chin. After a few moments, a smile broke out on the general's face, and his shoulders slumped back from their tense position.

When Zhou Yu finished, he was greeted with light applause from the guests, sober and intoxicated alike. Sun Jian clapped particularly loudly and stepped forward to pat the flutist on the back.

"Zhou Yu – you never told me you played the flute," he admonished.

"Never told me either," Zhou Yu heard Sun Ce mutter, but it was drowned out by a small shuffling within the four promising generals. One of them, a man with a ridiculously tall hat, spoke up as he eyed Zhou Yu with new interest.

"Zhou? His surname is Zhou? Not the Zhou family of Shucheng," the man asked, fiddling with his chopsticks distractedly. Sun Jian nodded.

"One and the same." Zhou Yu truly wasn't sure what his family name mattered, but he kept quiet and watched the unpleasant look on Jia's face.

The man with the tall hat spoke again. "Then you must be Fan's oldest boy – why, the last time I saw you, you barely reached my knee." A wide grin touched the man's face as he rose and approached Zhou Yu. "Amazing how much you've grown… perhaps you don't remember me. My name is Xing Dao – I'm an old colleague of your father's."

"I am afraid I cannot say I recall ever meeting you," Zhou Yu apologized formally, resting the flute at his hip. Xing Dao waved him off.

"No, of course you wouldn't – you were so young at the time. But tell me, what are you doing down here in Jiang Dong? You're a long way from home to be visiting with friends."

Sun Jian smiled, and Zhou Yu straightened. If his family name was worth something to this man, then he could use it to garner favor for Sun Jian. It would be the most useful thing he'd done for the general to date. "I have come south to Jiang Dong in order to join Sun Jian's army," he announced with a little more bravado than was probably necessary. "I intend to serve him as a loyal soldier in whatever way I should be deemed most helpful."

Drama had never really been his strong suit, but the generals seemed suitably struck. Sun Ce was shoving a snigger back down his throat at the theatrical speech, and Zhou Yu spared him half a glare before looking back to Xing Dao. It didn't matter that it sounded ridiculous – what was important was to appear firm and resolved. Xing Dao smiled at his statement and seemed to consider Sun Jian with new eyes.

The moment was ruined by Jia, who let out a stinging laugh and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "Truly? A frail child like you? Serve as a solider?" Zhou Yu snarled at the conniving smile greeting him. Why did everyone always accuse him of being delicate?! And he was hardly a child. The three generals still seated looked displeased, and one of them stood up warily.

"Come now, Jia, there's no call for that," he placated. Zhou Yu nodded to himself. That was half of the generals on their side. Jia wasn't making a very good impression on them, he could tell. Now if he could only keep the insidious man talking…

Fortunately for Zhou Yu, Jia refused to heed his companion's words. "You can sit down, Ling Cao." Ling Cao's mouth tightened, but he said nothing further. Jia pressed on, indicating the flute at Zhou Yu's side. "I'm not saying he's worthless. I suppose if you're ever in need of a pretty musician, Sun Jian, you've found a worthy candidate – but beyond that, I'm afraid you've burdened yourself with a useless weakling." Zhou Yu's pride stung at the words, but he pressed his lips together and said nothing.

The generals muttered between themselves, and Xing Dao made as though to speak up, but Sun Ce beat him to it. The youth vaulted over the table and landed in front of Jia with an angry look on his face. Jia took a step back in surprise as Sun Ce raised his fists.

"You can just take that back and swallow it!" Sun Ce told the shocked general in no uncertain terms. Zhou Yu reached out and grabbed Sun Ce's damp sleeve, but Sun Ce shook him off and continued speaking. "Zhou Yu's not weak at all – he's a good fighter and he's really smart, and he's far prettier than you'll ever be!" Zhou Yu sighed and wondered why Sun Ce had to choose that particular insult to address, but the boy was not done by any means. "And as far as that goes, Yu is a damn good flute player – you're the one who ought to be ashamed! You can't even play, but you got up in front of everyone and acted all superior anyway!"

Zhou Yu blinked. "I thought you were asleep," he interjected. Sun Ce paused and shrugged.

"I was sort of asleep." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at this response. Jia took the opportunity to scoff and fold his arms over his chest.

"I'd have thought you'd teach your eldest son better manners, Sun Jian," Jia slithered. "Insulting me this way… I'm terribly offended. And surely he's exaggerating. Hard to imagine a boy like this being useful for anything beyond bearing a flute." Sun Jian said nothing, but Sun Ce snarled.

"Jia, please!" The third general, brown hair caught in a tight braid, had risen from the table and walked to stand beside Xing Dao. "Can't we all be civil here-"

"Quiet, Cai Rui," Jia sneered. "No one wants to listen to your chatter."

"I'm not exaggerating!" Sun Ce broke in again, shaking his fist for emphasis. "He is that strong!" Zhou Yu felt his jaw relaxing, and a tiny smile settled onto his lips. It didn't really matter what was said about him – the point was to paint Jia in as bad a light as possible by showing the other generals the true blackness of his nature – but Sun Ce's words were like a balm on the raw stings of the snake's darting insults, and Zhou Yu felt better for them.

"Is he truly?" The low, powerful voice made Zhou Yu turn, and he looked straight into the deep eyes of the final general. The man had his fingers entwined under his chin, and he was studying the two boys with an utterly neutral gaze. Sun Ce spun to face him and reiterated his statement.

"He is!" Sun Ce's jaw was firmly set, and his hands on his hips told everyone in the room that he was not backing down. The general looked unimpressed. Zhou Yu could tell that this last man was not going to be won over as easily as his companions, and he took a deep breath before putting the final scene in motion.

Zhou Yu stepped forward and took Sun Ce's elbow, slightly exaggerating the gentle shake of his head. "It's all right, Ce," he said softly. "Just let it go."

All eyes turned to him – Sun Ce's were particularly bewildered. "But-" he started, but another shake of Zhou Yu's head cut him off. Zhou Yu glanced back over his shoulder and gave Jia a mildly superior glare.

"Say of me what you wish," he offered, keeping his voice low and amiable. "The words of a fool mean nothing to me."

Jia's dark eyes got very wide, and he raised his hand as though to strike Zhou Yu across the face. Zhou Yu had been expecting this, and made no move to block – instead, as Jia drew his hand back, Zhou Yu spoke again. "Duel with me."

Jia's hand paused in midair, and Xing Dao – who had been preparing to spring to the rescue – paused with one hand on his sword hilt. The eyes of the fourth general betrayed his surprise, and his heavy eyebrows shot up toward his hairline. Sun Jian looked worried and took two steps forward as though to interject, but Sun Ce's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Okay! Get him, Yu! And get him once extra for me!" Sun Ce encouraged, giving Zhou Yu a heartening smile and a punch on the arm for good measure. Sun Jian stopped and watched his son's brilliant face for a moment before his lines of worry smoothed. Zhou Yu smiled back at Sun Ce – albeit with more dignity – and cast the fourth general one more fleeting glance before stepping closer to Jia.

"Wait," Xing Dao interrupted, raising both hands in a pleading gesture. "Zhou Yu, I'm sure you're a very good fighter. But Jia is a war general – I don't think dueling with him is such a good idea—"

"I thank you for your concern," Zhou Yu replied, tucking the flute into his pocket. "But I am confident of my ability." Xing Dao closed his mouth and bit his lower lip, but he said nothing more.

Jia seemed to consider for a moment, then gave a short laugh and bowed spitefully. "Very well, Master Zhou Yu," he spattered. "I will duel with you. Please, choose your weapon."

Cai Rui now joined in Xing Dao's worry. "Jia, come now – he's only a child, barely sixteen—"

"Let the boy fight, Cai Rui." The voice of the final general stopped any further argument. "If he dies against Jia, then it was only a matter of time anyway." Not exactly a vote of deference, but it would have to do. The man gave Zhou Yu a long look before nodding solemnly to himself. "Continue."

Zhou Yu tipped his head respectfully before turning back to Jia, who had a thoroughly unbecoming look on his wry face. "We will have a battle of wits," he announced, and Jia scoffed.

"So much the better." His voice was like oil in Zhou Yu's ears. "Begin whenever you like."

Zhou Yu smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. A battle of wits had been the right choice for a variety of reasons. No matter how good he might be with a sword, Zhou Yu knew better than to challenge a battle veteran of Jia's caliber. It was just asking for death. And beyond that, no one had ever beaten him in a game of intelligence – especially not when he fought with words.

"Then we'll start with a few simple riddles," he told his opponent. "The first one is: When day is done I come without being called; at dawn I leave without being stolen. I am the poet's delight and sailor's comfort. What am I?"

Jia dropped his chin in thought – the other occupants of the room also furrowed their brows in concentration. After a minute, Jia looked up and spoke. "Night. Night comes and leaves without assistance – poets for years have written of night in their verse."

"And the sailors?" Zhou Yu prompted.

"Sailors may rest at night, as there is no fishing to be done," Jia concluded. The generals looked half-impressed for a moment, until Zhou Yu scoffed quietly.

"Wrong," he murmured. "The answer is a star."

Jia looked annoyed. "Why am I wrong?" he pursued.

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. "You have clearly not done much sailing, Lord Jia. If you had, you would know that, if one is sailing at night, it is the most dangerous and worrying time. One must be on constant lookout for driftwood, jutting shore, rocks, or other boats. A star is the sailor's comfort because it shows him where to go and acts as a companion on his long night watches." Xing Dao smiled, but Jia looked unimpressed.

"Merely your opinion," he hummed.

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed, but he had not expected a quick victory anyway. "Then we will play again," he allowed. "The next riddle is: I enter your quarters when you are away, and make myself at home in unused drawers, but say my name and I am gone. What am I?"

Jia thought much longer this time before answering. Sun Ce, whose face was awash with concentration, bit his lip a little and stared hard at the floor. Even the fourth general watched Zhou Yu curiously this time, waiting for the answer to the riddle.

"A thief," Jia answered at last. "A thief enters when you are away, and rifles through your locked drawers for treasures – but at an accusation, he will flee."

"Also wrong," Zhou Yu sighed. Cai Rui had a simple smile on his face now, and it was not helping Jia's temper.

"Why?" Jia had more trouble keeping the anger out of his voice this time. Ling Cao frowned at the enraged general from his position behind the table.

"A thief will not be at home in your drawers – in fact, I would hazard he will not fit," Zhou Yu explained smoothly, and Sun Ce snorted. "Also, his name is not what sends a thief flying – it is the sight of you returning on your horse." The fourth general had straightened a little in his chair, and Zhou Yu felt a warmth in his stomach at how well his idea was working. "The correct answer is silence," he informed them all, and Sun Ce slapped his forehead.

"Silence," he repeated. "I never would have gotten that. I'm awful at riddles."

Jia didn't seem any more pleased by Sun Ce's commentary than by the riddle itself. "Also an opinion," he accused. "Riddles are subjective – a fair one has never been made."

A frown settled over Zhou Yu's thin lips. If that was Jia's answer to everything, he'd have to switch tactics – but what else could he draw on in a battle of wits? Riddles had always been his specialty… his eyes fell on Sun Ce, and an idea lit up in his mind like wildfire. He hid his smile carefully and pressed on.

Zhou Yu sighed dramatically and rubbed his temple. "All right," he acquiesced. "Then how about a logic puzzle instead? A simple question you must answer."

Jia spent a moment searching for the trick in this, and finally assented. "No word games?"

"None whatsoever," Zhou Yu assured him. "May I?" Jia nodded slowly.

Without further chattering, Zhou Yu began. "A man, his wife, and their two sons come to a river and want to cross. There is a small boat which can carry only one adult and two children at a time. However, there is a leak in the boat that will not permit it cross the river more than twice. Both children are good rowers – their parents are not. How can the whole family reach the other side? You may ask me any questions you wish."

Everyone in the room seemed to consider the riddle for a moment, and then Jia spoke. "How fast is this river, and how deep?"

"As deep and fast as the Yangzi," Zhou Yu replied immediately. Jia frowned and thought on this for another moment as Zhou Yu bit back his smirk with difficulty.

"Are there any other boats on this river?" Jia asked, and Zhou Yu solemnly shook his head. Now everyone in the room was frowning and thinking hard. Suddenly, Sun Ce's eyes got very wide and he slapped a hand over his mouth. Sun Jian looked concerned.

"Ce? Are you all right?" Sun Ce shook his head violently.

"I'm fine, I'm fine – it's just… I got it! I know how they go across!" He shared a joyful look with his scheming companion and seemed to bounce a little. "Right, Yu?" Zhou Yu nodded. It made sense for the young lord to have found the answer before anyone else – it was he who had given Zhou Yu the idea in the first place.

Jia had become even angrier at Sun Ce's excitement, and he wound his fingers into fists beneath his silky sleeves. "Are there any materials around to repair the boat?" he asked.

"None whatsoever," Zhou Yu informed him. Jia's teeth began to show beneath his snarl.

"Can they swim the river, or wade it?" Desperation was starting to hint in his voice, and Sun Ce's sniggering was not helping. Zhou Yu just shook his head.

Jia thought silently for a long moment, and then ground his teeth together before answering. "They cannot. The children will have to take one parent with them and leave the other on the far bank until a later time. There is no way to bring them all across in the boat."

Sun Ce was practically choking on the fingers he'd shoved into his mouth to stifle his laughter, and the image was not helping Zhou Yu keep his own smile down. "That's your answer? Leave one behind?"

"It's the only answer there is!" Jia steamed. "You've chosen an impossible riddle – there is no solution!"

Zhou Yu ignored the rant and pressed on with his questions. "You would leave their father there to die, despite the oncoming army that will cut him to ribbons? You would let him starve to death on the banks of that rushing river?"

"Sometimes sacrifices have to be made!" Jia shouted, stirring a few more of the sleeping guests. "There is no way to bring them over in the boat!" His eyes were furious, and his hands showed it in their violent shaking.

Zhou Yu let the room go silent for a long moment before he spoke again. "Sometimes sacrifices do have to be made," he allowed. His long, dark hair swept across his shoulders at the dramatically rueful shake of his head. "But now is not one of those times. You have let an innocent man die rather than saving him." He paused to let the words gain momentum before adding, "You would make a terrible ruler."

Jia's expression shot to outright fury, and he swung at Zhou Yu fully this time – but Zhou Yu had been expecting that, too, and he dodged easily. "You're right that there's no way to bring them over in the boat," he informed Jia as the angry general paused, fist raised. "But you have answered the riddle wrong."

All of Jia's composure had disintegrated into sliming shades of crimson. "And what is the correct answer?" he spat. Sun Ce grinned, unable to hold his tongue any longer.

"They all walk across the bridge!"

Everyone in the room turned to stare at him as Zhou Yu nodded his assent. Cai Rui and Xing Dao looked confused, but the eyes of the fourth general were open and laughing. Jia spluttered on his words for a moment before rounding on Zhou Yu again.

"You didn't mention a bridge," he hissed. "You only mentioned a boat."

"I didn't have to mention a bridge. I said you were free to ask any question you wished." Zhou Yu's answer did not seem to please Jia in the slightest

"And I was supposed to explore every possible route of passage across the river until I hit on whichever one your twisted mind had chosen?!" Jia's face had gone from crimson to vermillion, and Zhou Yu wondered idly whether he were going to explode. Before Zhou Yu could open his mouth to respond, though, the final general's low tone cut through the mayhem.

"You forgot to ask the most important question, Jia – the one question anyone in power ought to always ask first." Jia stared at the general as Sun Jian's mouth dropped open slightly.

"A leader must always ask, 'Is there no other way?'" Sun Jian added quietly to himself. "Is there no other option open to me? Is there no other way to cross the river?" The fourth general nodded sagely.

"That's right – that is what a ruler must always ask. It is the duty of his officers to solve the problems, but it is the duty of the leader to demand solutions." His eyes met Sun Jian's across the disarray of the banquet, and Zhou Yu felt his shoulders relaxing as both men smiled. Mission accomplished. All four generals, though informally, had given their loyalty to Sun Jian over Jia.

He couldn't help himself. The words were just too tempting. "A simple logic puzzle," he murmured, just loud enough for it to reach Jia's steaming ears. "If you'd only asked the right question…"

Jia seethed silently for a moment before the dislike in his former colleagues' eyes got the best of him. With a short shout, he yanked his knife from the sheath on his belt. Zhou Yu took a step back, worry written across his face – the generals froze in shock. He hadn't counted on a knife. He looked anxiously around for something to block with, but there was nothing in reach-

"You brat," Jia snarled, tongue dancing between his teeth. "Make a fool of me, will you?" Zhou Yu took one more step back and nearly stumbled on a fallen chair. Jia gave another cry and threw himself toward Zhou Yu, knife headed straight for the youth's chest.

It never got there. With a quick twist of his foot, Sun Ce knocked the knife cleanly out of Jia's hands and dropped another kick into the man's gut for good measure. Jia doubled over in pain and surprise, giving Cai Rui and Ling Cao the chance to leap forward and snatch his arms. Xing Dao moved hastily to Zhou Yu's side and raised his hand as though to take hold of the youth's shoulder, but paused in uncertainty.

"Are you all right?" he asked, worry clear on his features though he appeared unsure whether or not it would be prudent to touch the wide-eyed boy. Zhou Yu nodded slowly.

"I'm… fine…" Sun Ce stepped back from Jia and scowled, tapping his foot against the floor.

"And don't you go putting holes in my strategist!" he ordered, amber eyes flashing with displeasure. "I want him in one piece!" Zhou Yu was still too surprised to move, but after a moment Sun Jian laughed breathlessly and walked to stand behind the two boys, dropping a hand onto each of their shoulders.

"Someday he'll be your strategist, Ce," Sun Jian permitted, worry gradually draining from his face. "But right now, he's my strategist."

This statement provoked surprise from the four generals and indignation from Sun Ce. "I asked him first!" the sunshine youth protested, but his words got lost in Xing Dao's question.

"Your strategist, Lord Sun Jian?"

The Tiger of Jiang Dong smiled. "That's right. Zhou Yu is my one and only strategist – and when a problem comes along, I'll be counting on him to solve it." Ling Cao and Cai Rui shared an uncertain look, but to Zhou Yu's surprise the fourth general stood and gave a barking laugh.

"Good." His deep voice poured over the room like muddy water. "I think that's a good position for him."

"And as a bonus," Sun Ce added with a teasing smile, "we'll always know that if there's something wrong in the song, Zhou Yu will take care of it." Zhou Yu cuffed him on the head for this comment, but the fourth general had found it funny and was laughing again, his deep eyes twinkling with the light of the oil lamps.

"Ah… very good, very good," the man murmured. He moved around the table to stand by Sun Jian and bowed. "You have shown me tonight that you are not only a capable officer yourself, Sun Jian, and a worthy ruler, but also that your domain has a promising future." He gave Zhou Yu and Sun Ce a wink. "In light of that, I would like to formally offer my loyalties to you – Lu Guo, at your service."

Sun Jian smiled. "I am honored, Lord Lu, to have such a dignified warrior in my service. I hope we may fight in many great and glorious battles together."

Lu Guo nodded heavily. "I wish the same. And I can also promise you the services of my son, once he comes of age. He is but fourteen now – but in a few years, he will be glad to serve in your army. Meng is an able warrior even at his young age – give him a few years, and he will be unstoppable."

Sun Jian nodded. "I shall be glad to have him as well."

After another moment, Ling Cao spoke up from where he held Jia's dispirited arm. "Sun Ce," he asked, curiosity thin like rice pudding in his voice. "How did you know the answer to the riddle?"

Sun Ce grinned, looping his elbow through Zhou Yu's and startling his friend at the light contact. "I was talking about river crossings once, and I said that as soon as I take over this country, the first thing I'm going to do is put a bridge over every river. I still intend to." He smiled at Zhou Yu and then looked back to Ling Cao. "I didn't have logical proof or anything. I guess I just… kinda knew."

"An impressive deduction," Lu Guo chuckled. He turned to give Zhou Yu an appraising look. "And an impressive duel as well, young strategist – not to mention your beautiful playing."

Xing Dao nodded and clasped his hands together with a smile. "It truly was a remarkable victory, and without the need for a sword at all. Both of you were very extraordinary." Zhou Yu gave the man a suspicious look, feeling suddenly as though he were being coddled. Xing Dao was smiling again, and the dark youth got the uncomfortable feeling that he'd just acquired some kind of affectionate, unwanted uncle.

Cai Rui smirked and flipped his braid back over his shoulder, shaking his head a little to the time of his words. "Do play for us again sometime, Master Zhou," he encouraged. Zhou Yu blinked. Playing musician to this band of generals was not exactly what he'd intended to do with his life – but there wasn't really any way to refuse.

"I would be honored, my lord," he answered with a small bow, "but I have only just arrived from Shucheng, and I'm afraid I've not had time to purchase a flute as of yet."

Ling Cao snorted. "Why bother? You have one now, don't you?"

With a start, Zhou Yu remembered the flute in his pocket and drew it out. "I say you keep it," Lu Guo's gruff voice suggested. "As a spoil of war. It's a beautiful instrument, you'll notice."

It truly was. The flute was far finer than the one he'd used in Shucheng, both in material and craft. Zhou Yu fingered the carefully carved holes for a moment before Sun Ce's tug on his shirt brought his eyes back up. "Keep it," Sun Ce promoted. "I want you to be able to play for me, too." This was a far more agreeable prospect than performing for the generals, and Zhou Yu nodded slowly, tucking the flute back into his pocket.

Sun Ce opened his mouth to say something else, but it was cut off by an impressive yawn. Sun Jian smiled fondly at the pair of them and ruffled Sun Ce's ponytail. "Perhaps it's time our young warriors headed for bed," he joked. "Leave politics and formalities to the adults." He shot Jia a dangerous look as he said it, and Zhou Yu held no envy for the other man's position.

Sun Ce didn't have to be told twice. "Absolutely," he agreed, heading for the exit and dragging Zhou Yu behind him. "You can keep your politics and formalities any day of the week. Take my share, too."

Friendly laughter trailed them into the hallway, chasing their feet as they headed for the sleeping wing and their comfortable beds.

.x.

"That banquet wasn't half bad by the end," Sun Ce chattered, swinging his feet where he perched on Zhou Yu's bed. His dark companion paused in brushing his hair long enough to give his friend a disbelieving look from the other side of the mattress, obsidian eyes cynical in his pale face.

"You slept through the whole thing," he reminded his companion in a flat tone, carefully dividing his hair into three parts and beginning to braid it. The dark strands twisted easily beneath his hands and melted into the familiar style as the sunshine youth shrugged, tapping one restless foot against the coarse carpet.

"I only slept through the boring parts," Sun Ce corrected. "Everything was more interesting once Jia got involved."

Zhou Yu snorted, his eyes becoming mirthless as they stared into the emptiness of the plastered wall. "Yes… especially the part where he pulled out the knife."

Sun Ce nodded, oblivious to his companion's displeasure. "Yeah… that was pretty exciting. Sorry I had to steal the spotlight there – couldn't help myself." The sunshine youth laughed, one hand reaching up to rub the back of his head as he shot his friend a satisfied grin. "Wasn't that cool, though? I always wanted to do that. Wham! Take that, Jia!"

As he spoke, he pantomimed the victory, poking one playful foot into the young strategist's stomach. Zhou Yu sat back out of his reach and chose not to answer, focusing instead on his hair and glancing around for a ribbon to keep the strands untangled as he avoided Sun Ce's glowing eyes.

It had been a little disappointing to be rescued like some kind of damsel in distress, and Zhou Yu was not sure how he felt about all of the generals perceiving him as a clever but helpless young man, who happened to be talented with the flute as a side benefit. Much though he would have preferred to kick the knife away himself, he hadn't been in a good position to do so – and he wouldn't have been able to use the element of surprise, as Sun Ce had. Without that crucial advantage, Jia's greater experience as a soldier might have prevailed over his own relatively minimal training…

All in all, the Zhou prodigy knew he should have been appreciative of his luck at being spared a gaping hole in his chest. But it nevertheless stung that, in the end, all of his trickery and intelligence had only managed to land him in need of a rescue. He hadn't thought far enough ahead. He'd been so focused on winning the favor of the generals that he'd forgotten about the possibility of Jia losing control as he had, and he'd left himself open by doing so. Ultimately, all Zhou Yu had really proven was that he was good at riddles, and it wasn't an honor that brought any humor to his stoic face.

A light tug on the bound braid brought Zhou Yu's attention back to Sun Ce, who had crawled over the bed and taken a seat beside him, his gaze tracing his companion's serious features with mild curiosity. "What are you looking so gloomy about?" he asked, eyes warm and smile waiting.

Zhou Yu fought back a sigh, pushing his braid back over one shoulder with a rough hand. "I was just thinking," he answered, the syllables quiet beneath his exhale.

Sun Ce rolled his eyes. "You mean you were just thinking depressing thoughts." He grasped the braid again and tugged once more, a little harder this time. "Come on – cheer up! What have you got to be down about? You beat that Jia guy into the ground."

Zhou Yu wrinkled his nose, frowning despite the tan hand that had settled onto his forearm. "I did not. I only made him angry."

"You beat him at the battle of wits, Yu – that was the kind of duel you agreed to. You absolutely wiped the floor with him." Zhou Yu frowned, shaking his head and focusing his self-directed glare on a distant point of the wall. What did that matter? When real trouble had come along, he'd been useless – nothing but a catalyst for the actual conflict. Sun Ce reached up and tapped Zhou Yu's forehead, his smile bright as ever despite his companion's cheerless attitude. "You showed everybody how smart you are. Did you see the looks on their faces? None of those generals could figure out your riddles – you surprised them all."

Zhou Yu shifted in his seat, the knot of disappointment in his stomach sharpening with the boy's mollifying words. "That was just a game," he protested, depreciation heavy in his quiet voice. "I couldn't do anything when he pulled out the knife." Sun Ce rolled his eyes again and leaned up to wrap his arms around Zhou Yu's neck, pressing close to him as though physical contact would clear the mist hanging in the young strategist's eyes.

"You didn't say you'd fight him in real combat, Yu," Sun Ce reiterated, his fingers weaving between the pleats of the dark youth's braid. "You beat him fair and square – he broke the rules when he pulled the knife out. You can't think you should have seen that coming." Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, his lack of an answer announcing just that, and Sun Ce frowned a little, tilting his chin to one side as he examined his friend's scowl. "I didn't expect it either. I was just in a good place to counter, that's all." The Sun heir smiled again, one hand fisting into his companion's shirt as he pulled back with a nod of assertion. "I know you could've taken that guy, knife or no knife."

Zhou Yu scoffed, one arm settling around the other boy's waist though his mood had not particularly improved. "Don't be ridiculous, Ce," he muttered, obsidian eyes solemn above his natural frown. "Jia is a seasoned general. I couldn't beat him in a fight." Sun Ce leaned forward and rubbed his nose against Zhou Yu's, his amber eyes dancing with faith.

"You could, too," he argued, his tone playful despite its sincerity. "I know how hard you hit. Remember a few weeks ago when you smacked me across the back in our training match, and the bruises didn't heal for six days?" Zhou Yu had to smirk a little at the memory, and his friend poked one accusing finger into his chest, his smile growing even as he grimaced in reminiscent pain. "You're vicious when you want to be. You would've done the same thing to him, except about ten times harder. You probably would have broken his back in half!"

Sun Ce pulled away from the dark youth and sprawled out across the bed, disentangling himself from the pale arms so that he could writhe against the upset coverlet, his face contorting in a pantomime of the fight's hypothetical outcome.

"My back! My back!" he moaned, voice twisting in a very bad impression of Jia's. "I'll never walk again! Oh, why did I have to cross swords with the infamous Zhou Yu? I repent! I repent it all! Kill me now and get it over with!"

Zhou Yu couldn't help shaking his head at the ridiculous display, but he couldn't help his smile or the chuckle that escaped him either, falling from his lips though he'd pressed them tightly together. Sun Ce stopped groaning and grinned up at Zhou Yu's now smooth face, one arm draped artfully behind his head and the other forgotten at his side as his foot prodded the young strategist's thigh. "See?" he finished, amber eyes shining like the gemstones from which they took their color. "You would grind him into the dust. I know it."

Zhou Yu didn't have much of an answer to that, but the change in his stoic expression was reply enough and the dark youth settling for thanking his friend in a different way, leaning forward to brush their lips together before he retreated to his full sitting position. But the contact only made Sun Ce huff, one hand reaching out to take hold of his companion's shirt as a playful scowl fell across his face.

"Hey, no fair. I deserve more than that, don't I? Give me a little credit here."

The young strategist rolled his eyes at the protest, but other boy didn't budge and at last Zhou Yu braced both hands against the mattress so that he could kiss him again, more fully this time as two tan arms wound around his neck. At last the dark youth pulled away to rest on his extended arms, and Sun Ce tilted his head to one side in consideration, forcing Zhou Yu's hands into fists as he fought down the urge to lean toward his companion once more.

"Well… that was better, I guess," Sun Jian's son decided, his eyes teasing as they met their obsidian opposites through the shadowed air. Sun Ce locked his hands together and draped them around the young strategist's neck, and through his warm skin Zhou Yu could feel the pulse of that indomitable heartbeat, just a flitting sensation at their point of contact. Sun Ce shrugged, his chestnut ponytail scattering across the covers like a tangle of fallen grain. "I still think you should try again, though."

The memory of a swaying peach tree and the taste of the ripening fruit on his companion's lips flashed through Zhou Yu's mind at the suggestion, but he held himself still and ignored the caresses sliding down his neck, a harder task for the sparks that the Sun heir's touch always brought with it. "I think you should go to bed," he countered, and Sun Ce sighed, grimacing up at his stony strategist.

"Man… you're no fun." A gigantic yawn interrupted him halfway through the words, and the sunshine youth couldn't help laughing as one hand came back to rub across his face, his motion soft with the drowsiness that was bleeding back into his eyes. "But I guess maybe you've got a point," the boy conceded after a moment, and Zhou Yu rose to get out of his way, swallowing a small smile as he did so.

Sun Ce scrambled up onto his knees, brushing his ponytail over one shoulder to keep the chestnut strands out of his way – but instead of leaving as his companion had expected, the Sun heir crawled back to the head of his friend's bed and snuggled under the covers, pulling the sheets up to his chin with a contented smile. Zhou Yu blinked for a moment in surprise, and then a frown fell across his features again, darkening the obsidian eyes to mildly annoyed as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ce…" he warned. Sun Ce just shrugged.

"What?" he asked, amber gaze meeting his strategist's halfway. "I don't have the energy to go back to my room. And your bed's more comfortable anyway."

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, his braid bouncing a little as he shook his head. "You can't sleep here," the dark youth persisted, his tone as serious as his deepening scowl. There was no sense in asking for trouble, which was all that could come of someone discovering their relationship – and they were already on thin ice from the banquet, when everyone in the room had seen the Tiger's son sleeping on his shoulder. If someone were to come looking for him in the morning and find them together…

Sun Ce rolled his eyes and propped himself up on one elbow, chestnut bangs obstructing his gaze as he waved an unconcerned hand. "You are way too paranoid," he informed his host in a decided voice. "I've slept here before – no one thinks anything about it. We're best friends, remember? It's normal."

Not the way they slept, it wasn't. Zhou Yu put a hand up to rub his forehead, glaring at his companion through the fickle light of the lamp on his bedside table. "Ce, what if—"

"Yu!" Sun Ce's tone had hit an all-out whine, and he reached out a tan hand in the resisting youth's direction as he gave the other boy his most pleading expression, pouting beneath narrowed amber eyes. "Come on – please! Stop being such a hard hat and come lie down already. I'm exhausted."

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to respond, intent on pointing out that the Sun heir hadn't seemed exhausted a moment before, but Sun Ce's fatigue was starting to show on his face and the boy cupped his hands together in a gesture of pleading, the sincerity of which his strategist couldn't help doubting. Still, the sunshine youth was by far the most stubborn creature in all of southern China, and the Zhou prodigy couldn't deny that he was tired himself…

With a heavy sigh, Zhou Yu moved to the bed and carefully slid into place beside Sun Ce, pausing to extinguish the lamp before his reluctant head hit the pillows. His companion grinned through the instant darkness, but Zhou Yu raised a hand before the youth could say anything, obsidian eyes stern despite his partial surrender.

"We sleep on opposite sides of the bed," he ordered, his tone as forceful as he could make it. "And you leave early in the morning."

Sun Ce just yawned, rolling over so that the shadows of midnight swallowed his persisting smile. "Sure, Yu – whatever you say."

It was the kind of answer that Zhou Yu had come to recognize as completely noncommittal, but there was little more he could do, as the Sun heir had already turned away and was obviously not listening anyway. The dark youth shuffled back until there was a fair distance between himself and his guest, and then he closed his eyes and tried to force slumber into his system, doing his best to stifle the irritation and moderate concern his friend's mulish ways had left lingering in his mind. It wasn't as though he were expecting any visitors in the morning, and so long as the other boy left before breakfast they could probably avoid misfortune, but…

He was still staring into the endless darkness two minutes later when, with a gentle whish of cloth and stumbling of sleepy hands, Sun Ce's obstinate head found its way onto his shoulder, nuzzling into the cloth of his host's sleeping robe as a contented sigh brushed the pale neck. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed as the boy's arms wrapped around his waist and the chestnut hair grazed his cheek, as soft as the silk sliding between them and doing nothing to assuage his disapproval.

"Ce…" Zhou Yu said again, and Sun Ce squeezed him tighter.

"What?" he shot back, wrapping himself around the dark youth as firmly as he could to prevent being dislodged. "I'm comfortable like this. I like it here."

Zhou Yu glared at the ceiling, resisting the natural inclination to put his arms around the boy's back and pull him into a familiar embrace. Of course he did. Zhou Yu liked him there as well. But what either of them wanted was decidedly not the issue at hand…

The dark youth sighed, shifting beneath the weight of the blankets and the warmth of his companion. "That isn't the point, Ce," the young strategist protested in little more than a mutter, one hand rising to rub his temples. "If someone were to walk in… I don't know how I would explain this." Sleeping in the same bed could constitute best friends, but this—

Sun Ce leaned up without warning and returned Zhou Yu's glare from a few inches above him, bracing his hands against the silk-sheeted mattress as he shook his head hard. "I don't care," the boy answered flatly, his lips swallowed by an earnest frown. "I want to sleep like this. I don't care what anyone thinks." His amber eyes echoed the downward curve of his lips under the shadows of the early morning stars, dark for the lack of light and the disagreement coalescing within them.

Sun Ce was selfish, and so damn stubborn. But he was also tired – Zhou Yu could see the fatigue waiting just underneath the hard edge of his resolve. Another moment passed by in silence, the voice of a faraway cricket the only instrument in the quiet and nothing but their breaths passing between them. Then Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and wrapped one arm around Sun Ce's back, his exhale turning into an absent sigh as it left his lips.

"Lie down," he muttered, his concession so soft in the darkness that they were practically inaudible. "But only tonight. We aren't making a habit of this."

Sun Ce's frown melted into an instant smile, and triumph conquered his expression as he repositioned himself on his companion's shoulder, pressing into the dark youth's embrace as far as he could and turning his face into his friend's neck. Zhou Yu brought his other hand up to sweep the tickling bangs away from his skin, and his fingers traced the tine of the Sun heir's cheek as they descended back to his side, an unintentional caress that tightened the other boy's hold around his waist.

"Goodnight," Sun Ce chirped, drowsy but gleeful in Zhou Yu's arms. The young strategist didn't answer, preoccupied by the contact between them as his hand skimmed down his companion's forearm, searching through the darkness for the other boy's wrist.

The night invaded the still room like silence, slipping in between the slats of the drawers and through the entwined fingers of the two sleeping figures – caressing their dreams and closing two sets of tired eyes, the warmth between their forms drawing a smile onto each pair of soundless lips.

End Chapter 11

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Fast update this time… this chapter was really long, though, despite only being one memory. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Minor changes have been made to the other chapters, so I uploaded them all again… I doubt you can find the tiny differences.

A note for Sage Serenity: As you will probably notice, I made a slight chance to chapter 10, because the perfectionist thing kind of disappeared when the story took an unexpected turn in this chapter. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it. I always welcome your detailed feedback.

A note for Crazy Insanity: Many thanks for the detailed review (or ought I say, detailed compliments). I'm glad Sun Jian is likable – it seemed to fit him as a character in both the game and this story. I'm also glad you like the way the narrations are being done – I admit I've been working hard to try and keep Zhou Yu's physical state progressing with the story.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Indeed. This story would be hard pressed to exist without time manipulation.


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 11 

Zhou Yu paused at the end of this story, and Chen Hao adjusted his back against the wooden side of the wagon, which was growing uncomfortable after sitting against it for so long. The wooden planks were splintered and rough, and Chen Hao could feel remnants of the peeling wood catch on his clothing as he shifted. He wondered absently how long they'd been in the wagon. It had been late afternoon when they left the battlefield, but they were certainly into the thick of night now. Chen Hao knew it was a long way to Han Ni Castle, having walked from it himself the day before – it would probably be at least dawn before they arrived, and that only if they made good time. Chen Hao wondered if Zhou Yu would even live to see Sun Quan and the others who'd stayed behind at the palace, the two Qiaos among them.

"Lord Lu Guo was a fair warrior, it's true – but his greatest contribution to Sun Jian and his empire would be the addition of his son, Meng, to our army a few years later." Chen Hao shook his thoughts away as Zhou Yu began speaking. "Meng was two years younger than Ce and I, but no less talented, and he was sour to the core. Still is, come to think of it," Zhou Yu mused, eyes shifting to the ceiling. "I have never met a more pessimistic man. Even as a boy, he had a decidedly gloomy outlook on life that went even beyond my cynical realism. I'm not sure why, but Meng chose to see the bad in everything, a fact he and Sun Ce quarreled over often when they were becoming acquainted."

Chen Hao started as the names suddenly clicked in his head. "Lu Meng? Are you talking about Lord Lu Meng?"

"Indeed." Zhou Yu nodded vaguely in confirmation. "But we always just called him Meng, because his father was Lord Lu."

"I didn't know Lu Meng served the Sun family as a child." Chen Hao had always been under the impression that Lu Meng was one of the generals who joined Wu later in the three kingdoms' timeline. Zhou Yu closed his eyes and held back a shiver.

"He didn't. Meng didn't join our army until he turned eighteen, a few months after Sun Jian's death at the hands of Huang Zu. But because his father was so active in Sun Jian's campaign, he spent a good deal of time around the palace even before he formally offered his services to Sun Ce in light of his father's distant promise. We did not immediately take to each other – it took some time before the roles of power and seniority were established – but eventually Sun Ce and I came to an understanding with Lu Meng. Now, I would count him as one of my best officers, although all of them are—" He broke off with a sharp cough and blinked a moment before finishing. "Very talented of course."

Chen Hao wanted to urge the general to rest for a moment, but the increased pace of Zhou Yu's words told him the suggestion would simply be ignored. Zhou Yu seemed to sense his condition worsening, and he hurried on with the story after a painful swallow.

"As you can tell, Sun Ce and I were starting to be less discreet in our conduct toward one another. In the first months of being together, we had been careful to never so much as hint at the possibility of anything more than close friendship between the two of us, going so far as to use our first names only when we were alone. Eventually, that passed into common use, but it wasn't until around Sun Quan's ninth birthday – a few weeks before New Year – that we began losing the edge of caution we'd been maintaining.

"Neither of us wanted to have to face Sun Jian – or anyone else, for that matter – concerning our relationship, but with time the potent fear of getting caught faded and practically disappeared. Winter came late to Jiang Dong, and there was little snow as compared to what I remembered from Shucheng, but the cold kept us inside for a few months – and during those months, Ce and I narrowly avoided being stumbled upon many times. Sun Ce, in particular, seemed to have forgotten that our relationship was a secret, and I can't even count the number of incidents that nearly led to our discovery.

"There was one time, in particular, when I recall thinking everything was over. Sun Ce and I had been…" He paused and staggered over the words for a moment. "…kissing in one of the storerooms, and Lady Wu appeared in the doorway with a lantern and stared right at us for a moment. Ce and I both thought that was it, and I leapt away from him, but his mother only gave us a smile and a greeting before going on her way, and never mentioned it to anyone." He shook his head in bewilderment. "I'm not sure she even understood what had happened. Lady Wu was… not the most forthcoming woman I have ever met."

Chen Hao blinked a little at the assessment, and Zhou Yu contemplated him with a smothered glare for a moment. Chen Hao merely stared back. He assumed the general was embarrassed about this particular portion of the story – he himself was probably somewhat red in the face – but he could see the words riding in Zhou Yu's eyes, and they needed to be said. Chen Hao tapped his fingertips against his knees and shifted his back again. He would do his best not to say anything, and then perhaps Zhou Yu could pretend no one was actually hearing his story.

Zhou Yu's voice reentered the wagon, and Chen Hao's eyes followed the movements of the general's pale lips. "Somehow, despite our less than cautious behavior, we managed to avoid discovery all through the winter. I'm amazed sometimes that no one seemed to suspect anything – Sun Ce was often far more tactile with me than he ought to have been, and my unfortunate lack of restraint coupled with his impulsiveness led to compromising situations for us throughout Sun Jian's palace. But somehow, remarkably, nothing irrevocable happened." He sighed heavily and rubbed his forehead. "Until late spring."

"Southern China, and with it Jiang Dong, is prone to typhoons from spring until autumn, and it is often miserably wet. On one such occasion, I was standing outside on the roofed corridor and watching the rain."

xxxxxxxx

Spring had come earlier here than in Shucheng – and it had come much wetter, too. Zhou Yu closed his eyes as the wind blew a mist of water into his face, feeling the drops collect and trickle down his cool skin. It had rained every day that week, and the week before – Sun Ce was getting tired of it, and complained loudly and often about the influx of water spoiling his fun. But today, Zhou Yu couldn't help being mesmerized by the storm.

And so he stood under the roof of the covered walkway, a few feet back from where the rain came down in torrents and splattered against the mud and weak grass sprouting beside the palace's foundation. The stairs a short distance ahead caught the water in uneven fissures and held it tight within the stone, forming pools and crystal mirrors all over the well-worn flight of steps. Puddles were slowly beginning to show in the ground of the garden, and Zhou Yu watched the spinning water with glazed eyes. A vicious gust of air swept rain into the walkway and sprayed the youth, but he hardly blinked.

Zhou Yu was lost today. Not lonely, or depressed, or homesick, or anything like that – just lost. He decided that was all right so long as he found his way back eventually. Everyone probably got lost from time to time. He stared at the currents of wind drifting between the sheets of rain and sighed.

Zhou Yu walked forward and stuck his arm out into full range of the crying sky. The rain was different here than back in Shucheng. He wasn't sure quite why he felt that way. It was warmer, certainly, and came down faster – but that wasn't it. There was just something different about it. Maybe because the clouds above drew on the ocean for the water they heaved through the muggy air – or maybe because the ground didn't swallow every last drop of the moisture and yet call for more, as it did up north. The drops fell thick across his arm and painted lines down his skin as they fell onto the stone floor. Or maybe there wasn't anything different about the rain at all; maybe it was just him.

He sighed again and twitched his sore fingers under the downpour of water. Yesterday's training had been hard – despite the wet and perpetual rainfall, Huang Gai had trained him and Sun Ce for several hours. The hard veteran had dragged them both out of their comfortable reading – well, he'd been reading… Ce had been talking – and onto the practice field because, as he put it, they'd both been relaxing far too much recently. He'd asked a few of Sun Jian's guardsmen to practice with them – and though both he and Sun Ce had beaten the various guards, the fights had not been easy. His hand was covered in bruises from a particularly strong strike to his wrist, and he watched the water slipping across the discolored skin with dispassion.

Zhou Yu was improving, and he knew it. Beating the soldiers was becoming easier now, and as the weeks wore on, the sword in his hand had started to become part of him rather than a metal tool – he could move it skillfully without conscious thought. Strikes and blocks were becoming automatic – foot movement turning into common sense. He was becoming a warrior instead of just a boy with a foolish weapon in his hands. It was a strange feeling. It felt kind of like iron inside of him – and every time his sword became faster, the iron spread a little. In the beginning, he had wondered what the feeling was. But now he knew. It was the only way to survive as a warrior – detachment.

The rain skimmed down his arm and slipped beneath his long sleeve as he frowned. Well, not the only way. Sun Ce was certainly a long way from detached, but he was excelling as a warrior too. Zhou Yu could hardly keep track of his progress, as they didn't spar so much anymore – there were so many other targets to practice on – but every time they did fight, Zhou Yu was shocked yet again by how much Sun Ce had improved. And, in turn, by how much he himself had moved forward.

Zhou Yu let his hands fall down onto the cold, damp railing as the thoughts filtered through his head. He and Sun Ce were still even in their abilities, and traded the victory in their battles almost every time. It kept them both working hard – coming up with new attacks and combinations to defeat each other. Zhou Yu doubted he'd be half as interested in sharpening his skills if he didn't have Sun Ce to face off against.

"Sun Ce…" The name drifted from his cold lips unbidden, and his upturned face caught the spray of another gust of wind. His eyes, dark and clear, stared moodily up at the sky. The rain leaned down and swallowed his words, brushing his exposed skin thoughtfully before retreating back into its shower.

"Yeah?" Zhou Yu jumped and spun around to see Sun Ce standing behind him, eyebrow cocked in question. Sun Ce's arms were folded across his chest, and the red ribbon dangling from his hair danced in the moist breeze. He smiled at the startled look on his friend's face. "What is it?"

Zhou Yu's mouth opened silently, and he watched Sun Ce a moment before facing back into the storm. "…Nothing." He wondered how long the boy had been standing behind him, and mentally berated himself for not noticing. Where were his fighter's instincts? If Sun Ce had been an enemy, he'd have a halberd or two through his back by now.

But Sun Ce was not an enemy, and he walked to stand beside his musing companion without jamming any weapons through the pale skin. The energetic boy sighed and slumped over the railing beside Zhou Yu's still hands, making a face at the oncoming rain.

"Rain, rain, go away…" he muttered. Zhou Yu looked down at him mildly. "I don't really like the rain," Sun Ce told him.

Zhou Yu snorted. "So I've noticed." He turned back to the misty water and watched it a moment before speaking. "…I do."

Sun Ce looked up at him curiously. "Yeah, I know. You've been out here for hours. What are you looking at, anyway?"

Had it really been that long? Zhou Yu had lost track of time in the wake of the endless water. "Nothing," he said again, and Sun Ce sighed.

"It wouldn't kill you to give me a straight answer sometimes, you know." His voice lilted easily over the wet walkway. Zhou Yu remained silent, gaze focused on the back of Sun Ce's head and the ribbon trickling down his neck.

After a moment, Sun Ce stretched and stood up fully. He began unbuttoning his silken shirt, and Zhou Yu looked at him in confusion. "What are you doing?" he asked as Sun Ce finished with the shirt and started on his boots.

"There's only one worthwhile thing about the rain," Sun Ce answered decisively, bundling his clothes up and dropping them against the far wall. "But this is a good shirt, and someone will be angry if I ruin it." Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed.

"What are you doing?" he asked again, and Sun Ce smiled. The ribbon against his bare skin made a striking contrast.

"Jumping in the puddles," he answered simply, and then he had run down the far steps and into the garden. He reappeared beneath the railing a few moments later, and Zhou Yu watched as his bare toes slid through the mud and the rain poured across his open chest. Sun Ce was laughing and stomping on the puddles with a vengeance, and Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"How old are you, five?" he accused, but Sun Ce ignored him, giving the puddle another good hard trample before waving encouragingly at Zhou Yu's severely unamused form.

"Come on, Yu!" Zhou Yu scoffed.

"Not a chance in hell," he answered forcefully, and Sun Ce shrugged.

"Suit yourself," he singsonged. "It's fun, though."

"You're ruining your pants," Zhou Yu admonished, watching the mud stain the red cloth vengefully. Sun Ce gave the puddle a particularly harsh pounce in response.

"Yeah, well, there's nothing for it. I didn't want to do this naked." Sun Ce lifted his feet high and slammed them into the water merrily.

Zhou Yu decided not to respond to that, and his eyes strayed from Sun Ce's cheerful activities to the blotchy skin of his hands again. His fingers clenched around the railing, and he watched the way the movement tightened his muscles and pulsed the blue veins out. I must be in a weird mood today, he decided, listening in a background way to the splashing of Sun Ce as he stared at the damaged tissue. I can't stop thinking about these bruises. I can't stop thinking about fighting. I can't stop thinking at all.

"Yu! Hey, Yu!" A sudden tug on his arm distracted him, and he looked into the smiling eyes of Sun Ce, who had taken a soppy hold of his sleeve and was pulling insistently.

Zhou Yu jerked his arm away. "Don't touch me," he demanded. "You're soaking wet."

"I'm not that wet," Sun Ce protested. Zhou Yu scowled at him beneath the fringe of his bangs.

"Yes, you are," he snapped. "Look – you're dripping all over the place." Pools of water were forming at Sun Ce's feet and spreading across the cold stone floor, and Zhou Yu wrinkled his nose at the muddy water leaking onto his shoes. Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"Whatever," he allowed. "If you want to be in a bad mood, that's your business. Just come here – I want to show you something."

With that, Sun Ce dragged his unwilling companion down the length of the walkway until they stood just at the edge of the stairs, rogue raindrops misting them as they stared out into the dark sky. Zhou Yu grumbled beneath his breath, but Sun Ce's words cut him off.

"See?" Sun Ce was pointing to the clouds above – or rather, to the rainbows. There were two of them, one arching just over the other, and they formed a colorful cascade through the thunder sky and down into the green of the garden. Lightning flashing somewhere lit up Sun Ce's expression. "Isn't that cool?"

Zhou Yu nodded, eyes pinned to the sky. Sun Ce took advantage of his distraction to slip one drenched elbow through Zhou Yu's arm, and smiled at the drips running down his damp skin and falling onto Zhou Yu's pristine silk jacket. His ponytail flopped against his bare back as he scratched his neck.

"Rainbows are supposed to be lucky," he announced with a grin. Zhou Yu looked down to meet the eyes of the boy just barely shorter than he was, and then looked back to the sky. The rainbows seemed to sparkle from their position high above the showered palace.

"Especially if…" Zhou Yu cut himself off abruptly, deciding halfway through his sentence that it wasn't actually worth finishing. Sun Ce's eyes echoed curiosity as he pulled on the sleeve of the young strategist's jacket with his insistent fingers.

"Especially if what?"

Zhou Yu didn't answer. He was not a sap – there was no need to go around saying things that sounded like they could have come from books of love poetry. It was just a common superstition anyway.

But Sun Ce didn't seem to like his silence. "Yu?" he prompted, taking hold of Zhou Yu's hand. Zhou Yu nearly gasped at the cold fingers on his skin.

"You're freezing," he hissed, gritting his teeth against the icicles pressed into his skin. A memory of Sun Ce's illness the winter before flashed through his mind, and Zhou Yu slipped the jacket off of his shoulders and dropped it around Sun Ce, hoping the slight fabric could keep him warmer than bare skin. Sun Ce scowled at this continued avoidance of the question, but he pulled the jacket on anyway.

"Especially if what?" he prompted, grasping the front of Zhou Yu's second shirt in his hands. "Come on – tell me!"

Zhou Yu sighed, giving up. Sun Ce was frustratingly persistent when he dug his heels in. "Especially if you see them with the person you love," he answered flatly, eyes defiantly ignoring Sun Ce's gaze. "But it's just a superstition." More than that, he decided, it was just a line for men with bad intentions to use on whatever pretty girl they happened to be spending a rainstorm with. He wondered how many innocent women had been taken in by that overused phrase.

"Oh." Sun Ce's voice sounded distant and thoughtful. Zhou Yu kept his eyes stubbornly pinned on the sky. He didn't look back down at the other boy until cold hands reached up to grasp his shoulders, and then he was met with a dazzling smile. Sun Ce wound his fingers into the fabric of Zhou Yu's shirt and moved forward until he was right up against his companion.

"Then… kissing the person you love under a rainbow has to be super lucky, right?" he quipped. Zhou Yu balked at Sun Ce's impossibly pleased expression.

They were standing on the walkway. Anyone could come up and see them. Granted, it was raining, and most people preferred to stay inside where it was dry – but that didn't change the fact that they were in plain sight of anyone who should choose to step outside. "Ce—" he protested, but Sun Ce wasn't taking no for an answer, and he leaned up to press his lips against Zhou Yu's despite the protest.

Sun Ce's lips were as cold as his skin, but Zhou Yu found his arms moving around the boy's back automatically, and he couldn't seem to stop himself from returning the kiss in spite of his misgivings. Without intention, the worried feeling in his gut faded as Sun Ce deepened the stolen kiss and wound his arms fully around Zhou Yu's neck.

It was raining. It was cold. But Sun Ce's skin was warming under his hands, and – for the moment anyway – that was all he could feel. Sun Ce was always warm. His words, his smile, his laughter – he chased the rain out of Zhou Yu's eyes no matter how many times it spattered a frown across his face. Perhaps that was why Zhou Yu was content to follow him always – even now, when his mind told him to pull away but his fingers refused. If Zhou Yu was thunder, then Sun Ce was lightning – and he knew which of those followed the other.

"Oh. My. God."

The soft, startled voice ripped Zhou Yu out of his thoughts and tore him away from Sun Ce so fast that the breath rushing into his lungs nearly choked him. Sun Ce's face echoed the surprise Zhou Yu felt spreading across his, along with a stitch of mortification and a very dumbfounded expression. Their reactions were not to be outdone by the open-mouthed shock easily visible on Shang Xiang's pretty face, and Zhou Yu had a hard time telling for a moment which of the three of them was most embarrassed.

Silence descended on the walkway for a split second, and then Shang Xiang began to talk very fast. "Oh my god," she exclaimed, taking a step back and slapping her hands over her mouth. "Oh my god, I… I'm sorry, I… I was just… the garden…"

Sun Ce stepped toward her, but she flinched as his unbuttoned jacket came into full view. The youth looked down at himself, and then gave a short laugh as he ran a hand through his soaked hair. "Uh…" There was that laugh again – that awkward, stalling laugh. "I was… uh… playing in the puddles, and—"

"Ahh!" Shang Xiang cut him off with a scream, pointing a delicate finger at the two of them. Sun Ce halted in his wet tracks. Shang Xiang shook her head and met Zhou Yu's eyes with a wide stare as she cried, "You – you two were—"

She broke off for a moment, then gave another shake of her head as she moved slowly back. "Oh my god, I… I never thought…" Zhou Yu was sure every drop of blood in his body had rushed to his face by now. Sun Ce was blushing a little, and Shang Xiang's countenance had gone an interesting shade of white. "I'm shocked… I… I didn't know you two were—"

Sun Ce raised his hands in a gesture of placation and spoke quickly. "Hang on Shang Xiang – calm down, okay? It's not a big deal, or anything—"

"What do you mean it's not a big deal?!" Shang Xiang shrieked. "It's an enormous deal! It's the biggest deal there's ever been! I can't even…" She broke off and shook her head again in disbelief.

Zhou Yu's back had gone completely rigid like a shaft of wood. His shoulders were so tense he thought they might just snap as Sun Ce bit his lip and laughed again. "Okay – so maybe it is a big deal. But you don't have to be upset or anything—"

"N-no, no – I'm not upset," Shang Xiang stuttered, taking a few more steps back. She looked between them, eyes still enormous. "I-I'm just completely shocked, that's all. I mean… it's your life, and all that, and so long as it's—" She stopped and looked between them again before taking another step back. "Scratch that. It's definitely mutual."

Zhou Yu felt the blood draining out of his face. He wanted to just die and get it over with now – between Sun Jian's sword and Shang Xiang's chakram, he'd take suicide any day. Sun Ce had advanced a few more steps, but Shang Xiang mirrored him and continued to back away.

"Come on, Shang," Sun Ce soothed. "Don't get so worked up. I mean, after all… uh…" His words skittered to a stop as Shang Xiang gave another cry and darted back down the walkway, disappearing moments later behind the door at the end of the corridor. Sun Ce stopped walking and sighed, turning back to Zhou Yu and giving him an encouraging smile before collecting his clothes from the ground. "I'll go talk to her," he promised.

Zhou Yu still couldn't summon the dignity to move, but he managed to get his mouth open. "Put your shirt on first," he suggested gruffly, turning back to watch the rain and feeling the flames of mortification still licking at his cheeks. He heard Sun Ce mutter something, and then the sound of rustling cloth echoing down the walkway behind him. Zhou Yu scowled at the brilliant rainbows. It was their fault, after all.

Without warning, he felt the pressure of Sun Ce's cool lips on his again. Sun Ce pulled back from the kiss after a moment and gave him another grin. "Thanks for all the good luck," he whispered before scampering down the hallway. He turned back at the end long enough to call "Looks like I'm going to need it!" before vanishing through the door after his traumatized sister.

Zhou Yu raised his hand to his mouth and stood silently beside the rain-washed railing for a moment, staring after the echoing footsteps Sun Ce had left behind. Then he sighed and dropped his head into his hands. He had been right that kissing on the walkway was a bad idea. But somehow, the thought of being able to tell Sun Ce I told you so wasn't making him feel any better.

.x.

The weather in Jiang Dong was downright fickle, Zhou Yu decided as he gazed up at the cloudless sky the next morning. The heavens above were void of any trace of the resounding storm from the day before – he wondered how the weather could change so quickly. In Shucheng, the rainy season stayed wet and the winter stayed cold – and occasionally, somewhere in between, things would clear up for a few weeks. But on the whole, weather was predictable up north. Zhou Yu snorted as he nudged the dirt with his toe. Even the ground was completely dry – it was as though yesterday's rainstorm had never happened at all.

But it had, of course. There was certainly no denying that. Zhou Yu groaned aloud at the memory of Shang Xiang's shocked face and her flight back into the palace. Zhou Yu hadn't seen Sun Ce at all since he'd gone running after his sister, and the young strategist couldn't decide if this was a good thing or a bad thing. He wasn't sure he'd be able to look at the other boy for a good week.

With a heavy sigh, Zhou Yu moved a little way into the glorious garden and sat down in the shade of a large tree. The grass felt nice and smooth beneath his hands, and he closed his eyes to the sun leaking through the leaves above. The breeze brushed his face and tangled in his hair, and he willed his worries about Shang Xiang away in light of the beautiful morning. Might as well enjoy it while it lasted. One thing to be said for the Sun family's gardens – they were even more exquisite and extensive than the ones his family had maintained.

Everything here was like that – bigger, brighter, and more expensive. The money the Sun family must have stockpiled somewhere was astonishing if one actually stopped to think about it. With all the soldiers, dignitaries, and servants pulling a salary at their expense, added to the cost of feeding and housing all of those people – not to mention military spending and banquets and…

"May I… may I join you?"

Speaking of the Sun family… Zhou Yu's eyes flickered open against the sunlight and stared up into the amber eyes and sheepish smile of the Sun lord's daughter. She was leaning over and peering down at him, hands joined behind her back and hair falling casually around her shoulders. Zhou Yu sat up quickly, back straight and eyes wide, and got a splinter in his finger for his haste. It stung, but he ignored it, attention focused solely on the girl beside him. Shang Xiang jumped a little at his sudden movement and backed up a pace before relaxing her shoulders and rubbing her neck self-consciously. Zhou Yu sat in silence for a moment before realizing he still hadn't answered her question.

"Of – of course…" He trailed off uncertainly, and Shang Xiang smiled again lightly as she sat beside him and wrapped her arms around her knees. Zhou Yu watched her face closely – her ceramic smile, her tight fingers, and her uneasy eyes as she stared into the trees before them. After a moment of tense silence, she turned to face him and sighed.

"Look – this isn't going to get any easier the longer I wait to say it, so…" She took a deep breath, and Zhou Yu unconsciously did the same. "…So I guess I'll just say it. Ce talked to me last night – you know, about… um… the two of you – and… and…" She broke off, and Zhou Yu waited rigidly for the rest of the sentence. After a moment, Shang Xiang sighed and slumped out of her edgy position, apprehensive smile falling back to reveal a truer, if shyer, expression. "And I'm okay with it. No, really!" she insisted as Zhou Yu gave her a disbelieving look. "I'm sorry if I came off kind of… um… upset yesterday, but I was just shocked, that's all. I mean…" She gave him a cheeky smile. "That's a hell of a way to find out you two are together."

Zhou Yu nearly choked on the breath in his lungs and let out a slight cough. Shang Xiang giggled a little at his uncomfortable expression and leaned back on her hands, staring at the leafy foliage above them.

"I've had some time to think about it, you know? And I decided… I decided that it's a good thing. No one's ever going to be closer to Ce than you are, and no one's ever going to know him better than you do, and… well, I guess I'm just happy for you two, that's all."

Zhou Yu slowly let go of the breath he'd been holding, but his shoulders stayed tightly tensed. Even if Shang Xiang wasn't mad, the situation was still very awkward, and he wasn't exactly sure how to deal with it.

Shang Xiang laughed a little and ran a hand through her hair. "But it does mean I'm down one marriage candidate."

Zhou Yu did choke this time, and his face went white. "What?" Shang Xiang gave him a flat look.

"Well, someday I'm probably going to have to marry someone – and I figured that when Father brought the matter up, I'd suggest you. I mean, I already know you, so I'd know we'd get along – and you're certainly handsome enough and all that. And you seem to be a good warrior, and pretty bright."

Zhou Yu sincerely did not want to hear these things from Sun Ce's little sister. His face must have shown it, because Shang Xiang laughed again. "You don't have to look like that," she encouraged, patting his arm. "I wasn't planning to fall in love with you or anything. You know you're like a brother to me. It would just be so that I didn't have to marry some awful old guy in the name of politics." She looked at him thoughtfully. "I don't really think you're my type, anyway. Although I did have a crush on you when I was a little girl. But that's all out the window now, in any case."

Where was all of this coming from? Zhou Yu felt heat rising into his cheeks again. He couldn't even think of anything to say in return, which only made Shang Xiang giggle harder. She leaned forward and put a hand on his knee, and he jumped about a foot in the air.

"Besides," she whispered conspiratorially. "I think you and Ce are cute together." Zhou Yu's flushed face adopted a firm scowl, and his eyes darkened. Cute. He hated that word. Shang Xiang dropped her head to the side and bit her lip, but she was smiling.

"Nothing to say, huh?" she teased. "Ce said you'd probably be like that. Well… I guess that's all I had to say." She was up on her feet in an instant, and took two steps toward the palace before she paused and turned back. "Oh… I almost forgot something." Shang Xiang faced the tree behind him and, with one swift motion, kicked a large bough completely off. It crashed to the ground a few inches from Zhou Yu, who leapt to his feet and stared open-mouthed at the smiling girl in front of him.

"Break his heart and I break your skull," she added cheerfully. Then she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "Welcome to the family!" she called, waving as she ran for the palace. In a moment, she was gone, disappearing into the intervening trees and the shadows of the warm morning sun.

Zhou Yu stood frozen in a daze for a moment, then shook his head and walked grimly toward the palace. If that was what it meant to be part of the family… but it was too late to reconsider. Not that there'd been a whole lot of 'considering' in the first place. If he'd been in charge of things, he would have thought it over a little more. But of course love didn't work that way.

As he entered the long, cool hall leading to his room, he was ambushed by a shadowy, grinning figure that leapt at him and caught his arm. "See!" Sun Ce crowed triumphantly. "I told you I'd talk to her. Everything's a-okay!"

Zhou Yu thought back to their conversation in the garden and grumbled. A-okay was not the phrase he would have chosen. Sure, Shang Xiang wasn't mad, and that was a victory, but Zhou Yu was nonetheless mildly concerned about her behavior toward him. Besides which, he was still embarrassed about her catching them in the first place. He vowed silently never to let Sun Ce drag him into that kind of behavior in a public place again.

Sun Ce rolled his excited eyes at his scowling comrade. "Oh, don't be like that. It's kind of funny, looking back on it. Your face was like a tomato." He snorted in amusement, and Zhou Yu shook him off and stalked down the hall toward his room. Funny? Hell no.

Sun Ce took a few running steps and caught up with him, grabbing his sleeve again and pulling him to a halt. "Hey! Come on, Yu…" He tugged on his companion's sleeve again. "I fixed it, didn't I? She's okay with it. Everything's all right."

"Ce… that's not the point," Zhou Yu sighed, turning to face the other boy. "The point is that it was a very compromising situation, and I am mortified to have to admit that it happened, regardless of the consequences." Sun Ce shook his head slowly.

"You're so uptight," he remarked, slipping his arms around Zhou Yu's waist. He smiled and tipped his head to one side. "These things happen, Yu. But it's okay – we deal with it, and then laugh about it later. That's the only way to live. You can't dwell on it."

Zhou Yu most certainly could dwell on it. And he intended to, just as soon as he got somewhere alone. He tried to pull away, but Sun Ce held on tightly and looked up at him with a determined frown.

"It's all okay," he said again. "Shang Xiang's on our side now. Nothing bad happened. So you don't have anything to be worried about, right?" Zhou Yu brushed his hair out of his face and rolled his eyes.

"Just because Shang Xiang wasn't angry doesn't mean no one else will be," he reminded Sun Ce, thoughts focusing particularly on Sun Jian. "And I'm annoyed with you for kissing me in the first place," he added, voice dropping to a mutter.

Sun Ce made a face at him, tightening his grip in the young strategist's robe. "You didn't seem very annoyed at the time," he pointed out. "You were kissing me right back."

Zhou Yu felt himself reddening for what must have been the thousandth time in two days. "Don't say things like that," he chastised, glancing in both directions down the quiet hallway. "Especially not out here."

Sun Ce scoffed. "There's no one around. You're just paranoid, that's all."

"As I ought to be, after yesterday," Zhou Yu shot back. Sun Ce shrugged.

"Shang Xiang agreed to keep her mouth shut. I don't really see yesterday as a tragedy." He gave Zhou Yu a little shake and his face brightened again. "So cheer up." His smile was almost irresistible as he closed his eyes and leaned up for a kiss.

Almost. Zhou Yu put his palm up to block his face, and Sun Ce's nose met it head on. He yelped a little in surprise at the hand now covering his face and took a step back.

"What was that for?" Sun Ce asked, rubbing his nose indignantly. Zhou Yu frowned and dropped his hand.

"Not in the hallway." His voice left no room for argument as he turned and headed back down the corridor. Sun Ce groaned and chased after him, but when he caught up with his fleeing companion he gave the other boy a smile, indignation forgotten as he wrapped himself around one arm.

"Okay, if you insist," he conceded. Then he caught Zhou Yu's stormy gaze with his own and winked. "How about your room?"

Zhou Yu coughed and turned his attention back to the corridor ahead of them. "I have work to do," he grumbled, and the Sun heir laughed.

"Then I'll help you," he offered, his eyes impishly bright. Zhou Yu remembered the last time Sun Ce decided to help – he hadn't gotten anything done all afternoon. But as he closed the door to the bedroom behind them and Sun Ce slung his arms around his neck, he couldn't quite bring himself to care.

End Chapter 12

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Well… another quick update. This story hasn't quite recovered from its hiatus, I think… or perhaps people just lost interest in reading it. Either way, I said I'd finish it so I will. Hopefully, everyone liked this chapter as well.

A note for Sage Serenity: I will do my best to reintroduce the 'perfectionist' idea at a later time. Most of the training stuff for Zhou Yu is still coming up – he and Sun Ce have their first real battle not so long from now – but I tried to put a little more discussion of his skills into this chapter. How did I do? Your reviews are always appreciated.

A note for Crazy Insanity: Rambling or not, reviews of any length are welcome. I enjoy your detailed feedback. Jia wasn't going to play another part in this story - but since he got so important without meaning to, I've found a way of reintroducing him at a later time. Sun Ce's stubbornness is cute from this side… I'll imagine Zhou Yu doesn't feel that way, but that's just how the fortune cookie crumbles. As always, your comments are much appreciated – I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 12 

"As I mentioned, our indiscretion was beginning to cause problems."

Chen Hao forced his mind to concentrate on Zhou Yu's face and willed the mental picture to fade, taking his light flush with it. Zhou Yu had turned his eyes away from Chen Hao, and was pressing on with a determined but hesitant edge in his voice. Chen Hao made his breathing as quiet as possible and willed himself to sink backward into the wood, to fade into part of the wagon and disappear.

Not for his own sake – he had accustomed himself to the flow of the story and everything that came with it, including what he assumed was the inevitable. But if he weren't visibly present, Zhou Yu would have an easier time working through this very personal portion of the story – the general's lack of eye contact proved it. Between the wound, the poison, and the memories, Chen Hao knew the story had to be hard enough, and he regretted making it yet harder to tell.

Chen Hao pulled his knees up to his chest and shrunk back against the side of the wagon, making himself as small as he could. The movement drew Zhou Yu's glance for a moment before the shallow eyes turned away and caught the wood of the floor again.

"Shang Xiang was the first, but not only, member of the household who caught us that summer and the following autumn. I can't recall the distinct incidents, but I'm sure the entirety of the staff knew about us by the time Sun Ce turned 17." The slight tension in Zhou Yu's jaw said he was lying – Chen Hao imagined he could remember all the details of each and every one of those embarrassing moments, but he didn't press the general. There wasn't time anyway. "The ones who didn't actually catch us heard about it through the grapevine, and I encountered no end of difficulty with the chattering serving girls."

Chen Hao deduced that Sun Ce had not been particularly shaken up about the discovery of their secret, and Zhou Yu's next words confirmed it. "Sun Ce took each of the incidents in stride, and seemed almost glad to have things out in the open – or, somewhat out in the open, at least. No one dared mention anything to Sun Jian, of course – but aside from that, all of the servants seemed to take Shang Xiang's approach to the situation, and nothing irreversible happened.

"This, of course, only made things worse, because Sun Ce became less and less cautious. As for myself… knowing as I did that the situation could turn catastrophic at any moment, and mortified at the continued leak of information, I began spending more and more time by myself. This only worsened the rumors, really…" He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "…But I couldn't help withdrawing. I have never been as open and honest as Ce. And it bothered me to hear the whispers of the staff and see Shang Xiang's winks."

The general stopped for a moment to consider, his words stalling in the cold air before he pressed on with the narrative. "Perhaps what bothered me more was the way Sun Ce would laugh along with them, and wink right back at his sister. Or perhaps I just pitied my dignity. But for whatever reason, I grew continuously tenser about affection in public, so much so that I began to pull away from Sun Ce when he touched me. I remember how confused it made him."

Zhou Yu closed his eyes, and regret crept in between the lines of his face. Chen Hao couldn't imagine what it was like to lose the person you loved most. But he could imagine what it might feel like to lie awake and remember the times you drew away from a touch you would never feel again. The twisted, sleepless sheets echoed in Zhou Yu's white bandages, and Chen Hao bit back a sigh for the ills of hindsight.

Zhou Yu's dark hair shifted and swayed as he shook his head. "As I said, most of the palace knew by the end of the summer. The last person to stumble upon our secret was the small, nine-year-old son of the lord of Jiang Dong – and unfortunately for Sun Quan, peaceful soul that he is, he witnessed a confrontation along with the kiss."

xxxxxxx

Today was a bad day. Zhou Yu scowled at the parchment maps laid out in front of him and twirled the ink brush between his fingers. The rotating bristles oozed black ink and dripped across the faded scroll before him, but he hardly cared. Today was a bad day.

It needn't have been a bad day. He had an enormous amount of work to do, which was fine. He had woken up early and started in on the various maps with dedication – Sun Jian was becoming nervous of an invasion from the far southern tribes, and had asked Zhou Yu to prepare a few strategies in case of an attack. It wasn't bad work. Zhou Yu liked strategy. He was good at it. And he wasn't even expecting any interruptions that day, as he'd told Sun Ce the night before that he was not to be disturbed.

But that was where the bad day started. Sun Ce apparently took the warning not to bother him as more of a license to bother him only if something very important came up – like dumplings for breakfast, or Shang Xiang's mishap with a supply box in the back hall, or Lu Meng's arrival at the castle around noon, or a dozen other useless occurrences. Zhou Yu's headache had started with the first resounding bangs on the door, and it grew every time the young Sun lord burst into the bedroom and leapt at the desk excitedly. He'd hardly accomplished anything so far, and his patience was thinning severely.

Zhou Yu rubbed his aching temples and tried to focus on the map. He'd been struggling with this particular route for over an hour. The region in question was populated by marsh and thick jungles – conditions Sun Jian's soldiers would not be accustomed to. No matter which route he outlined through the dense forest, it didn't seem like a good battle plan. He kept scanning the parchment for another way through, but nothing was coming to him. The little drops of ink only annoyed him further, and he brushed them roughly together in an ugly stain.

His thinking was interrupted by the door creaking open, and he scowled up at Sun Ce for the millionth time that morning. Sun Ce seemed oblivious to the glare and waved cheerfully, but he didn't venture into the room. "Hey there, gloomy!" Sun Ce called, and Zhou Yu ground his teeth together.

"Not the day," he warned, turning back to his paper. Sun Ce rolled his eyes and leaned against the doorframe.

"It's been 'not the day' all morning!" he complained, tone bordering on a whine. Zhou Yu growled but did not look up.

"And it's going to be 'not the day' until tomorrow," he announced gruffly. "Now leave me alone." Sun Ce sighed but didn't leave, which irked Zhou Yu even more.

"I just stopped by to see you – you don't have to be so touchy," he huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. Zhou Yu's eye twitched. "I mean, I've left you alone to work for hours—"

That was the limit. Zhou Yu threw his brush across the room in a fit of rage, and it smacked Sun Ce between the eyes, splattering his face and the nearby wall with ink. Sun Ce yelped and started, backing into the door in surprise.

"Hey! What was that for?!" he protested, rubbing at the stains on his face, but Zhou Yu had had enough.

"I said get out!" he shouted, pulling another brush out of the drawer and raising it menacingly. "You said Lu Meng's here, right? Go bother him!"

Sun Ce lifted his hands in surrender. "Okay, okay! I wanted to see you because Lu Meng's always so unfriendly… although I guess you have that in common today," he muttered. Zhou Yu threatened him with a new brush, and Sun Ce took another step back. "All right! I'm leaving." He turned and left, giving Zhou Yu a pouting look as he closed the door behind his heels.

Zhou Yu groaned and put his head in his hands for a moment before rising from the desk and crossing the room. He picked up the soiled brush and scowled at the ink marks on the wall. Then, after thinking it over a moment, he shoved the heavy night table up against the door and braced it with an extra chair. He examined the barricade and nodded to himself. He was done being bothered.

Zhou Yu reseated himself at the desk and studied the map with distaste. His stunt with the brush had left a long, brooding line across the central forest region, and he crumpled the parchment viciously before tossing it toward the door. If they were attacked from that angle, the soldiers would just have to improvise. He spared another glance at the blocked door and imagined the satisfying thud Sun Ce would no doubt make when he ran straight into it, and a smirk crossed his face. Feeling a little better, he set to work devising ingenious strategies for the other possible battle scenarios.

An hour passed in silence, and Zhou Yu was making considerable progress on the maps when the crash he'd been awaiting echoed from the other side of the door. Another slight smile lingered on his face as a few more energetic thunks announced Sun Ce's determination to shoulder the door down.

Finally, the boy paused. "Yu?" The voice was confused and a little annoyed, and Zhou Yu's smile grew with the words floating through the door. "Yu, come on. Open up."

"I said go away," Zhou Yu called back, and he could hear Sun Ce pounding his fists against the strong wood.

"But it's really important this time! Really!"

"I don't care," Zhou Yu told him firmly. "Leave me alone."

"Yu!" There was some scrambling at the handle, and a few more thuds, and then everything went quiet. Zhou Yu heard footsteps ambling away, and he paused in his map work. Had Sun Ce really given up that easily? It would be a first.

His answer came a few moments later in the form of the sound of running followed by a tremendous crash outside. Zhou Yu winced at the noise, and half-rose from the desk before forcing himself back into the chair. No. He was focusing on work – if Sun Ce wanted to slam himself against the door, that was the boy's own business and nothing to do with the strategist and his headache. It took an effort of will, but he managed to keep himself behind the desk despite the chorus of moans coming from outside.

"Oww…" Zhou Yu shook his head. Little idiot, he thought at the persistent troublemaker. After a few minutes, another knock came on the door. "Yu?" Damn – it was harder to be angry when Sun Ce sounded pathetic. "Yu, come on – let me in."

Zhou Yu sighed and rose from the desk; he walked to stand beside the door, but did not open it. "Sun Ce, I really need to work," he told the wood between them. "Please go away."

Zhou Yu could almost feel Sun Ce's palms pressed against the door. "But Yu…"

Zhou Yu felt his headache twinge behind his eyes. "Go away," he said again, more forcefully this time. "I'm not letting you in. End of discussion."

He stood with his back to the door in silence until he heard Sun Ce give a tremendous sigh and rise to his feet. "Fine, fine," he grumbled, and slow footsteps padded away down the corridor. Zhou Yu listened to the disappearing sounds for a moment longer, then shook his head and returned to the desk and his interrupted work.

It had taken a while, but at least the young lord had given up – meaning his strategist companion was finally free to get some work done. Zhou Yu shook his head as he marked out the obvious territorial strengths on the next map. And to his utter surprise, there was no interruption from the corridor outside – minutes vanished beneath his brush as he worked through the maps one by one, and the door remained free of disturbance.

He was just starting on the last pile when an odd noise distracted him. He glanced back at the open second-story window, but he couldn't see anything – and the door was still silent. Zhou Yu frowned a little and returned to his mountainous map, shaking the distraction away as his brush tapped his cheek thoughtfully and he studied the supply routes. North? No – there were too many vulnerabilities from the overhanging cliffs…

"Ht…" There it was again… that weird noise. Zhou Yu stared hard at the door in front of him. The noise had sounded like exertion… was someone trying to open it? He scowled and drew a rough line west to east on the map, indicating the trail a troop of soldiers ought to take. If Sun Ce was messing with the door again…

"Ha ha!" A cheerful cry of triumph from behind startled him, and Zhou Yu spun in his seat to see Sun Ce jubilantly posed in the window behind him, one foot up on the sill and the other braced against the wall. Sun Ce's fist was raised exultantly, and he grinned at Zhou Yu from his unstable position. He had also, Zhou Yu noticed, cleaned the ink stains off of his excited face. "I made it! Man, your window's high up. That was a real scramble."

Zhou Yu's face could not have darkened any more. "Ce…" he bit out as Sun Ce pulled himself into the room and stumbled a little before regaining his balance. "Get out."

Sun Ce frowned and put his hands on his hips. "Yu… I'm not leaving. I finally got in here – you're going to have to drag me out kicking and screaming." Zhou Yu bristled, and Sun Ce raised a hand to stop the coming tirade. "I know you have work to do. And I'll be quiet, I promise."

Zhou Yu scoffed. "You can't be quiet. It's not possible."

Sun Ce took a few steps forward and put his hands down on the desk for emphasis. "I will!" he insisted, and Zhou Yu looked up into the dark, determined eyes. "You can even gag me if you want to. Here." He paused and yanked the red ribbon out of his hair, holding it out to Zhou Yu fervently. "Go ahead. Tie it over my mouth."

Zhou Yu looked from the proffered gag to the boy for a moment before waving his hand dismissively. "Put it away," he muttered, and Sun Ce tied his hair back into a sloppy ponytail. Zhou Yu studied Sun Ce's expression for a moment before sighing. "I really have to work, Ce."

"I know," Sun Ce answered, nodding for emphasis. "I really will be quiet." Zhou Yu frowned.

"I'm not going to entertain you," he reminded the boy. "And I'm not going to talk to you." Sun Ce nodded again. Zhou Yu's brow furrowed even farther. "…If you know all that, why do you want to be in here?"

Sun Ce shrugged. "I don't know. I just do." His eyes betrayed his smile even as he kept his face serious. Probably just because I blocked the door, Zhou Yu mused. Sun Ce was like that with anything forbidden.

He gave his companion a stern look. "If you swear to be absolutely silent…" he began, emphasizing each word. Sun Ce nodded vigorously again, and Zhou Yu had to sigh. "Then I guess you can stay."

Sun Ce's grin lit up his face like the brilliant sun outside. "All right!" He threw his arms around Zhou Yu's neck and nuzzled the other boy's cheek. "Thank you!"

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. "Get off," he ordered without malice, and Sun Ce did, withdrawing his arms and turning away to plop down on Zhou Yu's bed. He kicked his feet merrily through the air and watched Zhou Yu as the strategist returned to his work.

Amazingly, Sun Ce was quiet – quiet, but not still. He stayed on the bed for only a few minutes before wandering over to the door and dismantling the barricade. Zhou Yu looked up from his maps, distracted.

"What are you doing?" he asked, voice terse. Sun Ce looked at him and frowned.

"You're supposed to be working," he admonished. Zhou Yu found it highly ironic. "I'm taking this down."

"But I want it there – to keep people from getting in," Zhou Yu argued. Sun Ce shrugged.

"You mean to keep me from getting in. But I'm already in, so there's no point in it now." There was a simplistic logic in this that Zhou Yu could not deny, and so he turned back to the scrolls and tried to concentrate. Sun Ce quickly finished with his furniture-moving activity and began padding around the room in search of entertainment. It wasn't long until he found the crumpled map on the floor.

"You missed this one," he informed Zhou Yu helpfully, offering the wrinkled parchment from where he stood at the edge of the desk. Zhou Yu sighed and rubbed his forehead, giving the youth an annoyed look.

"No, I gave up on that one," he clarified. Sun Ce blinked.

"Oh… well, I'll do it." Zhou Yu snorted, but Sun Ce crossed his arms over his chest and adopted a determined expression. "I mean it. Just give me a brush and some ink."

In the spirit of making him go away, Zhou Yu did, and Sun Ce took his materials and happily plunked down onto the floor to work. Zhou Yu gave a heavy sigh and turned back to his own maps. A few carefully placed marks brought him finally to a map of the Zhenhai region, and he raised a delicate eyebrow in surprise.

So Sun Jian wanted to prepare against an invasion from Lord Jia as well? It seemed prudent. Lord Jia had not, from all reports, been very happy when he was escorted to his horse and banished from Jiang Dong Province, and a few of the servants claimed he'd sworn revenge as he rode away. Fortunately, there were quite a few open paths of attack in Zhenhai, and the predominantly flat center ringed in small mountains made for an easy stakeout. Zhou Yu carefully chose the best line of offense and indicated the safest supply route with small tic marks, scowling all the while at the general in his mind. If he ever came face to face with that man again, he would not be so helpless.

Sun Ce was not trying to be annoying – and this fact was the only thing that kept Zhou Yu from snapping at him when he reappeared at the front of the desk a short while later. The long-haired youth looked up from his work on Zhenhai and gave Sun Ce the sharpest look he could, although it didn't seem to do much to puncture Sun Ce's bright grin. "I finished," Sun Ce announced, placing his brush and ink bottle back on the table. Zhou Yu exhaled softly and sat up straighter, rolling his stiff neck.

"Let's see." He motioned for the parchment, and Sun Ce handed it to him, moving around until he stood behind Zhou Yu's chair and resting his hands on the tired strategist's shoulders. Zhou Yu opened the paper, and his eyebrows shot straight to Heaven. "Ce…" He paused for a moment, half-speechless. "What is this?" he demanded, gesturing to the mass of stick figures running across the discarded map.

"Well, this one's you," Sun Ce explained, leaning forward to point to a long-haired figure with a fierce scowl on its round face. "You're going down the edge of the map because I figured that was probably the safest and most boring way." Zhou Yu snorted, realizing his army had been directed into an impassable cliff. "And this one's Father," Sun Ce continued, indicating a valiant-looking man up near the top. "See? Shang Xiang and Quan are with him. He's sitting around waiting for us to beat the enemies – Huang Gai said he sometimes does that." Zhou Yu coughed.

"You do realize they're sitting around in a lake," he criticized. Sun Ce just laughed.

"Yeah, well – that's life. Sometimes people have to sit in lakes." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"I take it this one's you," he deadpanned, eyeing the stick figure with wild eyes, a protruding tongue and a victory sign.

"Yeah!" Sun Ce confirmed, wrapping his arms around Zhou Yu in a loose hug and dropping his chin onto the stern shoulder. "I'm charging straight down to get their leader." Zhou Yu chuckled in spite of himself.

"You just charged your soldiers into a poisonous river," he scoffed. Sun Ce sighed.

"I guess I'm not very good at strategy," he admitted easily. "That's why I have you to do the thinking for me. But at least my maps are more fun than yours are, with all the boring little dots and squares." Zhou Yu just closed his eyes and felt the pulse of Sun Ce's breath against his neck.

"Mine are significantly more functional," he murmured, setting his brush down gently on the desk – his mind was unwilling to stop the work, but his fingers demanded a break. Sun Ce sighed, and the air tickled Zhou Yu's ear as it slipped past.

"But your artistry needs work." Sun Ce's fingers teased the back of Zhou Yu's hand as he traced spirals on his companion's skin. "And your creativity is just dead."

"You have enough creativity for both of us anyway," Zhou Yu told him, wincing as the pressure of a day's long work roiled within his temples. Sun Ce noticed the expression and squeezed him a little.

"Headache, huh?" Zhou Yu nodded curtly, and the eldest Sun child straightened from his slumped position, drawing his hands back to the young strategist's shoulders. "That's what happens when you read maps too long. Time for a break," he encouraged, shaking his friend a little. Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Not until it's finished." It was bad policy to leave work undone, and Zhou Yu did not condone bad policy. Sun Ce gave a dramatic sigh and slipped his hands up until he found Zhou Yu's temples, which he began massaging. His fingers caught on the long, sensitive hair, and Zhou Yu scowled at the painful tugging. "Ce… knock it off," he ordered.

"I'm helping," Sun Ce protested, voice hurt. Zhou Yu glared at the map.

"You're pulling," he complained. Sun Ce paused and unwove the hair from between his fingers, then continued massaging Zhou Yu's temples.

"I'll be more careful," he promised. "You keep working – I'll fix your headache." Zhou Yu reluctantly retrieved the brush from its pool of ink on the desk and started in on the next map. A few more minutes of Sun Ce's 'help' were all he could take, and he rushed through the last few scrolls as fast as he could. Sun Ce was far worse at fixing headaches than he was at fixing backaches, Zhou Yu decided as another few strands of hair were yanked mercilessly beneath the boy's fingertips. He was actually very good at back rubs.

Zhou Yu scratched the last few lines hastily onto the map of Nan Man territory and pulled away from Sun Ce's eager fingers, standing and stretching before the youth could say anything. Sun Ce's hands slumped to his side, and Zhou Yu nodded a little.

"Thank you," he managed. Thank you for bothering me all day and making my headache six times worse, he added mentally, but Sun Ce's smile kept the words stuck in his throat.

"You're welcome." Sun Ce grasped Zhou Yu's hand in his and began to swing it back and forth. "You're done now, right?" Zhou Yu nodded, conveniently ignoring the stack of paperwork that accompanied the maps. Sun Ce's grin grew all the brighter. "Finally!"

"What did you want to do, anyway?" Zhou Yu asked, and Sun Ce's noncommittal shrug was mildly irritating. "I thought since you'd been accosting me all day, you at least had something you wanted."

"I did have something I wanted – I wanted to spend time with you!" Sun Ce asserted, yanking on Zhou Yu's hand for emphasis. Zhou Yu decided this might have been touching if he'd been in the right mood, but the tugging just increased his headache and he winced mildly. Sun Ce didn't seem to notice. "I thought we could play a game or something." Zhou Yu's frown was well-worn.

"Like what?" He and Sun Ce didn't play games very often – primarily because they could never agree on what to play. Sun Ce's excited suggestions told him this time would be no different.

"We could play polo, or arm-wrestling… or have a handstand contest," Sun Ce offered. Zhou Yu snorted. After hours of work? No thank you.

"How about mahjongg?" he recommended. Sun Ce wrinkled his nose.

"I don't like mahjongg. It's complicated." He tapped his chin with a thoughtful forefinger. "Ko-no?"

"You can't play ko-no with two people," Zhou Yu pointed out, using his free hand to sweep his hair away from his neck. "Besides – that's a children's game."

"And mahjongg is an old man's game," Sun Ce shot back. Zhou Yu sighed. They'd had this argument a million times before. And it always ended the same way.

"We'll just have to have a thumb war to decide it!" Sun Ce declared, punching one fist into the air. "I'll play for arm-wrestling and you can play for mahjongg."

Zhou Yu groaned internally but hid it with a tight scowl. The two boys seated themselves on the bed, and Sun Ce positioned their hands across the light sheets. "One, two, three, four – I declare a thumb war!" With that, his thumb shot forward at Zhou Yu's in a vain tackle attempt.

Zhou Yu's thumb dodged easily, and he drew it back to the safety of near-hyperextension. Sun Ce toiled to reach it, but Zhou Yu had learned long ago that pulling his thumb back as far as it would go prevented Sun Ce from getting at it. From this unassailable defensive position, he watched Sun Ce's face, which frowned in intense concentration as he struggled to catch Zhou Yu's reluctant thumb. His tongue poked out of one corner of his mouth, and his brow was heavily furrowed from the exertion.

"Grr…" The growl slipped out of Sun Ce's mouth unnoticed, and Zhou Yu fought back a smile. Thumb wars never seemed to solve anything between them, but Zhou Yu had found that he actually enjoyed them – chiefly because Sun Ce looked so comical when he was focused on something.

"Ugh! Yu!" Zhou Yu was startled out of his thoughts by Sun Ce's frustrated remonstration. Sun Ce was glaring at him openly and his mouth was turned down in a fierce scowl. "How many times do I have to tell you?! Really play, or I'll consider it a forfeit!"

Zhou Yu sighed and scowled back, but he obliged the young lord and began twisting his thumb absently out of Sun Ce's reach. Sun Ce's thumb dove and leapt valiantly, but Zhou Yu's was just too quick – it evaded him over and over again. Zhou Yu glared at their joined hands, any enjoyment of the activity forgotten. What a ridiculous game. Who had invented the thumb war? And why did he and Sun Ce use it to solve their disagreements? Actually, he knew the answer to that one: it was less brutal than a fistfight.

Zhou Yu was thoroughly uninterested in an arm-wrestling contest, and Sun Ce hated mahjongg – and in light of this, they both held out stubbornly for longer than Sun Ce's patience could accommodate. He tore his hand away and snatched Zhou Yu's pillow from his side. "Gah!" he yelled, smashing Zhou Yu over the head with the cushion. "You can be so irritating!"

Zhou Yu startled at the attack, but he was quick to scoop up a pillow of his own and return the strike across Sun Ce's face. "Consider the feeling mutual," he spat. Sun Ce growled and swung the pillow high over his head before bringing it down on Zhou Yu's cushion shield.

"Why didn't you just give up?" he insisted, swinging the pillow back and forth angrily against Zhou Yu's shoulders. Zhou Yu counterattacked with words and cushion.

"I don't want to arm-wrestle," he told Sun Ce with a particularly ferocious strike to the boy's stomach.

"And I don't want to play stupid mahjongg!" Sun Ce returned, smacking Zhou Yu's head.

"Well, it was your idea to play something in the first place," Zhou Yu pointed out, and Sun Ce hit him again for the comment.

"If you had your way, you'd just sit at that desk and work all day, and I'd shrivel up and die of boredom!" Zhou Yu's hair was getting in his face, but he ignored it and met Sun Ce's pillow in midair with his own.

"My work is important!" he insisted, irritation rising with the argument. Sun Ce growled and pounced at him, taking them both backward and over the edge of the bed in a makeshift wrestling contest. Zhou Yu barely winced as he landed hard against the floor – he was too focused on the interplay of their elbows and knees.

After rolling around on the carpet for a few more moments, Zhou Yu managed to pin Sun Ce to the ground. The two glared hard at each other for what seemed like forever in Zhou Yu's mind. Slowly, Sun Ce's face softened into a smile and he began to laugh, blowing his bangs out of his bright eyes.

"Okay," he conceded. "Maybe this is a stupid thing to be arguing about." Zhou Yu nodded slightly, moving his hands from Sun Ce's wrists to the floor beside the boy's head. Sun Ce chuckled as he reached up and ran his fingers through Zhou Yu's disheveled locks. "Your hair's all muzzy," he teased, and Zhou Yu frowned.

"That's because you smacked me with a pillow," he accused. Sun Ce just smiled and tried to return the long, sweeping hair to some semblance of order.

"Yep." His fingers were gentle as they raked through the dark strands. Zhou Yu closed his eyes – not for very long, but by the time he opened them Sun Ce had leaned up and found his lips. Zhou Yu decided that their argument over what game to play had become void as he wound his fingers into the carpet and kissed Sun Ce back.

"Lord Zhou Yu? I brought lun… oh my."

The cheerful, surprised voice made Zhou Yu look up into the startled expression of the serving girl who was in charge of delivering meals to the private quarters. Her pretty eyes were wide in shock, and her mouth had gone completely round. She blinked several times before flushing brightly and turning her head away. "Ex-excuse me…" she stuttered. "But the door wasn't locked, so…"

Zhou Yu's door didn't have a lock, but he decided to request one the very next day. He pushed himself off and away from Sun Ce so fast that the blood rushing to his head made him dizzy as he stood up. Sun Ce sat up slowly from his position on the floor and gave the serving girl a smile. "Hey, Xian Li… sorry about that."

Zhou Yu's eyes closed in mortification as he realized what their position must have looked like when she opened the door. They had been wrestling, and just fallen into a haphazard position – not to mention Sun Ce pinned against the floor. Xian Li shook her head very fast and moved to set the serving tray down on the desk.

"No need to apologize, my lord… no need…" She cast them both a shy glance before coloring even more and turning back to the food. "I just left your meal in your room, Lord Sun Ce, so if you're hungry…" She backed slowly toward the door, darting looks at them under her heavy eyelashes.

Sun Ce rubbed his neck and laughed a little. "Yeah… thanks…"

Zhou Yu scowled at the carpet. "Xian Li." The sound of his thick voice startled the girl so badly she jumped.

"Y-yes, my lord?" Zhou Yu's eyes burned holes into the floor, but he kept his voice level.

"Get out," he ordered harshly, and Xian Li rushed to do so, stopping only to bow repeatedly before shutting the door behind her. Zhou Yu sighed and raised a hand to his temple as Sun Ce got to his feet, hands on his hips.

"You didn't have to be mean," he reprimanded, and Zhou Yu looked up from the floor to meet the displeased gaze of the older boy. Sun Ce leaned casually back against the desk, but his expression was stony. "It was an accident."

Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest and frowned back at his companion. "I didn't want her talking," he explained. Sun Ce scoffed.

"Like a few words are going to stop that." Zhou Yu's hands clenched into fists. He wished a few words would stop the gossiping that went on night and day in the servants' realms of the Sun house. He growled a little at the thought of his name flying across the lips of every servant in the palace.

"What business is it of theirs," he hissed, embarrassment weaving through his words and making them rough. It was the beginning of an old argument – one they never seemed to finish. Sun Ce snorted under his breath and tightened his grip on the edge of the desk.

"None," he allowed. "But that's not going to stop them from talking about it. I just don't see why it bothers you so much." Zhou Yu's lips curled a little in displeasure.

"I don't like them talking," he repeated.

"Yeah I noticed." Sun Ce stared hard at the angry face of his strategist. "I asked why." His voice was cool and smooth, and Zhou Yu ground his teeth together. The laughter of the palace attendants echoed in his ears.

"I don't like having my name slandered," he spat.

Sun Ce straightened at the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. His face hardened, and he pressed his lips together tightly. "Slandered, huh? What's that supposed to mean?"

He hadn't meant it – not the way Sun Ce was taking it. "I prefer not to be the subject of public ridicule," he explained, but Sun Ce waved the words away as he stepped closer to the fuming young man.

"No – let's go back to the 'slandered' part," he jabbed. "You don't like them talking about us together because… what? You don't like your name associated with mine that way?" Zhou Yu didn't want his name associated that way at all, but it wasn't going to help things to say it.

He tried to apologize, but his humiliation and frustration got in the way. "Don't be an idiot," he hissed, digging his fingernails into his palm.

Sun Ce was growing more and more angry – it showed in the crimson creeping across his cheeks. "An idiot, huh? That's nice. Spit it out – you're embarrassed that everyone knows you chose me? Is that it? The lowly son of the Lord of Jiang Dong?"

Sun Jian's name wasn't going to help matters. The thought of the man catching the whispers of the servants made Zhou Yu even more upset, and he shoved his hair off of his shoulder forcefully. "Stop putting words in my mouth. You're overreacting."

Sun Ce exploded, rushing forward and grabbing Zhou Yu's collar in his hands. "You're the one who's overreacting!" he shouted, shaking Zhou Yu brutally. "You're the one who's all upset because one servant walked in on us kissing – a servant who already knew about us through the grapevine!" The mention of the stream of rumors that rushed through the palace like a sinister breeze burned in Zhou Yu's ears, and his jaw set hard beneath his blazing eyes.

"What does it matter, Yu?" Sun Ce was yelling now, full-out yelling, and his lightning eyes flashed up at Zhou Yu angrily. "Why do you care so much that they talk? What does it even matter?"

Zhou Yu felt the rage building inside of him like a bottle filled too far with water, pushing against the meager cork that held it down. Every muscle in his body yearned to snap, but he kept the feeling down with all the control in his body. Sun Ce shook him again, and somewhere a gate broke inside of him.

"Answer me!" Sun Ce bellowed.

"Don't touch me!" Zhou Yu shouted, slapping Sun Ce's hands away and yanking free of the young lord's grip. Sun Ce stepped back in shock, lifting one stinging hand to his chest before dropping it into an enraged fist.

"Fine!" he screamed, raising both his angry hands and brandishing them at Zhou Yu. "If that's the way it is, then I'll just leave!" His eyes were narrow in hurt and fury. "If you don't want them talking about us, then I'll solve the problem for you – I'll just go away and leave you alone! You can rot in this room for the rest of eternity for all I care! Enjoy your peace and quiet!" So saying, he rushed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Zhou Yu snarled and slammed an angry fist against the wall behind him. The bruised digits pulsed and roiled as he rubbed his sore knuckles, wrath making his motions rough. He was angry. He was very angry. But some part of him knew that this was potentially serious, and had to be dealt with now. The wind whipped against the silk curtains and soothed his skin, melting the lines of fury on his face. He sighed heavily and dropped his head a little before moving for the door. This was not the kind of argument that could be solved with a thumb war – but it did have to be solved, and the sooner the better. It didn't do to let arguments fester.

It was a long, quiet walk down the empty corridor to Sun Ce's room. Every step radiated in Zhou Yu's ears like a thousand pounding carpenters. He tried to push the anger that still tumbled in his chest back into the pit of his stomach. He and Sun Ce were going to have to have it out – but it would be better for both of them if he could keep a cool head. Sun Ce was sure to be a raging inferno.

He reached the tightly closed door at last, and paused a moment before knocking. He heard movement from within, but no one answered. Zhou Yu sighed.

"Ce?" he called. Still no answer. "Ce, can I come in?"

That got his attention. "No!" the familiar voice shouted back, tone menacing. "No you can't! Go away and leave me alone!"

The irony of role reversal was heavy in Zhou Yu's eyes as he reached for the handle. "Ce, I'm coming in now," he informed the door.

"You do and I swear-!"

Zhou Yu swung the door open and moved into the room. He barely managed to avoid the flying bowl of rice that smashed behind his head and shattered against the wall, sending shards of ceramic and grains of cooked rice all over him. Zhou Yu turned to find Sun Ce standing by his bed – the lunch tray was beside him.

"Ce, stop it!" he commanded, ducking as the tea cup met a similar fate as the rice bowl. Sun Ce's face was contorted angrily as he reached for the soup.

"Get out!" he screamed, throwing item after item at his uninvited guest. "I don't want to see you! I hate you! Get out get out get out!"

Zhou Yu dove forward and caught Sun Ce's wrist before it hurled the set of chopsticks at him. "Ce, stop that! Listen to me-"

Sun Ce's eyes narrowed even further at the grip on his wrist, and he jammed the chopsticks into Zhou Yu's cheek as hard as he could. Zhou Yu dropped his wrist and stumbled back, wincing at the sharp ache in his cheek and hissing in pain.

"Look, I'm sorry, okay?" he shouted as Sun Ce raised the chopsticks threateningly again. Zhou Yu turned his back to the angry boy and faced the door, cheek stinging. "I'm sorry," he repeated, more quietly this time.

Sun Ce lowered his impromptu weapon but remained where he was – Zhou Yu could feel the glare burning into his back. "Why do you care so much, Yu?" Sun Ce asked again, voice still riddled with irritation. "Why does it matter so much to you that they're talking about us? It's just harmless gossip."

"It's not harmless to me," Zhou Yu snapped. "I don't like them discussing it. I don't like them involving themselves in matters that don't concern them."

"But what does it matter?" Sun Ce asked again. Zhou Yu could hear his footsteps approaching. "So they talk – so what? None of them have said anything to Father – none of them are upset about it. Why does it matter what they say?"

"It's degrading," Zhou Yu shot back. "I don't want them talking about me – about us – that way. I don't… I don't like them laughing at me," he hissed. Above all things, he hated being laughed at.

"They're laughing at me, too," Sun Ce reminded him, stepping around so he could face Zhou Yu as they spoke. Zhou Yu laughed harshly.

"But you don't care," he argued. Sun Ce's hands came up to rest on his hips.

"No, I don't care," he agreed, tone angry and pleading all at once. "And I don't understand why you do! They're just words, Yu – they don't mean anything! They can say whatever they want and it doesn't mean anything."

"It means something to me," Zhou Yu answered, reeling his voice back from a yell with all his might. "It's humiliating."

Sun Ce shook his head slowly. "Is that the only reason it bothers you? Does your pride really matter to you that much?"

If there was one person Zhou Yu did not want a lecture on pride from, it was Sun Ce, whose cheerful arrogance had gotten him into scrapes more times than Zhou Yu could count. The fury boiled up inside him again.

"Of course it wouldn't bother you," he snapped, tongue running away with him again. "You have a great time laughing with them about it." That stung, too – the thought of Sun Ce ridiculing him right along with the servants. Sun Ce's jaw dropped in surprise.

"What? I do not!" he insisted, countenance losing whatever calm it had regained. Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest and scoffed.

"You certainly don't seem to have a problem talking to them about us," he accused. "Yesterday when the laundrywoman walked in on us, you were joking right along with her-"

"Oh gods, Yu, I was just trying to be friendly!" Sun Ce shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. "It's not like I'm part of the rumor mill or anything! You think I go around to the servants and gossip about you?" Zhou Yu didn't say anything, and his face remained a stormy mask. Sun Ce groaned. "Ugh! It's not like that at all!"

"But you do talk with them about it," Zhou Yu pressed. "Why do you have to encourage them? Why do you have to give them more to talk about?" Sun Ce looked shocked.

"What? What are you talking about? I don't do that." Sun Ce honestly looked perplexed, and Zhou Yu almost hesitated – but since they were knee-deep in an argument already, there was no point in holding his hand now.

"You tell your sister everything," he spat. "I had to sit there and endure Shang Xiang giggling at me all through dinner last night because you apparently decided to tell her about-"

"Okay, look!" Sun Ce shouted, gripping Zhou Yu's forearms tightly and scowling up into his companion's face. "Let's get a few things straight. First of all, I don't tell her everything. I only tell her about some really important things – like that time when we were in the garden and we fell into the lily pond-"

"You told her about that?!" Zhou Yu demanded, voice disbelieving. Sun Ce paused.

"Well, not the details or anything. Just a general sketch."

"Ce!" Zhou Yu felt his anger rising even farther, which seemed impossible with the number of wires coiled in his stomach already. "I can't believe you-"

"That's not the point!" Sun Ce interrupted, shaking his head vehemently. "What I meant was, I don't tell her everything. I'm not a gossip, Yu – we only talk about some general things. It's not like I'm rating your kisses or anything." If Zhou Yu hadn't been so angry, he would have been mortified by this thought, but the fury in his ribs left no room for embarrassment. "And secondly," Sun Ce pressed on, squeezing his arms a little for emphasis, "Shang is my sister. There's no way I would go around telling the servants what I tell her. Which isn't much," he added hastily as Zhou Yu's eyes darkened. "But still! I don't spread rumors among the servants – I don't." Zhou Yu still didn't say anything, and Sun Ce shook him a little. "Believe me," he pleaded, and Zhou Yu sighed.

"Even if you don't," he allowed gruffly, "that doesn't change the fact that you do talk and laugh with them about it. Don't you see that encourages them to gossip even more? You're making things worse!"

Sun Ce let go of his arms and took a deep breath before speaking. "You know what," he said softly. "I think I've figured out what the problem is here." Zhou Yu blinked. "I think I finally understand what you're saying."

"And that is?" Zhou Yu felt his words tighten as they slipped out of his mouth. Sun Ce tipped his head to one side.

"You're saying that you wish they didn't know. That you would rather no one knew we were together - that no one ever saw us as a couple or thought there was anything between us but friendship. You want no one to know about us."

Zhou Yu let out a quiet sigh. "Yes, Ce. That's what I want."

"Well…" Sun Ce stared at the ground for a long moment before looking up and exploding. "Well I don't!" he shouted, and Zhou Yu's eyes widened in shock at the hard edge of his voice. "I don't want that at all!"

Zhou Yu took an involuntary step back. "Ce—" he started, but Sun Ce cut him off.

"I don't wish no one knew about us! I don't! I wish the opposite! I wish everyone knew!" He paused and calmed himself for a moment before he continued speaking. "I know that's impossible," he conceded. "My father… my father cannot ever find out." Zhou Yu snorted. At least they agreed about that.

Sun Ce was looking up at him imploringly, and reached forward to take a loose hold of Zhou Yu's shirt. "But I don't want to hide it, Yu. I don't want to have this in the shadows. I wish I could be open with you all the time!" He shook his head again, ponytail bouncing back and forth. "My siblings, the servants… I want them to know! Because I love you and I don't want to have to hide that!" The words echoed along the fiber of Zhou Yu's soul, easing and erasing the harsh 'I hate you' that had gotten lodged there earlier.

Sun Ce stepped forward and strengthened his grip on the loose shirt. "I want to be able to hold your hand when we're walking. And I want to sit in your lap when we have dinner. And I want to kiss you whenever I feel like it without you going rigid and nervous!" He closed his eyes tiredly. "I don't want you to look over your shoulder every time I hold onto you. I don't want you to hesitate every time that I touch you. I want to be able to love you all the time, not just behind closed doors – and I want you to be the same way! These people are my friends – yes, even the servants," he added as Zhou Yu opened his mouth to say something. "And I don't want it to be a secret. I don't want to have to hide anything from them"

Zhou Yu pressed his lips together but stayed silent. Some part of him was warring with the idea – his dignity, probably - and the internal conflict sealed his tongue and choked back the words that might have answered this. What could he say? Sun Ce looked so hopeful and desperate, but he couldn't help shriveling at the idea of accepting public ridicule.

"I know there's a line," Sun Ce consented. "I'm not saying we have to be all over the place. But would it be so bad to let me hold onto you? Would it be so hard to hold me when they were standing there?"

He didn't know. He wasn't sure at all. He was fractured inside – he couldn't tell which portion of himself to listen to. Part of him said to never let his pride be tarnished like that, part of him said to just get over it already, part of him said to explain the problem more thoroughly, and part of him was just lost and confused and keeping his mouth shut.

Sun Ce waited in the silence for a full minute before letting go of Zhou Yu's shirt and backing away slowly. "You never talk to me," he whispered, shaking his head from side to side and turning toward the door.

Catch him – don't let him go. That, at least, made it through the turmoil and into Zhou Yu's brain. "Ce…" he started, but trailed off without any more words.

Sun Ce paused and turned his head to glance over his hunched shoulder. Zhou Yu felt as though he were drowning in the expectancy in those amber eyes. Where were the words he might have said? What could he answer to that? He could say that Sun Ce was being selfish – but in a way, Zhou Yu was being selfish too by wanting to hide everything under the mask of propriety. He could say that it wasn't fair to expect him to be open about such things – but it was fair, almost, and Zhou Yu was just as unfair in asking Sun Ce not to share his happiness with others. He could say that there were too many risks – but Sun Ce had never cared for risks anyway, and Zhou Yu knew that would not persuade him.

In the end, they were dead even. Neither was right, and neither was wrong – and that robbed all of the sounds and syllables out of his mouth in one sweep. But Sun Ce was waiting for whatever he had to say…

"I love you, too," Zhou Yu told him – flat and plain as the expression on his reserved face.

Sun Ce's face contorted in hurt and anger, and his mouth opened as though more furious words would storm through it – but slowly his expression smoothed back soundlessly under a very slight smile. Zhou Yu watched him anxiously.

"You…" Sun Ce broke off and bit his lip. "You have the absolute worst timing."

Zhou Yu let his shoulders relax a little, and stepped forward until he was close enough to touch Sun Ce's cheek. Sun Ce turned back to face him fully, and Zhou Yu's fingertips fluttered against the soft skin for a moment before he dropped his hand back to his side.

"I don't know what to tell you," he admitted honestly. "I'm not sure I can just dismiss my feelings about being open in front of the people here. But…" He hesitated and fought to drag the words up from his voice box. It was time to give up. "But if that's what you want… then I will try."

It was the best he could do, and Sun Ce nodded, face serious except for the tiny smile flickering on his lips. Zhou Yu let out his tense breath slowly. The two stood in silence for a moment before Zhou Yu frowned severely again.

"But if I catch those damn serving girls giggling about me in the hallway again…" he threatened, and Sun Ce gave a gentle laugh.

"Oh, come on," he prodded delicately. "They're just having fun."

Sun Ce's eyes said he was still hurt by the words they'd exchanged, but he reached up and put two fingers against Zhou Yu's lips as an offer anyway. Zhou Yu dipped his head and kissed Sun Ce very lightly – it was barely a brush, but Zhou Yu figured that after an argument that violent, anything was a good sign. Sun Ce sighed as he pulled back and began to rub the back of his left hand, wincing.

Zhou Yu frowned, taking the hand in his and scowling at the red mark across its back. Apparently, he'd slapped Sun Ce's hands away harder than he'd intended. "I'm sorry," he offered, soothing the irritated skin with his fingers. "I shouldn't have hit you." His gaze went deeper than that as he gazed at the red mark. "And…" Zhou Yu broke off awkwardly. He had never been good at apologies. And for everything else, his eyes finished, catching Sun Ce's gaze.

Sun Ce's smile grew wider at the unexpected apology. He laughed a little – more honestly this time – and reached up to touch Zhou Yu's cheek. "I'm sorry, too," he followed. His eyes seemed to be resonating the sentiment in Zhou Yu's own as he brushed his fingers against the sore skin of his companion's face. "I really got you with the chopsticks," he admitted sheepishly, grin spreading even farther. "You've got an enormous bruise here."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes a little. "Wonderful," he muttered, and Sun Ce laughed again, the sound rolling like music in Zhou Yu's mind. Another moment passed between them before Sun Ce leaned up for another kiss – a real one this time – and Zhou Yu closed his eyes in relief at the familiar feeling of his arms around Sun Ce's back. It was only after they were done yelling at each other that he ever realized how much he had to lose by letting go of his temper.

A thought invaded his mind suddenly, and he pulled back from Sun Ce to look into his eyes. "Wasn't there something you wanted to tell me earlier?" he asked, brow knit in vague remembrance. Sun Ce blinked blankly.

"When?" Zhou Yu frowned in thought.

"When I barricaded the door and wouldn't let you in – you said you really had something important to tell me." It might have just been a trick to get the door open, but Zhou Yu figured it was worth asking.

Sun Ce's face lit up suddenly as recognition came across it. "Oh yeah!" He drew one arm back down from Zhou Yu's neck to scratch his ear guiltily. "I was supposed to tell you that Sun Quan is missing and we can't find him anywhere." He shrugged. "Guess it slipped my mind."

Zhou Yu's eyes widened. "What? He's missing?" That could mean any of a dozen things – from kidnapping to personal injury to a terrible accident to… he shook his head. "How did that slip your mind?!"

Sun Ce rolled his eyes. "Oh stop it," he ordered. "Whatever you're thinking, just knock it off. I'm sure he's fine. He's probably playing outside somewhere."

"Sun Quan doesn't play outside alone," Zhou Yu reminded him. "He's afraid of bugs." It was kind of embarrassing that the nine-year-old still ran screaming from bees and dragonflies, but that wasn't the point right now. With a sigh, Zhou Yu unwound his arms from around Sun Ce and stepped back. "Come on, we'd better go look for him."

Sun Ce's shoulders slumped and he groaned. "Yu, don't be ridiculous," he urged, putting his arms around Zhou Yu's waist to trap him. "This is a walled area – it's not like he could get out. Besides, that was hours ago – I'm sure they've found him by now."

Zhou Yu huffed slightly and glared down at Sun Ce's defiant expression. "Ce—"

A rustling distracted him, and he and Sun Ce both looked up to see a small boy in silk robes climbing out from under the bed. Sun Quan was blushing brightly and tugging on his long skirts, shame written across his face.

"Here I am," he mumbled, ducking his face down to stare at the ground. Sun Ce's mouth fell open, and Zhou Yu was so surprised he couldn't even get his mind together enough to pull away from Sun Ce's frozen fingers.

"Quan!" Sun Ce exclaimed, staring at the boy. "What are you doing in here?"

"Um…" Sun Quan wrung his hands worriedly and gave them both an imploring glance. "I was playing hide-and-go-seek with Mother, but I think she forgot… and then I was just playing under the bed, you know, with Gaika…" He held out a stuffed elephant shamefully and stared back down at the carpet. "And then brother came in, and I was going to come out except… except he was in such a bad mood, and then Master Zhou Yu came in, too. And you started arguing before I could say anything and…" He shuffled his feet against the rich carpet. "You were both yelling, and I was scared to come out. And then brother was throwing things and—"

"You were watching?" Zhou Yu demanded, and Sun Quan shrank under the harsh tone.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, bottom lip quivering. "I just wanted to know what was happening, and um…" He looked up into Zhou Yu's displeased expression again before squeezing his eyes shut.

Zhou Yu sighed and raised a hand to his forehead. That was it – his headache was never going away. Sun Ce chuckled and walked to stand beside Sun Quan, dragging Zhou Yu with him. He knelt beside the trembling boy and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," he soothed, brushing back the loose hairs of Sun Quan's tight bun. "It's okay. I'm not mad at you." Sun Quan looked at him pathetically.

"What about Master Zhou Yu?" he asked, not daring to look at the young man in question. Sun Ce glanced up at Zhou Yu.

"He's not mad at you either," Sun Ce answered assertively. Sun Quan blinked before giving Zhou Yu the biggest puppy eyes the young strategist had ever seen, so wide that they almost looked as though they would fall out of his face. The dark youth rubbed his temples and sighed again.

"No, I'm not mad at you," he muttered, the words nearly drowned beneath his subsequent exhale. Sun Quan's expression instantly became overjoyed, and he threw himself into his brother's arms for a tight hug, tiny fingers digging into the folds of the youth's loose robe.

"I was worried," he told the older Sun child in a delighted voice. Sun Ce laughed.

"That he was mad at you?" Sun Quan considered for a moment, one hand coming up to linger beside his mouth in intense contemplation before a shrug rolled through his shoulders.

"Mm… sort of. But I was more worried that you'd never stop shouting, and that then you'd never talk to each other again."

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu exchanged looks above the young boy's head, and the strategist felt himself swallowing as he stared into twin amber that had so recently relinquished their anger, mellowing back to an unshadowed glimmer as the Sun heir shook his head.

"That wouldn't really happen," he answered vaguely, his gaze still caught on the dark youth's stoic features. "We always solve our problems." Zhou Yu wondered whether his companion meant it. But it wasn't worth worrying about anymore, and he nodded in place of a full answer, earning a smile from the Tiger's eldest that outshone the summer sun somewhere above them.

Sun Quan pulled back from Sun Ce's embrace, and his face blushed bright red at the ending statement, crimson brushing his cheeks as his gaze dropped to the floor. "Yeah… I saw that part, too," he mumbled, one foot digging into the carpet in visible embarrassment. His brother just smiled, but Zhou Yu scowled a little and brushed his bangs back from his eyes, his glare returning as he contemplated the pair of Sun children in front of him.

"I am never kissing you again," the young strategist informed his companion bluntly, crossing both arms over his chest as his expression turned to stone. Sun Ce only laughed.

"You don't mean that," he cajoled, shooting the dark youth a wink over the crest of Sun Quan's head. But his friend remained unmoved, and two pale hands slid back to the dark youth's side as he turned toward the door, shooting the other boy a retreating glance over one shoulder.

"Yes, I do," Zhou Yu told him seriously, and Sun Ce's face became a little concerned despite his usual confidence, shading just slightly at the uncompromising declaration. A renewed headache pulsing within his temples, the young strategist moved in the direction of the exit, his obsidian eyes glowering at the contours of the far wall. There was undoubtedly some unfinished paperwork lurking within the confines of his office, and the last thing he wanted was to be present when the Sun heir explained their relationship to his little brother, because the current situation was mortifying enough without that—

"Yu!"

Sun Ce stood up from his kneel, and Zhou Yu turned back in response to the name, one eyebrow raised above his displeased gaze. Before he could so much as register the boy's movement across the room, the Tiger's son had thrown himself into his companion's arms and kissed him hard, two tan arms circling the other youth's neck to hold them together.

Zhou Yu's eyes shot open, and Sun Quan's jaw dropped as the strategist's hands tightened into fists at his side, rendered useless by the sparks that the Sun heir's touch never failed to send spiraling through him. This was not the kind of public affection the dark youth had bargained for – this was over the line Sun Ce had mentioned, and he disapproved even if he couldn't quite summon the presence of mind to move.

The eldest Sun child pulled away after a long moment, and he unwound himself slowly from his astonished companion, his lips curving into a smile despite the sincerity glowing in his eyes. "Get over it already," Sun Ce ordered, and Zhou Yu's mouth fell open at the uncompromising command – but his friend only turned around and took hold of Sun Quan's hand, unmoved by both of his comrades' surprised expressions.

"C'mon, Quan," the older boy singsonged, his customary grin reclaiming control of his features. "We'd better go let everyone know we found you." The Sun heir pulled the shocked child toward the door, but paused at its edge to look back at his frozen strategist, raising his free hand in an idle salute. "I'll be back soon, Yu – why don't you just wait there," Sun Ce suggested, and then he was gone, not waiting for a reply before the wooden barricade slid closed behind him.

For a long moment, Zhou Yu didn't move at all, watching the silent door as his gaze hardened back to a startled glare. Then he lowered himself slowly onto the bed and slumped backward into the disordered folds of the sheets, regarding at the ceiling with a stare worthy of his bad mood. Today was a bad day.

End Chapter 13

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Well… what did you think? I wrote them into a huge argument, but at least I wrote them out again. Real relationships have ups and downs, so I was trying to portray that. This chapter got a little long, though… oh well. Well, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter, at any rate.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Glad you liked it.

A note for Crazy Insanity: This update took a little longer – hope it was worth the wait. I also thought that Shang Xiang would be the best person to find out first, and I'm glad you concurred. Writing rain is a favorite activity of mine, because I like it so much myself… not to mention we've had a lot o rain here recently, so I had some experiences to draw on. Glad you still like Sun Ce.

A note for Jen: I'm glad you got my email all right. Hopefully, your semester will be bearable – mine is looking a bit hectic at present, but I'll continue to update regularly nonetheless. I am pleased that the story gives you nice mental pictures.

A note for Burg: It's always nice to hear the characters are not behaving unbelievably. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

**Warning: This chapter contains very poetic but nonetheless minorly graphic adult content. It's certainly not worth a mature rating, and doesn't even qualify as a lime, but to be fair I didn't read it to my twelve-year-old sister. If the implication of the poetic lines bothers you, please skip this chapter. Thank you.**

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Secession – Part 13 

The story ended, and Zhou Yu fell silent, eyes on the ceiling. Chen Hao watched his stony face quietly, careful not to shift or grunt despite the soreness in his cramped legs. The soldier considered the last story as his general gazed openly at the canvas roof. If asked before this ride, he would never have believed that the great legends Zhou Yu and Sun Ce could squabble like that – it would have seemed discordant to the woven tapestry of their friendship. But now, in the damp and rocky wagon, watching the cold stitch Zhou Yu's breathing as the words fought back and forth across his pale face in the faint starlight, Chen Hao accepted it without question.

Real relationships had ups and downs – even he and Meicheng, with a marriage that brought him no end of joy, had their disagreements and misunderstandings. Love did not erase tension between people, it merely changed it – sometimes the tension almost worsened when love entered a relationship. But it was worth the fighting, he knew – to him and Meicheng, and to Zhou Yu on the floor of the wagon, and to Sun Ce in the sky above him.

After a long time, Zhou Yu shifted and raised his head a little from the floor, staring into the distance with a different kind of detachment. Chen Hao watched the night playing in his eyes as the general's gruff, short words flitted through the air and came to rest between them, faltering on the wooden floor. Zhou Yu watched at the hidden sky, and his eyes like diamonds caught the light of the breeze, shining just a little as his voice broke the silence.

"That autumn," he began, pausing momentarily before pushing on. "That autumn I turned seventeen."

xxxxxx

The full moon smiled in the open window, hanging on the silken curtains and lighting the painted clouds and dragons that danced across the waving fabric in the evening breeze. The darkened room was still and quiet – the scrolls were carefully piled, the brushes washed and put away, the bed made and empty. The rays of the moon mingled with the starlight and whisked the shadows up in an endless caress, twirling them beneath the desk and along the walls. Nothing moved, and no one disturbed the harmony of silence floating across the night air.

The door creaked open, and two figures stepped over the raised threshold to enter, their loose robes slipping around their feet and brushing the carpet in playful sweeps. The first knelt by the short bedside table, and candlelight spiraled into the darkness, chasing the moon back out into the sky with its wavering glow before the second figure shook his head.

"Blow it out," he requested, ponytail bouncing across his shoulders. "The moon's really nice tonight."

His companion paused by the candle, dark hair skipping around his elbows as he considered his friend's recommendation. He glanced from the new light to the moon outside and back before a soft shrug rolled through his shoulders, and he doused the candle with a simple breath.

"If you insist," Zhou Yu replied, rising and turning back into the room once the milky light of the jade disk above them had become the only light again. Sun Ce nodded, his hands sliding to his hips in mindless recollection.

"Yep. Besides – there was that one night when you forgot to put it out, and then you burned a circle into your nice table," the boy reminded his companion, who scowled lightly and cast the candle a displeased glance.

"Hm."

There was little more of an answer to make than that, and Zhou Yu seated himself on the bed without responding in full, stretching up above his head to work the kinks out of his stiff spine. Sun Ce followed and took a seat beside the dark youth, drawing his feet up to rest beside the silken pillows as his fingers played with the embroidered silk.

"That was some birthday party, huh?" he teased, poking Zhou Yu in the ribs as the question filled the air around them. The young strategist snorted, pushing his bangs back from cynical eyes as he shook his head.

"I will admit that Huang Gai drunk is a sight I will happily go a long time without reviewing." He rolled his dark eyes at the memory of the general's awful singing and unfortunate conversation skills, shifting back a little and crossing his feet at the ankles beneath the edge of his robe. "Next year, please dissuade your father from celebrating my birthday."

Sun Ce only laughed, leaning back on his hands and wiggling his toes through the midnight breeze. "No way. If we didn't throw you birthday parties, you'd never come out of this dark hole."

Zhou Yu frowned at the description of his occupation, his features serious though not offended. "I attend all required functions," he protested, his glance passing over the piles of organized scrolls on his desk before it trailed back to his friend's face. The Sun heir rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, and miss out on all the good parts. You didn't come to the moon festival, but you went to all the stuffy formal dinners. Why do you do that?"

"The formal ceremonies are important," Zhou Yu told him for what had to have been the hundredth time, and even as he said it he knew neither of them was really listening to the words anymore. But as long as the sunshine youth insisted on asking stupid questions… "They are a vital part of winning and maintaining alliances, as well as establishing a good relationship with prominent families. They have a great deal more purpose than the functions you're advocating."

"I know, I know," Sun Ce interrupted, holding up a hand to stop the lecture. "And when I take over China, you'll make me have all sorts of stupid ceremonies, too." He sighed and nudged Zhou Yu with his foot, the contact chasing away what little solemnity his rejoinder had contained. "But that doesn't change the fact that you hide away in here every time you can get away with it, Yu."

The young strategist huffed at the familiar banter, one pale hand running through his unbound hair. "I'm not hiding," he insisted. "I have—"

"—Work to do," his friend finished, making an unimpressed face at the stoic youth across from him. "I know. But you know what I think?" Sun Ce flopped back onto the pillows and brushed the wall behind him with restive fingers, sticking out his tongue at the Zhou prodigy and grimacing through the obstruction of his disordered bangs. "I think you're just antisocial."

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath, one eyebrow arching into the smooth plane of his forehead. "What an astounding line of reasoning," he deadpanned, sarcasm rampant in his low tone. "Perhaps I ought to resign my position as strategist to you."

Sun Ce kicked at him, but he was smiling – so was Zhou Yu, who couldn't help the way the corners of his mouth turned up in spite of the half-hearted blow. The Sun heir pushed himself back into a sitting position and scooted closer to his companion, ruffling the sheets with his slight movement and making his friend blink at the abrupt end to their interchange. "But seriously," the boy pursued, brushing a strand of loose hair away from his eyes along with the tail of his crimson ribbon. "Did you like it? It wasn't too bad, was it?"

Zhou Yu sighed at the hopeful inquiry, but he shook his head, expression amiable in the stern contours of his face. "No," he conceded after a pause, pleased with the smile that lit Sun Ce's eyes at the single syllable. "It wasn't too bad."

His companion grinned and reached out to pat his shoulder, fingers brushing the skin of his collarbone and sending a brief tingle through the strategist at the fleeting contact. "Glad to hear it," the sunshine youth announced, his voice as implacable as ever. Then he tipped his head to one side and reached out to graze Zhou Yu's forearm, his touch light as the wind and twice as warm. "I know we kind of skipped your birthday last year. That was supposed to be the big one, too…"

Zhou Yu shook his head, dismissing the lament with the simple motion. "We were traveling," he countered, his voice soft like the curtains swaying behind him. "I wasn't expecting a celebration."

Nor had he wanted one – the Zhou prodigy had never been particularly fond of parties. Although sixteen was hailed as a relatively important birthday because it conferred the formal status of an adult along with it, the young strategist had been an adult for as long as he could remember. In the end, little had been lost but the announcement itself, and that, at least, the dark youth was more than amenable to going without.

Sun Ce sighed, a shrug rolling through his shoulders despite the mild words. "I know. But still…" Zhou Yu raised a silent eyebrow, and the Sun heir shrugged again, his chestnut ponytail flickering against the base of his neck like the autumn leaves outside. "Oh well. Too late to worry about it now, I guess."

Zhou Yu nodded his soundless assent, and Sun Ce looked up from where he'd begun tracing absent patterns on Zhou Yu's skin, smiling beneath amber eyes clear and bright in the contours of his face. The two boys sat for a moment unmoving, and then the folds of the Sun heir's sleeping robe shifted against their loose ties as he leaned forward across the slight distance that separated them, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper though there was no one else to hear him.

"Quan ending up in the food was a really quality moment, wasn't it?"

Zhou Yu snorted at the reminder, his vague response widening the answering smile on his friend's face as the young strategist's mind retrieved an image of the disaster in question. Sun Quan had been looking at the long array of birthday dishes when he was accidentally bumped from behind and ended up face-first in a plate of cut fish, sending tails and wine goblets all across the banquet table. He had been endlessly sorry, but Zhou Yu didn't care for fish much anyway – in the dark youth's opinion, the whole affair had been a blessing in the guise of a very messy nine-year-old.

Zhou Yu glanced out the window as his thoughts wound back through the party, obsidian eyes dark with memory but not regret. It hadn't been bad – it truly hadn't. Huang Gai's drunken dancing had certainly been a rather remarkable downside to the event, but on the whole the young strategist had been content with the party, which was more than he could say for most functions he had attended in his life. Granted, being the center of attention wasn't his preferred placement, but the beauty of having Sun children around was that they seemed to steal the spotlight almost without intending to – as Sun Quan had with his dinner mishap, and as Shang Xiang had with her effortless wit, and as the eldest Sun child couldn't avoid any time he smiled.

Sun Ce prodded his companion to regain his wandering attention, and Zhou Yu turned back to him without managing to quash the lightly quirking corners of his lips, the expression brightening the other youth's grin as soon as the moonlight distinguished it from the shadows of his face. "Hey, that's better," the boy teased, pressing forward and using his fingertips to advocate the unconvincing smile. "See? You should get out more. Being in here makes you stuffy."

Zhou Yu scoffed, shaking his head to dislodge the mildly irritating hands from his face. "No, it makes me efficient. I complete my tasks faster than any of your father's assistants." Which was crucial, in its own way. Being friends with Sun Ce gave him an advantage in Sun Jian's eyes without doing anything at all – but the Zhou prodigy wanted to be appreciated for his own merits rather than his associations with others, and hard work was always one way of achieving that…

Sun Ce considered his response in silence for a moment, and then the sunshine youth sighed, leaning forward to rest his forehead against the line of his companion's shoulder. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at the contact, and the older boy shrugged, tipping his head to the side so that his gaze remained locked with the obsidian above him.

"Well, yeah… I guess that's true," the Tiger's son admitted, wrapping one arm around his companion's waist and pressing into his embrace. The strategist watched him in silence, but his hand followed its opposite's example and came up to hold the other youth closer, bracing against his back and rubbing circles into the gentle cloth. Sun Ce sighed, a laugh falling from his lips as he wound his fingers into his friend's sleeping robe. "But I've gotta be honest here, Yu… I'd rather you were spending that time with me."

Zhou Yu started a little at the quiet declaration, but after a moment he settled for shaking his head, returning his companion's amber stare evenly through the midnight air. "I would rather that as well," he murmured, his voice standing in echo to the fading assertion. He left the counterargument unsaid as the Sun heir's gaze traced his stoic features, the opposition to his statement already ringing in both of their ears.

Sun Ce nodded a little and the motion ricocheted through the strategist's body, disrupting their equal stare for a moment as the wind and the moonlight took the place of conversation between them. Then he leaned forward and pressed his lips to the skin beneath his companion's jaw, sliding into the young strategist's lap with the same smooth motion.

Zhou Yu stiffened at the sudden contact, and his muscles went rigid as relentless sparks shot through his body, tightening his hold around the other boy's back without intention and freezing him in place. Twin obsidian eyes flickered down to find their amber opposites, and Sun Ce's smile lost its preoccupation as his free hand came up to tangle in the dark youth's hair, as dynamic as his touch and the pulse throbbing against his friend's forearm.

"Ce…" Zhou Yu lost his words halfway, the adrenaline flickering through his veins and the desire to pull the Tiger's son closer interfering with the evenness of his voice. The Sun heir smirked, his chestnut ponytail scattering across his back as he shot the young strategist a satisfied glance.

"I'm not really tired yet. What about you?"

He had been. But he wasn't feeling drowsiness at all anymore – all he was feeling was the fire spreading along his skin at every point of contact between himself and his companion. The dark youth shook his head, his gaze catching on the other boy's face as the moon slipped behind a heavy cloud and two pale arms moved around his restless back, and Sun Ce's expression melted into a full grin, growing brighter despite the shadows as his exhale brushed against the strategist's neck.

"So… are you gonna kiss me or what?"

Zhou Yu didn't have to reply – the hands that suddenly lost patience and the lips meeting his companion's halfway answered for him.

Something was different tonight. Zhou Yu couldn't place it. But something was unquestionably different. Sun Ce's kisses had never been so insistent, nor his grip so tight around Zhou Yu's neck and in his hair. Zhou Yu's arms had never held Sun Ce quite this way before – this tightly, this completely. A red ribbon spun through his mind and into his eyes, catching the scent of the falling leaves and twirling effortlessly through the overwhelming darkness.

Something was different tonight. Zhou Yu felt it for sure as Sun Ce fell back onto the bed beneath him. His fingers had never been so quick at undoing the ties that held Sun Ce's midnight robe together, and his hands had never moved so easily across the smooth skin of Sun Ce's stomach. The red ribbon spun violently and split, drifting silken strands through Zhou Yu's fingers and painting Sun Ce's irregular breathing with the brushes of sunset. It blanketed Zhou Yu's mind like snow and dusted the dark hair streaming across his bare back, a tangle of red thread growing tighter with every touch.

Something was different. Sun Ce's lips had never been this soft, nor his hands so restless against Zhou Yu's skin, nor his eyes quite this bright, even in the sunlight – Zhou Yu's heart had never beat this fast, and his pulse had never rushed this much, even in the heat of battle. Never had there been so much red – it splashed the corners of Zhou Yu's vision and conquered Sun Ce's expression, and flitted through his mind like waving silk. And the stars had never reflected quite like this in Sun Ce's eyes.

"Yu…"

The syllable stopped him, and he pulled back from the kiss far enough to meet his companion's gaze, resting on the hands that held him above the still form. Sun Ce leaned up and nuzzled his cheek, amber eyes bright beneath the shadows.

"Don't stop this time."

The whisper shot into the darkness and straight through the red clouding Zhou Yu's mind – his eyes widened and he pulled back farther, staring down at the boy beneath him with unabashed surprise coating his features. Sun Ce raised a hand to brush at his startled lips, shaking his head in time to his insistent touch.

"Don't stop." The words sifted through his mind, dragging awareness back to him with the bluntness of an unsharpened sword. Zhou Yu's mouth fell open as he met Sun Ce's honest gaze, his heartbeat racing ever faster in his ears. Not stopping meant… and they'd never…

He would have stopped. He would have pulled away and reeled back – torn his hands from Sun Ce's skin and forced them back into fists. But the moon drifted out from behind the midnight clouds and caught the other boy in its light, painting him pale in the sudden feathery glow, and his visage was captivating in the unnatural radiance, every emotion clear in the contours of his face. Zhou Yu stared down at him, the moonlight drawing his gaze to Sun Ce's half-closed eyes, uneven breaths, sandy skin – his disheveled hair scattered across the pillow, one red ribbon holding chestnut strands together in a knotted cascade, and his trembling fingers dark against the sheets…

"Yu…?"

That name. That voice. The moonlight dashed into the room and released flows of red silk – they floated down on all sides of him, rippling like banners in the wind as they flickered around the bed and sent a shiver down his spine. They fluttered and filtered across his mind, dancing and spiraling and capturing Sun Ce's expression between their endless streaming folds. Zhou Yu felt the cloth stick in his mouth, stopping up the words and spilling silence across his face – wrapping his uncertainties in sheaves of crimson and slipping them back into the shadows of the night, carrying them off on the voice of the faraway stars—

Zhou Yu lowered his lips to Sun Ce's and let the red silk swallow him.

End Chapter 14

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Well… how was it? Hopefully it wasn't too graphic. Or too vague, for that matter. I thought the implication was pretty understandable… well, you'll let me know.

A note for Sage Serenity: Thank you for your two reviews – it's always nice to receive your comments. I'm glad you were pleased with the mention of fighting – I know it's been absent recently, but their first battle is coming up soon, so I'm preparing for that. Glad to hear no one's out of character – and emotional roller coasters are indeed part of normal relationships. And yes, poor Sun Quan. That's what he gets for playing under the bed.

A note for Lizzie: I'm glad you like it.

A note for Azure Angel Venus: Thank you so much for your review. I'm glad you're enjoying the dialogue and character interplay. I also like chapter 7, and I'm pleased that I did well enough on my story that the moments stuck in your mind. Their fight in chapter 13 was a tricky one – myself I understood more where Zhou Yu was coming from, but there is never really a correct answer in these kinds of arguments. I hope you will continue to enjoy my story, and please review anytime – your comments are appreciated.

A note to Jen: Thank you for yet another enjoyable review. I'll admit that between this, my Chinese class, and DW5, I've been kind of in 24-hour Chinese mode… oh well. I suppose that's not really a bad thing. I love writing Sun Quan because he's such a pansy… but I suppose that's cute, too.

A note to Crazy Insanity: Would it surprise you to know you're the second person who wants to pinch Sun Quan's cheeks? I hope you like Sun Quan as much when he's older. I'm glad you like Sun Ce – as I have more in common with Zhou Yu in terms of personality, I often worry that Sun Ce will get written out of character... good to hear it hasn't happened yet.


	15. Chapter 15

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 14 

The wagon was very quiet. Chen Hao decided that was all right. He didn't really have anything to say, and Zhou Yu was glaring hard at the floor as though it had spoken the words rather than the general himself. It was an important part of the story, and Chen Hao was impressed that Zhou Yu had been able to get it out – but nonetheless, the halting words made the silence that followed them very awkward.

After a few moments – a few moments that the general didn't have to spare – Zhou Yu found his tongue and pressed on, still looking pointedly away from his captive listener. "That winter, and the following early spring… if only I had more time." He winced as he said it, and Chen Hao bit his lip. "I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to skip a few things…" For some reason, the statement made Chen Hao very sad. No matter the details or the awkward silences, he wanted to know every part of the story. The thought of incidents and memories slipping away without being said cut into his skin and tore at him – but there was nothing he could do. There simply wasn't time.

"That winter and early spring were unremarkable, I suppose – except that living with someone like Sun Ce made every day an adventure. We spent most of our time training, but there were many afternoons that passed by in the simple haze of our company. It would be difficult to remember everything we did." Another lie – every moment was shining in the dark, thoughtful eyes. Chen Hao tried to catch them all, but they slipped through his fingers, and his mind could only conjure vague ideas: games and stories and mostly laughter, peppered with kisses and the occasional quarrel. "But what is important, I suppose, is the state of Sun Jian's forces and the men who came to serve with him during that time.

"Lord Lu was the first, but not only, general to bring his son to the palace in preparation for serving Sun Jian once they came of age. Ling Cao - an imposing man with a short moustache and the unusual habit of closing one eye when he was thinking – also introduced his son to us fairly early. Tong was a bit more of a troublemaker than Meng, and the four of us didn't always get along – in particular, Sun Ce and Meng had many a shouting match and Tong could bother me faster than anyone with his attitude – but we all trained together nonetheless and sparred often. Sun Ce liked to brag that he was the most powerful among us – in actuality, he and I were too close to tell, and Meng and Tong weren't far behind. Still, the introduction of the generals' sons to our palace atmosphere made for interesting dynamics."

Ling Tong – the skilled master of the nunchaku – flitted through Chen Hao's mind. He had trained under Ling Tong's direction six months earlier when he joined Sun Quan's army, and the man had certainly made a lasting impression. The thought of his quick but somewhat superior smile made Chen Hao nod – it was understandable that the four wouldn't have gotten along perfectly, especially as young men.

"Cai Rui, another man from the banquet, had no sons to offer, but he was a generous benefactor in terms of weaponry and his own skills – and, I believe, his daughter eventually became one of Sun Quan's wives." Zhou Yu shook his head slowly. "Quan… it's unfortunate for him, I suppose. Anytime the Wu empire needed a marriage alliance, everyone looked to him to provide it – he has so many wives now that I believe some accuse him of having acquired a harem. And I've lost count of his children." Zhou Yu's eyes closed quietly and he almost laughed. "The most unfortunate part is, I think he truly loves them all."

Chen Hao sat up a little straighter. The mention of children reminded him of something he'd been wondering quietly about for some time. "My lord," he began gently, and Zhou Yu seemed startled at the interjection. "What about… what about your children?"

Zhou Yu blinked. "My what?"

Chen Hao twisted his fingers nervously. "Your children, my lord."

Zhou Yu frowned. "I don't have any children. I should think that obvious."

Chen Hao felt himself blushing again. "But… but my lord, I heard…" The question was seeming more and more foolish, but he pressed on. "Don't you have… two sons and a daughter?"

Zhou Yu paused for a moment before nodding in understanding. "Ah. You mean Xuan, Yin, and Hailing." He snorted a little. "They're not mine, I assure you." Chen Hao looked confused, and the general shook his head. "We'll get to that later. There are too many things between here and there – you wouldn't understand yet."

Chen Hao nodded a little and let it go, but the question was still stuck in his mind. "Why was Lord Sun Quan expected to marry into alliances?" he asked before Zhou Yu could resume the train of the story. "Usually the eldest son…"

Zhou Yu did laugh this time – it was faint and halting, but true nonetheless. "And you think, after all I've told you about Sun Ce, that he'd be willing to marry anyone he was asked?"

Chen Hao cast his gaze on the floor. He'd voiced another stupid question. Zhou Yu watched him silently for a moment before sighing. "I suppose it's best to get into that, though – the marriage of myself and Sun Ce to the daughters of Lord Qiao Xuan—"

Another fit of coughing shook Zhou Yu, and his body shivered and struggled against the floor. Chen Hao watched helplessly for a moment before panic struck his stomach hard and nearly knocked him backward. Blood was seeping out of the corner of Zhou Yu's mouth and trickling down his cheek, and the general's eyes were squeezed shut in immense pain. Chen Hao leapt forward and lifted Zhou Yu's head against his shoulder, steadying the spasming form as best he could with his uncertain arms around the general's back.

Zhou Yu's coughs subsided after a moment, and he jerked back to get away from the tight, worried hold of the soldier. "Let me go," he spat, twisting and turning. Chen Hao swallowed the lump in his throat and bit back the stinging behind his eyes.

"But the poison will spread more slowly this way," he explained, voice bordering on a cry and eyes urging the general to stay put. "Please, my lord – calm down. Stay still. It's better for you to be sitting up." He held the displeased shoulders tightly and fought his gaze away from the glare Zhou Yu was shooting him.

"Then lean me against the side," Zhou Yu snarled. "Let go of me this instant." With a choked breath, Chen Hao did as he was ordered, gently setting Zhou Yu back against the unforgiving wood and withdrawing his hands. Then he retreated shakily back to the other side of the wagon, eyes downcast and breath caught somewhere in his windpipe.

Everything went silent as Chen Hao stared down at his hands. What had he been thinking, grabbing the general like that? He'd been trying to help again – trying to stave off the inevitable. He couldn't help it. He wanted a happy ending.

Zhou Yu's head lolled back against the wood, and after the silence had settled he raised an unsteady hand to wipe the trickle of blood away from his mouth. One arm wrapped itself around his stomach, and to Chen Hao it looked like the man was trying to hold himself together – as though his skin might suddenly shatter and send his soul all over the sky.

"My apologies, soldier," Zhou Yu murmured after a long moment, and Chen Hao looked up at him wordlessly. The voice was harsh, but not with anger anymore. "My apologies." The dark eyes slipped closed, and Chen Hao felt his heart miss a beat at the weary finality in the still fingers. Ignoring the general's previous words, he crawled back across the bumping wagon and knelt before Zhou Yu, fingers gripping the jacket his lord had refused.

"Please my lord," he said again. He was begging, and he knew it – but Zhou Yu just looked so miserable. "It can't be comfortable to sit like that. Let me support you. I can hold you up-"

"I said no," Zhou Yu reiterated, and the edge was back despite the soft volume. At Chen Hao's crushed look, Zhou Yu sighed and shook his head. "I don't like to be held," he muttered gruffly. "Or touched, for that matter." Chen Hao nodded a little and bit his lip. He should have expected as much. A man like Zhou Yu – after everything he'd heard… he should have known contact would be disliked.

"I apologize if I made you uncomfortable," Chen Hao managed to whisper, biting down hard on the part of him that still wanted to argue the point. Zhou Yu was silent for a long moment, but Chen Hao could feel the burning gaze on his face.

"Uncomfortable… is not the word I would choose." Chen Hao looked up from the floor in time to see memory whip through Zhou Yu's eyes and trail away. As the present returned the general's expression, Zhou Yu closed his eyes and fell into thought. "I was going to skip this," he told the soldier quietly. "But now that I think about it, it's much too important to let go…"

Chen Hao made himself more comfortable on his knees, but did not return to his side of the wagon. He wanted to be close by should something else happen. Zhou Yu took a deep breath before continuing. "I guess this would have been… late spring, about six months after I turned seventeen. The year was 193, and the weather was cold – no snow blanketed the ground, but for a few weeks the wind howled against the windows and tore at anyone who stepped outside." He paused and shook his head. "Jiang Dong – infernal climate."

The blood had started down his chin again, and Chen Hao resisted the urge to wipe it away, but his hands clenched anyway. Zhou Yu's pale fingers swept the blood aside and melted against the white of his bandages, spreading small crimson stains over the pristine cloth. Then, in a stalling voice, he continued speaking.

"I have only been held like that once."

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Zhou Yu was fond of wind – generally. He particularly liked the cold, soft breezes of winter that scattered the snow and drifted blizzards around him when he walked. He didn't mind wind in the summer, either, when it tangled the leaves of trees and got lost in between folds of rain. And there was something poetic about the whipping, stinging wind that lurched through Jiang Dong in autumn, snatching the golden leaves and spinning them around the gardens. Even spring breezes were usually mildly enjoyable, sifting through his hair and over his shoulders. Usually.

But this was no regular wind. This was a tornado – or something close to it, at the very least, every gust nearly bowling him over and sending him careening down the small hill at whose crest he was standing. Zhou Yu regained his footing and scowled up at the sky as his long, dark hair swirled and tumbled around him. The weather was downright ridiculous. Where did wind like this come from? What purpose did it serve? And most importantly, why was he outside in it, being buffeted like a stray leaf under the pull of autumn drafts? Zhou Yu sighed and pulled his hair roughly into a ponytail to hold it back. Most of his questions had no answers, but the last one did – he was out in the vicious wind because Sun Ce had decided that today, of all days, was the day to fly a kite.

It wasn't even one of the big ceremonial kites that Sun Jian had in the store rooms for momentous occasions. It was a little paper kite that Sun Ce had made himself, with two reeds for crosspieces and a long, thin string tied through one end.

"Look, Yu!" Sun Ce called from the bottom of the hill. "It's flying!"

Zhou Yu snorted. Oh sure, it was flying all right – dipping and weaving and dashing about the sky as though it had just breached insanity and was trying to get loose of its leash. The distinctive faces Sun Ce had drawn all over its surfaces looked worried to Zhou Yu as the kite nearly ran aground in the high branches of a tree. They probably knew they didn't have too long before inevitably being destroyed.

"You're going to break it," Zhou Yu told him, but the words were in vain – Sun Ce just laughed and ran back and forth with the kite again.

"You're no fun," Sun Ce chided, yanking the string back and forth. The kite tipped dangerously in response and flipped over as it caught the edge of a wayward current. Zhou Yu shook his head. The only person who was going to be really upset when that kite inevitably bit the dust was Sun Quan, who had been delighted with his brother's creation and wanted to play with it. He and Sun Ce had taken turns holding the string for the first twenty minutes, but the roaring wind became too strong for the little boy and he had ventured inside, casting covetous glances at the kite the whole way.

Not that the increased wind did anything to persuade Sun Ce to go in. If anything, Sun Ce was having more fun now that every gust tried to sweep him away along with the paper invention. Another puff of wind tossed his tied hair into his face again, and Zhou Yu shook his head and turned back toward the palace. He was done with this activity.

"I'm going in," he called, turning back to look at Sun Ce over his shoulder. Sun Ce spun to look at him.

"What? Come on, Yu – don't be like that." The boy pouted as best he could, but the wind tearing at his clothes reminded Zhou Yu why he was retreating and the pleading expression lost its potency.

"Fly your kite yourself," he answered, voice flat. Sun Ce frowned and looked back up at the weaving creation.

"Fine, fine," he muttered, yanking on the string harshly. "You go back into your dark hole of an office. I'll play by myself."

Zhou Yu paused and looked at him. "You don't have to play with it," he reminded the boy. Sun Ce shook his head.

"No – I do want to play with it. I just want you to play with it, too." That wasn't really fair, Zhou Yu decided, but his feet had hesitated and they were slow to start moving again.

Sun Ce had turned his attention back to the kite, and was smiling as it danced through the cloudy sky, his companion nearly forgotten. "But it's okay," he called amiably. "Go on inside – I've got everything here under control." Zhou Yu scoffed at the seemingly important statement. As though it truly mattered whether the kite was under control or not.

As though in direct response to the thought, the kite dove ferociously and nearly skimmed the ground. Sun Ce frowned and yanked on the string to drag the willful toy back into another air current, and the wind caught its rough edges, sending it straight up and then back and forth violently above the lawn.

"Hey, you!" Sun Ce yelled at the struggling paper. "Knock that off!" The kite refused to heed, spinning and straining against the string in Sun Ce's hands. Zhou Yu sighed and rested a hand on his hip.

"Just let it go," he encouraged. There was no point fighting the hurricane-worthy winds for a scrap of paper. Sun Ce scowled and yanked hard on the string.

"No way! I'm not losing to a kite!" he shouted back. Zhou Yu shook his head. So now it was a competition. The wind died a little, and Sun Ce laughed as he pulled the kite back from its venture for freedom. "Gotcha!"

It happened so fast that Zhou Yu didn't see it coming until it was too late. The kite, which had begun to behave again, suddenly rolled and plummeted straight for the ground. No, not the ground – straight for Sun Ce. The youth squawked and let go of the string, but the kite was not deterred – it rushed Sun Ce and caught him full in the face before lifting off on the breath of the wind and soaring up into the sky again. Sun Ce toppled over backward, arms flailing. "Gah!" he cried, hands on his injured face. "It bit me! The stupid kite bit me!"

And got away, Zhou Yu observed as he jogged down the hill toward the sprawled boy. Sun Ce was moaning and rolling back and forth, fingers clasped over one eye as the kite rippled in the breeze and sailed away over the garden. Zhou Yu stopped and knelt beside his companion.

"Agh! Damn thing!" Sun Ce's yells followed the disappearing tail of the kite as it winged its way to freedom. "Ow!"

Zhou Yu huffed and grabbed his shoulders, pulling Sun Ce into a sitting position none too gently. "Stop that," he snapped. "Let me see it." Sun Ce reluctantly dropped his fingers, and Zhou Yu took the boy's chin into his hands, scowl firmly set. Sun Ce glared up at the clouds, one eye open and the other tightly shut.

"Come back here – I'll rip you to shreds!" he threatened. Zhou Yu shoved his bangs out of his eyes again and fingered the dark bruise that was already showing on Sun Ce's skin. Sun Ce winced and jerked back.

"Ow!" He tried in vain to yank his chin away, but Zhou Yu held it tightly and stared him down.

"Hold still," he ordered. "It can't hurt that much." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue defiantly.

"You have no idea how much it hurts! You've never been attacked by a kite." Zhou Yu decided there was no point in keeping quiet.

"And you wouldn't have been either, if you'd let it go like I told you to," he pointed out. Sun Ce glared at him angrily, but Zhou Yu wasn't fazed. "Let me see your eye," he requested, softening his voice a little. Sun Ce pouted, but nevertheless he hesitantly opened his previously shut eye for inspection. To Zhou Yu's relief, it was only a little red – nothing serious.

"All right," he sighed. "You're fine, Ce. Although you're going to have a black eye for a while." The bruise was already darkening against the tan skin, and stood out sharply around the amber iris. Zhou Yu rose slowly and brushed the late spring grass off of his knees.

"Help me up." Sun Ce's hand found Zhou Yu's and tugged, and the young strategist pulled the boy to his feet. Sun Ce groaned as he raised his hand to touch the swelling around his eye. "Man…" He cast a glance over his shoulder to where the kite had gotten lodged in a faraway tree and was fluttering uselessly. "Serves it right," he told Zhou Yu firmly, and Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"Come on – ice will take down the swelling." He headed for the house, and Sun Ce followed with a chorus of melodramatic moans, his hand still twined through Zhou Yu's. The wind spun around them and tossed their sashes spitefully.

Their trek was interrupted by a pattering of feet, and both paused as Sun Quan came hurtling toward them down the hill. The boy was windswept, and his heavy breathing told Zhou Yu he'd run all the way from the main house – a fair distance to where they were now. Sun Quan skittered to a halt as he reached them and dropped his hands onto his knees, all his energy apparently sapped by the earnest run.

"Brother! Master Zhou Yu!" he managed through his rasping breaths. Zhou Yu decided that the mildly plump boy had not been sparring as much as he ought to – his stamina was awful.

"What is it, Quan?" Sun Ce asked, making a face as the wind propelled his hair into his mouth. Zhou Yu scowled and kept his mouth firmly shut to escape the same misfortune.

Sun Quan's breathing had slowed down significantly, and he straightened with an urgent look in his eyes. "Father and Huang Gai are coming to talk to you!" The boy glanced behind him, but the hill was still empty. He gave each of them an endearing and pleased look. "I wanted to warn you."

Zhou Yu scowled. Since stumbling upon the truth about the two of them, Sun Quan had been infinitely annoying. Zhou Yu had come to regard even Shang Xiang's shameless giggles as preferable to the tiny tater tot's company. Shang Xiang, in conjunction with the majority of the servants, had been supportive and mildly amused by their relationship – but not Sun Quan. He adored it. He hadn't looked at either of them the same way since crawling out from under the bed – now, his eyes practically bulged out of his head with shining excitement whenever he saw them, particularly together. He had even taken it upon himself to be their personal alarm system, and had gotten into the habit of banging on their doors whenever Sun Jian was seen wandering the palace halls.

After the noise had startled Sun Ce so badly once that he nearly bit his lip in half –subsequently spending an hour holding a cloth to his face and waiting for the bleeding to stop – Zhou Yu had talked Sun Quan into being a little more tactful in his warnings. The boy had stopped banging, but had acquired the even more unfortunate habit of knocking softly and rushing into wherever the two of them happened to be, which had been awkward on many occasions. Sun Quan was convinced he was helping, and Sun Ce generally just found the whole scenario funny – and between the two of them, Zhou Yu couldn't get the boy to knock it off. He'd largely given up trying, but he still couldn't help being a little distressed by the way Sun Quan's eyes lit up when he noticed their joined hands.

Zhou Yu wrenched his hand away from Sun Ce's, surprising both Sun children in the sudden motion. "Thank you, Sun Quan," he bit out, and the boy nodded excitedly.

"You're welcome." His wide eyes were sparkling, and it was really starting to make Zhou Yu a little sick to his stomach. That feeling was replaced by vague apprehension, however, when Sun Quan's shoulders fell and he looked around. "Where's… where's the kite?" he asked innocently. Sun Ce huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You mean where's the evil kite that tried to kill me?" he elaborated. Sun Quan looked confused, and Zhou Yu frowned at the overstatement.

"It didn't try to kill you," he argued. Sun Ce pointed to his eye.

"And what do you call this?!" he asked. "A goodbye kiss? That thing's possessed!"

Sun Quan's mouth fell open a little. "Oh… that's from the kite?" He glanced between them surreptitiously before making a hole in the grass with his foot. "I was wondering how you got that, but I wasn't going to ask."

Zhou Yu didn't even want to know what Sun Quan had been thinking – Sun Ce looked like he probably did, but fortunately the conversation was cut short by the appearance of Huang Gai and Sun Jian at the top of the hill. The two generals hurried down toward the gathered children, and Sun Jian raised an eyebrow at Sun Ce's face but decided not to comment.

"Here you are," he exclaimed, crossing his arms and looking down at Quan. "You said you were going to lead us to them – why did you scamper off like that?" Sun Quan blushed a little before adopting a defiant glare. Rebelliousness was his newest personality trait.

"You got here all right, didn't you?" he maintained, lower lip jutting out. Sun Jian gave him a stern look, and the insolent front disintegrated back into Sun Quan's normal, pitiable expression. He looked down at the ground and seemed to slump. "I'm sorry, Father," he mumbled. "I was just excited to see them, that's all."

Zhou Yu observed Sun Quan shrewdly – the boy was becoming a talented liar. Sun Jian didn't seem to notice, however, and he ruffled Sun Quan's hair lightly. "No harm done, Quan," he told the boy cheerfully, making Sun Quan look up hopefully. "We did get here."

"Almost lost you on that last circuit, though," Huang Gai added from his lord's elbow. "You went around the curve in the garden, and we had to guess which path to take." He tipped his head to Sun Ce and Zhou Yu respectfully, and they echoed the action back. The formidable general sighed and glanced around him at the windswept hill. "Interesting place for a secret meeting, though."

Zhou Yu shot Sun Quan another look, and the boy stared down at his feet. Thankfully, Sun Jian was in a hurry and cut through the idle conversation. "I have important news," he told the company without further chatter. "We've been attacked from the northwest, and are heading to battle within the hour."

Zhou Yu's eyes widened. There wasn't much in the northwest – just a few rural provinces and a mountain range or two. Well, except… "Northwest? It's not—"

Sun Jian nodded solemnly. "Yes. The attack is coming from Zhenhai." Zhou Yu glowered. Jia.

Sun Ce sighed unhappily and brushed the wind-whipped ponytail out of his face. "So it's babysitting as usual, huh?" His brooding expression passed from Sun Quan to his father, and Sun Jian laughed.

"Nope – not this time." Zhou Yu and Sun Ce exchanged looks. "No more whining for you, Ce. You two are coming with us to battle."

Everyone fell silent for a moment. Zhou Yu stared at the renowned general and his loyal retainer. He and Sun Ce had participated in many minor border skirmishes in the last year, but never a real battle. Surely Jia would not attack without sufficient force – which meant… did Sun Jian mean he'd cleared them for true battle?

"All… right!" Sun Ce shouted, punching the air excitedly. "Finally! No more babysitting!" He elbowed Zhou Yu jubilantly. "You hear that? We get to go to battle this time! For real!"

Zhou Yu nodded vaguely, but his expression was much more serious than his companion's. Sun Ce might be overjoyed with the prospect of fighting in more than a flippant brawl, but hesitation was slipping into Zhou Yu's thoughts. It wasn't that he mistrusted their abilities, or that he thought Sun Jian was making a mistake – Huang Gai would surely recommend them to Sun Jian only if he felt they were more than ready – but Zhou Yu was a realist. Battle – real battle – was dangerous; one of them needed to keep a level head. Zhou Yu nodded once to Sun Jian in understanding, and the general nodded back gravely. People died in battles – they were both going to need to be very careful.

"I want you two to flank Huang Gai's unit on the south," Sun Jian continued. "You'll be taking the left-most front line. Don't get in too deep, you understand? And make sure to support each other." Sun Jian's eyes said the general was decided but worried; Sun Ce's behavior probably wasn't helping. Sun Ce couldn't seem to help it, though – Zhou Yu knew the boy had been waiting for this moment ever since his father first left to battle the Yellow Turban leader almost eight years earlier.

Sun Ce threw his arm around Zhou Yu's shoulders, surprising the young strategist and two generals. "Don't worry, Father," he declared. "We'll stick together." That, at least, Zhou Yu could promise – like hell he was abandoning Sun Ce in the middle of a battlefield. Who knew what kind of trouble the temperamental youth could get into?

"See that you do," Sun Jian reiterated. Then he turned back toward the palace. "I have some things to do, but Huang Gai will take you to the armory and outfit you. I'll meet you at the front gate as soon as possible – mounted and armed," he added. Sun Ce grinned brightly and squeezed Zhou Yu tighter.

"We're really going into battle!" he hollered again. Zhou Yu frowned, but his mind was caught up in thoughts of war and he made no attempt to dislodge the excited arms.

Jia… the name seared through his brain and drew the contained anger up from his chest. It had been a good fourteen months since he'd last seen the man, but the memories of the banquet and incidents therein were still infuriating. He felt the old displeasure returning as the insidious man's words coursed and flickered through his mind, and he ground his teeth together. This time… this time he really would kill him.

A weak voice interrupted Zhou Yu's enraged thoughts and stopped Sun Jian halfway up the hill. "I'm… I'm going, too!" Everyone turned to look at Sun Quan, who was posed boldly despite the creamy silk robes that fluttered around him in the furious wind. He glanced between each of them in turn, looking up at Sun Jian the longest. "If brother and Master Zhou Yu are going, then I get to go, too!"

Sun Jian laughed harshly as he gazed at his youngest child. "You most certainly do not," he told the boy forcefully. Tears welled up in Sun Quan's eyes at the rejection, but he held them back and fisted his hands tightly into his sleeves.

"I can fight, too!" he cried as Sun Jian turned and continued walking toward the house.

"You cannot." The general's voice was firm and cold. "You are ten years old, and far from ready for battle. Now go play with Shang Xiang – you may as well inform her that she's not coming, either."

Sun Quan's bottom lip quivered violently before he rushed for the palace, passing his father in a flurry of tears. "You're so mean!" he wailed, tripping over the long robes as he crested the hill and disappeared. Sun Jian just sighed and laughed again, more quietly this time.

"You know… he reminds me of you, Ce." Sun Ce's jaw dropped.

"Me?!" He scowled at his father's back. "I don't act like that."

"Not anymore," Sun Jian agreed. "But you used to. You always wanted to come along." Sun Ce had nothing to say to this, and silence settled over them for a moment before Sun Jian shook his head. "Someday you'll understand," he told them, voice gentle but heavy, "that the hardest part of fatherhood is having to tell your children they can't have what they want."

Zhou Yu sincerely hoped he would never know a thing about fatherhood – he hated children. Fortunately, being with Sun Ce significantly lessened his chances of having to suffer any children of his own. No doubt Shang Xiang and Sun Quan's offspring would be bad enough when they came along. The look on Sun Ce's face told Zhou Yu he was having similar thoughts concerning the prospects of being a parent, but the boy just shook his head and watched his father's retreating back as Sun Jian set off for the palace, helmet tassel dancing in the violent wind.

Huang Gai let another moment go by quietly before nodding smartly and turning for the armory. "Well then, young masters," he began, booming voice skirting across the flattened grass. "Shall we get out of this wind?"

"Please," Zhou Yu bit out, and Sun Ce laughed, catching his companion's elbow and drawing it through his own.

"You just don't like it because your pretty hair gets ruffled," he teased, yanking on a stray piece of the dark, untidy locks. Zhou Yu growled at him, and Huang Gai laughed heartily.

"I've no doubt of your skills, young masters," he assured them jovially as the trio set off across the garden. "But I'm pleased to find that, if nothing else, you will at least make our caravan livelier."

Sun Ce's laughter wove and ducked beneath the arms of the wind, and Zhou Yu tried to cement the sound into his memory – just in case. Then he shook his head and didn't think about it anymore.

.x.

The armory door swung open heavily and clattered back against the wall, but Huang Gai gave it no notice, proceeding into the dim room and stepping carefully over a few fallen pikes. Zhou Yu wrinkled his nose. The room smelled dank and shadowy, and slats of light filtering through the covered windows did little to illuminate the dark interior. He wasn't fond of the armory. Beyond the mildly repulsive scent, it was always cluttered – soldiers in a hurry to prepare left weapons, armor, and clothing everywhere. Zhou Yu sighed a little and prodded a sloppily discarded helmet with his boot. If Sun Ce ever did manage to establish a decent empire – and that was a big 'if' in the strategist's reckoning – Zhou Yu would make sure the armory was handled better than Sun Jian's.

Huang Gai and Sun Ce trod mindlessly through the mess, and the dark-haired young man followed them past the rows of halberds hanging on the walls. Sun Ce paused before a line of shelved armguards and picked one up to study it more closely. "We each need two of these, right?" The excitement in his voice was clear even through the guise of the simple question. With his free hand, he gestured to a pile of bamboo chest guards. "And one of those?"

Zhou Yu eyed the crude and much-used armor with distaste, but Huang Gai laughed and patted Sun Ce's shoulder almost condescendingly. "Don't be foolish, young master Sun," he chided. "You think your father would send you to battle in those wrecks?"

Sun Ce's mouth hung open for a moment before he brightened and bounced on the balls of his feet. "You mean we have special armor?" Huang Gai chuckled and nodded toward a door behind him.

"I think that's a fair way of putting it." He turned and continued walking toward the back room. Sun Ce grabbed Zhou Yu's arm and pulled him along gleefully, feet hurrying after Huang Gai in a near-jog. Zhou Yu followed more slowly, eyes passing critically over each of the armor components. Their faded material melted into the murky walls and seemed to sink backward out of sight, and each nondescript piece held more than a few scars. Still, they were of good make, and strength lined the battle-weary bamboo seams. Sun Jian's army might not have been flashy, like the soldiers of Grand Duke Cao in the north, but their armor was not of inferior quality. The soldiers were well-protected beneath the layers of wood and coarse thread.

"Wow! So cool!" Sun Ce's shout distracted Zhou Yu from his perusal of the armory, and he caught up with his companions quickly. Two complete sets of armor were laid out on the coarse bench in the center of the small room. Sun Ce had leapt forward joyfully to inspect his armor – which was certainly impressive, and glittered in the weak light of the back store room. Zhou Yu surveyed his armor more calmly.

It was a unique piece, unlike the rows of generic armor to his back, and consisted mainly of a tight, shouldered tunic that flowed into a long waist protector, split in the back to make movement easier. The red lacquered leather, embroidered with fine linen thread in obscure patters, was belted tightly by a sash and hip guard, and beneath the shoulder lines Zhou Yu could see tough leather plates. A pair of knee and forearm guards also rested on the bench, along with a pile of heavy fabric.

Zhou Yu lifted the thick cloth and examined it. A shirt and pants, both of thick silk, tumbled obligingly between his fingers, and he studied the garment with approval. It was too expensive – and too heavy – to make full-body armor, and he knew that fabric such as this made a stalwart addition to a suit of armor. It was costly, though – Sun Jian must have been expecting the two youths to use their armor for a long time. That, or he was just being generous.

"I've never seen cooler armor in my life!" Sun Ce exclaimed as he shirked off his shirt and began pulling on his new clothing. Zhou Yu gave Sun Ce's armor a quick study. It was similar to his own, but with fewer flowing lines and a more basic structure – the hard leather plates were visible and painted rather than being hidden by a tunic, as Zhou Yu's were, and the chest guard stopped at the waist instead of flowing down. Sun Ce had a larger pile of additional guards, including armor for his upper arms and shins, and one long strip of tiger fur intended as decoration along the hip. Zhou Yu wondered privately at the differences, but said nothing, instead unbuttoning his shirt to change and drawing on the heavy silk.

Huang Gai laughed and folded his arms over his chest. "Your father will be glad to hear that. He tried to please you. You've both stopped growing now, so he figured it was time for you to have a worthy suit of armor… although he may have overdone the decorations," the general added, shooting the elaborately embroidered suits a ponderous glance. Zhou Yu had to concur as he looked between the striking swirls of his own armor and the golden accents on Sun Ce's. Could all of that extraneous thread really be necessary?

The silk and leather slid and trembled over his skin, and he pulled the tunic on carefully, examining the purple sash for a moment before tying it across his waist. Sun Ce had finished struggling the armor on, and was gazing at it in adoration. He watched Zhou Yu buckling the leg and armguards with a brilliant smile on his face, and the strategist studied the cheerful expression as best he could out of the corner of his eye. Sun Ce looked like all of his wildest dreams were coming true – it was hard not to smile back, but Zhou Yu held onto his impassive expression and knotted the last buckles with finality.

"I almost forgot!" Sun Ce cried, digging suddenly into the folds of his discarded clothes and holding aloft a thin strip of red cotton. He tied it snugly around his forehead, and Zhou Yu studied the makeshift headband critically. Sun Ce grinned at him and stuck out his tongue teasingly. "And after all the time I spent making it, too."

"What is it?" Zhou Yu asked, tone unimpressed. Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"It's the mark of my empire," he explained, and Zhou Yu frowned at the inked character that spread across the red fabric.

"It doesn't mean anything," he protested. The character wasn't one he'd ever seen before, and he knew far more characters than Sun Ce ever would. The Sun heir just smiled.

"Not yet it doesn't. But someday, it'll be on my banners, and the enemy soldiers can all see it as I crush them flat. It's going to be my official symbol."

The symbol, a square with cutting lines and curves beneath it, wasn't particularly striking. Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest. "And what is your empire going to be called?" Sun Ce blinked.

"Sun Ce's empire, obviously." Zhou Yu scoffed.

"What kind of a name is that?" he challenged. The youth scowled back at him.

"A very self-explanatory one!"

Huang Gai's laughter cut in before the two could get in an argument. Sun Jian's veteran rubbed his chin, considering the symbol on his young charge's forehead with an amused glance. "And though that is a fine name… why not call it 'Wu' instead? After your mother's clan, and the lands where her family comes from." Sun Ce considered the suggestion carefully, his fingers fiddling with the line of his belt.

"I don't know," he answered at last. "Doesn't it sound kind of… weak?"

Huang Gai shook his head solemnly, though laughter twinkled in his raven eyes. "Not at all, young master. Emperor Wu of the Spring and Autumn period was one of the greatest kings in the history of the southland." Sun Ce nodded vaguely.

"Yeah… I guess that might do." Then he shook his head, as though reminding himself what he was doing. "But that doesn't matter right now. We have a battle to get to!"

Before Zhou Yu could blink, Sun Ce had launched himself forward and tied a similar band over Zhou Yu's forehead. He grinned as he pulled back and studied the effect. "I made one for you, too," he explained. Zhou Yu glowered.

"I don't want one," he muttered. He raised one hand to remove the offending band, but Sun Ce caught his hand and held it back.

"No! You have to wear one!" His bright and insistent tone made Zhou Yu pause, but the scowl didn't leave his face. "Because you're the first officer in my army – and everybody has to know that."

Before Zhou Yu could answer this, Huang Gai distracted Sun Ce by dropping a bamboo helmet unceremoniously over his head. Sun Ce squawked and tried to push the helmet off, but Huang Gai held it down firmly as he handed Zhou Yu a similar helmet. "And you have to wear one of these," Huang Gai told the squirming boy. Sun Ce pouted and glared up at the renowned general from under the lip of the offending headpiece.

"I hate helmets!" he shouted emphatically. Huang Gai shrugged.

"Too bad. Army policy." Zhou Yu slipped the bamboo contraption over his head and winced. He didn't like helmets either – they pulled at his hair and knocked uncomfortably against his skull. Still, there was nothing to be done – helmets did serve an important purpose, even if Sun Ce denied it.

"Bah!" Sun Ce yelled, throwing his arms up in frustration. "When I have an army, I'm never going to wear a helmet!" Huang Gai ignored him and nodded to Zhou Yu.

"You two had better equip your horses," he suggested. "I will retrieve your weapons and meet you by the front gate." Zhou Yu bowed a little and took Sun Ce's displeased arm, dragging the still squalling boy toward the stable.

"Man… a helmet. How ridiculous is that?" Sun Ce complained vigorously. "Now it's going to be banging and clanking against my head the whole way there, and it'll probably get in my eyes when I'm fighting, and this string's going to strangle me." He fidgeted aimlessly with the clasp, and Zhou Yu scowled.

"Stop being childish," he snapped over his shoulder, taking the steps toward the stable two at a time. Sun Ce paused in his grumbling.

"Geez, what's got you in such a bad mood?" he huffed. Zhou Yu glared at the pebbles beneath his feet and quickened his pace.

"You." He could feel Sun Ce's surprise without even turning around. "Battle's not a game, Ce. Stop treating it like one."

Sun Ce sighed in annoyance and stepped forward to precede Zhou Yu into the stable, turning to face him as soon as the door had closed. "I know it's not," he told Zhou Yu earnestly, and his eyes reflected his honesty up at the shadowed face of his companion. "I know it's serious. And I'll wear the stupid helmet – I will." He reached out a soft hand and settled it against Zhou Yu's armor-clad chest in question. "But aren't you even a little excited?" His smile was shining as bright as ever beneath the foolish headband. "This is it – this is the first step into our future!"

Zhou Yu frowned. "What do you mean?" The first battle was certainly significant, but probably not life-changing. Sun Ce flopped his head to the side and the helmet clacked energetically.

"I'm serious when I say that I'm going to conquer China – I really mean it. Until now, I haven't been ready. But… we're going into battle, which means we're real soldiers now. It's time to start acting toward my goals. I don't have the resources myself yet, but Father has an army, and I know I could convince him to lend it to me. It's time to start recruiting officers and conquering territories. Right after this battle – we'll finally be ready to start!" Zhou Yu looked down at him coolly.

"And if your father refuses to lend you the troops?" Sun Ce shook his head.

"He won't." A slight pause caught his words, and he looked back up with decision on his face. "But if he did… then I'd go somewhere else. I'd go borrow soldiers from somebody. I am going to conquer China. Nothing is going to stop me." His cheeky grin flashed up at Zhou Yu's stony expression. "Nobody's going to stop us."

Zhou Yu sighed. "Ce…" Sun Ce's face captured the words and silenced them in lines of honesty, and the young strategist felt his voice break off halfway through the reprimand. Then he closed his eyes and a slight smirk fell across his lips, more fleeting for the shadows of the stable across his face. "You little idiot."

Sun Ce smiled even brighter. "You're the only one who calls me that, you know? It's kind of like a nickname." He dropped his hand to Zhou Yu's and pulled the strategist behind him toward their horses. "Let's go battle, Yu!" he encouraged over his shoulder. "I'm tired of waiting around. Time to show the world who I am!"

Zhou Yu felt the loose grip around his fingers and stared at the back of the clumsy helmet silently. He wasn't sure the world was quite ready for the determined boy in front of him – but when had that ever stopped Sun Ce before? With another tiny smile, he brushed his hair out of his eyes and across the ink symbol of the empire of Wu. To battle it was.

End Chapter 15

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Hm… now this chapter… the memory that was intended to be this chapter has gotten so long that it had to be split in half. Oh well. The bulk of their first battle will be in the next one. In case anyone cares, the theme song for this story is "Forever" by Vertical Horizon. It's a good song. Well, let me know how this was.

A note for Crazy Insanity: Well… glad you liked it.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Yu doesn't understand human nature, huh? What do you mean by that? Glad you liked it anyway.

A note for Jen: I'm pleased you enjoyed this chapter. It wasn't my intention to scar you with the image of a drunken Huang Gai, but I guess that's life. And Sun Quan is a pansy.

A note for Sage Serenity: Lack of self-confidence… hm. Well, I certainly understand what you're saying about being shy. But with Zhou Yu, I fell like he's not the shy type – more like really truly antisocial and doesn't particularly like people. And yes… I suppose we can assume he did like his birthday present. Anyway, thanks for the review.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

**Warning: This chapter contains mildly graphic violence. If this bothers you, please skip this chapter.**

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Secession – Part 15 

It was a graceless place for a pause, but Zhou Yu's voice splintered unexpectedly and the words skittered to a halt. Chen Hao watched the tension-creased face intently as the general struggled and swallowed hard. His eyes cracked open and he gave Chen Hao a calmly desolate look.

"Water…" he croaked. Chen Hao held up the canteen obligingly and tipped it into Zhou Yu's mouth, frowning as the last drops slid out of the bottle and onto the parched tongue. Zhou Yu looked between the soldier and the bottle expectantly. Chen Hao shook his head sorrowfully.

"There isn't anymore…" His words trailed off desperately as Zhou Yu winced.

"That's…" Speaking was taking more effort now – Chen Hao could tell by the deep breaths Zhou Yu forced in and out of his lungs. "… unfortunate."

Chen Hao bit his lip. "I'm sorry, my lord – I don't know what to do." He glanced around him as though the dark corners of the wagon might hold pitchers of crystal water just waiting for a situation like this, but the wooden walls revealed no such miracle. He shook his head again. "I don't know what to do." The words were barely a whisper, and to his own ears they sounded pathetic, but he'd never felt so helpless.

"Ask the drivers." Zhou Yu's unstable voice startled Chen Hao, and he looked up into the dark eyes hopefully. Why hadn't he thought of that? Without another word, he crawled away over the rocking floor and up to the front of the wagon, gripping the sides for balance as he pulled himself up into a crouch. The two men driving didn't notice their comrade until he cleared his throat loudly, and then they gave him the barest of glances.

"And you want what, Chen?" the first asked snidely. Chen Hao gritted his teeth. That was chance for you – these two just had to be members of the squad he'd trained with; men who'd teased him every day about his clumsiness with a weapon and slow reflexes. He'd made a pact with himself, once the training was over, to never speak to them again – but that wasn't an option now.

"Water." His voice was steady and demanding in the darkness. "Give me your canteens."

The second soldier laughed. "Thirsty, huh? Should have brought some for yourself." He fiddled mockingly with the canteen at his waist and decorated his words with a superior smirk, but it vanished when Chen Hao slammed his hands against the wooden seat. Both men jumped at the echoing noise.

"It's not for me," he spat, very much surprising the men before him. "It's for Lord Zhou Yu – give it to me now." The two soldiers exchanged shocked looks. Chen Hao knew he'd startled them – during training, he'd kept to himself and been quiet and accommodating above all else. Chen Hao had never really cared what people called him or thought of him, and wasn't antagonistic by nature. He preferred to be gentle, even if it meant getting picked on.

But this was different. This wasn't about him – this was about Zhou Yu's rasping voice and desperate eyes, and he was going to have the water whether he had to fight for it or not. His determination must have shown in his deep eyes, because the soldiers blinked a little and handed their canteens over willingly.

"How's he doing?" one of them asked, dropping his voice to a whisper. Chen Hao ground his teeth together to keep from shouting.

"Badly," he hissed, vanishing back into the depths of the wagon without waiting for a reply. He could feel the eyes of the two men on his back as he knelt beside Zhou Yu and tipped some of the cold water into his mouth. Zhou Yu coughed and spluttered mildly, but eventually he swallowed and the liquid soothed his throat. Another line of blood dripped across his lips, and Chen Hao clasped his hands pleadingly before him.

"My lord, please." It felt like that was all he said these days. "Please… just rest for a short while." At Zhou Yu's sarcastic chuckle, Chen Hao shook his head and pressed on hurriedly. "You're bleeding from the mouth, my lord. That's… very serious."

Chen Hao was not a doctor. He had no idea how serious it was. All he knew was that usually, when soldiers were bleeding from the mouth, they didn't come back to the battlefield. The red glistened in the faint starlight as Zhou Yu smirked a little and swallowed again.

"Don't panic, soldier," he breathed. "I've just bitten my tongue."

Chen Hao's shoulders relaxed slightly, but worry jabbed at his stomach nonetheless. "Still…" He didn't have a good end for the sentence, so he trailed off instead and obligingly lifted the canteen to Zhou Yu's stained lips once more. Zhou Yu nodded very slowly and then gave him a faltering smile.

"Thank you for your concern." The words were simple and haunting – the kind of thing someone always said when they were ignoring your request. "Now then… where was I? Ah… yes… the attack on Zhenhai. I won't bore you with the journey – it's nearly a day's ride, after all – but I suppose I ought to begin with our arrival…"

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Zhou Yu had never been to Zhenhai before, and he had to admit it was beautiful. The rugged hills twisted and slithered magnificently, almost as though trying to claw at Heaven itself. The thin canyon through which they rode washed the echoes of the horses' hooves over them like splashes of water; the soldiers streamed before and behind them as an endless river. The red rocks and thick grasses shuddered under the feet of the army as thousands of boots pounded across the narrow path between the feet of the ridges.

And there, opening out before them, was the lush prairie so rare in China – dips and lolls carpeted in waving greenery, the yellow-gold of dead winter nearly all faded beneath the vanishing spring, a cloudless sky above them and a shining, fertile valley below. Zhou Yu spotted a small river running across the fields and dashing between the gentle hills, and noted the far-off trees dotting the landscape and swaying in the gentle wind. It truly was beautiful.

Well, except for the lines of armor and soldiers that marred its surface. Sun Jian's army had begun to assemble at the eastern edge of the expansive grassland, and the dark lines and clumps holding position a fair distance away could only be Jia's forces. Calvary spilled out before him and took its place behind the soldiers as Sun Jian led them out of the canyon and south along the ridge. Zhou Yu could see a few tents ahead, and supposed that whoever had arrived first constructed them as a center of operations. Soldiers bowed quickly and rushed past, pikes and halberds clutched firmly in their hands; a few paused to take their horses, and Zhou Yu dismounted with the other generals, brushing the hair back from his face and under the lip of the helmet before following Sun Ce and his father into the tent.

The dark, stuffy inside reminded Zhou Yu somewhat of the armory, and he frowned as he glanced around the interior. A table had been shoved together out of a few rude planks and logs, and on it perched a map and a precarious container of ink. Zhou Yu could see information hurriedly dashed across it – enemy numbers, positions and movements. Sun Jian bent to examine the map and nodded sagely. "About even numbers – as we supposed. That won't make it easy." He turned back to survey his youngest officers and gave a slight smile. "You two make quite a pair," he joked. "Ce, wipe that grin off your face. And Zhou Yu… you don't have to look so glum. It's not a funeral yet."

Yet? If that was supposed to make him smile, Sun Jian was obviously very confused. The conversation was interrupted, though, by Xing Dao barreling into the tent, breath fast and heavy. He dropped to one knee before Sun Jian, and at the general's gesture he rose again. "My lord," he rasped. "We have trouble."

Sun Jian squared his shoulders, and Zhou Yu braced himself for bad news. The breathless man paused as he spotted the two young officers, and his face went almost gray in pallor. "Zhou Yu… Sun Ce… what are you doing here?" Zhou Yu kept back the scowl only with extreme effort. Xing Dao was probably the last person he wanted to see. The man was a worrywart where Zhou Yu was concerned, and his endless flitting got on the strategist's nerves.

Thankfully, Sun Ce stepped forward and moved the conversation along. "We're here to fight. Now what's wrong?" Sun Jian shot his son an appreciative look at the forthright tone, and Xing Dao shook himself a little before grabbing a brush and scrawling away at the map.

"The enemy's much stronger than we thought. It's hard to see because of the way they've structured their forces, but…" Zhou Yu watched as the battlefield began to form on the map. "The main camp isn't too far from here – a mile or so, maybe – but in front of it, there are four armies stationed, three in a line and one in front. I can only assume Jia's army is stationed within the camp, which is just a barricade of timber and some flags, but the other four are very formidable in number – about two thousand troops all told. To the north side of the camp are two more armies, of perhaps five hundred soldiers apiece. One more army lingers to the south, beside the small stream. There are perhaps six hundred men in that."

Zhou Yu watched the darting lines and boxes with a frown on his face as Xing Dao took a deep breath and then continued. "Other than that, Jia's forces have set a line of crossbowmen behind the four front most armies. There may be as many as two hundred of them." Sun Jian's mouth was pressed into a thin line, and even Sun Ce, who understood little of strategy, looked somewhat grave. Sun Jian's words seemed to dart hauntingly over the small company. It's not a funeral yet.

Xing Dao watched their faces before continuing with a sigh. "Including Jia's own army, that brings their total forces to about five thousand men… my lord, all units of our army constitute barely three thousand." He glanced at Sun Ce and Zhou Yu and shook his head a little. "Well… three thousand and two."

Zhou Yu stared hard at the map and let the figures swirl through his head. Two thousand troops was no little difference. And beyond that, the number of armies under Jia's control was equal to their own – something no one had expected. But Jia certainly didn't have five thousand soldiers at his disposal – where were these people coming from?

It took a moment of silence for him to realize every eye in the room had turned to him. He looked up from his musings to find Sun Jian's gaze regarding him expectantly. The gray eyes weren't smiling anymore, but hopelessness was not something Sun Jian was known for. "Well, Master Strategist?" Zhou Yu felt like the words might have been mocking coming from anyone else, but Sun Jian's voice held nothing but honesty. "What are we going to do?"

Zhou Yu closed his eyes against the piercing look and forced his mind to work. "Let me think…" The words were barely a whisper. He hadn't expected this… he hadn't planned for being outnumbered. Informed sources told him Jia couldn't have more troops at his disposal than did Sun Jian. Where were the extra two thousand coming from? Jia had no allies in this region, and he wasn't foolish enough to-

Zhou Yu's eyes shot open. That was it. That had to be it. Jia really was that foolish. He snatched the map and studied it carefully before nodding vigorously to himself. Peasant recruits – had to be. Jia had a fair number of populous cities under his control – he had probably drafted the citizens into military service. But according to reports, Jia hadn't been showing any large-scale military activity for more than three weeks. That meant that the peasants would barely know how to hold their weapons. And that meant they'd be stationed at the least important spot strategically. And that was…

He stared hard at the map for another moment before raising his chin to meet Sun Jian's waiting eyes. "How many men in your cavalry?" Sun Jian didn't even blink at the unexpected question.

"About two hundred." Xing Dao seemed to flinch at the small number, but Zhou Yu pressed on.

"And how many crossbowmen at your disposal?" Sun Jian's lips twitched and threatened to curve into an ironic smile.

"Just over one hundred of those. And another fifty with standard bows." Zhou Yu frowned. One hundred archers short… but there was no sense in focusing on it. They would have to do.

"And your supplies will feed the army for how many days?" Sun Ce had a funny look on his face – a look announcing that he couldn't decide whether to ask what was going on or to keep his mouth shut.

Xing Dao fielded this question. "Three at best… our supply line is overextended." Zhou Yu nodded.

"As is his."

Surprise seemed to follow this statement, and Sun Jian blinked. "But Zhenhai's capital of Guizian is barely a day's ride from here, and fertile cities fill the road between. Jia ought to have plenty of stores." Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Not for a force of five thousand – particularly not when two thousand of those are common peasants." Sun Jian looked a little surprised, and Xing Dao opened his mouth to ask before Zhou Yu pressed on. "The two armies to the most north – the ones that flank the camp's right side – are peasant armies. They're guarding the least important angle. And as that only accounts for one thousand, the other peasants are going to be in the central army of these three in a row, as well as mixed through the other two." He pointed out the three armies stationed just in front of the main camp. "The front central army and the southernmost army – the single force of six hundred – will be his own soldiers. The crossbowmen will also be true soldiers, as will the remaining members of the edge armies in the back." He paused and considered the map a moment. "And with his own force, that accounts for five thousand, give or take a few archers."

No one had time to be amazed except Sun Ce, whose jaw dropped a little in surprise. "Wow," he exclaimed. "How do you do all that math in your head?"

That was not exactly what Zhou Yu had anticipated in the way of a compliment, but he let it go. Sun Jian nodded a little and then frowned. "Why do you say this lone army to the south is true soldiers? They seem most unimportant to me."

Zhou Yu shook his head. "They're guarding the supply depot." One elegant finger touched the map to indicate the location. "It must be here."

Xing Dao shook his head and began to protest. "Come now, Zhou Yu – that's ridiculous. Why station only one army in front of such an important location – surely it must be behind the two armies to the north." Zhou Yu didn't bother to hide the scowl this time.

"Jia is a fool," he answered harshly. "And he's foolish enough to think it clever to disguise a supply depot behind a lone army. It's a common strategy," he added, turning to Sun Jian as he said it. "Generals try to fool their opponent into thinking the depot is elsewhere, and in this way avoid having it destroyed. But it's a brainless tactic, really – because in the end, it's better to simply guard an important spot with force." He shook his head once. "However, Jia is not quite thick enough to leave the depot under the protection of peasants. He will be sure to concentrate his best forces there."

Sun Jian cleared his throat before Xing Dao could argue back. "Then what are you proposing?" His eyes were dark and serious, but encouraging nonetheless. Zhou Yu took a deep breath and snatched Xing Dao's brush before beginning.

"Send Cheng Pu and Cai Rui, with forces of six hundred and five hundred respectively, to engage the front army, as well as the one behind it and the force just north. That will be eleven hundred men against fifteen hundred, but as many of those are peasants they should prevail. Xing Dao is to engage the two enemy peasant forces on the north with a force of four hundred – again, the difference in numbers shouldn't matter as the common citizens have little training. You will sustain a force of three hundred men – your best guard, if you like – and remain here beside the ridges. Make sure to stay mounted – you may need to make a quick retreat if something goes wrong."

"That won't happen," Sun Jian assured him. Zhou Yu wasn't sure if that was an unfailing vote of confidence or simply a refusal to retreat, but he let it go.

"Ling Cao is to remain back with you for the first rush – he will have three hundred and fifty troops beneath him, composed of the cavalry and archery units. Now – when the battle begins, Jia's crossbows will no doubt send out a first volley. When they do, your archers must mimic them – aim for the same place in the sky. This may not help much, but if they can knock some of the arrows away, so much the better. Worst case, they'll hit a few soldiers right from the start. They are to remain back near your forces and send a series of high spreads toward the main camp, straight over the soldiers." He paused for breath, and Xing Dao cut in.

"Are you sure my force ought to—"

"And the cavalry is to follow along behind Xing Dao's unit," Zhou Yu continued, interrupting the annoying officer. "They will fight with the soldiers until they come even of the crossbow unit. Then they will cut sharply south and take out the crossbowmen. As Jia's archers are likely to be in three rows stretching north to south, they will be nearly powerless to stop a cavalry charge from the north. They must take out those crossbowmen, or the battle will not go in our favor." Perhaps it was a bit of an exaggeration – the archers weren't likely to stop Sun Jian's force by themselves. Still, it was important to stress that part of the plan.

Sun Jian nodded slowly. "And the rest of you?" He gestured to the strategist and his ponytailed companion. "You've left eight hundred men and four of my most promising generals out. What are they to do?"

Zhou Yu tipped his head in acknowledgement. "We are to take the supply depot, and continue on from there to enter the main camp from the south." He drew his finger west across the map beside the line indicating a shallow stream. "Lu Guo is to have a force of three hundred and fifty soldiers. He will engage the third rear army and cover our flank. Sun Ce and I will take four hundred soldiers and draw out the army guarding the supply depot. I know," he interjected, holding up a hand to stop Xing Dao's words. "It's not enough to take out that force. But it doesn't have to be. Huang Gai will take the remaining one hundred men and march up along this ridge."

The young strategist pointed to the line of tall hills just a few hundred feet south of the stream. "He will march beyond us and take out the depot, and then assist Sun Ce and I from behind this army. Han Dang will accompany him, and they ought to be on the lookout for archers – Jia will no doubt have them stationed there." He nodded forcefully. "That will be enough. We can defeat them."

Xing Dao was quick to protest. "Zhou Yu, really – you ought not take on that army yourself. Let me switch roles with you two – I'll attack the supply base and you can—"

"That wouldn't work," Zhou Yu spat, and Xing Dao's mouth snapped shut in shock. "We need to distract the enemy from Huang Gai's approach – no one's as distracting as Sun Ce." Sun Ce smiled at this, and Sun Jian's laughter cut off any further argument.

"I'm afraid you and I are both going to have to simply put our worries away for this battle, Xing Dao," Sun Jian announced, and Zhou Yu felt himself almost smiling. His policies had been accepted. Sun Jian stepped forward to clap Zhou Yu on the shoulder. "We'll do as you say – but do promise me, both of you, that you'll be careful."

Zhou Yu bowed, and Sun Ce nodded vigorously beneath his helmet. Unable to hold his tongue any longer, he let out a whoop and punched the air. "Enough talking. Let's go get 'em!"

Sun Jian laughed again, and Zhou Yu smiled. It was finally time.

.x.

The first rush of battle was not what Zhou Yu had expected. He'd always imagined a kind of crystallizing – everything going thin and wispy for a moment before, with a tremendous shout, the two armies would run headlong toward each other. The wind would blow hard and fast between them, sweeping the grass aside in preparation for the rain of blood, and the world would watch with dignity as men clashed for dominance.

There was certainly a lot of yelling, but none of the drama he'd anticipated. Instead, everything was utter chaos. The two forces faced each other until, as though by some unseen signal, everyone began to bellow and holler. Both sets of archers let their arrows fly, and Zhou Yu watched as the shafts darkened the sky before darting down into the rows of soldiers. Somewhere there were screams, but Zhou Yu paid them no mind – it was time to run, before the enemy crossbowmen armed again.

And so they did. In the midst of four hundred soldiers, he and Sun Ce raced across the open grass and over the lenient, sloping hills, leather boots slapping against the soft ground and weapons drawn. He found himself wondering why everyone ran into battle – it seemed like a waste of energy. Could both armies not approach each other at a brisk walk? There was little time to ponder it, and the helmet flapping around his ears didn't help his thinking. Zhou Yu pushed all his energy into his feet and caught up to Sun Ce, who seemed to be doing his best to get right into the front line of soldiers. It was a foolish place to be, Zhou Yu reminded himself as he heard the snap of bowstrings again, but he didn't bother shouting – there was no way Sun Ce could hear his voice in this mess.

Streaking off to his right were Lu Guo's troops, and further along he could see Cai Rui and Cheng Pu. Somewhere behind him Huang Gai and Han Dang were heading for the ridge and the supply depot. But there was no time to think about it – Jia's army was drawing closer and closer. At least we managed to lure them out, Zhou Yu thought to himself – it was the last thought he had before the front lines smashed together in a great pounding of armor and screeching of weapons.

It wasn't long until he barely had time to breathe, let alone think. Consciousness disappeared from his mind as the sword flashed back and forth before him. He'd never felt anything like this before. He had practiced sparring ten thousand times, but never had his blade actually found and severed flesh, and the sound of the cracking bones made him sick to his stomach. He ignored the feeling and pressed on, dispatching the men before him with a quick twist and thrust. He tried to ignore the red on his blade and the spatters on his armor, but that was harder, and he found his eyes staring at the crimson stains as the man before him screamed and took the sword through the chest.

As the bodies began to form a disparate circle around him, he frowned and felt panic growing in his gut. This was too easy. They were going down too easily. He ought not be able to dispatch true soldiers like this. Perhaps he'd been wrong. What if this was the peasant army, and the real supply depot was where Xing Dao had suggested? What if he'd sent a force of a mere four hundred troops under that obnoxious man to take on one thousand trained soldiers? He'd structured his entire battle plan around taking the supply depot. Huang Gai and Han Dang on the ridge, Lu Guo to the north… what if he was wrong?

"Grrh!" The sound caught his attention, and he wheeled to find one of his soldiers locked in a weapons deadlock with an enemy. A quick slash to the back solved the man's problem, and the soldier shot Zhou Yu an appreciative look as he paused to wipe his brow.

"Thank you, my lord." The title seemed odd, and bothered Zhou Yu a little. The man nodded again and stabbed the moaning enemy through the heart for insurance. "They're putting up a good fight, aren't they?" His chuckle was dry and breathless. "Strong opponents."

Zhou Yu stared, and then turned to rush back into the battle, confidence and surprise boosting his step. These were trained soldiers – he hadn't been wrong. This wasn't a peasant army. It was only too easy because he was good. Very very good. He'd never imagined it would be like that. He and Sun Ce had both beaten each of their sparring partners – members of Huang Gai's personal guard – but it had never occurred to him that they were really that powerful. Now he knew. The wind soared and dipped and tossed a smirk onto his face, but he refused to be careless and watched his back carefully as he threw himself into the fight.

The first fleeting flash of battle forgotten, Zhou Yu slashed his way through the chaos calmly and coldly. The sword was simply drenched now – he found himself watching the blood drip off of the tip to disappear into the trampled grass even as he met the blades of his opponents. One after another collapsed onto the ground, moaning and helpless in their pain. Zhou Yu made sure to give each of them a sharp blow to the shoulder of their weapon arm – if enemies were left capable, they would stab you in the back. His soundless sword preceded him through the mayhem as shouts and screams surrounded him and stole his thoughts.

He had lost Sun Ce – he hardly realized this until the youth reappeared suddenly, yelping and shouting excitedly. Zhou Yu rushed to him and struck down a dishonorable soldier who had approached from behind, sword aiming for the haphazardly helmeted head. Sun Ce turned and grinned as Zhou Yu cut the man down and spun to cover his companion's back. "There you are," Sun Ce singsonged, pausing in his fighting for a moment. "I wondered where you'd gone."

"You're too far out," Zhou Yu spat, his voice harsh and rough with exertion. "I told you to stay near me. Will you never learn?" Sun Ce laughed.

"Aw, come on – this is too much fun to pass up!" So saying, he leapt forward into the circle that had begun to form around them. His tonfa knocked enemies to each side, and the cracking on impact told Zhou Yu that the wooden weapons were not to be underestimated. Sun Ce paused for a mere second to shoot a grin over his shoulder. "Besides – once we're done here, we get to build a new empire, Yu! Our empire! And that's worth fighting for, wouldn't you say?"

Zhou Yu didn't answer. He ducked and wove amongst the other side of the circle, and before he could decide one way or the other Sun Ce had vanished again. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and tore the men in front of him to pieces. Sun Ce would be fine. He was capable, even if he was foolhardy and stupidly brave. Everything would be all right, as long as they kept fighting.

It wasn't until the soldier behind him shrieked and collapsed that Zhou Yu noticed them – a handful of archers hidden behind the lines of the enemy soldiers and only a short distance from the mounted lieutenant in charge of this force. They were stationed at the top of a small hill, and their bows spanned back and forth above the crowded and confusing battle. Zhou Yu's stomach fluttered. That arrow had been meant for him.

He was shouting before he even realized it. "You men. With me." The fifteen or so soldiers closest heeded and circled him, swords and pikes ready to deflect oncoming arrows. Zhou Yu gestured to the hill and began to run, satisfied to hear the pounding of footsteps following him. "We'll take out those archers," he called back, somewhat unnecessarily. "Stay close and avoid enemy soldiers. And leave the lieutenant to me."

One thing Zhou Yu instantly learned to appreciate about soldiers under his command: they followed orders without the barest hint of protest. The company surrounded him on three sides and followed his lead straight through the fights around them. A few half-hearted swings came their way, but most of the enemy troops were too busy to care about sixteen men rushing up the incline.

The archers didn't even see them coming until Zhou Yu had shoved his blade through the first one's throat. There was a flurry of screams as his group crested the hill and began destroying the bowmen. Zhou Yu used the hilt of his sword to knock one of them down the other side of the hill, and watched as the still screeching man tumbled over the open expanse of grass and down into the shallow stream beneath. His corpse blotched the otherwise clear surface of the hill – little fighting had gone on there, apparently.

The lieutenant didn't notice them until it was far too late. The archers shrieked and fell beneath the quick weapons of Zhou Yu's small band of soldiers – the general wheeled his horse around and charged just in time to watch the last bowmen crumble under the strategist's sword. He yelled valiantly and rushed them, and Zhou Yu watched the oncoming hooves with consternation and anticipation. As the man raised his halberd high, Zhou Yu swung his own weapon and blocked the downward stroke. The clashing sound of metal on metal rang uncomfortably in Zhou Yu's ears as the general rode on a short way and turned about again.

His second charge was faster, and Zhou Yu's guard slipped as he dodged the trampling horse. The blunt end of the halberd smashed into his ribs, and Zhou Yu gasped as he fell to his knees, one arm clutching desperately at his stomach while the other gripped his sword hilt frantically. Nothing had ever burned so much – every muscle inside of him felt like it was snapping and crunching beneath the blow. He could hardly breathe, and thought deserted him until the pounding hooves shoved it back through his mind. With a hiss, he dragged himself to his feet and spun to face the charging horseman again, weapon raised defensively.

His soldiers were yelling – he could hear them vaguely somewhere in the back of his mind. He couldn't see them, though – all he could see was the rushing horse and the eyes of the man astride it, and the halberd in his hand. Zhou Yu grabbed his sword with both hands and swung harshly as the horse passed – and this time, he hit something. The lieutenant roared with pain as he slipped from the saddle and smashed against the grass, but he had no time for lamentation – Zhou Yu leapt at him and swept the blade back and forth.

The general was on his feet so fast Zhou Yu barely saw him move, and moments later their weapons crashed together in a power struggle. Zhou Yu braced his left hand against the blade of his sword for more strength, but the man before him was just as strong – if not stronger. Zhou Yu felt his face contorting in effort as he fought to push the lieutenant back away from him. The shaft of the halberd shone before him, and his own weapon caught the sun and danced it into his wincing eyes. He could feel his feet slipping – slipping from their precarious position at the crest of the hill.

The general shouted and pushed hard, and Zhou Yu lost his balance. His grip on the sword loosened and then vanished altogether as gravity propelled him backward and down the hill. Zhou Yu reached out and grabbed the general's shoulder, dragging the other man down with him, but he let go as they hit the ground for the first time. His back ached as it slid and crashed against the earth, and then he tumbled and rolled toward the stream, outstretched hands helpless to halt his progress. A sudden burning sensation in his leg made him yell, but he was falling too fast to see what had happened. Perhaps he'd cut it on a rock, or his sword, or a rogue arrow—

Thought stopped abruptly as he splashed into the river and his momentum ceased. Zhou Yu pulled himself up from the freezing water and gasped as he drew panicked air into his lungs. The six or so inches of water beneath him glittered and sparkled deceptively in the sunlight as he yanked himself to his feet and glanced around for his weapon. He couldn't see it anywhere – chances were it had fallen at the top of the hill and abandoned him at the bottom. He'd lost his helmet, too – the water dripped cold down his face and through his scattered hair.

Zhou Yu grabbed at his ribs and hissed in pain. The tumble had made things much worse – they throbbed and roiled within him, and Zhou Yu felt like he might simply fall apart from the striking, biting pain. He marveled that he could even stand against the pulsing fury of the pain in his gut. Then he shook himself and tried to dispel the haze around his mind. The general. Where had the general gone?

He spun just in time, and barely got his hands up to block before the punch smashed into him. He staggered backward under its force, but his hands survived the blow and came up to protect his face once again as he studied the sopping man before him. The lieutenant was bleeding heavily from the shoulder, and there was a cut on his jaw, too – but more than anything, he looked angry. Zhou Yu dodged shakily as another punch came his way.

"Come here, you little vermin!" The man spat teeth along with his words. "Come here and die!"

It wasn't exactly an enticing proposal, and Zhou Yu blocked again before returning the punches with one of his own. It crashed straight into the man's gut, and he lurched and coughed. Zhou Yu backed up a couple steps before losing his footing on the rough rocks and slipping – his hands flew to the side, and his opponent seized the opportunity by darting forward. Zhou Yu felt both of his wrists snatched in a rough grip and cried out as the general sank his teeth into the exposed neck.

Desperately, Zhou Yu drove his knee into the soft stomach, and the lieutenant let go with another yell. Zhou Yu reached up to feel the mark at his neck, which was actually bleeding – the slick skin distracted him, and he couldn't get his guard up in time for the next attack. The fist smashed into his chest and knocked him backward into the river. Zhou Yu yelled as the back of his head met the riverbed and the cold water splashed across his face and over his hands. He couldn't breathe – his lungs sputtered and choked as water got in his mouth and blocked any air.

The lieutenant dove to his knees and pinned Zhou Yu to the stream with his legs. Both hands rushed forward and seized Zhou Yu's neck – the thumbs dug into his windpipe as the long, severe fingers wrapped around the pale flesh and began to squeeze. The man laughed and snarled as his fingernails drove themselves through Zhou Yu's skin. Zhou Yu tried to shout as his breath failed and died under the pressure. He tried to move, or twist, or something – he clawed his fingers under the general's and yanked as hard as he could, but the hands did not let go. He threw his head from side to side as the terrible choking sensation built up in his throat. His body struggled and fought to swallow, but the grip was too strong, squeezing, tightening—

Zhou Yu's mouth gasped open and closed and wrestled to draw breath through the awful pressure, but no air entered his lungs and no sound left his throat. It felt like swallowing cloth, like breathing wood… the water of the stream slithered into his mouth and collected against his thrashing tongue. Now he was drowning, too.

Zhou Yu felt his mind beginning to slip as the general coughed and clenched his fingers tighter. A sheen of haze was falling over his eyes, and he could hardly think. All he could see were those burning eyes above him and that terrible smile. All he could hear was the water invading his ears and swallowing the sounds of battle. All he could feel were those ten fingers, stiffening and constricting around his neck. Choking him. Killing him. A strangulation hold.

Sun Ce had put him in a strangulation hold once. But that was different. Sun Ce didn't mean it. Sun Ce wasn't sixty pounds heavier than he was. Sun Ce wasn't so strong. Sun Ce's hands weren't like twisting vines and whirlpools. Sun Ce's hands were smooth, even when they were fighting.

His vision was starting to fade altogether. All he could see before him was Sun Ce's paper kite, soaring and dipping in the wind. Zhou Yu felt himself choke and frown. He didn't want to see the kite. He didn't want that to be the last thing he saw. He hated that damn kite. He'd hated it from the very moment Sun Ce made it. He was glad it was lodged in that tree, never to soar again.

Just let it go. That was what he'd said about the kite. That Sun Ce ought to just let it go. The troublesome thing… it wasn't worth the effort. It hurt so much to move – it wasn't worth flying a kite. His chest was heaving without the desperately needed air. What good was a kite at a time like this? Sun Ce ought to just let it go. Let it go. Let it go.

No way! I'm not losing to a kite! The memory of Sun Ce's words shattered his hazy vision like a thousand screams, and he found himself staring into the eyes of the general once more as his fingers bit and twisted against the strangling hands. Losing to a kite…

Sun Ce was right. Losing to a kite was downright pathetic. No way in hell was he losing to a kite. No way in hell was he losing.

Zhou Yu bit his tongue hard and forced himself to think despite the spasming of his windpipe and the deathly strong grip. There was a knife on the general's belt. He could get it. He could. But he'd have to let go of the hands around his throat. His muscles clenched and refused to do his bidding. There was water all over his face. He had to let go. Let go.

If he could have shouted, the sound would have shattered the ears of the man above him. Zhou Yu threw all his willpower and strength into his hands and ripped them away from the scarred skin. One moment had the knife in his hand, and with the second he had cleaved it through the general's flesh – the stomach, the chest, the shoulder. The general shrieked and released his hold, and Zhou Yu choked frantically as warm blood spilled across him and engulfed him in a sea of crimson. The lieutenant groaned and screeched as blood spattered out of his mouth, and Zhou Yu struggled for breath as the red enveloped him and splashed over his face.

The general collapsed across him, and Zhou Yu drove the knife into his flesh a few times for security, not bothering to place his blade to specific targets in the haze of his panic. When all the rasping moans had ceased, he shoved the guttering body off into the water and dragged himself painfully to the riverbank – his hands clutched at the grass and heaved his flailing form out of the stream with a burst of adrenaline. Then he collapsed back onto the ground and stared up at the sky, breath heavy and feverish.

It took several minutes before he could raise himself onto his elbows and look at the mess he'd become. He was covered in blood. It was all over his armor and his hands and his shirt, and he could feel it sticking in his hair and plastering the long locks against his head. Zhou Yu swallowed hard – but it didn't feel right. There was a bad taste in his mouth – dull and violent, almost like…

Zhou Yu raised a hand to his lips, and fire rose in his throat at the crimson stain darkening his pale skin. Blood. He had the general's blood in his mouth. He fought down the bile once more and hauled himself back to the river. Three handfuls from the stream banished the taste from his tongue, but he swirled more between his teeth and spit it violently onto the ground until he could hardly breathe. Zhou Yu dropped his head to rest against his cleaned hands and closed his eyes. The general's blood in his mouth.

His mind drifted and flittered vaguely as he listened to the stream and appreciated each breath entering his lungs. He tried to relax, and to think clearly. He tried to slow his beating heart. He tried not to think about the two corpses downstream from him – the general's, and that of the unfortunate archer – and how close he'd been to joining them. He tried not to remember the general's awful laughter as he'd squeezed the breath out of the young warrior's throat.

Everything seemed quiet – he wondered what had happened on the other side of the hill. And then, with a sudden rush of feeling and flickering of panic, he remembered Sun Ce. Sun Ce who was somewhere on the other side of that hill. Sun Ce who had been fighting just as hard as Zhou Yu. Sun Ce… what had happened to him?

Zhou Yu pushed himself to his elbows with a painful grunt. Walking was out of the question – he was going to have to crawl. His injured ribs protested loudly and harshly as he dragged himself across the thin stream and over the crushed grass at the bottom of the hill. Zhou Yu winced as a violent jolt from his midsection stopped him mid-crawl, but he pressed on up the hill, which had never looked higher. Pain was not going to stop him. A little pain wasn't worth quitting for.

It wasn't a little pain. This became clear when he collapsed halfway up the hill and his eyes closed to hold back the tears of agony. His ribs ached and heaved against the ground, and his left leg wasn't moving properly either. He glanced backward at the appendage and noticed a dark red stain on the silken fabric. So it was bleeding after all.

Zhou Yu put his head down again and breathed hard, lungs straining against his torturous stomach. The crest of the hill was so impossibly far away. The sky seemed closer. He couldn't possibly crawl that far. He'd never make it. Not like this. He was never going to get off of this hill. He was going to lie here and bleed for eternity, and stain the grass all around him the color of death.

No he wasn't. Because Sun Ce was up at the top of that hill somewhere, and that was where he was going. He had no idea what had happened up there. What if it were terrible? What if Sun Ce was lying mutilated somewhere, crying and thrashing in pain, just as bloody as Zhou Yu was? He tried not to picture it, but the effort was in vain, and the image skimmed across his eyes in vibrant detail. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and hissed again. He had to get up the hill.

Every inch was arduous, but he had to go as fast as he could. Sun Ce was bleeding to death – he had to find him. His leg twisted against a sharp rock, and he bit down on the yell as he dragged himself forward. Sun Ce was screaming. Sun Ce was lost somewhere in the corpses. He had to find him. His ribs bumped the ground with each movement, and he pulled grass out by its roots to propel himself upward.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Zhou Yu knew he was in too much pain to move. He shouldn't even be able to claw his hands across the windblown hill. He should have collapsed long ago – it was physically impossible for him to be moving against this kind of agony. He told himself this as he kept crawling toward Sun Ce's lost, shattered body. It's not a funeral yet.

Nothing had ever hurt so badly as the last heaving breath, but he pulled himself onto the crest of the hill finally and collapsed in a pile. He had actually made it. All the way up the hill. He wrinkled his nose at the arrows and archers scattered around him, but there was no time. Sun Ce. Where was Sun Ce—

"Yu?" The sharp baritone shot Zhou Yu's eyes open, and he stared down the hill in surprise. There he was – standing tall, walking back and forth through the bodies with his helmet gone and his red hair ribbon dancing in the breeze. Sun Ce was a good distance away – Zhou Yu could only barely make out the concerned fisting of his hands as his voice split the silent air again. "Where are you? Can anybody hear me?" The youth's face was dirty, but he looked all right, though staining at his shoulder made Zhou Yu wonder if he'd been injured after all.

"Ce…"

It was only a croak – the words hardly made it out of his mouth, let alone down the hill. Zhou Yu ground his teeth together and shoved himself up onto his hands and knees. He has to see me. The thought was desperate and jabbed at his mind in painful clarity as his leg pulsed angrily. I can't call to him. He has to see me. Get up. Get up.

Faith, friction, and the frantic beating of his heart lifted him until he was kneeling fully. His ribs burned at the new position, and his leg twitched unstably, but Zhou Yu raised one arm over his head and began to wave, trembling with adrenaline and pain. Sun Ce turned at the movement, and at the sight of his friend a brilliant smile lit his face.

"Yu, there you are! I was looking…" The shout died as his face darkened and then paled very rapidly. "Yu, what… what happened…?" Zhou Yu knew how he must look, drenched in blood from head to toe and swaying dangerously. He tried to respond, but his voice choked and died in his throat.

Then Sun Ce began to run, tearing across the distance between them with fright clear on his face. "Yu! Hey, Yu!"

Zhou Yu squeezed his eyes shut as his limbs began to shake, uncontrollable despite his unwavering will. He had to stand up. The order drifted through his mind like a falling star, like a powerless paper kite against the summer wind. He could do it. He was not weak. He refused to be broken and helpless before Sun Ce.

He tried. His foot slipped and drove the injured leg back against his other knee, and his ribs crumpled at the lurching motion of his body. Zhou Yu hissed in pain once more, and then blissfully lost consciousness.

.x.

"…Yu? Are you awake? Can you hear me?"

Zhou Yu felt strange. His eyelids were so heavy, and every part of him ached and throbbed, and he was oddly warm… it didn't make any sense. He must have collapsed back into the bodies of the archers, so why did it feel like something soft was under his head? He hoped it wasn't a corpse. And where was Sun Ce's voice coming from?

The key to solving the riddle was opening his eyes, and he forced them open against the weighty inclination to go back to sleep. As his eyelids flickered back, things became more confusing. There was Sun Ce's face above him – was this also his hand on Zhou Yu's cheek? And why did his shoulders feel so secure?

Zhou Yu's eyes widened as everything snapped into place. An arm around his shoulders. Something soft under his head. Sun Ce's face above him. The hand on his cheek. The strange warmth. Sun Ce was sitting on the grass, and Zhou Yu's head was in his lap. Zhou Yu squeezed his eyes shut at the indignity. He was being held. No, scratch that – he was being downright cuddled.

Zhou Yu hated being cuddled more than anything else in the world, with the possible exception of his brother. He yanked and tried to get away, but Sun Ce just held on tighter and shook his head. "You can't get up," he told Zhou Yu simply. "Father said you have to stay still."

Zhou Yu had never disliked Sun Jian so much, but the tumbling of his ribs told him he might not be able to stand anyway. He dropped his head back onto Sun Ce's knee heavily and sighed. He was going to have to sit here and be held until Sun Jian came back. That meant Sun Jian was going to see him lying in Sun Ce's lap. How embarrassing.

He was distracted from his annoyed thoughts by Sun Ce's hand brushing softly at his cheek. Zhou Yu looked up into the face of his captor, and was somewhat surprised to see tears in his eyes behind the encouraging smile. Sun Ce shook his head a little and squeezed Zhou Yu as hard as he could, which sent fire through the strategist's stomach. "It's okay," he whispered. "Everything's fine. You're going to be fine. I'm right here."

Zhou Yu wanted to gag. The last thing he wanted when he was weak with injury was for Sun Ce to be there cuddling him. He wanted to be left alone. He wanted to say as much, too, but the worry in Sun Ce's smile told Zhou Yu that the words were for the boy's own sake rather than his companion's. The Sun heir needed to hear that everything was going to be okay, from his own lips if from no one else's. Zhou Yu sighed.

"I'm fine, Ce." His voice wasn't as strong as he would have liked – it croaked and rasped over the words. Sun Ce nodded and kept the tears back with another smile. He ran his fingers through Zhou Yu's hair, and the young strategist winced as they caught on the bloody, tangled locks.

"I know." Sun Ce brushed his thumb over Zhou Yu's lips, and the young strategist barely swallowed a scowl as the words came again. "I'm right here." And I would sincerely rather you weren't, he thought at the boy in annoyance, but Sun Ce didn't seem to pick up on the mental communication.

A hurried tread somewhere behind him stopped the conversation, and Sun Jian appeared a few moments later. He knelt at Zhou Yu's side and put a hand on his shoulder, face worn and worried with a creased smile.

"Zhou Yu? Can you hear me?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. His ribs hurt – he wasn't deaf.

"Yes." His voice was still unsteady and bucking; he swallowed hard and willed it to behave. Sun Jian pressed his lips together tightly before his next question.

"Tell me what happened. Where did they…"

Zhou Yu blinked as the Tiger general trailed into senseless silence. That was supposed to mean…? "What are you talking about?"

Sun Ce and Sun Jian exchanged worried looks, and Zhou Yu did not appreciate the silent communication from which he was being excluded. Sun Jian squeezed his shoulder a little as he shook his head slowly. "Zhou Yu… you're covered in blood," he answered gently. "Tell me where you're hurt. Have you been stabbed?"

Zhou Yu sighed. Was that all? He supposed that probably seemed worrying. "It's not mine," he told them with a heavy sigh. "It's his."

Sun Jian's shoulders relaxed, and Sun Ce's smile turned far more genuine. "His?" Sun Jian repeated, a clear note of relief ringing through his tone. "That's very good to hear." Zhou Yu pushed against Sun Ce's hold again and frowned.

"I'm fine," he insisted. "Let me get up." Sun Jian chuckled a little and shook his head.

"Whether this blood is yours or not, you are most certainly not fine." Zhou Yu scowled, but Sun Jian ignored him. "Are you injured anywhere? Well, aside from your neck." His eyes were curious as he fingered the place where Zhou Yu had been bitten. "I want to take a look at your wounds."

That, at least, was an idea that had merit. "My ribs," Zhou Yu coughed. "And my leg." Sun Jian nodded and untied the sash, pushing the silken shirt back until he could examine the ribs in question. Zhou Yu almost gasped at the hands on his sensitive and aching skin, but he held it back with gritted teeth. Sun Jian and Sun Ce both studied his chest carefully, and Zhou Yu wished he could see it himself, but his crumpled shirt blocked the way. He closed his eyes in consternation and tried not to think about his disgraceful position.

"Zhou Yu, this is going to hurt." The words barely registered before Zhou Yu gasped and started upward – only Sun Ce's arms kept him in the youth's lap as pain shot up and down his entire form. He could feel Sun Jian's fingers pressing all over the damaged area, and he ground his teeth together to keep from biting his tongue. His dark eyes squeezed shut against the tidal waves of agony, and he almost forgot to breathe before his stalling lungs reminded him.

Sun Jian pulled away after a few moments, and a relieved smile lit his face. "Thank the gods," he breathed. "You've been very lucky. There's a lot of bruising here, but none of your ribs seem to be broken or cracked." Zhou Yu blinked. Only bruising? Then why the hell did it hurt so much? As though anticipating the question, Sun Jian shook his head. "It's not to be taken lightly, though. Bruising in this region can be dangerous if you don't let it heal properly. You'll have to take it easy for a few days."

A few days? A few days of bedrest and fussing? That sounded like hell, and Zhou Yu tried to protest, but Sun Jian had already moved down to his leg and was examining the cut carefully. "And this… well, you've got a very deep wound here. Almost in to the muscle. I'll bind it for you, and you'll have to stay off of it for… close to a week, I'd guess, but we'll get a doctor to look at it."

Now it was a week. This just kept getting better and better. Zhou Yu scowled at the unsympathetic sky and fought down a displeased growl. Did he really deserve coddling and cuddling for a whole week? It didn't seem fair at all.

A sound caught Zhou Yu's attention, and as he looked up into Sun Ce's face he had to sigh. Sun Ce wasn't crying – not quite – but he was sniffling loudly and rubbing one hand against his blurry eyes as though to prevent any tears from escaping. His bottom lip was trembling a little despite how tightly he had pressed his lips together, and every once in a while a soft hiccup made its way out of his mouth. Sun Jian and Zhou Yu shared a look as though debating who would have to deal with this, and then Sun Jian resumed bandaging the leg silently.

Zhou Yu sighed and reached up to give Sun Ce's shoulder a little shake. "Ce…" Sun Ce dropped his hand from his face and met the dark eyes blearily. Zhou Yu shook his head. "Just cry."

The words weren't gentle – they weren't meant to be. Sun Ce blinked and drew himself up angrily at the statement, dashing one hand furiously across his eyes again. "What are you talking about? I'm not going to cry!" he yelled, fisting his loose hand into Zhou Yu's sleeve. "You're fine! Everything's fine! There's nothing to cry about!"

The words died as he glanced over Zhou Yu's blood-streaked form once more. Then he put his head down against the bare skin of the young strategist's chest – he didn't make any sound, but Zhou Yu could feel the tears coursing over his bruised flesh.

Sun Jian had a funny little smile on his face, but Zhou Yu ignored it as he put one hand steadily against Sun Ce's neck. "Ce…" He wasn't sure what to say, but he felt a thousand times better now that his companion was holding onto him and crying instead of cuddling him. Sun Ce sniffled a little and his hands tightened in Zhou Yu's shirt.

"I was really scared," he whispered, words dancing and trickling between his silent tears. "When I got up here, and you were so bloody – and I couldn't make you wake up no matter what I did." Zhou Yu rubbed his companion's back as soothingly as he could from his awkward position, and Sun Ce choked a little on his tears. The youth had never cried much, though, and it only took a minute or two before the tears dried up and he raised his head to look down at Zhou Yu again. His face was a mess between the grime of battle and the crying, but he smiled anyway. "But you're okay," he told Zhou Yu again. "You're okay. Everything's fine."

Had he not been saying that for ten minutes now? Zhou Yu resisted the urge to groan and closed his eyes until Sun Jian had finished binding the leg and stood up. The Tiger of Jiang Dong ran a hand through his short hair and gave each of them a smile. "All right." His face had rarely seemed so relieved. "That should do it. Ce, do you want me to look at your shoulder?"

Sun Ce shook his head. "It's okay. It doesn't really hurt." Zhou Yu frowned.

"What happened to your shoulder?" Sun Ce smiled a little.

"I took a careless blow, that's all." He sighed. "Wasn't watching my back closely enough."

Zhou Yu's heart constricted. He was supposed to have been watching Sun Ce's back – that was why they were in the same troop. Sun Jian's soft chuckle made both boys look up, and the general nodded at them each in turn.

"I'm glad you're both all right. I have to go back into the battle now – we're storming the main camp, and I ought to be there." Zhou Yu's eyes widened.

"The main camp? Then…"

Sun Jian nodded again. "Yes, Master Strategist. Your schemes worked perfectly." Zhou Yu sighed. At least something had gone right. Then an idea occurred to him, and he caught Sun Ce's eye.

"Go with him." The words were so forceful they were barely a suggestion any longer. Sun Ce blinked in confusion.

"What are you talking about? I'm staying with you."

Not if it could be helped, he wasn't. Zhou Yu shook his head as well as he could. "This is your first battle, Ce," he reasoned. "I know how much you were looking forward to it. You'll regret it if you don't get to finish it with the rest of the soldiers. Go with Lord Sun Jian and take the main camp."

Normally, he would have suggested Sun Ce stay out of the end of the battle, when everything became mayhem and the retreating soldiers were increasingly unpredictable and dangerous. But this was an emergency. Zhou Yu was being cuddled, and it had to stop right away.

Sun Ce hesitated, clearly torn between the excitement of battle and his place as Zhou Yu's pillow. "But…" Zhou Yu reached up and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Go on," he encouraged. "I'll be fine here. Go and fight."

Sun Ce thought for a long moment, and then the most beautiful smile Zhou Yu had ever seen came over his face. He squeezed Zhou Yu hard and his eyes glittered with joy under his dirt-encrusted face. "No way," he declared happily. "I'm staying right here with you."

Zhou Yu wanted to scream. Why was Sun Ce being so damn stubborn? "Ce—"

"I don't care about the battle," Sun Ce told him firmly, that breathtaking smile still on his face. "It doesn't matter. You're a million times more important than fighting, and I'm not leaving you."

It was amazingly touching… or would have been, if Zhou Yu hadn't been trying so hard to get rid of him. The strategist fought back a scowl and tried to protest again, but Sun Ce put his hand gently over Zhou Yu's lips and shook his head. "I'm staying with you," he said again, more forcefully this time. "I won't leave you here like this."

That was apparently the end of the discussion, and Sun Jian nodded slowly. Sun Ce shot his father a bright smile and tipped his head to the side. "We'll be waiting for you here."

Sun Jian was clearly much relieved that neither of the young generals was coming with him, and his eyes said as much. He fingered his sword for a moment before laughing and shaking his head. "You both had me very worried… but I guess you can handle yourselves after all." Sun Ce grinned and Zhou Yu groaned internally. Sun Jian probably thought he was a weakling because he'd come out of the battle so injured.

Sun Ce squeezed Zhou Yu again as Sun Jian took a few hesitant steps backward, eyes still pinned on the youths before him. His expression declared that he had something to say, but a shout from the battlefield stopped the words before they could start.

"Lord Sun Jian! Lord Sun Jian!" Sun Jian turned, and Zhou Yu could only assume that his eyes were as wide as the strategist's own. There, struggling and scruffy between a group of six soldiers, was Jia. His face was twisted in a fierce sneer despite his capture, and he spit at the ground as he noticed the three of them. One of the soldiers stepped forward and bowed respectfully before his lord.

"We caught him trying to escape. Huang Gai said to bring him to you." Sun Jian nodded, and Zhou Yu struggled to sit up against Sun Ce's arms.

"Well, Jia… we meet again." Sun Jian's tone was deceptively light. Zhou Yu pushed his way into half a sitting position, although his ribs screamed and Sun Ce held him tightly.

"Yu? What's the matter—"

"Let me up," Zhou Yu hissed. Jia was his. He was going to kill the man this time. He'd sworn he would.

Jia cackled and slithered menacingly. "All too soon, my lord Sun," he spat. He gestured behind the general to the two boys and snarled. "And I see you brought your useless rats with you."

Zhou Yu scowled and struggled to rise, but Sun Ce grabbed his shirt and held him down. "Yu, you're not supposed to get up—"

"Let me go," Zhou Yu snapped. He wanted to drive his sword through Jia's flesh – the urge to kill was so strong it was devouring him. Sun Ce held him fast and fought his struggling shoulders.

"My useless rats… oh, you mean my officers." Sun Jian's tone was almost mocking. "One of them killed your rear flank general, and the other burned your supply depot." Jia's face contorted even farther and he snapped his teeth together.

"So it's their fault – they're to blame for my defeat." Sun Jian shrugged.

"In part." He took two steps forward and regarded Jia coldly. "But that aside… what do you suppose I ought to do with you?"

Zhou Yu couldn't help himself anymore. "He's mine!" The shout tore itself out of his throat and tumbled down the hill. Sun Jian turned in surprise and looked at him. Zhou Yu shook his head fervently. "He's mine – let me up!" Sun Ce's hands were still restraining him – why wouldn't the boy just let go?

"Calm down!" Now Sun Ce was shouting, too. "You can't get up – you have to stay still!" Sun Jian opened his mouth to speak.

It was an opportunity, and Jia took it. Zhou Yu looked the vile man's direction as the soldiers grunted and screeched in surprised agony. Jia took them out at the knees and the throat, and the men fell heedlessly back onto the grass as the enraged enemy snatched a sword from the ground and charged.

"What you can do is hand me Jiang Dong!" he bellowed, rushing forward with his sword extended. Zhou Yu's eyes widened and he froze in Sun Ce's embrace. His sword. Where was his sword? He had to get up. He had to fight. He had to take Jia down this time.

Sun Jian's sword had never moved so quickly. Jia choked and gasped as the blade sliced cleanly across his stomach and split his flesh open, spilling blood and entrails across the battlefield. The general collapsed to his knees and crumpled into a pile, blood staining his teeth and tongue as his lungs gasped their last few times. Sun Jian's sword came down once more in the center of the man's back, and the rasping moans ceased.

Zhou Yu stared for a moment before gritting his teeth. "He was mine!" It seemed like a ridiculous claim, but he couldn't help it – he'd held this grudge against Jia for so long. Now, when he'd finally been about to take his revenge… now the moment was stolen from him.

Sun Jian's face was impassive as he wiped his sword clean against Jia's silken armor. He looked from Zhou Yu's scowl to Sun Ce's shocked expression, and then bowed deeply to the injured officer.

"My apologies, Master Zhou Yu." The words were completely sincere, but to Zhou Yu they still smarted. Sun Jian replaced his sword in his scabbard and turned back toward his injured soldiers. Zhou Yu glared at his retreating back, but the expression faded after a moment as his adrenaline disappeared and the pounding in his ribs resumed. Zhou Yu slumped back against Sun Ce unwillingly, and the boy tightened his embrace.

"Damn it." Zhou Yu's words were sharp and harsh, but Sun Ce just shook his head, ponytail bouncing back and forth. He squeezed Zhou Yu as hard as he could and dropped his forehead against the angry shoulder.

"It's okay. Let it go." The kite spiraled and dipped in Zhou Yu's eyes as he watched the banners of victory waving from Jia's main camp. Let it go. Let it go.

"Ce…" He stopped. There was nothing to say. Sun Ce smiled and pushed Zhou Yu back down until the strategist was resting in his lap again. One arm held his shoulders and the other brushed his cheek softly.

"It's okay." Zhou Yu closed his eyes resentfully and fought back a frown. So they were back to the cuddling. But he couldn't help his heavy sigh and the weariness that swept over him as Sun Ce's fingers touched his injured neck. It was okay. The battle was won, Sun Ce was all right, and Jia was dead, though not in the way Zhou Yu would have preferred.

If nothing else, the day had taught him how easy it was to die. It was a lesson he would remember years later… but at that moment, there was nothing to do but sleep – cuddled or not.

End Chapter 16

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Another long chapter… oh well. I hope their fight was believable and everything – please review and let me know how you liked this chapter.

A note for Crazy Insanity: Yes, illegitimate children are going to start appearing in this story a short ways off… and you're free to take your warm fuzzies out on Sun Quan if you like. That's his role at present – resident teddy bear. Hope you liked the rest of the memory.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Zhou Yu certainly does spend a lot of time with his books. And I have a hard time seeing Sun Ce with a helmet as well, which is why it will disappear shortly never to be heard from again… but it's just irresponsible to send someone to their first battle without one.

A note for Jen: Glad you like Sun Ce. I took the image of the drunken Huang Gai from one of the ending movies for "Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires," which is a fascinating game if more difficult than the regular series. Anyway, the ending movies are really fun in that game… Huang Gai was a little bit out of control. I say Sun Quan is a pansy only because of this: when I play most characters, they become instantly stronger than their opponents by virtue of not being computer players. But with Sun Quan, he's always weak. It's kind of annoying, but it was fun in the story.


	17. Chapter 17

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 16 

Zhou Yu sighed, and Chen Hao let his rigid position shift back into a more comfortable one. It had not been an easy story to listen to. He supposed it was never easy to hear about near brushes with death, but the tale had been more difficult for Chen Hao's own weakness. Despite his position as a soldier and complete loyalty to Sun Quan, Chen Hao had to admit to himself, as he watched Zhou Yu's struggling face and tired eyes, that he was afraid of dying, regardless of whose service he was under. He didn't want to have to stare up into an enemy's eyes as Zhou Yu had – he didn't want to be that close to the final edge.

He had finally gotten the glorious battle story he'd been waiting so long for, but somehow the reality of war wasn't as pretty as his mental image. Chen Hao knew fighting was brutal – he had been in minor skirmishes, of course – but somehow he'd almost believed that Zhou Yu and Sun Ce could have ridden across the battlefield in torrents and thunder, and defeated their enemies with a casual glance. He supposed it was a childish thing to think. There were enough scars on the general's shaking hands to deny his invincibility – not to mention the arrow wound in his chest. Still, Chen Hao had always imagined his leaders and heroes as unbeatable and unchallenged. It was a little frightening to be reminded that no one was immune to the fumbling hands of death.

"Sun Jian was not a doctor," Zhou Yu sighed, and Chen Hao raised his eyes to meet the general's gaze. "As it happened, I had in fact cracked three of my ribs and torn at the muscle in my leg – I was bedridden for nearly a month after our battle. Sun Ce's wound wasn't as severe, but he was unable to use that arm for a good two weeks. He did recover faster than I, however, and approached his father concerning his future empire while I was still confined to my quarters.

"Sun Jian was at first hesitant to give Sun Ce his soldiers for the purpose of broadening the family's territory – Sun Jian never was particularly motivated by conquest – but at Sun Ce's claim that he would seek troops elsewhere, Sun Jian relented. He loved Sun Ce very dearly, and was loath at the thought of ever having to see him go – in light of this, he named Sun Ce commander of several thousand troops and gave him permission to seek lands and territory in the name of the Sun family." Zhou Yu's laugh was faint. "Sun Ce was ecstatic. He set off almost as soon as the doctor declared him capable of wielding a weapon, leaving me at home in the care of the unfortunate servants."

Zhou Yu paused for a moment and cast the hidden sky a musing glance. "I can't be sure… it was a long time ago… but I think those final two weeks of my recovery were the first time in my life I might have been considered lonely. It had been so long since Sun Ce and I were apart at all – and I particularly noticed his absence as I was bedridden. The days were long and passed slowly, and at times it seemed that his infrequent visits were all that kept me going."

Chen Hao watched the shadows of starlight playing on the general's thoughtful smile. "He was very busy – his forces conquered no fewer than three border territories in the time it took for me to recover – but he stopped by when he could. I'm not sure why he bothered – I was awful company." He sighed under his breath and shook his head softly. "I didn't like being stuck in the palace while he was out in battles, and I hated the fussing that went on day and night… but he persisted, and did his best to tease me into a better mood."

Chen Hao knew why Sun Ce had visited despite Zhou Yu's temper – so did the general, but neither of them needed to say it. Zhou Yu cleared his throat into the silence and swallowed hard. "Those few months were… difficult for us. Even after I recovered from my injuries, we didn't see much of each other. Sun Jian was heavily locked in diplomatic relations with the ruling lords on all sides of him, and I was forced to accompany him more often than not, which meant it was a rare occasion when Sun Ce and I saw battle together. Even when we did, we didn't fight side by side – Sun Ce's forces were understaffed, and he needed me at positions far from his own so we could control the battlefield. When I couldn't be with him, I tried to give him strategic advice before he went one way and I the other…"

He paused, and Chen Hao listened to the creaking of the wheels for a moment before the words resumed. "Almost nothing was as stressful as being away from him for long periods of time. I felt empty, and incomplete… nothing seemed to work out correctly no matter what I was doing." Chen Hao nodded silently to himself. He had been away from home for two months during his training as a soldier, and it was hard to forget the way his dreams had led him back to his small cottage every night only to yank him roughly away with the dawn. "Sun Jian needed my assistance, and Sun Ce refused to wait – and through the combination of these two things, we hadn't seen each other for nearly two months when early autumn came.

"Sun Jian had been negotiating with Yuan Shu to the north, and in light of their talks I needed to head north to the city of Jianye – yes, where Sun Quan's capital is now. Of course, it wasn't a very impressive city at that time – not until the Wu empire made that their base of power six years ago did anyone take an interest in the place – but it was a convenient distance from Yuan Shu's lands, and during the treaty negotiations I rode north to discuss matters with his Chief Minister, a man by the name of Lu Fan. Xing Dao was chosen to accompany me - which was an unhappy occurrence, I assure you." Zhou Yu frowned at the memory of the general, and Chen Hao almost smiled before catching himself. "Because of the talks, I was away from Jiang Dong for Sun Ce's birthday… something he complained about vigorously in our letters."

"You wrote to him?" Chen Hao reminded himself not to interrupt too late, and the words brought Zhou Yu's gaze back to the soldier's face. His expression remained impassive as he nodded.

"Not so often. We were both busy, as I mentioned, and post traveled slowly – and Sun Ce never was much of a writer anyway – but on occasion letters made their way between us. It was a poor substitute for his company, but we did what we could." Chen Hao's mind strayed unbidden to his wife and young son, and the home not far from Han Ni castle, where they were no doubt long asleep. If Sun Quan's army had allowed regular post from its soldiers, he would have written his family every day, though he'd first have need to learn to write… a shrug banished the thought as he flexed his toes and urged blood through his tingling foot. It wasn't really worth thinking about.

Zhou Yu coughed once and pressed on – intensity swam in his eyes, and Chen Hao could see old anger spinning around it. "As Jianye is only a brief ride from Shucheng, Xing Dao and I took a short trip north after our business with Yuan Shu's envoy had been completed. It had been almost exactly two years since I had seen my family, and I thought that perhaps Qi and I would have reconciled ourselves through my absence." The dark eyes stung and scowled into the shadows. "Unfortunately, I was mistaken."

There was no concealing the displeasure that danced over Zhou Yu's tongue and slid among the words. "After that visit, my family was forever fractured, and I turned my back on Shucheng – and the people within its folds."

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Zhou Yu glared hard at the branches flashing over his head and the dark road stretching out before him. The night flitted through the trees above him and scattered beneath the hooves of his galloping horse as pebbles and fallen leaves paved the way before him in a flickering reflection of moonlight. His robe flapped and twisted around him in the heavy breeze, and he ground his teeth together as the pounding beat of the horse's steps echoed in time to his pulse. Behind him, Xing Dao's shadowy figure rode astride its own warhorse, following in his wake down the dusky path. Shadows dashed away from the rushing riders, and the silence fled under the cheerful fountain of the general's voice.

Zhou Yu sincerely wished the man would just shut up. His useless posturing and senseless chatter had been getting on Zhou Yu's nerves ever since they'd left Jianye – late, because Xing Dao had been caught up in searching out gifts to present Zhou Yu's family. Zhou Yu didn't see why he bothered. The strategist himself certainly had not brought anything for their hosts. But Xing Dao had just smiled that damned condescending smile he always seemed to wear, and Zhou Yu had stalked off for the horses before he could be told that it was the adult's responsibility to procure gifts for a visit.

That phrase was pushing him nearly to the breaking point. Zhou Yu was almost eighteen – he had been an adult for two years now. The only person who still insisted on treating him like a child was the obnoxious man behind him, and Zhou Yu was growing violently tired of it. If Xing Dao didn't stop patronizing him soon, he was going to turn around and put his sword through the man's stomach. Maybe that would stop the eternal babbling that circulated from behind him and wove beneath the flying branches.

"Are you sure this is the right way?"

Zhou Yu ground his teeth together and shut his eyes against the force of the wind as he kicked his horse and urged it even faster. He could hear the general falling behind for a moment before the following horse rushed forward and pulled alongside Zhou Yu's own borrowed steed. Zhou Yu cracked his eyes open and looked over into the concerned expression of the general to his right.

"You look tired," the man continued, reins gripped between his anxious fingers. "Shouldn't we stop for a rest? We can finish the journey in the morning."

Zhou Yu shot him a glare before focusing back on the road ahead of them. "Xing Dao – stop questioning me." The words bit into the rush of air on his face and tangled in the streams of liquid evening slipping over his shoulder. Zhou Yu only wished his harsh tone and impolite response were enough to silence the general – unfortunately, Xing Dao was undaunted by his annoyed companion's attitude.

"Don't be like that," Xing Dao urged, and his cooing smile almost pushed Zhou Yu over the edge of sanity. "I'm only trying to help."

If you really wanted to help, you'd throw yourself into a ditch and stop getting on my nerves, Zhou Yu thought at him in aggravation, but Xing Dao was apparently not gifted with telepathy, and his only response to the silent suggestion was a soft shake of his head.

"Fine – you can be moody if you want to." The lilting voice smothered Zhou Yu in its condescension, and he bit down hard on the urge to shout something back. Zhou Yu was normally calm – or perhaps that wasn't true, but his serious attitude kept his emotional impulses in check almost every day of the year. The only exceptions seemed to be when he spent any time in the company of Xing Dao. Sun Jian assured him the man meant well – but if Zhou Yu had been particularly intending goodwill toward someone, the last thing he would do was follow them about like an adoring parent and irritate them almost out of their minds. Zhou Yu decided firmly that if he ever felt the need to support a child – Heaven forbid – he would do it with money, and do both of them the favor of not imposing his presence into the unfortunate child's life.

"This is such a pretty part of the country. Your father and I used to hunt here…"

Xing Dao apparently hadn't gotten the message about keeping his mouth shut, although Zhou Yu wasn't sure how he could miss it. Had the option been open, he'd have willingly carved leave me alone into the man's very flesh if it would help. Xing Dao was persistent, though, and Zhou Yu had the sinking feeling that even with such a message engraved into him the obnoxious man would keep smiling and talking. Sun Ce thought it was funny, the way the general adored the bad-tempered strategist and chased him around with his unwanted good intentions.

The thought of Sun Ce dropped a cloud of gloom over Zhou Yu that even Xing Dao's chatter hadn't managed to formulate, and the insufferable man's babbling faded into the background for a moment as Zhou Yu stared into the waving mane of his horse and frowned heavily at the night-spun strands. Sun Ce. He hadn't seen Sun Ce in such a long time. Months. Between one thing and the other, they never seemed to be in Jiang Dong at the same time – and on the rare occasion that they did cross paths, exhaustion sent them straight to their rooms for much-needed rest. Zhou Yu had noticed the dark circles under Sun Ce's eyes lately, and they didn't surprise him. A life of constant conquer and battle didn't leave much time for rest, especially in the beginning, when threats were everywhere and no one was willing to submit without a fight. More and more each day, Zhou Yu wished he could accompany Sun Ce on his forays into the neighboring regions – but there was nothing for it. He was under Sun Jian's command, and choice was not something that came hand in hand with military generalship.

"Zhou Yu?" Zhou Yu's musings were interrupted by that annoying silting voice again, and he glanced up to meet the concerned eyes of his unappreciated companion. "Is something wrong?"

Zhou Yu forced himself to focus on the road ahead, and pushed the thoughts of Sun Ce to the back of his mind. "No," he answered shortly, clamping his hands more firmly around the thin reins and setting his jaw. The road was beginning to widen, and he could see a range of small hills before him. It wasn't long now – just a few more minutes and they'd enter the river valley. Sun Ce was fine – and after this negotiating campaign, he and Sun Ce ought to have a few days together. Sun Ce was in Fu Chun now, resting, and unless Zhou Yu's family stay was amazingly prolonged – something he did not anticipate – he and Xing Dao ought to return to Jiang Dong a few days before the next movement set out for battle. Zhou Yu nodded to himself and ducked closer to the horse. He could wait for that – a few days would be enough.

"But anyway…" Xing Dao hesitated as though waiting for consent to continue – consent Zhou Yu wasn't going to give, although that didn't stop the man for long. "I meant to ask you. After this campaign, I'm going home to my fief for a short while – not long. Two weeks, perhaps. It's just south of Fu Chun, you know – such a beautiful area. And I was wondering if you wouldn't like to come with me… just to stay for a while, you know—"

"No." Xing Dao blinked as his suggestion was unceremoniously shot down.

"No? Are you sure? It's such a nice house—"

"Forgive me, but my answer is no." Zhou Yu decided the general didn't deserve any more of an explanation than that. Like hell he was vacationing with this man – the ride back to Jiang Dong was going to be bad enough. He tried to figure it in his head – road conditions, fatigue, and delays notwithstanding, it truly only ought to take a little over a week to ride south to Fu Chun. The company of Xing Dao was certainly a good incentive to ride fast, and a direct route south had developed in the last few years that took days off of the journey. The mountains were still a bit of a hindrance, but Zhou Yu was sure he could make it back in record time with Sun Ce before him and Xing Dao behind him for motivation.

There it was. The silhouette of the house on the gently sloping hill surprised Zhou Yu, and he found himself staring at the lamp-lit form as he directed his horse past the shadowy trees of the far garden. The building seemed to glow against the flickering light of the waiting lamps, and the silence of the valley around him made everything feel melodramatic as his horse's hooves pounded toward the brooding structure. The darkness fell into his eyes and dashed over his expression, and Zhou Yu sighed as the path flashed by beneath him. This was his family's house – but it wasn't home anymore. Home was Fu Chun. Home was with the Sun family – and he didn't want to be here. The futile thought invaded his mind as the wind whipped across his back and ruffled the long robes around him. He didn't want to see his parents, or his siblings, or the plot of land he used to inhabit all those years ago. He didn't want to be here at all. It seemed better that severed ends be left undone to wave in the winds of time – why should they put themselves through the trouble of retying lost connections?

The mistaken journey weighed heavily on his countenance like a breath of premonition, and he watched the approaching house with severe misgivings. What had he been thinking? He shouldn't have come here – he could tell just from the shadows scattering before him and the ominous stars glaring overhead. He should have just rushed back to Jiang Dong – back to Sun Ce. There was nothing here he wanted to see. Qi had no doubt grown into an intolerable, sneering youth in the very spitting image of Lord Jia of Zhenhai; who knew what had become of Xan without Zhou Yu around to counteract his younger brother's serpentine influence. And the last thing he wanted was a reunion with his father. But it was far too late to turn back – messengers had been sent to announce their arrival days ago, and the lanterns were lit, and they were only moments from the entry to the grounds now. It was too late to turn around and forget the whole thing – but even so, it took an effort of immense will to pass the black fences and steer his stamping horse up the long walk and into the familiar courtyard.

Footsteps rushed out of the main hall, and a dark figure leapt at Zhou Yu's horse so violently that the creature pawed and danced away with a frightened cry before Zhou Yu managed to control it. The face below him was careworn, heavily lined, and seemed so much older – but there was no disguising that tearful smile and the insistent tugging on his pant leg.

"Yu! Yu, my son!" Zhou Fan's hair had begun to whiten, and his beard sparkled gray in the lantern light as he nearly yanked Zhou Yu out of the saddle in his excitement. "You're here! You've really come back to me!"

Zhou Yu didn't want to dismount. There was still a chance of escape so long as he was astride the horse – he could still turn and rush down the path, back south into the arms of the city so much warmer than the frigid welcome of Shucheng and the desperate hands of his father. But it was far too late. Zhou Yu took a deep breath and let himself gently down from the horse, barely getting his balance on stiff legs before Zhou Fan had thrown two arms around his waist and was gripping him tightly. Zhou Yu glared down at the top of the man's head. Was his father shrinking? There was no denying the possibility. His arms hung dead at his side, and he made no attempt to return the tight hug.

Zhou Fan turned his eyes up after a moment, and Zhou Yu watched the hopeful expression with dispassion and distaste. "You're here – you're really home. After all this time. My eldest boy. And just look at you." The tears were beginning to spill down Zhou Fan's cheeks now, and Zhou Yu was simultaneously disgruntled and annoyed. He wished his father would get hold of his undignified emotions and pull himself together, but Zhou Fan showed no signs of doing so as he stared unabashedly up into Zhou Yu's dark eyes. "You're so tall now – you're all grown up."

"It is amazing how quickly they grow, isn't it?" The musical voice irked Zhou Yu even more than his father's tears, and he cast a quick glance over his shoulder to Xing Dao's generous smile. "It seems like only yesterday when he barely reached my knee."

Xing Dao only had one memory of Zhou Yu as a child – the strategist was sure of it. It seemed that all he ever recalled was Zhou Yu's stature at two years old. Why did Xing Dao insist on mentioning that brief encounter every chance he got? What was the fascination parents and parent substitutes had with their children's change in height? Was it Zhou Yu's fault he'd been short as an infant? But Zhou Fan had picked up the familiar thread of the story and was nodding brutally against Zhou Yu's robe.

"I can remember when he used to wear his hair up in a bun, and I'd have to tie it for him – because he hadn't learned how yet." The man was crumbling right in front of Zhou Yu's eyes, and the young officer wondered idly what had happened in this household since his departure two years earlier. He threw an angry glance toward the doorway, where three shadowy figures lurked just out of the light. What were they standing back for? Couldn't they see Zhou Fan needed to be dragged off?

"Let him go, Fan." The cold, calculated voice drifting from the doorway halted Zhou Fan's words in his throat, and he stepped back from Zhou Yu as Lady Cai moved into the light and approached her oldest son. Zhou Yu bowed respectfully to his mother, and she returned the gesture, looking him over once carefully before nodding. "You are indeed very tall," she remarked. "And you've gotten very handsome."

Zhou Yu was more than sick of hearing that, but he said nothing and merely bowed again. Lady Cai shot her husband a disapproving look and then beckoned both guests toward the warmth and light of the hall, lips pressed together tightly. Xing Dao laughed a little to break the silence and walked to Lady Cai, offering his own bow before turning toward the house. "It is a bit chilly out here."

"Come inside, Yu," Zhou Fan called, pausing in the doorway to cast a glance back at his unmoving son. Zhou Yu ground his teeth together and shook his head. He just needed a few moments to prepare for this – just a few minutes alone.

"I'll put the horses away," he muttered, taking both sets of reins in hand and heading for the stable. His mother's words stopped him in his frost-torn steps, and her voice was as grave as the pebbles beneath his leather boots.

"Let the servants do it. Come inside." Zhou Yu turned to meet her eyes almost defiantly, but he had never been good at standing up to his mother – her dark and stainless gaze drilled into him until he sighed and relinquished the animals to a pair of servants hurtling out into the chill night air. Zhou Yu followed behind his father reluctantly and entered the main hall with a feeling of foreboding.

Not much had changed inside – long tables still lined the edges of the room, the bare floor was swept clean and the chairs were arranged tidily in their places. Food – great quantities of it, by the looks of things – was scattered over the central table in front of six raised chairs, and the ceiling echoed their footsteps between carvings and wooden panels. No, the house had not changed much at all. But the two young men standing in front of the table, one with his arms crossed and the other glaring silently, were much different than Zhou Yu remembered them.

He reached Xan first, and bowed lightly to the thirteen-year-old boy clad in stringent black robes and a serious expression. Images of the vulnerable but intelligent child he had left behind invaded Zhou Yu's mind, and he met his brother's eyes with a calculating gaze. Xan had grown up – that much was certain. His stiff pose and formal bow were proof enough of that, even if he wasn't very tall yet. Xan had grown into a stoic and shrewd young man – his eyes gleamed with self-confidence as he clasped Zhou Yu's hand coldly in one of his own.

"Welcome back, brother." The clear-cut words slid over Zhou Yu's skin like a winter breeze, and a cynical smile played over his face.

"Thank you for your greeting. You look well." His own tone hardened, but there was no malice in his voice – this was not the one he hated. Xan tipped his head in acquiescence.

"I have been fine." Zhou Yu decided that was enough of a conversation and turned to meet Qi's familiar snarl instead. He could almost see the poison dripping off of his middle brother as Qi bowed stiffly and settled his hands on his hips.

"It's been a long time." The words rippled and tangled in the night air, and Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, making his harsh nod as much of an insult as possible.

"Qi." He felt the words turning to icicles in his mouth, and he spat them at Qi as delicately as he could manage. "You've grown." And indeed he had – two years had done as much for Qi's stature as they had for Zhou Yu's, and the sixteen-year-old snake was nearly as tall as his elder brother – a fact that made their flickering glares all the more potent. Qi laughed shortly and tossed his shoulder-length hair out of his eyes.

"I have. And you've certainly improved your features since I last saw you." Zhou Yu wished people would stop commenting on his looks – was that all anyone had to say? He especially didn't want to hear it from the mouth of his reviled younger brother. Qi smirked a little at his expression and clicked his tongue. "Except for that scowl. So unbecoming."

It was a challenge, but not quite enough of one that Zhou Yu could pull the dagger free of his belt and take their confrontation up a level. It did give him permission for a jab of his own, though, and he snatched the opportunity. "I'm afraid I can't say the same for you." Qi wasn't exactly handsome, but his unpleasantness masked the pleasing features of his face anyway – and his disgruntled expression wasn't helping. Qi opened his mouth to retort, but a judicial hand on each of their wrists stopped the words before they began.

"Stop that." Lady Cai's voice was as terse and cutting as her sleeves, which irritated Zhou Yu's skin with their chill fluttering. She gave each of her sons a disapproving look and then withdrew her hands calmly back to her sides. "Sit down."

Zhou Yu swallowed his snarl and turned for the table – only to find that Zhou Fan and Xing Dao had sequestered themselves happily at one end, leaving four chairs in a row for the remaining members of the family. Lady Cai preceded them forward and took a seat beside her husband, and Zhou Yu followed her, thanking Xan silently as the boy slipped in to sit between his two brothers. Zhou Yu dropped heavily into his chair and glared angrily at the food before him, studying the chopsticks beside his plate with undue aggravation. He didn't want to eat. He didn't want to be at this table, with these people. Zhou Yu locked his mouth shut against the annoyed words collecting in his throat and soundlessly lifted his glass of water.

"A toast!" Zhou Fan announced heartily, happy tears still trailing down his contoured cheeks. Zhou Yu stared at his glass and remembered the time Sun Ce had accidentally landed his shrimp right in the envoy's cup. "A toast to reunion, to family all together again – to the bonds of kin that are unbreakable." Xing Dao applauded lightly and Lady Cai nodded, but Zhou Yu got lost in the words.

Reunion… like when Sun Jian used to return from his campaigns to the arms of his children and wife. A family all together… like on cold days, when he and Sun Ce would join the rest of the Sun family in their largest sitting room, which became a gathering place by virtue of its enormous fireplace. When they would play paper games with Sun Quan, and Shang Xiang would read with her father, and Lady Wu would stitch her sleeves blissfully. As to the bonds of kin… he shot his glance left to the two brothers sitting at his side. Unbreakable bonds of kin were Lady Wu insisting on doing Sun Ce's hair before festivals, and Shang Xiang forgiving her brother even when he'd ruined her favorite dress, and Sun Jian reading reports with Sun Quan curled up asleep in his lap. And Sun Ce laughing as Sun Quan screamed about dumpling fish and leapt into Zhou Yu's arms and pulled his hair. And the way it felt to let anger drain out of his hands after an argument with Sun Ce, and how Sun Ce always held onto his shirt when they were shouting at each other. And the look in Sun Jian's eyes each time he sent Sun Ce out for battle, or saw Zhou Yu off on a diplomatic mission. Unbreakable bonds of kin had nothing to do with anyone seated at this table. These bonds were long broken.

Zhou Fan couldn't hear his son's thoughts – if he could have, he would have simply shattered and fallen apart. Zhou Yu could see the need and desperation clinging to the man's hands as he clasped his cup tightly in worn fingers and toasted his family. Zhou Yu refused to meet his father's eyes. He picked at the food laid out on his plate and listened vaguely to Xing Dao's chatter far on his right. Sun Ce's face swam before his eyes, and he gave the chopsticks a cursory smile as he remembered the young warrior jabbing a pair of them into his cheek once. This place – this household – was nothing to him now. Thoughts of his far-distant home and family carried him through the sparse conversation of dinner, and he made up his mind to leave with morning's first light whether Xing Dao accompanied him or not. He had to get out of here.

"Yu? Are you all right? Perhaps we ought to move to a more comfortable room." Zhou Fan glanced uneasily at his brooding son, and Zhou Yu looked up to find that everyone had finished eating and was staring at his silent face. Lady Cai nodded and rose from her chair to usher Xing Dao into one of the far sitting rooms. Zhou Fan tried to smile at his eldest child, but the dark expression on Zhou Yu's face made it difficult. The man coughed low in his throat and his eyes wavered with question. "We've had one of the sitting rooms refurnished recently. The benches have cushions, and…"

Qi rose from his seat and stretched languidly in the frigid air before throwing his father a slithering smile. "Thank you, Father, but I think I'd better retire. As I'm leaving early in the morning, and all."

Zhou Fan swallowed hard and looked his second son up and down. "Are you sure I can't dissuade you, Qi? You're only sixteen – it's so young to be leaving your home—"

"Yu left at sixteen." Zhou Yu rose and followed his brothers quietly into the center of the room, eyes pinned on Qi's insolent face as the boy continued walking toward his room. Zhou Fan struggled with this and nodded shakily.

"Yes, but… well, two sons leaving so early is…"

Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his robe and caught Qi's eye. "Where are you going tomorrow?" Qi paused in his steps toward the sleeping halls and turned back to face his brother.

"Where am I going?" That smile was back on his countenance – the dripping, sliding one Zhou Yu hated so much. Qi cocked his head airily to one side. "Tomorrow morning I'm leaving to ride north. I'm joining the Grand Duke Cao in Luoyang."

Zhou Yu's face twisted in a snarl, but he was hardly surprised. Running north to join Cao Cao's army fit Qi so well Zhou Yu was almost shocked he hadn't predicted it. Much though it stung to think of a relative supporting his enemy, he was glad – the last thing he wanted was Qi coming south to join Sun Jian instead. Still, hatred for his brother was welling up in his fingers and he couldn't suppress his tongue. "If he'll have you, you mean."

Qi chuckled musically. "Of course he'll have me. Every army needs good officers these days. Besides – I figure that if Sun Jian will accept a mediocre man like you into his ranks, Duke Cao is likely to shoot me straight to the top of his forces."

It was just enough of an insult. The tension surrounding them hummed brilliantly as Zhou Yu seized his knife from its sheath and shot forward – Qi was just as quick, though, and he met his brother in the air with a knife of his own. The two pieces of metal strained and shrieked against each other as both men pushed all their strength into the small weapons, eyes locked and snarls equal. Zhou Yu slid past his brother after a moment and wheeled about, knife clenched in one tight fist and left hand raised to guard.

"Yu! Qi! Stop it!" His father's words were completely powerless in their ears, and Zhou Yu dodged artfully as Qi dove at him, weapon outstretched. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed to meet his opponent's glare as Qi steadied himself against the far wall and caught a quick breath.

"Don't expect an advantage," Zhou Yu spat. "You know nothing of battle."

Qi laughed harshly. "But you've never been good with a dagger." Zhou Yu scoffed and rolled away from another charge, bringing himself to his knees as Qi slashed heedlessly into the tablecloth. His serpentine eyes were dancing and gleaming in the light of the lamps. "And you're just as easy to provoke as always."

Zhou Yu had to smirk. "You might say I've been waiting a long time for the chance to fight you this way." He sprang forward with such speed that he surprised Qi, and one long fold of Qi's robe splattered to the floor with the scream of torn fabric. Qi leapt backward in time to avoid the blade finding his flesh, and Zhou Yu straightened from his crouched position. "It's a pity I'll only get to enjoy killing you once."

"Yu! Put that down! Listen to me!" But for the first time in Zhou Yu's life, Lady Cai's words meant as little as her husband's. All of the old anger, all of the basic dislike – every harsh thought and feeling he'd ever held against his brother was surfacing now, and they stormed through Zhou Yu's veins in an icy flood, sweeping any hesitation away in their fury. Qi was laughing again, and the shadows fell long across his face and filled his hateful mouth with stinging words.

"Let's not overestimate your abilities now." The voice struck at Zhou Yu's ears as Qi launched himself forward at his brother, knife outstretched and smile furious. Zhou Yu watched as Jia's features danced effortlessly over Qi's – he could kill both men tonight.

An arm seized Zhou Yu's hand, but he threw it off and felt a tiny spring of satisfaction as Xing Dao hit the floor and grunted hard. Zhou Yu barely dodged Qi's blade, and the younger man whirled on his heel to aim for his brother's neck.

Zhou Yu's eyes were burning – he could sense the hatred stinging through every nerve as he brought his knife up to meet Qi's and leapt back out of range. Qi had left himself open at the side – this was it. He was going to jam his weapon through the slithering, slipping skin and straight in between Qi's ribs – he was going to shut his brother's mouth for good this time.

"That is enough." Zhou Yu's knife barely grazed Qi's skin before a third dagger interrupted him, crashing down flatly against both of their hands and stopping all movement. Xan's blade pinned Zhou Yu's beneath its metal edge, and the hilt pressing tightly against Qi's dagger halted both duelists with the threat of cold steel. Zhou Yu looked down into Xan's dark, piercing eyes and felt himself frozen under the severe expression. Even Qi stood motionless as their younger brother brought his free hand up to push the hair out of his face.

Xan stared at Zhou Yu long and hard before moving his gaze to Qi's enraged face. "No one asked you to interfere," Qi snarled, but his hand remained motionless beneath the dagger. Xan only blinked.

"No – no one did." Zhou Yu was startled at the austerity in the thirteen-year-old eyes as Xan settled his free hand against his hip and frowned. "But there will be no blood spilt in my house."

"Your house—" Xan cut his brother off with another sharp glare.

"Yes. My house." The stoic eyes focused back on Zhou Yu's face. "And my family. Which I would prefer the two of you left alone."

The words shocked Zhou Yu so badly that he took a step back and felt his knife come free of Xan's dagger, a trickle of blood its only victory. He no longer considered himself a part of this family – but it hadn't occurred to him that others might feel the same way. Xan looked back and forth between his brothers meaningfully.

"You two are never going to agree – but on my life, I swear that when you kill each other, it will not be on my property, in front of my parents."

The possessive words spiraled through Zhou Yu's thoughts, and he could do nothing but stare at his youngest brother. Six years made little difference – Xan was just as mature as Zhou Yu himself, and significantly more calm. Qi's snarl was twisting malevolently, but Xan ignored it and glared hard at both of his elder siblings.

"Now – when the morning comes, I ask that you both leave." The unreleased anger was gathering in Zhou Yu's stomach, and he ground his teeth together against the strong emotional sensations running through him. His momentum had been stopped, but the inclination to kill still pooled inside of him. Xan looked between them again, eyes cold and detached. "One will go north, and the other south – and I ask you never to set foot in Shucheng again. Call yourselves Sun Yu and Cao Qi if it pleases you – but don't come near my family again. You will both leave by dawn."

Zhou Yu's lips curled back in a snarl – he wanted to get at Qi right this instant; to ram the knife through him and put an end to their feud. Xan's eyes stopped him, and he slammed the blade into its sheath instead before turning for the door.

"I'll do better than that," Zhou Yu muttered as he stalked toward the door of the entrance hall. He had to get out now, or no amount of words would keep him from staining the bricks of the floor with Qi's blood and the tears of his parents. Xing Dao blinked and took a few steps after him as the night wind swept through the open door and enveloped them all.

"Zhou Yu? Where are you going?" Zhou Yu paused just at the threshold and shot a look over his shoulder, robes flapping in the winter wind.

"I'm going home," he snapped. Zhou Yu could see his father tense over the table, and Xing Dao straightened in surprise. "Stay if you want to." Not like he wanted the man's company anyway.

"No! No, Yu – please." Zhou Fan's tearful voice cemented his son's feet to the floor. "Please – you just got here. Xan doesn't mean it, and Qi… you can forget it, both of you. It's not important. Let your anger go." The words tried to conjure up the power of Zhou Fan's past role as authoritative father, but they fell short and tumbled weakly over the rough floor. "Come back, my son. Stay with me." Zhou Yu glared into the night and let the words wash over him. "You are home – this is home. Don't leave us here – don't go. Yu… my son, please…"

Zhou Yu closed his eyes – he didn't want to see the brilliant stars overhead. "This is not my home," he murmured. "And I am not your son." The words threw themselves into the wind, but Zhou Fan heard them anyway, and his face crumpled under the weight of anguish it had been carrying. Zhou Yu tore his eyes away from the broken man who had once been the dominant power of the household, and stared out into the night as he tossed one more word over his shoulder. "Farewell."

Then he was into the courtyard – he could hear movement behind him, and Lady Cai's voice at her husband's side; Qi's hissing and Xan's careful tone; Xing Dao's hurried footsteps. Zhou Yu found his horse and dressed it quickly, throwing the saddle onto its back so roughly that the animal cried in distress. Xing Dao reached him as he laced the reins over the horse's head; the general's worried breathing cut through the night indelicately.

"Zhou Yu, please – we just got here. The animals haven't had a chance to rest, and you've barely seen your family—"

"I've seen enough." Xing Dao reached out to put a hand on Zhou Yu's arm, but the young strategist slapped it away and turned his glare on the man behind him. "Touch me again, and I will kill you." Xing Dao's eyes widened enormously at the threat, and he backed up a pace as Zhou Yu pulled himself onto the horse and wrapped his fingers through the reins. "I'm leaving now," he spat. "Stay or go, I don't care."

Xing Dao's jaw dropped, and Zhou Yu could practically see the man's image of him shattering and tumbling into the dust. But Zhou Yu didn't care – he didn't care about Xing Dao, or Zhou Fan, or Lady Cai, or Xan. Or Qi. Especially Qi. A sharp kick sent the horse skittering out of the stable and into the courtyard, and Zhou Yu turned south, riding as fast as he could past the shadowed garden.

Xing Dao was yelling behind him, and someone somewhere was crying – but Zhou Yu didn't look back. He was going home.

.x.

The gates of Fu Chun's palace had never looked more inviting. Zhou Yu pressed himself forward in the saddle and hurtled into the courtyard with Xing Dao close on his heels. It seemed impossible to him that, now that he'd finally made it back to Jiang Dong, his mood should be even worse than when he'd stormed out of Shucheng – but it was. A week with Xing Dao's alternately pleading and lecturing voice at his shoulder, a ride over rough terrain, and the roiling anger toward his brother had soured his disposition so much that he was certain he'd never smile again, let alone laugh. He dismounted quickly and dropped the reins, and his horse wandered toward the stable on instinct.

Qi should be dead. The week-long journey had given the idea time to ferment in his mind, and he was even angrier at his younger brother than he had been when they were exchanging knife swings. Zhou Yu ground his teeth together and headed for the palace, leaving Xing Dao calling behind him. Qi should be dead. He had been so close – he'd even clipped Qi's side; if Xan hadn't interfered, the fight would have ended in his favor. Zhou Yu grabbed the railing and hauled himself up the steps two at a time. Qi should be dead – and Jia's memory with him. And now he had flown north to Cao Cao's army – who knew if Zhou Yu would ever get another chance to take him down. The younger man's smirk burned in his mind as he shoved the front door open and entered the shadowed autumn hall. Why did revenge always seem to slip through his fingers?

"Yu! Yu, you're back!" Zhou Yu barely caught a glimpse of Sun Ce before the excited young man leapt forward and caught him around the middle, squeezing him so tightly that Zhou Yu could hardly breathe.

"Ce… let go." Zhou Yu felt the words clip sharply as he said them, but Sun Ce ignored the harsh tone and nuzzled him instead.

"I missed you." Zhou Yu sighed and put one arm around Sun Ce's back almost placatingly. He wished he were in the mood for a tearful reunion – but it was probably best for everyone if he spent a little time alone before interacting with the Sun family. Zhou Yu knew his own temper too well to think it would hold long if he spent much time in Sun Ce's company.

"Ce…" Zhou Yu could hardly understand it himself. He wanted to see Sun Ce – more than anything. But his rage was still churning in between his ribs, and he needed to be alone with that for a while. They had a few days – more, maybe, since his visit had been so short; perhaps he could just go to his room and lock the door and stay there for the rest of the day, and everything would be better in the morning. He closed his eyes in a sigh and stepped back, but Sun Ce held on tightly and buried his face in the long robes.

"It's so good to see you." Which was true in reverse, too – but Zhou Yu needed away. He needed time, and solitude, and Sun Ce didn't seem ready to give him that. He understood – he really did. It had been months. But somehow… somehow only darkness and quiet appealed to him at that moment, and Sun Ce was exactly the opposite.

Sun Ce missed the hints, though, and wrapped his fingers securely into the flowing fabric. "Was your visit fun? Is your brother as awful as he always was?"

It was an innocent question, but it struck a nerve and Zhou Yu tensed in the warm embrace. A scowl settled over his face. "One hundred times worse." The words shot and spattered violently over his tongue, but Sun Ce seemed to miss the terse metal of Zhou Yu's voice.

"Yeah, that doesn't surprise me." His flippant tone irritated Zhou Yu so much that he almost snapped, but he reined the anger in with all the willpower he could drag up. It wasn't Sun Ce's fault. The anger wasn't meant for him. It wouldn't be fair to yell at him – but it was one of those days. Everything about Sun Ce was annoying him – the affectionate hug, the good humor, the way his red ribbon was tied unevenly into his ponytail, the cascading hazel hair down his back. Zhou Yu pulled back from the embrace and closed his eyes against the turmoil in his stomach. He had to get away – before he said something he'd regret later.

"Ce…" The words died as he got his first glimpse of Sun Ce's face. The dark circles had expanded even more, and a layer of dirt and grime seemed plastered across his tan skin. His bright eyes were shining, but fatigue echoed in every laugh line on his face.

That wasn't what had caught Zhou Yu's attention, though. It was the brown, fuzzy splotch on his chin. Zhou Yu took Sun Ce's jaw in his hand and looked hard at the new development. "What is this?" There were those harsh words again – he didn't want to yell. He didn't want to, but the feeling was sprouting inside and he could hardly keep his tone back from a yell. This wasn't the way it was supposed to go – this wasn't the way he and Sun Ce were supposed to reunite after two months. But that deep-seated feeling in his stomach refused to be ignored, and Sun Ce's gleeful smile made everything far worse as he reached up to touch the offending growth.

"It's a goatee." Sun Ce looked so pleased with himself as he stroked his chin that the anger and frustration boiling up inside Zhou Yu surged forward and bombarded his control for all it was worth. "Isn't it great?"

The anger reached a breaking point, and Zhou Yu snapped. Qi – Qi was an awful, worthless person, and some day Zhou Yu would find him; run him through and slash his body to pieces, listen to his dying screams with a sense of renewed vengeance and then watch him slowly bleed to death on the cold, winter grass of Shucheng. He was going to kill him – one day, when Xan wasn't there to stop him. No one could keep them apart eternally – and when he found Qi again, it would be for the last time.

"It's disgusting!" He spat the words without even meaning to, voice nearly cracking with restrained fury. Sun Ce's eyes widened, and he stepped back as though slapped, startled gaze pinned to Zhou Yu's dusky, tumultuous face. Zhou Yu turned on his heel and stormed off down the hallway, wincing as the words resounded in his ears. They weren't meant for Ce – none of it was. But Qi wasn't here to take the anger himself. His footsteps pounded in his ears as the carpet flashed by beneath his feet.

"Yu! Yu, wait!" Zhou Yu spun on his heel and shot Sun Ce as brutal a glare as he could manage. The young officer halted in his tracks, and Zhou Yu turned back toward his room with a lunge in his step.

"Leave me alone, Ce." It wasn't what he wanted – not really. He wanted to see Sun Ce – more than anything. But his feet kept moving and his eyes narrowed at the far wall, and his hands slammed the door behind him and clenched into fists within the sanctity of the empty room. And even his mind couldn't get control over his emotions – it was an uncomfortable feeling. Zhou Yu stepped forward and slumped across his bed, shoving his face into one of the pillows and gripping the blanket in his angry fingers. He shouldn't have said it. He should have been able to keep control of himself. But Sun Ce was open, and giving – and that made him an easy target.

Zhou Yu closed his eyes and relived the brief visit in his mind. A headache pulsed in his temples, but he ignored it and focused on the features of his brother's sneering face. It was so hard not to be angry. It was so hard not to yell. Sun Ce didn't deserve it – but Zhou Yu couldn't help it. Aggravation and regret surged forward and seized him, and he threw his pillow across the room as hard as he could. "Damn it!" The shout escaped him before he could stop it, and the words rang in his ears as he stared at the blameless pillow calm against the floor.

Zhou Yu put his head down on his hands and stared unhappily into the folds of the sheets. He was nearly eighteen. He was not a child. He needed to get hold of himself. He had self-control, and dignity, and a strong grip on rationality. He needed to calm down. It had been a week since the incident – it was time to let it go. But every time he thought that, the feeling just got worse inside of him. Why? Why had he let Xan stop him? He should have just kept going – he should have jabbed that knife into Qi's gut so hard it came out the other side. But he hadn't – he had stopped, and lost his opportunity. Anger and that awful spinning emptiness twirled and twisted inside of him, and he closed his eyes against the emotional storm.

Emotion made him so tired. Fighting for control made him tired – it seemed like everything exhausted him these days. Zhou Yu shifted into a more comfortable position on the dry mattress and sighed deeply. What he needed was a nap – and then, after that, he'd go apologize to Sun Ce.

But he really did hate that goatee. He didn't like it at all. It looked scraggly and uncomfortable. Zhou Yu wanted it gone. There was probably a more delicate way of making that clear than the one he'd chosen – but it was too late now. Sun Ce was stubborn as hell, and would no doubt put his foot down about the abominable facial hair and insist on keeping it. There would be no getting away from it now. Zhou Yu tried to think, but his mind spiraled into sleep and stole the opportunity away with the mid-afternoon shadows.

.x.

The sound of the door creaking open woke him some time later, and he glanced into the murky room around him. It was dark now – night had fallen while he slept, and the chill air was flitting through the open window. Zhou Yu raised his head and pushed himself up onto his elbow, gaze focused on the far wall. His eyes were calm, but his face remained unsmiling despite his nap.

Zhou Yu sat up and hung his legs over the side of the bed. There was only one person who would come to him on a day like this. Two warm arms wrapping around his middle and the cheek soft against his shoulder confirmed his guess, and he sighed heavily before bringing one hand up to find his intruder's fingers.

"Ce…" The stillness echoed the syllable all around him, and it seemed to catch on the curtains and flutter in the breeze. Zhou Yu frowned. He needed to cover that window.

Sun Ce shook his head against Zhou Yu's back. "Xing Dao told me what happened. Sorry about that."

Zhou Yu scowled at the darkness and swallowed hard. "As am I." Sure, he didn't want to see his family much – but this wasn't the way he wanted it to end. Sun Ce sighed and nuzzled him again.

"But… you have us, you know."

Zhou Yu's eyes settled out of their narrow position, and he rubbed one hand along Sun Ce's wrist. That was true. Even in Shucheng, he'd acknowledged the Sun family and Jiang Dong as his real home. Why was he so caught up on the old one? Just an unfortunate character trait, he decided – the obsession on bad circumstances.

"I know." He said it softly, because it wasn't right to assume – but he could feel Sun Ce's smile through the fabric of his robe.

"Then… this is just one of those days, huh? One of those days where you shouldn't have gotten out of bed?" Zhou Yu's lips turned up lightly at the corners.

"I guess so." Sun Ce sighed and squeezed him again.

"Well… normally I'd let you alone. But since I'm leaving tomorrow…" Zhou Yu tensed at the words and glanced over his shoulder as best he could.

"What?" The words sounded too loud in his ears, and he tried to sift the surprise out of his voice before speaking again. "I thought you were here until…"

Sun Ce laughed dryly. "Yeah… well, we were supposed to be. But the people we're attacking called up north for some allies, and we have to get everything over and done with before they get here." Zhou Yu closed his eyes unhappily and listened to the rhythm of Sun Ce's breathing for a long moment. One day wasn't enough, and he'd spent most of it angry anyway. Sun Ce sighed again, and the sound swept through Zhou Yu mildly.

Sun Ce was so tired. Zhou Yu could feel it in the arms around his waist, and the hair against his neck, and the words from the young officer's mouth, and the calluses all over his hands. Zhou Yu gripped the hand in his tightly and stared down at the bruised fingers through the shadows.

Sun Ce laughed a little. "Since we don't have much time… is it okay if I stay here tonight?" The words echoed sadly in Zhou Yu's ears. "I know how you are about someone catching us, but…"

"It's fine." He didn't want Sun Ce to go away. Not that moment, not that night, not ever. Sun Ce smiled again and his arms tightened around Zhou Yu.

"Thanks." Zhou Yu watched the still fingers gloomily. Normally Sun Ce wouldn't have asked – he would have simply refused to leave, and fought Zhou Yu for the right to stay. But today was different… because Zhou Yu had been in such a bad mood. Sun Ce was being careful. Zhou Yu sighed. Perhaps it was time to apologize. But what could he say? He couldn't say he hadn't meant it, because that wasn't true. And he couldn't say he didn't mind the new addition, because that wasn't true either. The words stuttered into his mouth slowly and roughly.

"Ce…" Sun Ce shifted a little at the word. "About… your goatee…"

Sun Ce raised his head and laughed. "Don't worry about it, Yu." But Zhou Yu shook his head in the shadows and stared at the carpet.

"No. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled." He sighed. "It wasn't my place to say anything."

Sun Ce laughed again, harder this time, and the musical sound surrounded Zhou Yu and wrapped him up in its linen threads. "Of course it was. I wanted your opinion." He shook his head mildly. "That wasn't quite the reaction I expected, but…" He shook Zhou Yu a little and nuzzled his neck. "But really – don't worry about it."

Zhou Yu raised his eyes to the ceiling and studied the contoured patterns there. "Still. It's your face. I shouldn't have…" Sun Ce's chuckles spilled over Zhou Yu's shoulders like a calming waterfall, and Zhou Yu closed his eyes.

"Yu… really. Don't worry about it." Zhou Yu felt movement and Sun Ce's arms released him; the young officer clambered off of the bed and appeared before him a moment later, hands on his shoulders and smiling face just barely visible in the darkness. Zhou Yu stared before raising one hand to touch the smooth-shaven chin, and Sun Ce winked at him.

"See? I told you not to worry about it."

"Ce…" Zhou Yu gazed at his companion's face and cupped his hand along Sun Ce's jaw in surprise. "You shaved it off."

Sun Ce was so warm when he smiled – the winter breeze disappeared under the power of his grin. "Yep. It was fun for a while, but I don't want one if you don't like it. Besides, I was pretty much done with it. It was kinda cool, but it itched."

Zhou Yu opened and closed his mouth silently several times before leaning forward to catch Sun Ce's lips. He was amazed, and surprised, and grateful – not for the loss of the goatee so much as for the gesture. Sun Ce slipped forward into his lap and kissed him back, hands wrapping into the long, loose robe and gripping it tightly.

"I don't want you to leave tomorrow." The words escaped Zhou Yu unbidden as he pulled back, and Sun Ce smiled ruefully at him in response.

"I don't want to leave either." Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Then why do you have to? Are you sure you can't…" The words were fighting inside of him, and they weren't coming out well. "Do you have to go out conquering? Are you sure you couldn't just… stop?"

Sun Ce gave him a hard look, but his hands were still gentle in the cloth. "Are you telling me to give up? How many times have I told you that I'm going to conquer China – and that if I don't, you can carve 'died trying' into my funeral altar?" He squeezed Zhou Yu as hard as he could, and Zhou Yu watched the night playing across his lips. "I can't stop. I won't. No matter what."

Zhou Yu sighed. "I didn't mean it like that. I just…" Sun Ce leaned forward and kissed him again.

"I know. I miss you, too." Zhou Yu wrapped his arms around Sun Ce's back and closed his eyes wearily. It wasn't really fair – they finally had a moment together, and sleep was sending them both straight for the pillows. Zhou Yu could hardly keep himself awake despite his nap, and Sun Ce's fatigue was painted in the curve of his beautiful smile. Zhou Yu thought about it for a moment, and then let himself fall backward onto the bed, taking Sun Ce with him. The young lord squawked at the abrupt change in position, and his eyes asked a silent question as they landed against the mattress.

"We both need to sleep." Sun Ce sighed and nodded before repositioning himself on the silken shoulder. Zhou Yu held him as tightly as he could – his arms were so firm he wondered if he were hurting Sun Ce's back, but the young man just snuggled closer and kissed him as though he might never again be given the chance.

"I love you." The words danced across his tired face and over the sleepless eyes, and Zhou Yu couldn't help the seed of worry planting itself in his stomach at Sun Ce's exhausted expression.

"And I love you." His whisper shot through the night and found his companion's ears, and that beautiful smile came over Sun Ce's face again, wrapping his weariness in light and warmth. He laughed a little and closed his eyes.

"You know how long it's been since I heard that?" Zhou Yu didn't answer, but his embrace tightened as the wind wound regretfully through his splayed hair. Sun Ce didn't wait for an answer before succumbing to sleep, and the young strategist watched his peaceful face only a moment before letting his own eyes slip closed and giving in to the night.

Things had to change. They couldn't go on too much longer this way. He didn't want to send Sun Ce to battle alone anymore. He didn't want to lie awake in the sleepless nights and imagine the feeling of Sun Ce's soft head against this shoulder. He didn't want this moment to disintegrate into dawn. But he couldn't stop it, and time pauses for no one.

End Chapter 17

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Yes. I got rid of Sun Ce's goatee. I hate that thing. Anyway… let me know how this chapter was. Sorry about the wait.

A note for Jen: I'm glad you liked the battle. Action sequences are always difficult, because human movement doesn't write well. I hope the knife fight in this chapter was similarly well done.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: No, he can't. I may have overdone the torture, though.

A note for Sage Serenity: I understand what you're saying now – it would indeed be good for Zhou Yu to practice his social skills more regularly, but that's life. I'm glad you liked the kite scene; it was actually kind of a random idea, but I was able to work it back in later. Also glad you liked the battle – and yes, I thought up the strategy myself. Your characters can only be as intelligent as you are, so I tried to make it an impressive strategy. How did I do?


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 17 

"He was gone with the morning sun."

The regretful tone of Zhou Yu's voice filtered through the night and splashed a light frown onto Chen Hao's face as he shifted into a more comfortable position. His legs had fallen asleep and were tingling madly, but he moved them slowly despite their creased aching and kept his eyes pinned to Zhou Yu's reminiscent face. The general was staring at the hidden sky and shaking his head gently. A cynical smile had slid over his features, and a cutting tone flitted through his voice. "It's almost laughable, looking back on it. All the agony I thought two months without him brought me… I should have waited for the ten years it's been now."

There was nothing to say to that, and Chen Hao's tongue was dry with cold anyway, so he kept his mouth closed and watched the fractured breaths being drawn in and out of Zhou Yu's lungs. Zhou Yu said nothing for a long moment, but finally the mist lifted from his eyes and he continued speaking, voice clear and hurried again.

"Fortunately, we weren't apart much longer. It only took a few more weeks for Sun Ce to stabilize the area around Jiang Dong, and then winter set in fast and cold. Everyone hung their weapons on the wall and waited for spring, but the Sun family had made its power clear, and offers of peace and tribute came from the surrounding regions all through the winter months. After that, my role as an advisor was significantly lessened, and when spring did come I was able to accompany Sun Ce on his conquests. He had begun invasions of the northern regions just before the first snowfall – when the frost finally faded, we traveled north together and struck at the lands south of the Xiang Lang River where we'd fled from Liu Biao years earlier." Chen Hao tried to piece the information together in his mind, but he had only a vague idea of Southern China, never having been much south of Jianye himself. He supposed it didn't truly matter much.

"Those were… enjoyable days." That slight smile was back on Zhou Yu's face, and Chen Hao watched it flickering in the darkness. "Sun Ce and I headed north as often as possible those first months, because things weren't going well in Fu Chun…" A look of severe consternation came over his face, and Chen Hao blinked at the sudden change.

"My lord? Is something wrong?" Zhou Yu shook his head and brushed his bangs back with frozen fingers.

"Yes. I've forgotten the most important part of that winter. That winter…" The confusion was back on his face. "It was that year, wasn't it? The winter of… would that have been 194? Or was it…" Chen Hao bit his lip at the disorganized thoughts running through Zhou Yu's eyes. "Were we… we would have been eighteen then. Is that right?" After another moment, Zhou Yu's face smoothed back calmly and he nodded to himself. "Yes. It was that year. Because the next spring was our campaign against Liu Biao, when Sun Jian died."

The words shot through Chen Hao's flesh like ice and falling stars, and his breath caught in his lungs under the sudden chill flowing through his veins. The thought of Sun Jian missing from the home of the Sun family pushed down on his chest like two cold hands. The event, at least, was familiar to him – but Chen Hao wasn't sure how he was going to take that portion of the story, even having suspected it from the beginning. He couldn't help it – he'd grown attached the fatherly, open figure of Sun Jian. But tragedy was no stranger to this story… and things would only be getting worse.

"What happened that winter?" Chen Hao asked quietly, using the words to force Sun Jian's coming demise out of his mind. Zhou Yu smiled a little.

"That winter – or early spring, I suppose – Sun Ce and I got married."

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It was cold, but it wasn't snowing. Zhou Yu watched the drizzle outside and listened to the wind pounding against the walls before drawing the curtains tighter over the window and turning back into the center of the large, comfortable room. Winters in Jiang Dong always surprised him, even after living through three of them – there was just no snow. There had always been snow in Shucheng. It hadn't really meant anything to him until he'd moved south, but now the winter months just seemed incomplete without snow covering the garden.

His glance fell on Sun Ce's form sprawled out by the fireplace, and he wondered to himself if Sun Ce missed the snow, too. Sun Ce had always loved snow – he and Sun Quan had made a great game of it in Shucheng, rolling down hills and flopping around in the chilly substance until Sun Quan inevitably got some down the back of his fur robes and cried about it. Zhou Yu recalled the one time Sun Ce had started a snowball fight in the orchard, and no one but Qi had been able to keep themselves out of it. A rueful shake of his head brought his gaze back to the covered window. Winter without snow just seemed empty.

"What are you staring at so hard?" Zhou Yu turned to see that Sun Ce had slumped onto his back and was looking at the strategist curiously. Zhou Yu shook his head again.

"Nothing." His feet carried him to a spot beside Sun Ce, and he sat down against the coarse rug and stared into the licking flames. Sun Ce sat up a little and moved until he could flop backward into Zhou Yu's lap, legs kicking mildly in front of him as his arms passed behind his head and circled Zhou Yu's waist. He grinned up at his companion with a cheeky smile.

"Nothing, huh? Didn't look like nothing to me. Were you trying to glare a hole in the wall or something?"

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and didn't bother answering. He leaned back on his hands and stared into the fire, watching the dancing orange and yellow strands within the blackened rocks. Sun Ce squeezed him a little to regain his attention, and Zhou Yu looked down into the laughing amber eyes as Sun Ce winked.

"Is there a pretty girl outside?" Zhou Yu just gave him a flat look. Sun Ce elbowed him as best he could from his lazy position. "Is that what you were looking at?"

Zhou Yu sighed and gave Sun Ce a light glare. "What would I want with a pretty girl?" Sun Ce's smile grew and threatened to explode, but he kept it down and shrugged.

"You tell me." Zhou Yu looked pointedly at the youth in his lap. Sometimes Sun Ce's teasing was just annoying. He raised a hand to brush Sun Ce's bangs out of his eyes and frowned.

"Why are you asking me about a girl?" Sun Ce shrugged again and smiled.

"Just fishing for compliments, I guess." He blinked a few times. "But I should have known I wouldn't get that from you." Zhou Yu snorted.

"Not unless you deserved it," he agreed, and Sun Ce laughed again before unwinding his arms and sitting up.

"What are you talking about? I always deserve it!" He turned and locked his arms around Zhou Yu's neck, smile shining out of his tan face. "But if you don't want to flatter me… I guess I'd accept a kiss instead." Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath.

"Don't you think you're being awfully demanding?" Sun Ce chuckled, and the sound rolled over Zhou Yu before slipping between the curtains and vanishing into the afternoon air.

"I guess so. But you know me – selfish to the core." Zhou Yu nodded his assent, and Sun Ce elbowed him again. "You're not supposed to agree with me!" Zhou Yu frowned.

"Why not? It's the truth." Sun Ce scowled a little and shook his head.

"Yeah, but Shang Xiang said the correct response to someone talking about their faults is to assure them they don't have any." Zhou Yu frowned and looked at Sun Ce skeptically.

"How would Shang Xiang know?" Sun Ce grinned before slipping into Zhou Yu's lap again and tightening his arms around his companion.

"Because she's got a boyfriend!"

This declaration shocked the young strategist, and Zhou Yu choked as he stared down at the top of Sun Ce's gleeful head. "What?"

"Yep," Sun Ce chirped. "She's seeing one of the stable boys. Seems to like him pretty well. Surprised me, too – I didn't think she'd go for the rough, uneducated type."

Zhou Yu pulled back far enough to look into Sun Ce's eyes. "She's seeing a stable boy?" Why hadn't he heard about this before? "How long has this been going on?"

Sun Ce smiled. "A few weeks, maybe. Not that long."

Zhou Yu's brow furrowed in concern. "Are you sure this is a good thing?"

Sun Ce laughed impishly, and the sound reverberated against Zhou Yu's skin. "A good thing? I don't know. I just think it's funny, really. After all the stuff she said to me about you." Zhou Yu's eyebrow arched delicately upward.

"Like what?" Sun Ce opened his mouth to speak before thinking better of it and pillowing his face against Zhou Yu's shoulder.

"Never mind. I don't think you want to know." Zhou Yu frowned. He didn't like the thought of what Shang Xiang might have taken it into her head to say – he prepared to press the issue, but the sudden appearance of their topic of conversation in the doorway stopped him.

"Here you are. I was looking everywhere for you two." Shang Xiang settled her hands on her hips and looked them over with a quirky smile. "That's cute, you guys."

Sun Ce stuck his tongue out at his sister and tightened his embrace around Zhou Yu's neck. "It's cold," he defended staunchly. Shang Xiang rolled her eyes.

"Right in front of the fire?" Zhou Yu just sighed and ran a hand through his hair as the siblings continued their mild argument. That was one thing about the Sun family – they loved to debate, even over trivial issues.

"Yes," Sun Ce persisted. "I don't have good temperature tolerance – you know that. Besides – quit being so cheeky. Just because you're going on sixteen doesn't mean you can talk back to me. I'm your older brother; show some respect."

"If you want respect, you have to act your age, Ce – the day you behave like an adult is the day I'll give you deference." Sun Ce made a face at this, and Shang Xiang laughed. "Oh yeah – that's real mature."

"Did you need something, Sun Shang Xiang?" Zhou Yu's calm, cool voice interrupted the cheerful banter as he peeled himself away from his companion and rose to his feet. Sun Ce slumped back onto his heels and glared at his sister.

"Look what you made him do! Now I'm cold again," he complained, but Shang Xiang ignored him. Sun Ce scooted closer to the fire and pouted heavily as his sister favored Zhou Yu with a small smile.

"Yes, actually. Father sent me to fetch the two of you." Zhou Yu's brow furrowed as Sun Ce turned to look at his sister. What could Sun Jian want them for? As far as he knew, no envoys were being entertained at that moment – in fact, the only guest was an old friend of Sun Jian's who had arrived a few days before. Were they having a briefing? Or had Sun Ce gotten into some kind of trouble?

Sun Ce blinked and eyed his sister curiously. "Father?" Shang Xiang nodded.

"He's in the main hall, and asked me to bring you as soon as—" Her eyes suddenly became saucers, and she gestured frantically at her brother. "Ce! Your robe's on fire!"

Zhou Yu's gaze shot to Sun Ce. Flame was dancing along the hem of his robe and licking at his shoes. Sun Ce yelped and kicked his feet wildly as though to disentangle the encroaching heat. "Agh!" he cried, scooting backward and squirming violently. "Put it out! Put it out!"

Zhou Yu dove forward and seized the edge of the rug, throwing it over Sun Ce's robe and holding it down until all the heat vanished beneath his hands. Sun Ce yelped as the burnt fabric brushed his skin, and Zhou Yu withdrew the rug slowly, noticing a severely blackened patch on the fabric as he did so. Sun Ce was rubbing painfully at his shin, and Zhou Yu sighed.

"You little idiot," he muttered. Sun Ce's eyes shot up angrily, but Zhou Yu cut the words off before they could start. "Are you hurt?"

"Yes I'm hurt!" Sun Ce nearly shouted. "It burned my leg!" Zhou Yu shook his head as Shang Xiang came to kneel beside them.

"It's not serious," she assured her brother, which for some reason didn't seem to make him very happy.

"That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt!" he informed her sharply. Shang Xiang nodded in understanding.

"Of course not. But we'll put some salve on it, and it won't be a problem." Shang Xiang paused for a moment and gave her brother a capitalizing look. "What is going to be a problem, though, is that you burnt a hole in Father's favorite rug," she admonished, holding up the crisped fabric for their inspection. Sun Ce scowled as he rubbed his shin.

"Just put it under one of the sitting mats. No one will notice." Shang Xiang crossed her arms over her chest and smiled saucily.

"Maybe I ought to tell Father about it," she teased. Sun Ce's frown deepened.

"You wouldn't dare," he challenged, but the neutral look on her face was not reassuring. "Shang!" Sun Ce protested, dropping his shin. "You can't do that! Come on! We're siblings!"

"Make me an offer," she invited. Sun Ce frowned and nudged her.

"Shang…" His whining elicited no change in expression, however, so he thought hard a moment before scratching his chin and smiling.

"Okay – I won't tell Father about your stable boy." Shang Xiang blushed brightly and shot Zhou Yu an embarrassed look, but she shook her head stubbornly nonetheless.

"Nope. We already traded mutual silences, remember? Yours for Peng and mine for the two of you." Zhou Yu wondered with mild aggravation when he had become a bargaining commodity; Sun Ce rolled his eyes in annoyance and poked her.

"But you weren't going to tell Father about us anyway!" Shang Xiang shrugged.

"Now you have insurance. Make me a better offer." Sun Ce stared at the burnt patch and thought for a long moment.

"I got it!" he exclaimed at last, slamming one fist into his palm. "How about Yu's dessert for a week?"

Zhou Yu's eyes widened. "What?" he demanded. Sun Ce gave him a sharp look.

"Hey, this is partly your fault. You're the one who used the rug to smother the flames." Zhou Yu ground his teeth together in annoyance.

"Your leg was on fire," he spat. Before Sun Ce could respond, Shang Xiang clapped her hands twice and bowed to them.

"Deal accepted!" she announced. Sun Ce pushed himself to his feet and winced at his shin before dragging a sitting mat over the damaged carpet. Zhou Yu rose as well and headed for the door, listening idly to the conversation as he did so.

"Excellent!" Sun Ce answered. "Well, in that case—" Zhou Yu heard a long pause before hurried footsteps tumbled after him. "Yu? Yu, where are you going?"

"To see your father," Zhou Yu shot over his shoulder before clearing the doorway and entering the corridor beyond. His pace quickened as disgruntlement washed over his face. He didn't really like dessert. He didn't really eat dessert very often. But it was the principal of the whole thing that sped his steps down the long hall. Sun Ce clattered after him, leather shoes slapping the hard floor as he ran.

"Wait for me!" It was only a moment before the young officer caught up, and Zhou Yu's pace unintentionally slowed as Sun Ce latched onto his arm. Zhou Yu glanced down at Sun Ce's bright face once before staring off down the corridor and continuing his walk in silence. Sun Ce was quiet while his breathing steadied, and then he shook Zhou Yu's arm to get the other's attention again. "You can't be angry," he asserted, and Zhou Yu blinked before meeting his eyes.

"Why not?" He could be angry if he wanted to. He didn't have much of a reason, but he was free to feel however he wanted. Sun Ce pouted up at him.

"Because I burned my leg. Would you slow down a little? It hurts to go this fast." Zhou Yu cast his shin another glance before reducing his pace. Sun Ce's scowl disappeared under a smile, and he wound his fingers into Zhou Yu's sleeve as they continued their more leisurely walk down the hallway.

Whatever anger Zhou Yu had still been harboring – which hadn't been much, honestly – faded under the gentle music of Sun Ce's mildly off-key humming. Zhou Yu watched him silently. Sun Ce had never had an excellent grasp of pitch, which was annoying when the youth tried to sing along with Zhou Yu's flute – but when there was no sound to grate against, the off-color notes were vaguely endearing.

It didn't take long to reach the stalwart doors to the main sitting hall, and the pair paused for a long moment before Sun Ce raised a hand and knocked loudly. A shout somewhere from within beckoned them, and Sun Ce pushed the door open as Zhou Yu unwound his arm from the youth's grip. Then he followed Sun Ce inside, foreboding flickering lightly in his stomach.

Sun Jian and his guest, whose name Zhou Yu hadn't bothered to catch, were seated at the long table, sharing a cup of fine wine and laughing jovially. The table before them was scattered with papers and scrolls, and they shared a short bow as Zhou Yu and Sun Ce proceeded across the floor and came to stand before them. Sun Ce dropped his hands onto his hips and regarded his father curiously. "You called?" Sun Jian nodded and gestured to the man beside him.

"Thank you both for coming so quickly. This is my old friend, Qiao Xuan, and…" He paused and gave his son a confused look. "Ce, is something wrong with your leg?"

Sun Ce shifted to hide his burnt robe with the other calf and shook his head. "No," he answered defiantly. "Now what do you want?"

Sun Jian shrugged off the biting tone and continued. "Very well. I wanted to congratulate you two, and inform you of an agreement we've come to."

Zhou Yu's nervous butterflies lit up again, and Sun Ce's face took on a highly suspicious expression. "Congratulate us about what?" he demanded. "What agreement?"

Sun Jian smiled down at him. "As a favor to my old friend – and a stroke of luck for you two – I've arranged for you to be married to his two daughters."

Zhou Yu felt his eyes grow very wide and his jaw drop nearly out of his face. Sun Jian was smiling, but the words were swimming before Zhou Yu's eyes and he could hardly see the pleased general. Marriage… his memory shot back to the promise he and Sun Ce had made shortly after becoming involved. Promise me you'll say no – and if he throws you out, come live with me in Jiang Dong… so much for that. Sun Ce's countenance had gone very red; his tongue reacted quicker than Zhou Yu's, and his hands clenched into fists as he began to shout.

"No! Not only no, but hell no!" Sun Ce yelled, shaking his fists at his father. "Absolutely not! You think you can just throw us into things like this? No no no!" Qiao Xuan looked absolutely shocked, and Sun Jian's face hardened with bewilderment.

"Ce, stop it. What's wrong with you?" Sun Ce shook his head as fast as he could.

"No! I said no, and I meant no! We won't!" Sun Jian blinked and stood up to reason with his unruly son, and Zhou Yu watched silently as the argument shot back and forth.

"Ce, listen to me. I don't understand what you're so angry about!" Sun Jian's voice was growing louder with displeasure. "They're nice girls – and they're a little young, but Qiao Xuan assures me they're both very beautiful. Why are you so upset?"

"Because you didn't ask!" Sun Ce shouted. "Because you just picked some girl for me since her father's your friend – because you're forcing me to get married at all!" Sun Jian's brow furrowed and his eyes narrowed in response.

"Of course I chose for you – I'm your father." This didn't make Sun Ce very happy, and he threw his head from side to side violently. Sun Jian's words grew forceful at Sun Ce's continued refusal. "It's my job to find you a suitable marriage."

"I don't care! I'm not marrying that girl! I won't! You can't make me!" Sun Ce pounded the flat of his fist against his palm for emphasis as he glared openly at his father. "No way! Leave me out of your bargains and family favors! I'll marry whoever I want to, or I won't get married at all – but it doesn't have anything to do with you! You can just tear that contract up and forget it!"

Sun Jian's jaw hardened, but in his eyes Zhou Yu could see an internal debate. Sun Jian had probably offered to find husbands for the man's daughters because two girls were a burden – but the fire flashing in Sun Ce's eyes wasn't dying down, and Sun Jian had never been good at making his children unhappy. Sun Ce had always been his father's weak spot, and Zhou Yu was less than surprised when Sun Jian sighed and closed his eyes after a moment. "All right, Ce," he muttered. Sun Ce straightened and relaxed his hands. "You don't have to get married if you don't want to."

Sun Ce nodded self-righteously and crossed his arms over his chest. "Glad to hear it." He reached out and grabbed Zhou Yu's hand before heading for the door. "In that case, we'll be leaving."

Zhou Yu sent a silent thank-you at the youth in front of him, but it faltered halfway as Sun Jian's voice stopped them. "Wait a minute. Zhou Yu stays."

Sun Ce turned back to face his father again, face washed with confusion and annoyance. "What are you talking about?" Sun Ce's grip on Zhou Yu's wrist tightened as the strategist studied Sun Jian's blank expression.

Sun Jian shook his head calmly. "You don't have to marry Qiao Xuan's daughter if you don't want to, Ce – I won't force you." His gaze moved from Sun Ce to his companion, and Zhou Yu stared back at the stoic eyes stonily. "But I promised Zhou Fan that I would find his son a good marriage, and I have. Zhou Yu will marry one of Qiao Xuan's daughters even if you don't."

Zhou Yu felt hopelessness settling into his stomach even as Sun Ce continued to argue. So here it was at last – his marriage to an awful witch. He'd always known it was inevitable.

"Come on, Father," Sun Ce protested. "He doesn't want to! Don't make him—"

"I don't see what you're complaining about," his father murmured coldly. "You don't have to marry anyone. But Zhou Yu is under my protection, and I will decide what is best for him. Now go on, Ce – go play with Shang Xiang, and send Quan in to talk with us." He shook his head a little as he turned to look at Qiao Xuan apologetically. "I'm sorry, my friend – he's a bit independent. But I do have another son; he's just turned eleven, as it happens. How old are your girls?"

Qiao Xuan shot Zhou Yu a nervous look, as though the tight-lipped strategist might suddenly start yelling like his companion. "Thirteen and twelve," he muttered, and the lead leaking into Zhou Yu's stomach hardened and twisted uncomfortably. So not only did he have to marry an awful girl, he had to marry someone five years his junior. His displeasure must have shown in his eyes, because Qiao Xuan swallowed hard and glanced up to Sun Jian again. "But my oldest will be fourteen in only a month's time. And the other turns thirteen in… early autumn…" He broke off haltingly, and Sun Jian nodded slowly.

"That's all right, then. Not much older than Quan. And Zhou Yu… well, it's a bit of a difference, but not truly worth worrying about."

Sun Ce still hadn't wiped the defiant look off of his face, and he yanked Zhou Yu toward the table, glaring stalwartly at his father. "Don't make him get married, Father."

Sun Ce's tone was demanding, and Zhou Yu could almost see it grating on Sun Jian's nerves. Zhou Yu himself didn't know what to do. He didn't want to get married, but he couldn't defy the wishes of his host and caretaker – was there no way out of this situation? He forced his normally clever brain to think, but jumbles of displeasure were all he could conjure up, and no solution presented itself. His serious expression was cast in marble, and he watched Sun Ce's futile efforts soundlessly.

"You can't. You wouldn't do that – not when he doesn't want to." Sun Ce took two plaintive steps toward his father and stood just before the table, eyes alternately pleading and scowling.

Sun Jian was becoming annoyed, and it showed on his face as he turned back to his eldest son. "Get out, Ce." His voice didn't quite snap, but it was the closest Zhou Yu had ever heard Sun Jian come to yelling at one of his beloved children. "Go play with your sister. Send in Quan – I don't want to talk to you anymore." Qiao Xuan looked between them nervously, and Zhou Yu watched the struggle of wills across the scattered documents.

Sun Ce's fists were clenched again, and they shook with pent-up anger for a moment before he exploded and slammed one hand into the wood of the table. "Okay, fine!" His shout reverberated throughout the room and startled all its occupants. Sun Ce glared up at his father so strongly that the heat seemed to drip from his line of vision. "Fine – I'll get married!"

Sun Jian looked surprised, and he laughed shortly before folding his arms over his chest and studying his son carefully. "Don't bother," he advised. "I've already said you don't have to. Go celebrate your victory."

"Yeah, well, I changed my mind!" Sun Ce announced angrily, pounding the table for emphasis. "I'll marry his stupid daughter." Zhou Yu stared at his companion, mouth slightly open in confusion. What was Sun Ce doing, and why?

Sun Jian chuckled. "That's a shame. You lost your chance – I've decided you're not mature enough to get married." Sun Ce's jaw dropped as he leaned forward over the papers with a fierce scowl.

"What? And you'll marry Quan to her instead?" Sun Jian shrugged.

"I promised Qiao Xuan I'd find husbands for both of his daughters—"

"And I said I'd do it!" Sun Ce reiterated. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed as he watched the young officer's antics. It didn't make any sense. Sun Ce had always declared he would never marry, and this was his chance – why wasn't he taking it?

Sun Jian scoffed and drank deeply from his cup before answering. "And I don't want to give her to you anymore. You had a chance, and you refused it. Stop being fickle." Sun Ce's face reddened angrily at the response, and Zhou Yu grabbed his furiously pounding hand before any serious bruising could occur.

"Ce—" Sun Ce shook him off and glared up at his father desperately.

"If Yu has to get married, then I will, too!" Sun Jian looked as surprised as Zhou Yu felt, and the strategist regarded his companion doubtfully. Was that truly what all this was about? Sun Ce shook his head heatedly and scowled. "We'll go through it together."

Qiao Xuan's eyes turned downward, and he stared morosely at the table. "They're truly not that bad," he tried quietly. "The younger is a bit excitable, but—"

"Are you sure, Ce?" The sympathy was back in Sun Jian's expression as he interrupted his guest. "You truly don't have to get married if you don't want to." Sun Ce's eyes danced with irritation.

"But Yu does?" he demanded. Sun Jian nodded impassively. Sun Ce sighed and raised one hand to brush his bangs back from his face. "Then so do I," he asserted. Sun Jian hesitated only a moment before tipping his head in acquiescence.

"Have it your way." He spared them both a smile before lowering himself gently back into his seat. "In that case, I'll consider the agreement final. The two girls will be arriving in a few weeks, after the new year… I suggest you prepare." He waved toward the door and picked up one of the papers. "You may go," Sun Jian announced vaguely as he studied the careful script. Sun Ce turned on his heel and marched out of the hall, and Zhou Yu followed him closely.

As the door swung closed behind them, Zhou Yu caught Sun Ce's sleeve and held him lightly. "Ce, hang on." Sun Ce sighed and turned to face his companion, and Zhou Yu's brow furrowed in puzzlement. "Why did you do that?" he asked. "Why did you agree to get married as well?" He didn't really buy that line about shared experience – Sun Ce had never been one for mutual punishment.

Sun Ce reached out and took an absent hold of Zhou Yu's shirt. "I thought about it. The thing is, they're sisters, right? So they'll want to stay together. And that means that someday, you'll probably live in a house with them and whoever the other one's married to. And if that's me… well, then it would mean we'd get to stay together and no one would think anything about it. But if I don't marry her, and she marries Quan instead, then I won't get to live with you." Sun Ce smiled half-heartedly. "So if there's no way to get you out of it… then the best thing I can do is jump in with you."

Zhou Yu studied his unhappy expression and gave his arm a little shake. "Ce…" Sun Ce looked up, and his amber eyes caught Zhou Yu's own dark gaze solidly. "You didn't have to. I know you never wanted to get married." Sun Ce shook his head and the smile grew a little.

"It's okay." His positive attitude was reclaiming his expression despite the day's unfortunate events, and he turned to continue down the hallway, drawing Zhou Yu with him. "Besides… maybe they really won't be that bad. Maybe they'll be fun."

Zhou Yu wasn't sure at all. He didn't want to get married, and he didn't want to meet Qiao Xuan's daughters. But in Sun Ce's upbeat smile, he could almost believe that everything was going to be all right after all. Almost.

"But I'm not giving you up just because you get married, you know," Sun Ce informed him as they rounded the corner. "Your wife can just try to compete with me. I'll chase her off with my tonfa!" Zhou Yu couldn't help his chuckle at the mental image Sun Ce's words brought forth.

"I believe you," he murmured, watching the grim drizzle dispassionately. They'd manage, even with Qiao Xuan's daughters around. He knew they could. But nonetheless, the worried butterflies in his stomach wouldn't go away.

End Chapter 18

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This chapter's a lot shorter than most of them these days, but that's because the next one's going to be so long… oh well. A warning in advance: I really disliked what KOEI did with Da Qiao in Dynasty Warriors 5 – making her so weak – so she's going to be completely different in this story, and more like she was in DW4 and DW3. Also, because this story is trying to be mildly historically accurate, the girls are not going to fight – not in battles, at least, although they may do some sparring. Anyway – I hope you enjoyed this chapter; please tell me what you thought of it.

A note for Jen: I'll admit that in DW5 Sun Ce's goatee isn't terrible, but it's so choppy and pointy in the other ones, and I'm just not a fan of facial hair. Anyway, as for Sun Ce being tired: if you mean that curse that gets put on him from which he dies, don't worry about it. Sun Ce's got a good six years left before he dies (which means this story will never be over).

A note for Hotaru: Thank you very much for your review. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far, and I hope you and your friends enjoyed this chapter as much as the others. And you're welcome on the goatee.

A note for Sage Serenity: Certainly no one is perfect – I tried to keep Zhou Yu's flaws in code with how I see his character. Xing Dao… I have an aunt like that, who hangs over my shoulder all the time. That's where I took the inspiration from. But for what it's worth, Xing Dao really ought to have picked Sun Quan as his adoptive nephew instead. Quan would have been 100 delighted. Thanks for your continued support.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 18 

Zhou Yu's breath hitched uncomfortably, and Chen Hao watched as the general lowered himself back to the floor. His long, dark hair slid and caught against the faded wood; Chen Hao bit his lip worriedly at the painful look on Zhou Yu's face as a slight grunt escaped him.

"My lord?" His words were barely a whisper. "Are you all right?"

It was a stupid question, Chen Hao realized absently as Zhou Yu's eyes flickered closed. Of course he wasn't all right – he was bleeding from the chest and poisoned. But the general declined a flat look in favor of the ghostly smile that had so frequently slid over his features that night.

"Sitting up was… becoming uncomfortable." The phrase faltered across the floor and seemed to vanish into the cold wind that had resumed its rushing path through the wagon. Chen Hao felt his sleeves flickering in the breeze, and shivered unconsciously in the restless air. He watched the heavy breathing, and the bandages on Zhou Yu's chest lit with the starlight, and the moon just beginning to rise above the treetops. The clouds were clearing, it seemed – the spidery rays of silver shot between the slats of the storm and found the floor of the wagon, falling just short of Zhou Yu's face. Chen Hao wanted to pick them up and show them to the general – he wasn't sure why, or what the action would accomplish. But somehow, the shining pool of light called to him; he dipped his fingers into its milky emptiness as Zhou Yu continued the story.

"Qiao Xuan's daughters arrived in early spring, and we were married soon afterward. Flowers had just begun to bloom in the garden…" His eyes misted over with memory before he shook it silently away. "The weddings were short, primarily because Sun Jian knew his son's tolerance for long, formal events hardly existed in the first place. Sun Quan and Shang Xiang were in charge of decorations… I believe it was Quan who spread flowers all over the sitting mats." Zhou Yu chuckled lightly under his breath, and Chen Hao shook his head. Sun Quan was so different as a child – when had he come to be the man he was now? The ruler of Wu's great empire was hard to see in the innocent, playful young boy collecting flowers for his brother's wedding.

"Sun Ce's wife – she is called Da or Da Qiao by her familiars, but I have always called her Lady Qiao – turned fourteen several weeks after being married. She was a pleasant girl, who kept herself and her room tidy and largely spent her time reading in Sun Jian's extensive library. Lady Qiao has always possessed a certain kind of dignity and calm, and it has grown with time…" Zhou Yu smiled a little. "She was not petty or excitable, and held herself to a moral and behavioral standard that I very much appreciated. She and Sun Ce got along all right – better, as time went on – and didn't have much to do with each other for a few weeks. Lady Qiao had become mature early, and she has always impressed me with her unflappable composure." Chen Hao watched the words sifting from Zhou Yu's smile and sweeping through the moonlight. "She was the calmest of any of us, and a great friend to her younger sister."

"What about… your wife?" Chen Hao was hesitant to ask, but the silence that had filled the wagon was stifling him under its weighty anticipation. Zhou Yu sighed.

"My wife. Xiao Qiao has grown to be a great companion of mine, and I cannot thank her enough for her support after…" His breath caught again, but whether with pain or reluctance Chen Hao couldn't tell. "After everything. She has always been cheerful and encouraging, and never short of good humor. She is naturally energetic and good company, and she and Sun Ce became great friends for it." A second sigh. "But in the beginning…" Zhou Yu shook his head. "In the beginning, Sun Ce hated her."

Chen Hao blinked. "Why would he hate her?" He had never met the younger Lady Qiao, but he'd heard nothing but praise said of her – kind, generous, a fair fighter in her own right, a good mother to her children, and beautiful almost beyond comprehension. Even now, at 28, it was said her beauty had not dimmed any from its youthful splendor. He tried to remember through the haze of camp gossip – hadn't one of the other rulers wanted the two Qiaos for a palace of his, effectively leading Wu to the battle of Chi Bi? He couldn't quite recall.

Zhou Yu almost laughed. "Xiao Qiao did not take the same approach to marriage as her sister - she pursued me for a good month after we were married. It drove Sun Ce crazy. And if it hadn't been for his impulsiveness… I'm not sure we ever would have gotten everything straightened out." His chuckle slipped out of the cold lips and disappeared into the darkness. "But I suppose his siblings deserve some of the credit, too. That's the Sun family for you – they never do things delicately."

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Zhou Yu sighed and picked at the food on his plate. His chopsticks tapped and skittered over the porcelain surface aimlessly as he traced vague patterns in the sauce and sorted the vegetables into piles. Somehow, he just couldn't seem to summon an appetite. It wasn't the food – Sun Jian's servants had always been wonderful cooks, and the smells wafting from the bowls before him almost seemed enticing, but his stomach wasn't interested. It wasn't the company either – only the Sun family surrounded him at the small floor table, and they chatted amiably as the delicious food steamed and beckoned from the tabletop. He even preferred this smaller dining room to the enormous banquet hall, and there was nothing on the table that he hadn't enjoyed at a previous point in his life. But despite all this, his chopsticks fiddled with the food he'd been handed and refused to raise it to his mouth.

It was probably, Zhou Yu decided as he chased a particularly tenacious sprout around the ceramic dish, because he had a squealing, giggling, richly-robed twelve year old clamped onto his left arm. He figured that might kill anyone's appetite. Yes, the Sun family was the only company for dinner – the Sun family, and its two newest additions. Xiao Qiao tugged on his sleeve and blinked up at him so rapidly Zhou Yu wondered if she could even see between her fluttering lashes. "Will you hand me the rice please?" Her young, vibrant tone bubbled along the words as she smiled, and Zhou Yu barely stopped himself from rolling his eyes before reaching for the bowl in question.

One might have said things weren't exactly going well with the whole marriage situation. If one had said that, Zhou Yu would have accused them of almost fatal understatement. Sun Ce had it easy enough – his wife was calm, collected, and wise beyond her years. As far as Zhou Yu knew, they had fixed up one of the sitting rooms for her to sleep in and barely said a word to each other since the wedding. Sun Ce was lucky. Sun Ce was two months older – and by virtue of this, he'd been given the elder daughter's hand in marriage. It hadn't helped the decision that Zhou Yu's own wife, upon seeing him for the first time, had thrown her arms around his waist exuberantly and refused to let go. I want this one – he's prettier! The words rumbled aggravatingly through Zhou Yu's mind as he surreptitiously stabbed one of the onions and split it in half. His face had gotten him into more trouble than it was worth.

On his other side, Sun Ce glared angrily at his plate and shoveled food into his mouth as fast as he could, indiscriminately swallowing vegetables along with the fish and mallow. Sun Jian eyed his son warily as the rice bowl was yanked forcefully away from Xiao Qiao's side of the table. "Ce? We're not expecting a famine, you know." Sun Ce glowered at his father and chewed moodily for a moment before tapping one chopstick against his chin and swallowing hard.

"I'm hungry," he shot back, and Sun Jian shrugged.

"Suit yourself," he offered. "But I just worry that you'll choke."

Sun Ce mumbled something through his half-full mouth, and Zhou Yu watched him out of the corner of his eye. The young officer had been downright surly for upward of four weeks now. Zhou Yu couldn't blame him – he wasn't exactly ecstatic with the situation himself. There was not a moment of the day when he could hope to escape Xiao Qiao's clutches; she followed him everywhere, and it seemed that every time he turned around she'd caught hold of him again. Zhou Yu had resisted the urge more than once to throw her off, and Sun Ce's temper made it clear that he was trying his best to do the same. Zhou Yu sighed and lifted a limp scallop half-heartedly to his lips. No, things weren't going well at all.

Sun Ce finished stuffing his mouth and sat back from the table, leaning heavily on his hands and chewing sordidly. He glared at Xiao Qiao's bouncing pigtails, and Zhou Yu felt that if looks could kill the girl might not have survived. He shook his arm a little and managed to free it from her claw-like grip under the pretense of adding more food to his brimming plate, and the look of hurt she shot him elicited a quiet growl from their sulking companion. Zhou Yu threw Sun Ce a cautioning glance over his shoulder and turned back to the table in time to see Lady Qiao raise a delicate eyebrow at the antics of the three people nearest her. Zhou Yu stared back at her blankly, and after a moment of the mental interchange her eyes drifted back to her plate.

Sun Ce huffed a little and surreptitiously snatched Zhou Yu's hand where it rested under the tablecloth, leaning forward over his plate and lifting another dumpling from the serving platter. Zhou Yu gave his companion a warning glare at the contact, but Sun Ce ignored him and chewed ferociously around his chopsticks until Sun Jian interrupted the heavy silence with a long stretch.

"Well," he began, faltering a little at the vehement look he received from his oldest son. "I wanted to ask, Ce – what are your plans for the next campaign?" Zhou Yu turned half his attention to the conversation as Sun Ce swallowed hard, the other half still lodged firmly on the fingers entwined with his beneath the silk brocade.

Sun Ce placed his chopsticks a little too forcefully beside his plate. "We're leaving as soon as possible. Day after tomorrow, maybe." The others looked startled, and even Zhou Yu felt surprised at the pronouncement. Sun Jian's face became concerned as he studied Sun Ce's unhappy expression.

"The day after tomorrow? Ce, that's too soon – you two have barely been home a week since your last campaign. Your bruises haven't even healed yet." It was true – blue and purple marks still decorated Sun Ce's unadorned arms, and Zhou Yu's wounds had hardly scabbed. Sun Ce shrugged recklessly and squeezed Zhou Yu's hand again.

"Doesn't matter. I'm eager to get out there." He shot Zhou Yu a meaningful look as he lifted his glass and wrinkled his nose at the bitter tea within it. "It'll be good to get the northern areas under control before typhoon season sets in."

It was a ridiculous statement – typhoon season was by far the best season to be out of Jiang Dong, whether campaigning or otherwise. It didn't matter, though; Zhou Yu knew Sun Ce's urgency to get back to battle had nothing to do with conquest, and little even to do with his long-term dreams of empire. They had been frequently gone ever since the wedding, because the battlefield seemed to be the only place they could escape the creature that had reattached itself to Zhou Yu's arm and was whining piteously.

"You can't go so soon!" There went those eyelashes again – if Zhou Yu could have run as fast as his wife blinked, he wouldn't have needed a horse when he rode out to war. "You just got back, and you've been so busy – I haven't seen you at all!" Sun Ce's mild huff confirmed Zhou Yu's suspicions that this was the entire point, and he reclaimed his arm from the pouting young woman with a stony expression. Let go of me, he demanded silently, but his mouth twisted the words into gentler forms almost without his volition.

"Such is the life of a soldier," he murmured cryptically. Sun Ce glared as Xiao Qiao crossed her arms over her chest and pushed her bottom lip out in what Zhou Yu could only assume she considered an attractive manner. Even if he had been sympathetic, the expression would have fallen short – Sun Quan had cured him of any susceptibility to puppy eyes years ago. After a moment, the girl flopped her head from side to side and smiled a dazzling smile again.

"Okay," she sighed. "But you have to spend tomorrow with me in exchange, okay?" Maybe she was fluttering her lashes because she'd gotten sand in her eyes or something – the motion was almost mesmerizing, and the speed incredible. The last thing Zhou Yu wanted was to spend any length of time in the girl's company – particularly voluntarily – and was thankfully spared from answering the double-edged request by Lady Qiao gently clearing her throat and directing a question to Sun Jian from behind her elegantly poised chopsticks.

"Who are they attacking, my lord?" Sun Jian laughed lightly.

"The borderlands are basically no-man's land, but minor knights and nobles can always be counted on to put up a fight." Sun Quan looked up at Lady Qiao and blushed behind his modestly raised sleeve.

"Don't worry, Lady Qiao," he squeaked in a very sorry impression of bravado. "No one can beat Brother and Master Zhou Yu – and even if they could, we'd protect you." The blush deepened as Lady Qiao laughed softly behind her hand and bowed shallowly to the young boy.

"Why, thank you Lord Quan," she lilted. Sun Ce scowled at his brother from the other side of the table.

"Are you doubting me?" he challenged, eyes annoyed more because of the bundle of silk trying to coerce its way into Zhou Yu's carefully guarded lap than because of the comment. Zhou Yu gave his wife a less than subtle push and directed her back onto her own sitting mat, though it did little more good than the displeasure burning in his eyes. Sun Quan shook his head very rapidly as his flush spread, and Shang Xiang bit back a laugh at her brother's expense.

"No, Brother, of course not." Despite his obnoxious leech, Zhou Yu almost smiled at the boy. Sun Quan's childish crush on Lady Qiao was kind of amusing – unlike the very persistent and annoying attentions of the girl to his left. Don't smack her, Zhou Yu warned himself internally. It will only be worse if you give in.

"You're so strong!" Xiao Qiao told her husband, eyelashes beating as fast as the emperor's fan on a warm day. Zhou Yu bit back a scoff with difficulty. It was a compliment, but it gave him an unpleasant knot in his stomach anyway - probably because he had never cared for beguiling praise. Xiao Qiao had never even seen him fight – who was she to commend his prowess? The girl was not deterred by his silence, however, and leaned closer so he could catch her whispers. "Go beat them all up!"

A wink this time. There was something seriously wrong with the girl's eyes. This last conspiratorial comment was all Sun Ce could take, and he shoved himself to his feet, yanking his hand out of Zhou Yu's in the process. The loss of contact startled his companion, and Zhou Yu looked up to Sun Ce's moody expression as the young officer stormed toward the door.

"What's the matter, Ce?" His father's call did little to slow Sun Ce's steps, and the sliding door was pushed roughly aside as Zhou Yu hurriedly rose to his feet, tearing himself away from his wife in the process.

"I'm going to get ready," Sun Ce shouted back. Sun Jian blinked.

"But we're in the middle of dinner, and if you're not leaving until the day after tomorrow—" It was too late – Sun Ce had moved out of earshot with his escape down the corridor. Sun Jian glanced between his family members worriedly and made to stand up.

"Perhaps I ought to…"

"Let me talk to him." Zhou Yu's voice was barely above a mutter, but it floated through the shadowy air and reached Sun Jian nonetheless. Zhou Yu's stomach twisted as the echoes of Sun Ce's hurried steps danced away down the hall. Maybe it was time he and Sun Ce had a talk – again. His annoyance at his young wife grew and tumbled as he stared down the corridor. Like he and Sun Ce needed any more tension than they brought on themselves.

Sun Jian nodded silently to his strategist; Xiao Qiao made to protest, but Zhou Yu was in no mood to put up with her and stalked away before her grasping fingers could catch the hem of his robe. Zhou Yu walked quickly past the faded paneling and the painted scenery, only pausing to remark the cold rain falling outside. It wasn't quite the season for rain – but then, the weather in Jiang Dong always had been eclectic. The brooding storm did nothing to help Zhou Yu's mood, and his thoughts rumbled and turned in his mind as he checked within each room for his fleeing companion.

It wasn't fair – it truly wasn't. But life had never really been fair, Zhou Yu reflected as he peered into the darkened sitting room where the burned rug still resided. Sun Ce was jealous, and had every right to be – and despite sleepless nights and as many conversations as he could manage with the young officer, Zhou Yu didn't know what to do. Most of him wanted to simply tell the girl exactly why he wasn't – and never would be – interested in her company, but there were so many things that stopped him. The first and most important was simply Sun Jian – if the girl intended to exact revenge, it wouldn't have been difficult to run straight to the lord of Jiang Dong and spill their secret.

As time went on, Zhou Yu was wondering more and more frequently whether it might not be simpler to just tell Sun Jian himself and let the consequences fall as they might – but he couldn't quite bring himself to do it. Zhou Fan had never been a worthy father in his eldest son's mind, but Sun Jian was the closest Zhou Yu had to a parent – Xing Dao and his unfortunate attentions notwithstanding. And the thought of that look – shock, hurt, and perhaps even anger – in the kind hazel eyes stopped Zhou Yu every time the thought crossed his mind. Unfortunately, that made the problem intensely more difficult to deal with.

Zhou Yu sighed as he encountered yet another empty room. Where had Sun Ce gotten off to so fast? He frowned at the laughing image of Xiao Qiao in his mind and glared at the wall. His current plan of action was to simply remain uninterested for as long as it took for Xiao Qiao to give up – but remarkably, it didn't seem to be working, and Sun Ce's patience was wearing thin. And if Zhou Yu was being perfectly honest with himself, his own tolerance for the situation was bordering on negligible as well. Things had to change in a hurry – before either of them did something drastic.

There he was. Zhou Yu paused at the doorway of Sun Ce's private study – a room he never used unless he was seeking solitude – and watched the young officer for a moment. Sun Ce had perched on the edge of the desk and was kicking the chair energetically, face turned in a vibrant scowl. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes; no doubt his toes would chastise him for such childish behavior in the morning, when bruises met the leather of his boots.

It only took a moment for Sun Ce to notice his visitor, and he huffed unhappily before giving the chair a particularly vicious kick. "I thought you'd come after me," he muttered. Zhou Yu straightened a little and entered the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

"You could have made yourself easier to find," he admonished. Sun Ce shrugged dismissively.

"I didn't really want to talk to you."

This was a new development. Zhou Yu blinked and came to stand beside the desk, watching the candlelight dancing over Sun Ce's features. "Why not?" Sun Ce swung his legs back and forth and avoided Zhou Yu's gaze for a moment before glaring righteously up at his companion.

"Because you're making me really angry." Zhou Yu might have assumed as much from the tense posture and unwelcoming expression. That alone wasn't enough to solve the problem, however; he crossed his arms over his chest and prepared for twenty questions.

"Why am I making you angry?" Sun Ce's scowl deepened as he leaned back on his hands and glared up at Zhou Yu intensely.

"Because you let her climb all over you!" Zhou Yu sighed silently. It had to be that again. How many times had they discussed this? He took a deep breath and prepared for the same old argument, but Sun Ce cut him off by skipping a few lines ahead in their nearly memorized script. "It's hard to believe you're trying really hard to get rid of her when you're so lenient all the time."

Zhou Yu frowned at his companion. "Ce…" The warning tone gave way to a heavy sigh as Sun Ce looked away angrily and kicked the chair again. Zhou Yu reached out and dropped one hand onto Sun Ce's shoulder, but an antisocial shrug broke the contact after a brief moment. Zhou Yu felt his eyes narrowing as he replaced the rejected hand on his hip and watched Sun Ce's aggravated feet.

"Look," he began, tone falling into the same ruts as the time before. "It's not that I want her crawling all over me. But there's nothing I can do." Or rather, Zhou Yu thought to himself as Sun Ce scoffed, there was nothing he could do that he wasn't already trying. Sun Ce's eyes flickered unhappily, and Zhou Yu felt his annoyance rising as he brushed his bangs out of his eyes. "I do push her away."

"Not very hard," Sun Ce accused. "You shove me off harder than that every day."

Zhou Yu shook his head. "That's because you can take it, Ce." The backhanded compliment escaped with a raw edge, and Zhou Yu could tell it wasn't going to be a good enough reason for the young officer. "You're not delicate. I don't worry about pushing you off." Sun Ce laughed harshly.

"So you're worried about hurting her feelings?" Zhou Yu glared at the back of his head and resisted the urge to growl.

"No. I'm worried about what might happen if I hurt her feelings." Crying, screaming, consequences… the possibilities welled up in his mind and threatened to overflow, but Sun Ce couldn't hear them and huffed under his breath again.

"That's a nice excuse." Zhou Yu slammed the palm of one hand against the table in irritation, and Sun Ce jumped at the noise. The young strategist glared at his companion as Sun Ce dropped back to the floor and turned to face him, eyes clearly preparing for a confrontation. Why was Sun Ce being so difficult?

"It's not an excuse," he insisted, voice low and dangerous. Sun Ce squared his shoulders in challenge and tossed his head a little. He was angrier than usual this evening, and his words when he next spoke proved it.

"Look, it's okay," Sun Ce jabbed, tone growing harsher with every word. "I mean, hey – I guess I can't blame you. She's young and pretty and obviously devoted to you." Zhou Yu ground his teeth together in a silent threat, but Sun Ce either missed the message or chose to ignore it; his words rushed on as the volume of his voice grew. "I mean, what's not to like?"

"Ce." Zhou Yu could feel his patience slipping through his fingers as his hands tightened into fists. "Stop being ridiculous." It was a phrase that never seemed to prompt anything positive, but it slid between his lips of its own accord and stirred the flames in Sun Ce's eyes even higher. Sun Ce raised his hands in a biting gesture of placation.

"Hey, don't get mad – I'm just voicing my opinion." His eyes blazed and met Zhou Yu's glare evenly as the strategist's muscles tensed in annoyance. Sun Ce dropped his hands onto his hips and shrugged a little before continuing with the words that cut into Zhou Yu's flesh. "That's fine, you know – you can go off with her if you want to. I mean, hey, what do I care? I've got a pretty wife too, so—"

Zhou Yu punched him. His fist collided powerfully with the edge of Sun Ce's jaw and knocked the young officer backward into the desk, and Sun Ce grunted as he slammed into the hard wooden edge. He was on his feet again in an instant, and Zhou Yu stumbled back a few steps as the blow was returned in kind, crunching his cheek beneath the furious knuckles. Zhou Yu's balance returned to him in a moment, and he was off after Sun Ce again, fist raised menacingly to his adversary's face. Sun Ce didn't even bother to dodge the second blow, simply throwing himself forward to match it and colliding with Zhou Yu's chest as his fist found the strategist's shoulder.

"I am so irritated!" Sun Ce shouted. Zhou Yu grabbed his wrists and held on so tightly that the skin pinched beneath his fingers, yanking hard to pull the young officer closer to him. Sun Ce's wincing amber eyes found Zhou Yu's dark gaze, and the heated glare passed between them for another long moment before Zhou Yu spoke.

"Tell me you don't believe a word you're saying." His voice bordered on a hiss as the words slipped over Sun Ce's angry countenance. Sun Ce opened his mouth to argue before closing it again and shutting his eyes silently; at the change in expression, Zhou Yu released his wrists and dropped his hands back to his sides. Sun Ce sighed heavily before opening his eyes again and wrapping one hand into Zhou Yu's shirt.

"Okay." Zhou Yu watched the unhappy eyes carefully as Sun Ce shook his head. "I don't." The unpleasant, heavy feeling in Zhou Yu's stomach wilted and vanished at the words, taking his anger with it and cleansing his expression. Sun Ce looked up to his eyes after a moment and frowned. "I'm just so frustrated."

Frustrated from angry was a good change, Zhou Yu decided as he put two arms carefully around Sun Ce's back. "As am I," he assured his companion, watching the answering light in Sun Ce's eyes. "I want her to stop as much as you do." Sun Ce chuckled a little and exhaled heavily, leaning forward to rest his forehead against Zhou Yu's shoulder.

"And I believe you… but it's just hard to deal with it sometimes. When it seems like you really don't mind." Zhou Yu watched his breath ruffling Sun Ce's hair and tickling his ear. His hands moved slowly across the satin fabric of Sun Ce's back.

"I don't try to make you angry."

Sun Ce laughed a little and pulled back from the embrace to meet Zhou Yu's eyes again. "Well, I'm not sure you could do a better job of it even if you were." Zhou Yu's blinked in confusion, and Sun Ce shook his head bitterly. "You're just so impassive. It's always been hard to read you." Zhou Yu sighed and nodded.

"I understand." He understood, but there was nothing he could think to do about it. It was just his way. Sun Ce's expression told him the youth's patience was nearly expended, and a few quick words confirmed it.

"I've nearly had it, Yu. If she doesn't quit soon, I'm going to do something drastic!" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, and Sun Ce shrugged. "Like yank her pigtails off or something. Just to release a little frustration." The annoyed gleam had returned to his eyes, and he pounded one fist lightly against Zhou Yu's chest. "Who does she think she is, anyway? She's six years younger than you – she's still a little kid! Why does she think she can climb all over you like that?"

"She thinks she's my wife," Zhou Yu intoned quietly, but rushed on at the hurt and displeased look spreading over Sun Ce's features. "But I also wish she'd knock it off."

He was tempted to kiss the frown off of Sun Ce's face, but the young officer looked liable to bite him if he tried, so he settled for a potent look instead. Sun Ce's scowl deepened, and Zhou Yu sighed before giving him a small shake.

"Ce, I'm running out of ideas – and I can practically see your patience stretched to the limit." Sun Ce gave a wry smile at this, and Zhou Yu closed his eyes for a moment before continuing. "So let's do this. Day after tomorrow, we'll leave on the campaign northward. And if she hasn't given up on me by the time we return, we'll just tell her."

Sun Ce's eyes widened and his fingers tightened in the fabric of the shirt. "What? I mean, are you sure?" His voice betrayed his surprise at the idea. "You were so set against it – what if she gets mad?"

Zhou Yu found it ironic that their roles in the discussion had completely flipped, but he just shook his head a little in annoyance. "I'm sick of it," he remarked by way of an answer, and a brilliant smile lit Sun Ce's features. He nodded energetically, hopefulness back in his expression.

"All right. Let's do it. And if she tells my father…" The words halted for a moment before he shook his head and his features became determined. "Then we'll just deal with it." Zhou Yu watched him carefully. He supposed it was time to discuss this… probability had it that they would be confronting Sun Jian not too long from now.

"You know that if he finds out, he will probably ask me to leave," Zhou Yu murmured, keeping his voice low to remind the Sun heir not to shout so exuberantly when they were discussing confidential subjects. Sun Ce sighed at his words.

"You've told me that a hundred times, but I'll never believe it." His faith echoed in his eyes and he dropped his head onto Zhou Yu's shoulder again. "Father's not like that – he wouldn't send you away. Things might just be kind of awkward for a while." Zhou Yu didn't answer, and Sun Ce tightened his hands in the shirt before speaking again. "And if he did send you away… I'd just come with you."

Zhou Yu settled his arms more securely around Sun Ce's waist and shook his head. "You shouldn't do that. You're in the middle of wide-scale conquest, remember? Your dream depends on the aid of your father's power." That same dream… after all these years, it still hadn't changed. He'd often been amazed by Sun Ce's dedication to such a vague ideal. His musings were cut short by a laugh, and he looked down over the cascade of Sun Ce's hair as the sound ricocheted through the darkening room.

"It does not," Sun Ce argued lightly. "My dream doesn't depend on anything but myself." Zhou Yu's eyes widened a little at the statement, and his arms unconsciously tightened. Sun Ce gave another small laugh before continuing. "If Father did throw us out, or if I didn't have his soldiers anymore, it wouldn't matter one bit. It's easier this way, but I could find other soldiers – or I could work by myself and recruit people as I went. Father's help is appreciated, but… he's not the one keeping my dream afloat. I am." He raised his head to meet Zhou Yu's startled expression with a smile. "So don't say things like that anymore – I don't have to choose between you and China. I'm going to have you both."

His stunning smile was so disarming that Zhou Yu almost lost his balance, and his feet strained to keep him still in the wake of his companion's words. It wasn't the desire itself that was so surprising – it was the wealth of self-confidence burning in Sun Ce's eyes and echoing through his affectionate kiss. And with sudden emptiness Zhou Yu found that he couldn't measure up to the young man in front of him. He had nothing as powerful as Sun Ce's dream – no such strong will to keep himself upright. He didn't have those kind of dominating goals, and because of this the distance between them stretched before him endlessly. It seemed to him that no matter how hard he pressed, he would never reach the place Sun Ce had stumbled into. Sun Ce's strength was in his smile, and Zhou Yu knew he couldn't compare, no matter how intelligent or skilled he was in the arts of war. The thoughts closed his eyes against Sun Ce's candlelit grin, and he sighed a little.

"Hey – what's the matter?" Sun Ce's voice had become concerned. Zhou Yu shook his head against the blackness before his eyes.

"Nothing. I was just thinking." Always thinking. It was all he could ever seem to do with himself. Sun Ce chased dreams and pushed himself after the tail of imperial rule every day – and Zhou Yu sat at his desk and thought. They were such opposites – and it seemed impossible to deny which of them was truly stronger.

The cry of the night breeze against the window opened his eyes again, and he stared into Sun Ce's face for a moment before pulling back. It had gotten late without him realizing it. "I suppose…" His words trailed off into the stillness. Sun Ce sighed and pulled on the ribbon in his ponytail.

"Yeah… I guess you'd better get back, huh?"

There was bitterness in his voice, and it didn't surprise Zhou Yu in the least. The strategist sighed a little and watched the disgruntled expression that had taken hold of Sun Ce's face. They had resolved the conflict between themselves, but the overarching problem hadn't actually gone away. Zhou Yu didn't want to return to his room – Xiao Qiao would undoubtedly be lurking there, waiting for him. She slept in a room with her sister because both Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had declared their wives too young yet to live with them – an excuse Sun Jian had barely accepted – but that didn't stop the girl from prowling through Zhou Yu's quarters every chance she got and waiting to ambush him.

"I wish you could stay with me." The words slipped out unintentionally, and Zhou Yu seemed to hear them at the same time as Sun Ce himself, who shook his head a little. "Never mind. You don't have to explain again. I know – you can't do that." Sun Ce's face took on a sulking expression, and Zhou Yu watched him silently.

He really did need to go back. It would be hard to explain why he hadn't returned – his office was part of his room, depriving him of a working excuse, and there were few other places to sleep. And should Xiao Qiao come looking for him in the morning and choose to ask Sun Ce, it would be even more difficult to explain why he was sleeping in the young officer's bed. But he couldn't help studying the traces of the flickering candlelight as they danced over Sun Ce's unhappy eyes, and he couldn't help dreading a return to the attentions of his obnoxious wife.

The thoughts wove back and forth, and it was a long moment before he spoke. "Don't put words in my mouth." Sun Ce looked up at this unexpected response, and Zhou Yu couldn't help a small smile at the hopeful light in the youth's eyes. "I shouldn't stay with you… but that doesn't mean I can't."

Sun Ce correctly interpreted this as acquiescence, and he grinned before diving forward to catch his companion in a tight hug. Zhou Yu felt his breath stall at the strength of the hold, but Sun Ce pulled back before any serious suffocation could occur. His grin was two spots short of blinding as he looked up at his companion and his ponytail bounced back and forth. He didn't need any words, but a few escaped anyway. "All right! Let's get out of here then."

Zhou Yu began to nod, but a thought made him pause. "How are we going to get back to your room?" Sun Ce blinked, and Zhou Yu continued after a backward glance to the closed door. "She may be waiting in the corridors somewhere." Sun Ce's lips turned down in a reprimanding frown.

"I thought we were going to tell her anyway." Zhou Yu gave his companion a mild glare.

"After we get back from the campaign." Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"Why bother? Two or three weeks won't make a difference in how she feels." Zhou Yu's expression didn't budge, however, and Sun Ce sighed melodramatically. "Okay, okay. We'll wait."

Zhou Yu felt his expression softening unintentionally. Sun Ce was growing up, at least a little. When they had been younger, it hadn't mattered how insignificant the argument was – Sun Ce had refused to give in every time. Things were different now. Not much different, he reflected as Sun Ce scratched his chin in thought. The young officer was still stubborn as hell. But somewhere in the… Zhou Yu's eyes widened a fraction. Was it nearly three years now? Three years that they'd been together? Somewhere in their relationship, they had both learned how to compromise.

Zhou Yu's reflective thoughts were cut off by Sun Ce snapping his fingers and nodding decisively. "Right. We'll go through the window."

Zhou Yu frowned and cast the window a skeptical look. "That's the best you can come up with?" Sun Ce scowled.

"Hey – which one of us gets paid to use his brain? Why don't you think of something?" Zhou Yu couldn't actually come up with an answer to this, so he shrugged and moved to unpin the curtains hanging over the decorated window and flickering in the breeze. Sun Ce came to stand beside him and peeked out over the covered walkway and shadowy courtyard beyond it. "Coast is clear," he muttered conspiratorially, and Zhou Yu rolled his eyes but kept his mouth shut.

Bracing one hand against his companion's shoulder and the other on the wall, Sun Ce heaved himself into the open window and slid his legs through, turning over onto his stomach halfway to make landing easier. "See?" he remarked with a wink. "This is a piece of cake."

"I'm taller than you are," Zhou Yu pointed out. A concentrated look came over Sun Ce's face as he tried to find the floor of the walkway blindly.

"Barely," Sun Ce argued back. Then he yelped. "Ouch! What the—"

Zhou Yu decided Sun Ce's comment about the escape being a piece of cake had become void as a long strand of Sun Ce's hair slipped in between the decorative carvings of the window frame and pulled. Sun Ce yanked his head back and forth a few times, but all he succeeded in doing was drawing a few more pained groans from his own throat. "Who put these damn things here anyway?" Sun Ce asked vehemently, gesturing vaguely to the carvings above him. Zhou Yu sighed and caught Sun Ce's eye in a chastising glare.

"Hold still." Sun Ce's squirming halted as Zhou Yu reached up to unwind the chestnut strands. They came away easily under the deft fingers, and Sun Ce laughed as his wrinkled ponytail fell back into his face.

"That just figures. If I ever have a house, there will be no decorative carvings on the windows." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow and dropped his hands onto the sill, where they rested beside Sun Ce's on the lacquered wood.

"You certainly have plenty of opinions," he muttered, and Sun Ce just smiled before leaning forward to give him a lingering kiss, which Zhou Yu returned for a moment before pulling away with a resigned sigh. "Ce… don't." Sun Ce frowned and reached out to brush his companion's cheek.

"Why not?" Zhou Yu shook his head.

"I can't, Ce." Sun Ce's frown deepened and he adopted a firm pout.

"Come on, Yu. The door's closed - there's no one out here. The whole household is in bed. I know you're really uptight about people catching us, especially now that we're both married and all, but—"

"That's not why." Zhou Yu's interruption surprised the young officer, and he blinked a little.

"Then what is it?" Zhou Yu huffed under his breath and gave Sun Ce a very flat look as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"You're hanging halfway out of a window," he pointed out sharply. Sun Ce rested his elbows on the sill and swung his hands listlessly.

"So?" Zhou Yu rubbed his forehead and turned to blow out the candle before answering, plunging the room into darkness with one swift breath.

"Moods are easy to ruin, Ce." Sun Ce seemed to understand his cryptic answer, and in the dim light Zhou Yu could just see his answering smile. The young strategist stepped back to the window and gave Sun Ce a gentle shove on the shoulder. "Move."

Sun Ce obligingly pulled himself out of the window and disappeared; only his voice confirmed that he hadn't vanished into the night. "Moods aren't easy to ruin for everyone – you're just very temperamental." Zhou Yu snorted softly as he pulled himself into the window, carefully brushing his hair back before letting gravity carry him through the opening and onto the walkway. He stumbled a little upon landing on the damp stone, but his balance returned quickly and Sun Ce caught his arm for additional support. Zhou Yu straightened and found Sun Ce's hand before heading for the room they had shared many times, his footsteps echoing in the dim night.

"I'm not temperamental," he returned smoothly. Sun Ce scoffed and swung their joined hands back and forth.

"Like hell you're not." Zhou Yu decided it wasn't worth arguing about and cast his attention out into the drizzle instead, watching as drops of rain slid over the upturned eaves of the walkway and slithered down support columns to the ground. An increased warmth at his side informed him of Sun Ce's decision to discard his hand in favor of his whole arm, and he paused to glance down into the youth's infinitely pleased expression.

"What are you grinning about?" Zhou Yu asked. Sun Ce's smile grew wider.

"I won. That devil woman doesn't get to see you tonight." Zhou Yu smiled a little, but he couldn't help the thoughts in his mind. It ought not have been a competition. He and Sun Ce ought not have to sneak out of the study window to get time together. That wasn't the way these things were supposed to work.

As though echoing his thoughts, Sun Ce kicked at a rock on the path and watched it skitter into the courtyard with a heavy sigh. "I wish it could be just you and me again – like it used to be." Zhou Yu didn't have an answer to this, but silence seemed impersonal; he slipped his captured arm out of Sun Ce's grip and around his back as a compromise.

The words came after a few more steps. "As do I." Sun Ce had stopped talking, but he was humming a little under his breath – that off-key hum Zhou Yu had heard so many times. The stars were veiled by the mist and clouds, but it seemed to Zhou Yu that they were reflecting in Sun Ce's eyes anyway, fighting through the stormy weather to shine in their customary bed of amber. Sun Ce's eyes always shone – especially at night.

Sun Ce was laughing under his breath. "If wishes were horses, we wouldn't need to hire cavalry…" Zhou Yu tightened his hold and looked up at the sky again. The thick blackness seemed to gaze back at him for a long moment, and Zhou Yu almost felt as though he were staring into eternity between the rolling clouds. Motion drew his gaze back down, and he watched as Sun Ce shook his head violently. "Nope – no good being down. We're going to fix it – I'll fight her to the death if I have to."

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath. "Just don't challenge her to a cooking contest." Sun Ce's jaw dropped and he rested a hand on his hip indignantly.

"I'm a good cook!" he insisted. Zhou Yu just snorted. Sun Ce felt obliged to give him a punch in the shoulder for the unsaid remark; Zhou Yu's thoughts drifted to his mildly stinging cheek and their brief fistfight, but his tongue remained silent. There was no point in bringing the matter up again – they'd mended things as well as they could. And in time, they would fix everything – consequences or no.

Sun Ce was smiling again. "Forget cooking. I'd smack her with the pan instead – quicker results." Zhou Yu felt his lips turning up at the corners, despite the night air pressing down on the pair of them and the unlit windows they passed. Zhou Yu paused just before the door that would take them back inside and listened carefully, but no sound drifted from the interior corridors – he took the silence as an encouraging sign. Sun Ce had moved to the railing of the walkway and was staring into the fathomless night, and Zhou Yu turned back from the door to touch his cheek. The rain had chilled his face but not his smile, and joy was glistening in his eyes as strongly as ever.

"I love you," Sun Ce said simply. Zhou Yu kissed his forehead before opening the door and venturing inside, drawing his companion after him into the shadows. As Zhou Yu led the way down the hall, Sun Ce caught his hand and leaned up to whisper into his ear. "But it's cold tonight – so either hold me, or don't be upset when I take all the blankets."

It was too dark for Sun Ce to see his tiny smile.

.x.

The sunlight seemed particularly bright this morning. It slid across the floor and shattered against the corners of the bed, all traces of the night's gloom completely gone. Zhou Yu watched it silently from where he sat on the edge of the bed, feet just brushing the thick carpet and hair strewn messily across his back. His eyes regarded the sunlight almost disapprovingly. Morning had come too soon – he was still tired, and wanted nothing more than to lie back into the pillows and disappear into dreams again. But it was too light now – there was nothing for it but to get up.

Sun Ce was gone. Where, he didn't know, but the place beside him had been cold when he finally opened his eyes against the harsh sunlight. The strategist hadn't given it much thought – Sun Ce was a chronically early riser. The current priority was convincing himself to leave the bed and get dressed – a feat which was requiring far more effort than seemed appropriate. I wasn't up that late, Zhou Yu reminded himself. Get up and stop complaining.

He sighed once more before following his own instructions. Zhou Yu stood carefully and crossed the room to a chest of drawers surreptitiously pushed behind one corner of the desk. The sunlight was spilling across it like golden silk, and the threads of morning tumbled back as he lifted the lid and regarded the contents – a faded blue robe, a hairbrush, a pair of slippers. Zhou Yu lifted the robe and studied it silently. It had been a long time since he'd worn the thing – which made sense, really. It had been a long time since he'd spent the night in Sun Ce's room at all. They had decided long ago that Zhou Yu might as well leave a pair of clothes in the young officer's room for convenience, but the dust lining the folds of cloth reiterated how long it had been sitting unused in the dusky trunk.

Zhou Yu shook his head to urge himself to stop thinking, and he changed into the robe quickly, slipping the shoes onto his feet as he finished and taking up the hairbrush. The robe was a little tight around the arms – apparently he'd improved his musculature since the robe was fitted – but he ignored it and raised the brush to his disheveled locks, wincing a little as the bristles tugged and snared. The bronze mirror on the wall gazed back at him sympathetically as he struggled to bring the brush through his dark hair, and Zhou Yu glared at its reflective surface. This always happened when he'd forgotten to braid his hair before falling asleep, and he tried to remember to tie it back every night before collapsing into bed. But Sun Ce always made it so easy to forget.

The pounding of footsteps and the door slamming back against the wall announced the young lord's return, and Zhou Yu hesitated in his painful brushing to glance over his shoulder. Sun Ce was breathing hard, and one hand clutched his chest as though he'd run very fast from wherever he'd been. He only paused to shove the door closed again before rushing to Zhou Yu's side and grabbing his shoulder. The urgent look in his amber eyes made Zhou Yu frown as he reached up and pulled the brush through his long hair again.

"There you are," he began mildly, but Sun Ce huffed and shook his head.

"You're still not ready? Come on!" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow and continued his careful brushing. Sun Ce scowled and shook his friend a little. "You always take forever to brush your hair!"

Zhou Yu frowned back at him, dissecting a few stubborn knots with his careful fingers. "What's the rush? And where did you go, anyway?" Sun Ce crossed his arms over his chest and bounced a little on the balls of his feet, haste coursing through him in every movement.

"I went to keep watch on the Qiaos' room," he explained quickly. Zhou Yu's eyes widened. "And your wife's up and heading this way – so hurry up and let's get out of here before she shows up!"

That changed things. Zhou Yu seized an extra ribbon from Sun Ce's side table and dashed his hair up into a messy ponytail to hide the unbrushed locks. He was ready in a few moments and turned back to Sun Ce, understanding and urgency echoing in his expression. "All right – let's go," he agreed. Sun Ce began to nod before stopping with a sigh and reaching for the front of Zhou Yu's robe.

"Maybe you ought to finish buttoning this first," he recommended, fingers working quickly across the ties. "She hangs on you enough when you're dressed."

Zhou Yu watched him silently. Maybe he was more tired than he'd given himself credit for – usually he didn't have problems like that. His mind seemed to be unusually messy this morning, and he decided to blame the squeaky bundle of silk headed toward their room at that very moment.

Sun Ce finished the last string and grabbed Zhou Yu's arm, yanking him toward the door as his feet skittered over the loose carpet. "Okay – I was thinking maybe we'd hit the training field, because she doesn't like to go there." Zhou Yu nodded even though Sun Ce couldn't see him, and he matched his companion's pace as the door swung back before them and the hallway appeared, dark and warm in the morning light. The two turned left immediately, and Zhou Yu felt his feet edging at a loose jog as he followed Sun Ce swiftly down the paneled corridor. Sun Ce was speaking again, his voice low under the tread of their shoes. "And then we'll leave tomorrow, so if I can just keep you away from her until-"

"Zhou Yu!" The shout stopped them cold, and Zhou Yu felt ice forming around his feet as the leather stuck to the wood and halted him motionless on the uneven floor. He glanced sideways at Sun Ce, whose face was twisted in an unpleasant scowl, and then back down the hall toward their destination – but it was too late to pretend not to have heard. With a resigned sigh, Zhou Yu turned back in the direction they had come and faced the cheerful girl rushing at them, skirts flapping and brushing the floor. "Good morning!" Xiao Qiao cried, waving energetically and stretching out her arms in greeting. Zhou Yu pulled himself up straight and braced for impact as her footsteps tumbled across the floor and she nearly tripped over the impractical shoes strapped to her feet.

Sun Ce was still staring angrily down the corridor – Zhou Yu could see the shadows darkening his expression, and thousands of unsaid thoughts slipped over his face before he made a silent decision. Sun Ce turned around and put himself squarely in front of Zhou Yu, surprising both the strategist and his wife with the sudden move and the paper smile plastered to his face. "Hey, Xiao Qiao! Good to see you!" he exclaimed brightly as the girl skittered to a halt and stood just in front of them, expression confused and not entirely pleased at the obstacle in her way. Then she danced a jeweled smile back onto her lips and bowed prettily to the young lord in front of her.

"Why, Lord Sun Ce – my sister was looking for you," she offered flippantly, invention flickering over her face. Sun Ce caught the lie instantly, and he bowed back shallowly with a biting look in his eyes.

"Was she? That's unusual." Zhou Yu stood frozen behind the stalwart form of his companion, muscles tense and expression stony. Sun Ce was being strange today – it wasn't a good sign, and he needed to get the young officer away from his rival as quickly as possible to prevent anything untoward from happening. Zhou Yu bowed a little to his wife and ignored her answering smile and the sidestepping maneuver she employed unsuccessfully to get around Sun Ce.

"Morning, Xiao Qiao," he greeted coldly. Xiao Qiao rolled her light eyes and fluttered her eyelashes.

"You don't have to call me that," she urged. "I'm your wife, you know. Even my friends call me Xiao." Zhou Yu resisted the urge to wrinkle his nose. Her formal name would do. Her lashes were undulating again as she continued speaking in her customary bright tone. "But if you don't like Xiao, you could always give me a nickname or—"

Sun Ce looked like he was going to choke, and Zhou Yu bit down a scowl with difficulty. He didn't assign nicknames – not even to people he was fond of. In fact, the closest he'd ever gotten was 'little idiot' – his customary insult for Sun Ce – and he was fairly sure that didn't count.

The officer in question had gotten fed up with the conversation, however, and turned back toward the corridor, pausing only to loop one arm through Zhou Yu's elbow. "Sorry we don't have time to talk," he tossed bluntly over his shoulder. "But we've got some practicing to do." Zhou Yu kept himself from sighing in relief only through great effort, and he pivoted to follow Sun Ce to the training field. That would do for an excuse, he supposed – he couldn't think of anything better.

A sharp tug halted their progress, and Zhou Yu turned to find that Xiao Qiao had latched onto his other arm and was scowling heavily. Her delicate lips were turned down in a pout that seemed to swallow her whole expression – and from the way her fingers were digging into his flesh, Zhou Yu decided she wasn't interested in letting go. Sun Ce had turned back as well, and the two exchanged potent glares before Xiao Qiao directed her pleading eyes up at her husband.

"But you promised to spend the day with me," she whined, voice twisting uncomfortably in Zhou Yu's ears. Sun Ce huffed and yanked Zhou Yu in his direction, making the strategist stumble a little before he regained his balance.

"He did not," Sun Ce asserted. Xiao Qiao's pout deepened as she pulled Zhou Yu's other arm, and Zhou Yu struggled to keep himself stable against the childish tugging.

"Well he should have!" she insisted. Sun Ce tightened his hold until Zhou Yu felt like the bones in his arm might not survive. Xiao Qiao was wrenching irregularly on his other wrist, and the motion jolted up his arm and into his shoulder painfully.

"We have to practice!" Sun Ce reiterated, voice rising in displeasure as the girl still refused to let go. Xiao Qiao stuck out her tongue at the older youth and threw her shoulders back haughtily.

"I'm his wife!" Her fingers were becoming claw-like and starting to bruise Zhou Yu's skin – he could see the marks forming beneath her tightly clamped hands. Sun Ce jerked him back particularly hard, and Zhou Yu felt his joints wrench painfully at the motion. His eyes widened and then narrowed very quickly as he reached his tolerance for the infantile antics of his captors.

"And I'm his—" Sun Ce never got to finish. Zhou Yu yanked both of his arms free and took two steps back, glaring icicles at both of them.

"That is enough!" he snapped, words rough and jagged in the morning air. Sun Ce and Xiao Qiao stared at him in surprise for a moment, but whatever impact he had created dissipated after a minute and they glanced back to each other, faces set in stoic masks.

"Okay," Sun Ce declared. "Let's settle this once and for all." Xiao Qiao nodded curtly. Sun Ce smirked and crossed his arms over his chest. "We'll have a Liubo tournament."

Xiao Qiao blinked, and Zhou Yu's eyes turned to study Sun Ce's smug face. "What's Liubo?" the girl asked uncertainly.

Sun Ce shrugged dismissively, but his smile still lilted superiority. "It's a board game. A lot simpler than Xiangqi – and it's based on luck, so it's easy to play." His eyes hardened to stone as he bowed mockingly. "Do you accept?"

Xiao Qiao thought it over for a moment before laughing shortly. "You're on. What are we playing for?"

Sun Ce tossed his head in Zhou Yu's direction. "His time." Xiao Qiao nodded in understanding, and Sun Ce's smile grew a little. "We'll play in the front pavilion."

Xiao Qiao eyed him suspiciously as they turned and headed for the north side of the palace, leaving Zhou Yu standing apprehensively in their wake. He considered taking off into the garden and escaping from both of them – but the knowledge that he'd just get yelled at later, probably twice, stopped him from trying. With a heavy sigh, Zhou Yu followed after the pair of rivals, his footsteps solemn and annoyed as he caught up to them and walked in their shadows.

"What are you grinning about?" Xiao Qiao demanded as they rounded the corner, matching each other step for step. Sun Ce cocked his head to the side and cast Zhou Yu an encouraging glance over his shoulder.

"Liubo is a game of luck – and chance is always on my side. I never lose." His grin shot self-confidence throughout the hall, but Xiao Qiao just shrugged.

"We'll see about that." Her boastful young tone echoed back to Zhou Yu's ears as their footsteps slipped over the floor. "The thing about luck is, it can turn sour without warning."

Sun Ce laughed brashly. "You just wait and see." Zhou Yu closed his eyes in resignation. No matter what the outcome, this was not going to end well.

.x.

"Yay! I win again!" Xiao Qiao shouted, throwing her hands up exuberantly and clapping. Sun Ce slammed his fist down into the table, frustration riddling his expression.

"What is going on?" he demanded of the square game board, eyes darting among the pieces in bewildered agitation. "I've never rolled this badly in my life!"

Xiao Qiao stuck out her tongue and winked at him. "The heavens are on my side," she teased, and Sun Ce growled in answer. Zhou Yu just sighed and closed his eyes before lifting a hand to rub at his growing headache.

Sun Ce was right – he never had rolled this badly in his life. But as Xiao Qiao had said, luck could change without warning. And Sun Ce's certainly had. Of the last four games they'd played, he hadn't won a single piece. The die slipped from his fingers every cast and landed unwillingly on the squat table, but it never rolled higher than two. Xiao Qiao, on the other hand, had managed a streak of numbers so high it was hard to believe she wasn't cheating. Zhou Yu shifted his weight to the other foot as he gazed down at the two of them, seated beside the game board and eyeing each other heatedly.

"Fair's fair – I win," Xiao Qiao singsonged. Sun Ce scowled and snatched the die again, rattling it in his cupped hands without waiting for confirmation.

"One more game," he protested, voice rough and desperate. Xiao Qiao shrugged.

"Fine by me. I've got nothing to lose." The spirited girl broke off glaring at her rival long enough to blink becomingly up at her husband. "Root for me, 'kay?" Zhou Yu bit back a scoff and turned his eyes back to Sun Ce's stubborn face. The young officer still looked determined not to lose, but Zhou Yu could feel the inauspicious situation pressing down on him dishearteningly. It was hard to have any confidence when, after no less than twelve games, Sun Ce hadn't managed to emerge victorious from a single one.

At this rate, he really would be spending the afternoon with his wife – a prospect he wasn't looking forward to. Xiao Qiao was annoying enough in company, but any restraint she generally exhibited vanished when they were alone. Not that her efforts ever got her anywhere – Zhou Yu smirked as he remembered accidentally pushing her into the garden's largest lake in order to escape her diving affections – but if nothing else, the girl was persistent. Sun Ce looked about ready to explode, and Zhou Yu wondered how long the youth would be able to keep up the game without drawing a weapon.

The wind whipped through the open sides of the pavilion, blowing Zhou Yu's untidy hair into his face and ruffling the pages of Lady Qiao's painting. The dignified young woman paused in her depiction of the garden to glance over her shoulder and give the younger girl a chastising look. "Don't gloat, Xiao," she encouraged quietly, the music of her words winding through the carved railings and drawing Shang Xiang's eyes up from her book. "It's not kind."

Xiao Qiao giggled and raised two fingers to her lips to indicate her understanding, but she shot Sun Ce a superior look nonetheless. Shang Xiang's mouth soured into a frown at the girl's antics, and she placed her book quietly on the bench beside her in order to watch the game more carefully. Zhou Yu cast the Sun lord's daughter a studying look. He had never been quite positive that Shang Xiang approved of himself and Sun Ce – but she did apparently consider Sun Ce's choice final, and by the looks she was sending the cheerful young woman, Zhou Yu could assume that Shang Xiang appreciated Xiao Qiao's antics about as much as the rest of them.

"Um… Lady Qiao?" Sun Quan's uncertain voice broke the silence, and Zhou Yu shot the young boy a cursory glance. He was also working on a painting of the garden, although with much less success than his teacher, who laughed a little at the ink dripping from his fine implement onto the floor.

Lady Qiao directed Sun Quan's hands back to the paper and helped him draw lines for the treetops, smile touched with tenderness and dignity. "Oh my, Lord Quan – what a mess you're making." Her gentle laugh kept the words from sounding harsh, and Sun Quan mumbled under his breath in response. Zhou Yu couldn't even help smiling a little at the red flush covering Sun Quan's habitually rosy cheeks. It was wiped out moments later, however, by an excited yip and the sound of Sun Ce crashing his fist into the table yet again.

"Man!" he shouted, eyes dark with anger. "Not again!" Zhou Yu's gaze shot back to the young officer, and the gazes of his companions did likewise. It had indeed happened again – Xiao Qiao's five pawns had captured Sun Ce's general in barely ten moves. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed at the unhappy expression on Sun Ce's face, and he moved to stand closer to his friend in sympathy.

"I win! I win!" Xiao Qiao's delighted cheers were getting decidedly annoying, and Zhou Yu didn't even bother to look at her this time. His eyes were caught on Sun Ce's black expression and the anger shaking in his fists, and the way his red hair ribbon was dashing back and forth in the early spring wind. Zhou Yu didn't have anything to say, so he kept silent, but the weight of his companion's unhappiness slipped into his rib cage and pressed hard against his lungs.

When she didn't get a response, Xiao Qiao jumped to her feet and grabbed Zhou Yu's sleeve, tugging excitedly on the tight fabric. "Zhou Yu, I won again! That's thirteen times! Aren't I the greatest at this game?" Zhou Yu turned his head to look back at her. Her bright eyes were sparkling happily and her smile was shining brilliantly and her happiness echoed in every muscle of her body. The silk robes swirled jubilantly around her in the wind and brushed his arm as she wound her fingers through his, words as hopeful as any he'd ever heard. "Aren't you proud of me?"

It was all so annoying he could hardly contain himself. Sun Ce's frown was set in granite and the girl was smiling triumphantly, and that was enough. He was done with this.

Zhou Yu yanked his arm away and took a few steps back, shooting his wife a stern glare.

"Don't touch me." The words flew like thunder and spattering rain from his tongue.

Xiao Qiao's pretty eyes widened enormously at the words, and every eye in the pavilion shot to Zhou Yu's stormy face. Sun Ce's countenance was particularly surprised, and he pushed himself slowly to his feet, watching Zhou Yu's vibrant expression warily. Xiao Qiao's mouth hung open, and for a long moment Zhou Yu wondered if she were going to cry – but anger rather than sadness was coalescing in her eyes, and it burst forth after another moment of shocked silence.

"Why not?" she yelled, voice neither smooth nor patterned anymore. Her eyes burned with irritation, and her lashes had stopped fluttering, and her small hands were curled into furious fists. "Why can't I touch you? I'm your wife!" She reached for his arm, but Zhou Yu pulled back again and freed his wrist from her tentative grip. Xiao Qiao frowned heavily before leaping forward and latching onto his forearm as firmly as she could. "Why do you always pull away from me?" The words were tinged in hurt and anger, and got caught on the carved rafters above them as Shang Xiang rose to her feet and stalked forward. Zhou Yu's gaze flickered between Sun Ce's sister and his wife's challenging eyes. "Aren't I pretty enough for you?"

Zhou Yu was spared answering by a force that tore the girl's hands away from his skin, and he looked down to see Shang Xiang's fingers clamped around Xiao Qiao's wrist. Shang Xiang's eyes were dancing irately, and her scowl was unforgiving but placid as she regarded the girl crossly. Xiao Qiao's jaw dropped again before she yanked her hand away from Shang Xiang and returned the elder girl's glare. Shang Xiang folded her arms over her chest and stared down at Xiao Qiao with weakly concealed fury.

"Why don't you just knock it off?" Shang Xiang suggested heatedly. "Stop grabbing him." Xiao Qiao shook her fists at Shang Xiang, emotion flowing over her face and into her words.

"I won't! Why should I listen to you? I'm his wife! I have every right to—" Shang Xiang's eye twitched at the word 'wife,' and she slapped Xiao Qiao open-handed across the face. Zhou Yu felt his jaw drop, and a mirroring expression greeted him from the face of every bystander in the pavilion. Lady Qiao took a tentative and worried step toward her sister before pausing, brush clutched too tightly in her fingers and eyes undecided. Sun Quan dashed away from his paints and caught Shang Xiang's arm, but she shook him off and continued speaking as Xiao Qiao lifted a disbelieving hand to her pale face.

"Just because you're his wife doesn't give you the right to latch onto him like some kind of a blood-sucking leech!" Even Sun Ce's eyes widened at his sister's furious tone and stinging words. Shang Xiang raised one fist and shook it in Xiao Qiao's face, anger making her fingers shiver. "Don't grab him, don't chase him – just leave him alone!" Zhou Yu found his gaze locking on Shang Xiang's fuming face. Her eyes flashed irately at the affronted and shocked look on Xiao Qiao's delicate features. "You've got no right to touch him! He's already involved with—"

Only Sun Quan's desperate hand over her mouth stopped the name at her lips, and Zhou Yu felt his eyes widening almost painfully as Shang Xiang's words came to an abrupt and blessed halt. Every muscle in his body was completely tense, and agitation struggled agonizingly through his veins. Sun Ce, likewise, had gone very rigid beside him, and his startled eyes were fixed on Shang Xiang's face as his sister brushed Sun Quan's hands away from her face.

"…Someone else," Sun Quan finished lamely, squeaking a little and looking about to cry as the tension mounted yet farther. Zhou Yu closed his eyes in resignation. So they weren't going to wait until after the campaign after all. Xiao Qiao stamping her foot hard against the rock floor opened his eyes again, and he looked down into the furious gaze of his young wife.

"Who is it?" she demanded, tone even louder than before. Zhou Yu's lips pressed together in a grim line and refused to speak, which only increased the incensed look on Xiao Qiao's face. "Who is it?" she asked again, shooting her livid gaze to the rest of the pavilion inhabitants when her husband declined to answer. "Who's involved with him?" Her eyes latched onto Shang Xiang's face, and she pointed an accusing finger at the young woman. "Is it you?" she challenged, words raking and clawing over her teeth as they fought their way into the air. Shang Xiang's eyes widened a little at the allegation, and she tore her gaze away from the enraged glare to find Zhou Yu's face.

Glances began to fly through the air of the pavilion like a flock of butterflies. Shang Xiang looked at Zhou Yu, who gazed at Sun Quan and then back at his wife. Sun Ce exchanged a look with his brother and then Lady Qiao, who only raised a mildly curious eyebrow at him and waited in silence. Sun Quan looked between the two Qiao sisters and then up at Zhou Yu before staring hard at the tiled floor. Finally Zhou Yu's eyes found Sun Ce's, and they shared a long look as the wind twirled between them and scattered their hair across silken shoulders.

Then Sun Ce answered the question the best way he knew how – he leaned forward and kissed Zhou Yu as hard as he could before winding his arms tightly around the strategist's waist and dropping his head onto his stern shoulder. Zhou Yu's eyes slipped closed in stoic apprehension as the warmth of Sun Ce's lips disappeared and was replaced once again by the cold spring air. So much for the secret. He supposed that whatever was fated to happen would now come to pass – and they would work through it as best they could. His eyes came open again slowly as Sun Ce sighed and squeezed him.

"I am."

Xiao Qiao stared at them silently for a long moment. Then her jaw gradually relaxed and she closed her mouth, expression blank and guarded. Zhou Yu noticed Lady Qiao's secretive smile behind her raised paintbrush and the worry streaking Sun Quan's forehead – but that was all he had time to catch before the next explosion came.

"Why didn't you just tell me?!" Xiao Qiao shrieked, stomping her feet angrily and jamming her hands onto her hips. Zhou Yu's eyes shot back to his still-furious wife as she glared daggers at both officers. If possible, she looked even angrier than she had a moment before, and Zhou Yu unconsciously tensed at the pure rage floating over her features. "Why didn't you tell me you were involved with someone? If you'd just mentioned it, I would have left you alone!" Her tone was coarse with anger, but even delicate it would have shocked Zhou Yu – his eyes widened as the aggravated words flowed freely from her lips. "I figured that since I was going to be married to you for the rest of my life, I might as well at least try to fall in love with you – not that you weren't being extremely difficult, mind – but if I'd known you were already involved I wouldn't have bothered!"

Xiao Qiao huffed and kicked the table childishly, scattering Liubo pieces all across its surface, but Zhou Yu was much too surprised to notice. The girl continued to rant as she glared the ivory slices into shards and regarded the game board furiously. "It's not like I even liked you. You're so cold and standoffish all the time, and so much older than me – but I kept chasing after you because I figured eventually you'd come around. And here I find out you were already in love with someone! This is the end of all my efforts?!" She stopped yelling long enough to pout severely and smack Zhou Yu half-heartedly across the arm with the back of her hand. "I can't even believe you didn't tell me!"

"I thought…" Zhou Yu cut himself off at the sharp look Xiao Qiao was sending him that indicated she wasn't interested in hearing excuses. Zhou Yu closed his mouth and watched the steam boiling out of his young wife's ears.

Xiao Qiao hadn't finished raving, and she stomped her way in a childish circle before turning back to point an accusing finger at the strategist. "If I'd known you were never going to be interested in me, I wouldn't have bothered with all my feminine charms! You know how much effort I put into this?! Ugh!" Xiao Qiao threw her hands up in the air as words failed her, eyes blazing fiercely in the cold air.

Sun Ce lifted his head a little and regarded the girl curiously. "You mean… you're not mad?"

Xiao Qiao paused in her pacing and turned back to him. "Yes I'm mad!" she shouted, shaking her fists. "I'm extremely upset! You should have told me! It's been a month – a whole month! If I'd known about you two, I would have just found someone else!" Zhou Yu blinked at the statement, and Sun Ce tipped his head to the side.

"But I meant… you're not mad that we're together?"

Xiao Qiao shrugged a little. "What do I care if you're together?" Fire shot back into her eyes as she glared up at her husband. "Or rather – I wouldn't have cared if I'd known at all!" Her expression was somewhat daunting, and Zhou Yu did his best to meet it levelly despite the ardor burning in her expression. Xiao Qiao rolled her eyes at his stony features and stomped toward the path leading to the palace. "I am so irritated!" she yelled back over her shoulder.

Zhou Yu thought that was the end, but Xiao Qiao paused and turned back at the end of the steps. Her face was nowhere near as angry as it had been moments before, but displeasure still lingered in her bright eyes. "And as long as we're getting everything out of the way…" She pointed one delicate finger at Zhou Yu and scowled. "Your hair is very messy today, and that robe is too small for you!" With these words, she continued her trek and vanished into the winding garden, leaving Zhou Yu with his mouth just slightly open in surprise.

Silence reigned in the pavilion for a long moment before Sun Quan cleared his throat quietly. Shang Xiang let out a breath and returned to her reading as though nothing had happened, sitting gently on the bench and raising her father's book to hide her face. Sun Ce gave his wife a very honest look. "I suppose I might as well tell you I'm taken," he finished mildly. Lady Qiao smiled gently and turned back to her painting.

"Yes… I can see that." Her voice like music coiled and twirled through the carved pavilion, and Zhou Yu watched her silently for a moment before sighing and closing his eyes.

If nothing else, everything was settled now. Since Meng had finally stumbled across them a few months prior and Ling Tong had known for years, only Sun Jian was still in the dark about their secret. Zhou Yu's wife knew all she needed to – and by the looks of things, she was willing to leave him alone. Lady Qiao didn't seem to have any more objections than her sister, and no one had gone running for the lord of Jiang Dong. Which meant… he and Sun Ce were free to be open again. Well – somewhat open, Zhou Yu reminded himself as he cast the surrounding garden a quick glance. There were still reasons for caution.

None of which seemed to be prevalent in Sun Ce's mind as he kissed Zhou Yu again. "Well… I guess that's settled." His eyes were gleaming so joyfully that Zhou Yu had to fight back his smile as he settled for a nod of agreement. Sun Ce pulled back from his companion and elbowed Zhou Yu a little. "You don't seem very happy," he accused, voice teasing in the sunlight. "Are you sure you weren't really interested in her?"

All eyes in the pavilion shot to Zhou Yu, who scowled heavily down at his partner and ground his teeth together in warning. "Ce…" They were not getting into this again. Zhou Yu absolutely refused.

Sun Ce laughed and bounced his head from side to side. "Kidding, Yu. I'm kidding." His tone lilted and spiraled under the stinging breeze. "Can't you take a joke?"

"No," Zhou Yu told him seriously, but the soft words got caught in another laugh as the young officer threw himself forward and hugged Zhou Yu tightly.

"I'm so happy I could just…" Sun Ce broke off and pulled back, face screwed up in concentration as he tried to find a good way to finish the sentence. Then a devilish gleam lit his eyes and he shot toward his younger brother. "Tickle Quan!"

Sun Quan squeaked in a very undignified manner and tried to fend his brother off with the ink brush, which resulted in staining but no real protection for the poor boy. Sun Ce scooped his brother up into two strong arms and dropped him onto the bench so that Shang Xiang could join in the fun. Both Sun children set in on their brother like a pack of rabid wolves, and Sun Quan screamed as they found the bottoms of his feet.

"Brother! Sister! Stop!" The giggles laced in between his words betrayed his unintentional mirth, and Sun Ce cackled at him mercilessly. Shang Xiang's melodic laughter joined in with her brother's as she attacked Sun Quan's stomach with deft fingers, and Zhou Yu found himself smiling at the pitiful boy's predicament as Lady Qiao chuckled behind her hand.

A soft tittering stopped him, and Zhou Yu turned to see that Xiao Qiao had crept back to the pavilion and was watching the scene, amusement overflowing and echoing in her bouncing giggles. The Sun children paused to look at her, and Xiao Qiao froze under the collective stares, taking an unintentional step backward and nearly tripping on her high shoes. For a moment, it seemed that she would retreat again into the bamboo thicket behind her, and her fingers wound nervously into the fabric of her dress as the breeze ruffled the rich skirt.

Then Sun Ce smiled. "Come on, Xiao," he suggested, grin shining in his tan face. "Come on and help us."

"Help you!" Sun Quan shrieked. "She should help me!" Shang Xiang drew back from her siblings and regarded the girl blankly, but her eyes were not unkind and Sun Ce had already won her trust. Xiao Qiao giggled again before tapping one foot against the floor.

"He's right, you know," she informed Sun Ce playfully. "Two on two is fairer, especially since we're both younger." Sun Ce laughed and drew back from Sun Quan to stand fully again.

"Come and get me!" he encouraged, and Xiao Qiao dove at him, catching him around the waist as Sun Quan launched a tickle attack on his knees. Sun Ce yelped as his suggestion was taken literally and managed to chase the collaborators off with a jubilant cry. "Now I'll get you both!" he promised.

Xiao Qiao and Sun Quan screamed and laughed in unison, fleeing down the stairs of the pavilion and into the garden. Sun Ce chose the quicker route and vaulted after them over the railing, landing in the thick grass of the garden and grabbing a small tree for balance. Zhou Yu couldn't stop himself from hurrying to the railing and staring after the running form. It was stupid to jump from the railing – especially if they were going on a campaign tomorrow. And if he'd been hurt…

"Ce!" he called. Sun Ce looked back and gave him a single, shining smile before disappearing into the foliage, but the look burned bright and steady into Zhou Yu's mind. He straightened and pulled away from the balcony, thoughts scattered but somehow pleased. So things truly were sorted out… it seemed that everything was going to be all right after all.

Lady Qiao began to chuckle, and as Shang Xiang joined her Zhou Yu felt himself smiling. Shrieks and laughter echoed from the dense bamboo where their comrades had vanished, and the streaming sunlight dipping between the long blue-green stalks showed him dashing shadows against the jade background.

"Gotcha!" Sun Ce's disembodied voice cried, and Sun Quan screamed piteously. Zhou Yu couldn't help his growing smile and the soft shake of his head that accompanied a light sigh.

"I guess everything's back to normal," Shang Xiang commented, turning another page in her book. "…Except Quan and Ce have a new playmate." Zhou Yu nodded, mind still lost among the bamboo shafts. Shang Xiang set her book back on the seat and watched his calm face for a moment before speaking again.

"But seriously – what's with your hair today?" Zhou Yu turned to look at her, dark eyes blinking in surprise. Shang Xiang shrugged. "You're usually so meticulous about it, that's all."

Zhou Yu huffed under his breath and looked back to the bamboo grove. "We were in a hurry this morning," he answered shortly, and Shang Xiang smiled before nodding mildly. Zhou Yu couldn't help raising one hand to brush at the strands of his ponytail. Was it truly that bad?

"Ouch! That's my ear!" Sun Ce yelped, and more laughter followed the pronouncement. Zhou Yu glanced at Lady Qiao as she began to laugh – laugh so hard that her paintbrush stumbled against the paper and skewed the trees and pavilions. Her serene and beautiful face melted into contented lines as Sun Ce tumbled out of the bamboo grove, Sun Quan pinned beneath him and Xiao Qiao held tightly by one wrist. "Look, Yu!" he shouted, gazing up to the pavilion. "I got them both!" The two children giggled and squirmed for freedom.

Zhou Yu leaned forward and rested his elbows on the railing, and despite his best efforts a quiet chuckle escaped into the sunlight. "You little idiot," he answered, and Sun Ce smiled joyfully at the words. Zhou Yu watched the trio rolling through the grass and let the breeze scatter his wayward hair. Shang Xiang was wrong – nothing was back to normal. Everything was even better.

End Chapter 19

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This was a long chapter, but I didn't want to cut it off while Xiao Qiao was being annoying. Please don't hate her – she's really a sweet girl. And yes, I purposefully made her annoying in this chapter, but she's really best represented by the last section. And I hope Da Qiao wasn't too awful either – I really wanted to give her more dignity than she had in DW5. Anyway, please let me know what you thought.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Unfortunately, I'm afraid Zhou Xan has pretty much made his way out of this story – he may appear a little later around the time of the campaign for the Wu territory, as that's near Shucheng, but mostly Zhou Yu's family is effectively done. I'm sure Zhou Yu would kill you for calling him delicate, but I'm just going to smile about it. And glad you liked chapter 18 as well.

A note for Hotaru: I pair Da Qiao and Lu Xun because I see them as a good match, and as they're the same age it makes more sense to me than pairing Lu Xun with Sun Ce's daughter. But just so you know, there won't be much of that pairing in this story – just a little at the end. Did you like the Qiao sisters any better in my story than in the game? I don't care for Sun Ce or Zhou Yu paired with anyone outside of each other – but in response to your question, 'shy' is not a word I would ever use with Zhou Yu.

A note for Sage Serenity: Yes, historically Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were married at the age of twenty four, but I decided to move it up for a few reasons. First, as Sun Jian is very dead by that point, they would have had to get married of their own accord – and that just wasn't going to happen. Second, the Qiaos are fun characters, and I wanted more than just one year with them before Sun Ce died. As it happens, actually, Sun Jian has survived a few extra years for similar reasons… oh well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

A note for Jen: I enjoy fighting with Xiao Qiao in the game as well, and I regret being unable to make them fighters… but it's just not plausible. I didn't mind Xing Cai so much, but playing as Diao Chan is just about unbearable. Those damn rattles… anyway. Yes, Quan is still a pansy. I'm not looking forward to the not-so-distant point at which he stops being so pitiful.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 19 

Chen Hao's father had always told him he had a precious smile. From the way he felt his lips curving up so hard they threatened to escape, he was sure he'd have received a paternal pat on the head for his charming expression. As it was, he wasn't sure Zhou Yu had noted his smile particularly – but he was smiling nonetheless, because he had always loved happy endings.

But this story didn't have a happy ending, and Zhou Yu's soft choking reminded him of that as the general tossed his head a little. Zhou Yu's eyes had closed painfully against the labored breath working in and out of his lungs, and he opened them only slightly to give Chen Hao a quick glance. Chen Hao watched the general's lips quirking gently upward at the look on his audience's features, and felt the moonlight cold on his face as Zhou Yu pushed himself to speak and continue the story.

"To my considerable astonishment, Xiao Qiao kept her promise – she never approached me in that way again. In fact, she made friends with the rest of the children before approaching me at all, because there was still some awkwardness between us. Besides which…" The thread of the story paused in midair as he took a deep breath and slowly released it. "…she was naturally a better companion for the Sun children than myself."

Mist had drifted into Zhou Yu's eyes, but it was different from before – it wasn't memory anymore. It seemed almost like uncertain haze to Chen Hao, and he dripped a little of the water into his general's mouth as the man paused for breath. Zhou Yu nodded appreciatively at the action and Chen Hao bit his lip, which was already raw from his ceaseless worrying. "My lord…" The lifting of a solitary finger stopped the words in his mouth, and he swallowed them back with his concern. Zhou Yu eyed the covered sky blankly and seemed to stumble for a moment before continuing.

"Xiao Qiao was very young at that time – only twelve. Many of her antics were rather childlike and petty, but with time she matured into a kind and cheerful young woman. In the first months of her arrival, she mainly spent her time with Sun Quan and her sister. She and Sun Quan made wonderful companions, and I think Quan was glad to finally have a playmate his own age. He was the youngest, and had been loved almost excessively by his family… which made him a bit of a pansy," Zhou Yu conceded with a ghostly smile. "Xiao Qiao was much more headstrong than he, and she helped him grow a bit of a backbone – although he was always willing to cave for the sake of solving problems."

Sadness had leaked into Zhou Yu's dark eyes as the memory of young Sun Quan seemed to swim just before him. "He never liked fighting… and the first time he had to kill, he cried for hours." His voice had tattered into a whisper, and Chen Hao unconsciously leaned forward to catch the words.

Zhou Yu's smile was gone, replaced by a reminiscent frown. "It was his first campaign – a little young, but he insisted on going with Ce and I to suppress a rebellion in southern Hunan. He was probably…" His eyes struggled back through the years before he shrugged weakly. "…perhaps fourteen at the time." Chen Hao felt his eyes widening.

"Fourteen?" It seemed awfully young – especially for a child like Sun Quan. Zhou Yu looked up and found the worry in the soldier's eyes.

"He was in no danger," the general assured him softly. "Sun Ce never let the boy out of his sight. But when he finally did take down one of the soldiers…" Blood of battles long spent was spattered in Zhou Yu's eyes. "He just fell down onto his knees and started to cry, holding the dead man in his arms. I think it really frightened Sun Ce… he picked the boy up and came running back to me at the main camp, almost in tears himself." Zhou Yu shook his head. "We couldn't do anything to calm him down, and Ce had to go back to the battle. It wasn't until Zhou Tai returned from the ambush that he finally stopped crying."

Chen Hao felt his face contorting in an unintentional frown. "Zhou Tai?" A distant relative of the general's, perhaps? He wasn't sure. His question surprised Zhou Yu, who blinked up at him before sighing and raising one unsteady hand to brush sweat away from his forehead.

"I've gotten ahead of myself," he muttered, voice cold and brittle. Chen Hao bit his lip again and rubbed his fingers over the rough floor.

"You can… skip a few years if you want to," he offered. Time was growing shorter – he could see it dangling from the sky behind the moon and drawing back ever farther with each staggering breath…

Zhou Yu laughed shortly and closed his eyes again. "No, I can't. If I skipped right to there, I'd have missed so much – moving north to Jianye, the first campaign into the Wu territory, Taishi Ci coming to our ranks… and Sun Jian." Death flickered across Zhou Yu's tongue and Chen Hao cringed, but the general shook his head dismissively. "We won't talk about that yet," he murmured, and Chen Hao wasn't sure which of them the words were for. "First…"

He took a deep breath and seemed to brace himself before continuing. "As planned, Sun Ce and I left for our campaign the next day. We were lucky, and were able to conquer a large portion of the northern territory in just a few weeks. With that settled, we were able to spend most of the spring and early summer in Jiang Dong – which was a blessing, now that the Qiao sisters weren't a problem."

There was that smile again. "Sun Ce adored them, once he stopped fighting Xiao Qiao. He became quick friends with both girls, and as he preferred to drag me along on his social ventures, I spent a fair amount of time in their company those next few months. I learned to appreciate Xiao Qiao despite her joyful and slightly erratic nature, and if Lady Qiao and I didn't talk much, there was no malice between us. The other Sun children joined us often enough, and on the whole everyone was pleased with the new company." His expression became cynically amused as he closed his eyes. "Particularly Meng… but that was a good deal later."

Chen Hao wanted to know how Lord Lu Meng featured into this story, but Zhou Yu had pressed on and the topic got lost. "Shang Xiang took perhaps the longest to get used to the Qiao sisters –and in the beginning, she and Xiao Qiao were decidedly uncomfortable around each other. Shang Xiang was far less forgiving than her brother and loyal to a fault, and it took longer for her to forget Xiao Qiao's ventures for my affection in the first month of our marriage. But in time, she too came to enjoy the vibrant company of the two Qiaos and the new dynamics they brought to the Sun palace.

"Around this time, a warlord by the name of Kan Li-chao had risen up in the north and was threatening our claims around the mountains. Kan Li-chao was the son of a prominent northern family, and had immigrated south in hopes of easy conquest." Zhou Yu smirked into the mounting midnight. "Actually, he was a very easy opponent to defeat – his followers were more than willing to join Sun Ce and deserters flocked to our side during the campaign. Altogether, I think we only fought him for around a week…" Zhou Yu shook his head as though trying to force his thoughts back in order. "No. This isn't important. We need to press on."

Chen Hao understood – he really did. But more than anything, he wanted all of the memories – he wanted to catch them in his feeble hands and hold them up to the moon and paint them ivory white so that he could keep them forever… and he couldn't stop his tongue in time. "Please my lord." Zhou Yu glanced up at the pleading tone. Chen Hao couldn't seem to back the tears away from his eyes, and he didn't know why. "Please tell me about that campaign."

It was nothing. It was a mere scrap in the patchwork of battle and triumph he would never hear, and barely a stitch in all the memories cascading heedlessly by. This single moment meant nothing. But it did, somehow, and Chen Hao fought Zhou Yu's confused look for the right to hold this one shining sliver of ivory – important or not – within his hands forever.

It took a long moment, but Zhou Yu sighed and relented, expression still confused. "All right…" The words hesitated at the edge of his lips and fell haltingly onto the floor. "But only a short part of it. There isn't time."

Chen Hao nodded. It would do – anything would. Zhou Yu's frown reappeared as he searched his thoughts, and Chen Hao could only imagine the reality of the battle falling through the general's mind in an endless stream as he tried to choose one glimmering moment from a life tinged in diamond…

"Hm." It was a soft sound, and Chen Hao barely heard it despite his closeness. Zhou Yu nodded. "That will do." Chen Hao sat back a little as Zhou Yu cleared his throat and prepared for another story. The general sighed and brushed dark strands of hair carefully behind his ear.

"You'll remember, I think, how I once told Sun Ce I didn't sing?" Chen Hao nodded encouragingly but kept silent. Zhou Yu shook his head. "It was a lie."

xxxxxx

He hated that sound. It wasn't the feeling of his sword tearing into human flesh that sent unpleasant shivers down his back; it wasn't the blood streaking up his arms or the body falling to the ground or even the look in his enemies' eyes as the world spun out from under them and they landed heavily in the dust. It was just that last shaking breath as the blade plunged in between their lungs and sliced the heart in half – that final struggling intake of air before man became corpse. That was the sound that made him wince every time it dove into his ears and echoed within his mind. Somehow, they weren't human until that last breath – not even when they screamed.

Zhou Yu pulled back from the body of his newest victim and wrinkled his nose at the crimson blade staining his gloves. His army had been heading east as planned, but they weren't making much headway as of yet. He could barely see Sun Ce's army west across the open plain, a thin line of dull red against the green meadow grass. They seemed to be focusing on a few wooden structures – a depot of some kind, perhaps? An outer base? Zhou Yu was distracted from his thoughts by another soldier flying at him, but a quick sword strike ended the oncoming threat. Zhou Yu watched the hands of death catching the crying soldier and dragging him under, and turned his head away as it came again. That rasping, wrestling breath that announced another lost soul and one more step toward victory.

Four soldiers in front of him fell to their knees and lifted their shields above their heads, not even asking for a confrontation before unconditional surrender. Zhou Yu eyed them carefully, all the surprise gone from his expression. They'd received more deserters and recruits in the last weeks than ever before, and Kan Li-chao's forces were crumbling weakly before their advance. Or, rather, they had been – but for some reason, this battle was proving difficult, despite the numerous enemy soldiers falling to their knees in capitulation.

Part of the problem, he decided as the surrendering soldiers laid their weapons on the ground and bowed their heads to the dirt to show complete vulnerability, was that Sun Ce's army was making very sparse progress. The plan had originally been for one of them to head west and the other east, thereby splitting Kan's forces in half and dominating the outer edges of the battlefield. The crucial step to this was conquering the bridge leading to Kan's main camp – but despite their numerous successful campaigns in the past, Sun Ce's soldiers couldn't seem to take the ford, and now they were even falling back under the spears of Kan's army. Zhou Yu felt himself frown as he waved for a few guards to drag the new prisoners off to join their captured and capitulated brethren. What had Sun Ce gotten up to over there? Perhaps he'd been distracted by a powerful enemy, or simply lost track of the events of the battle… Zhou Yu shook his head. Courageous, loyal, and inspiring, but a logical commander Sun Ce was not.

"Lord Zhou Yu!" The breathless voice startled him, and Zhou Yu turned just in time to see one of the aides stumble from his horse and fall to his knees in obeisance. He was out of breath despite his steed, and his direction of travel told Zhou Yu he'd come from their own camp – as fast as possible, it seemed. "I finally found you!"

Zhou Yu nodded hurriedly and kept watch for archers as the man rose to his feet again. "What news, soldier?" The man wiped his brow and took a deep breath before speaking again; sweat streamed down his face in the too-warm sun.

"Lord Sun Ce's been injured!" Zhou Yu felt every muscle in his body go rigidly tense as his face assumed the texture of stone. His heartbeat seemed to stall before pounding too loudly in his ears and shaking his ribs with its anxious movement. Zhou Yu shot a glance over his shoulder to the main camp. That explained why Sun Ce's army had fallen so far behind…

His feet took a few unconscious steps toward the camp before his mind caught up and stopped him. He had to think this through – he couldn't just tear off for the camp. Think, he commanded his mind, and hesitantly thoughts made their way through the haze of worry in his mind. Zhou Yu turned back to the soldier, voice growing taut and rough with concern. "Is he stable?" It sounded cold, even to his own ears – but this was war.

The aide nodded steadily. "We've located a doctor among the soldiers who surrendered… he claims Lord Sun Ce has not been seriously wounded." Zhou Yu scowled at this. An enemy soldier – even one who'd given up – diagnosing Sun Ce made him decidedly unnerved, but…

Zhou Yu's eyes drifted between the two camps as his heartbeat slowed back to the normal rush of battle. He wanted to go back right that instant and see Sun Ce for himself, and to give the doctor a potent threat in person. He wanted to – but Sun Ce was down. And unfortunately, that made him the leader of the army. And if he rushed back to the camp now, no one would be left to lead the troops on – everything would descend into chaos and they would surely lose the battle. He had responsibilities… and much as he hated it, they were here – for Sun Ce and for himself. As long as Sun Ce was stable, he could wait a little while… Zhou Yu hoped.

"Keep him comfortable, and watch that doctor closely," Zhou Yu ordered, voice louder than intended and drawing the attention of a few nearby soldiers. "I leave this in your hands. Bandage the wound carefully, but be sure it's cleaned properly." The aide nodded sharply. Zhou Yu's eyes felt like pearls of ice – but he had to keep going forward. No matter what happened. He was an officer first, and a strategist second… the battle had to go on. But the thought of Sun Ce bleeding somewhere tugged at the strings of his soul, and he couldn't stop a few more words from slipping off of his tongue. "…And tell him I'll be there as soon as I can."

The aide bowed again, and Zhou Yu swung up onto the waiting horse without another word. The man seemed decidedly confused at the theft of his mount, but Zhou Yu only spared him a quick glance before spurring the horse to movement and careening toward Sun Ce's army. The wind whipped through his free hair and swept over his back as he clattered through the ranks of his own force, dodging men as well as he could. Their tired and baffled faces glanced up at him, and Zhou Yu took a deep breath of the cold air before shouting back to them. "Follow!" His yell echoed against their metal and bamboo armor, and a great cheer of acknowledgement rose up behind him. Zhou Yu felt their energy pressing his horse faster as the great tide of his army swelled and chased the horse's galloping hooves, knocking aside the enemies in their way and accepting white flags with every step.

It was amazing what a little forced charisma could do, he reflected as the horse's tail snapped behind him and Sun Ce's forces streamed ever closer. All action ahead of him had ceased as soldiers on both sides noticed the charging horse and the inspired army behind it, and more than one enemy dropped his weapon in instantaneous surrender as surprise choked Kan Li-chao's troops and wrestled their weapons away. Zhou Yu pulled his mount sharply to a halt as he approached the thickest knot of soldiers, and those nearest his path of travel leapt to avoid the pawing creature. Zhou Yu reminded himself for the millionth time that he ought not stop so suddenly. He had never been as decent a horseman as he would have liked… but there was no time for that. The wind scattered around his shoulders and pulled on his sleeves as he raised one hand into a fist, as he'd seen Sun Ce do on numerous occasions when the troops needed a little encouragement.

"We will charge into the main camp," he announced, flipping his tone to a shout and hoping it passed for the fearless bravado that had brought Sun Ce so many loyal followers. If there was one place Zhou Yu did not belong in an army, it was the position of mascot and morale booster – but this was no time to be complaining. Sun Ce wasn't around, and someone had to take over in his absence. The image of Sun Ce wounded flashed through Zhou Yu's mind again, but he shook his head hard and willed it away. Sun Ce would be fine – it wouldn't take the strategist long to get back to the main camp. The young officer could manage until the battle field was under control.

Sun Ce's troops still looked unsure about the change in leadership, so Zhou Yu punched his fist into the air, feeling rather foolish despite everyone copying his motion. Perhaps he needed a different strategy… "Come! Let us secure this victory for Lord Sun Ce!"

That got their attention, Zhou Yu observed as the soldiers shook their pikes and swords in the air with a tremendous cry and more enemies fell to their knees. They won't fight for me, but they'll fight for him. It was unavoidably a slightly bitter thought, but Zhou Yu shook his head. I'll take whatever works. Zhou Yu turned his horse for the enemy camp, dark eyes passing swiftly over the rows of troops waiting for his signal. "Follow!" he yelled again, and another cheer bombarded his ears as the horse's hooves spattered against the loose soil. Zhou Yu ducked low to the saddle and watched for archers, listening to the wind and the shouts of the soldiers warring for dominance as the bridge drew ever closer.

When Sun Ce eventually instituted his long-term goal of bridge creation, Zhou Yu decided, this one would need to be rebuilt. The rotting wood planks crashed beneath him as soldiers dove out of the horse's path, but the bridge held and he reached the other side unharmed. Zhou Yu pushed on and shot through the trembling ranks of Kan's troops, rounding back in time to avoid a dense bamboo grove and the patch of archers it contained as his dark eyes followed the course of the battle behind him. His soldiers were streaming over the bridge now, and amidst the chaos of clanging weapons he could hear surrender passing from the lips of one enemy soldier to another.

Zhou Yu drew his horse away from the fighting and swept the long hair out of his face, expression serious despite the new surge of energy within the ranks. If Kan Li-chao had been a more worthy opponent, the battle would have been hard to maintain after Sun Ce's injury. It was fortunate for the campaign that the man had no idea what he was doing, or whom he had challenged. His forces had shattered under the haphazard fist of the young Sun lord – all that remained was to capture the general himself.

Zhou Yu turned toward Kan's main camp at the thought, but through the thin posts and walls he could already see men retreating from the field of battle and heading for the meager shelter that the distant hills would afford. Kan Li-chao was a coward, and Zhou Yu had predicted he wouldn't stand and fight to the end with his primarily disloyal troops. Men like that never did. It didn't matter, though – Zhou Yu had already stationed an ambush party along the road of retreat, and Kan Li-chao would not escape.

"My lord!" Zhou Yu turned his head to see a party of five men bowing before the horse, swords at the ready despite their relaxed positions. The lead soldier raised his eyes and motioned backward with a toss of his head. "The ambush party is in place, and we have everything under control here… please return to the main camp and assist Lord Sun Ce."

Zhou Yu felt his eyebrow lifting as the man nodded and smiled. The bridge had been secured, but there were still a good number of residual troops ahead – and whether the ambush party would succeed was yet to be seen. It was too early to quit the battlefield. Besides which, Sun Ce was in the capable hands of a surrendered doctor and apparently in stable condition… Zhou Yu shook his head and decided that the logical reasoning wasn't actually reassuring him at all. He wanted to go back immediately – but it wasn't sound. Not yet. And what would Sun Ce say if he asked about the battle's outcome and Zhou Yu couldn't give him an answer? Nothing kind, the strategist knew. Zhou Yu swung his sword and deftly robbed an approaching enemy of his breath as the soldiers waited for an answer.

"Your suggestion has been noted, solider," he remarked calmly after a long moment, not feeling half as decisive as he sounded. "But I cannot leave the field of battle at this time. And I assure you Lord Sun Ce is receiving talented care." Why was it that every syllable coming out of his own mouth just made him worry more? It wasn't a little injury – it couldn't be. Little injuries had never stopped Sun Ce. And if it was serious… what if the aide who had come to report couldn't tell if someone was stable or not? What if the doctor from the enemy ranks tried to harm Sun Ce under the guise of treating him? The doubts spun over his face, and the soldiers seemed to catch them, sharing long looks before their leader bowed again.

"This battle will mean nothing if something happens to our lord," the man declared, and a few more soldiers gathered around him to nod in agreement. "And we won't feel at ease until we know you've gone to help him." Zhou Yu wondered if his face looked as surprised as he felt. He didn't have any medical training – what good could he do even if he did return to the main camp? But emotion was superseding logic in the soldier's expression, and he held his hands out imploringly. "Please go back, Lord Zhou Yu. We'll take care of everything here – you can count on us."

Zhou Yu felt as though it were his responsibility to protest, but he'd lost the will to do so. His hands were turning the reins without his volition, and the horse was moving before he even registered his heels in the animal's flank. "I leave it in your hands," he called over his shoulder as his eyes swung back to their own main camp, but his mind was already far from the bridge and the waiting battle beyond it. It was in the thick tent where Sun Ce was… doing what? Sleeping? Trying to get up? Fighting the guards for the right to return to battle? The latter seemed most likely – unless it really was serious. And then he'd be lying there like he always did when he truly got injured – eyes closed tightly, breath short and painful in his lungs, hands in fists at his side… Zhou Yu kicked the horse again and aimed for the western entrance. He would know soon enough which of it was.

.x.

It was raining. Zhou Yu stared up at the sky blankly as the thin drops pelted his face and darted through his soaked clothing, dampening his hair and the tent just behind him. The deep rolling clouds circled and twisted above him in the stony fashion he'd always associated with thunderstorms – except there wasn't any thunder today. Just rain. Cold, hard, and wet, getting caught in his fingers and stinging his skin on the way down.

Zhou Yu cupped his hands together and watched idly as they filled and overflowed with the tears of Heaven, which streamed down his wrists and forearms before seeping under the long battle sleeves and disappearing. He could still feel them, though – frigid, decisive, jagged against the bruises and scars of war covering his flesh. Zhou Yu glared half-heartedly up at the clouds and dropped his hands back to his side in aggravation that three hours in the rain had chilled significantly.

Three hours. Because the good doctor, one Zhang Bai of Xin'an, did not permit onlookers when he performed surgery. Zhou Yu had been so annoyed about this during the first hour that he'd paced back and forth and worn the ground into mud under the slowly increasing rain – but by the second hour, the outrage of the whole situation had dimmed somewhat and he'd ceased the useless pacing in favor of studying the sky as its stormy colors shifted and wove. And now it was the third hour, a time he could only tell by the rotation of soldiers guarding the main gates, and he could do nothing but stare up at Heaven and remind whatever powers might have been listening that this was an inauspicious day for a rainstorm. But no one seemed to be paying him any mind, and the rain continued.

Zhou Yu was starting to get worried. When he'd rushed back to camp and shoved himself into the small tent, he'd only caught a glimpse of Sun Ce's wound and the youth's displeased face before Doctor Zhang had bustled him out again with much poetic dictation and fluttering of hands. It wasn't a minor wound, cutting deep into the tissue of Sun Ce's side just above the hip – but it didn't look life threatening, even to the strategist's inexperienced eyes. All the same… should minor surgery take three hours? Zhou Yu didn't know. He'd never watched surgery on anyone but himself. And he didn't have any experience with field surgery. How long could it take to stitch up a mess like that? How long was he going to be standing here, useless and drenched? There were no answers.

At least the battle had gone in their favor. Kan Li-chao hadn't gotten far at all before the ambush party stopped him, and he had capitulated instantly like the troublesome coward he was. The final attack on the main camp had been successful and simple according to reports, and the number of enemy soldiers currently amassed as prisoners nearly equaled the size of Sun Ce's own forces. Zhou Yu wondered carelessly what might be done with them once Sun Ce was free of the doctor's clutches – would they be sent home, or enlisted…

A noise from inside the tent shattered Zhou Yu's musings, and he turned to stare at the makeshift shelter in anticipation of someone's emergence – but after a few moments of silence he gave up and turned back to the sky. His eyes narrowed at the tumbling clouds, though the potent glare did little to alleviate the rain still falling hard all around him. Zhou Yu had done his best to warn the good doctor that any infraction, mistake, or deliberate act of sabotage would be treated as a suicide request, and he hoped Zhang had gotten the message. Not that it was easy to ignore a threat when someone held your collar and shook you back and forth, but Zhou Yu still worried a little about the physician's conduct. If anything happened to Sun Ce because Zhou Yu had allowed the enemy doctor to treat him…

More movement caught his attention, and this time a figure did emerge from the tent – one very white-faced soldier who'd been acting as aide and supervisor to the borrowed doctor. He rubbed a shaky hand across his forehead to rid it of sweat, but he needn't have bothered – the rain clung to his face and washed it clean as the stinging air encountered him. Zhou Yu pivoted and gave the man a stern look.

"Are you finished?" His clipped tone seemed even sharper in the cold air. The soldier nodded a little before shaking his head and blinking, confusion clear on his face.

"We're done… but you can't go in yet, my lord." Zhou Yu frowned and bit back a sigh. Of course not. The man sensed Zhou Yu's displeasure and took a step back from the annoyed officer, fingers fidgeting with his long sleeve. "Maybe… just… ten more minutes?" The offer seemed weak and probably fictional, but Zhou Yu nodded once in acknowledgement that he could wait that long.

"What of the surgery? How is he?" Zhou Yu didn't like the way the desperate syllables curved up at the end, but he couldn't help it. Nothing was ever cold or logical when it came to Sun Ce – and keeping himself in those mind frames was especially hard when the young officer had been injured. A small laugh escaped the soldier as he shook his head ruefully.

"It truly was not a very difficult procedure, my lord." Zhou Yu felt his jaw tightening at the unspecific answer, but the soldier continued before any more questions were necessary. "Everything went as expected. He's fine." The color was slowly returning to the man's face as he shook his head again. "He did… bleed a lot, though." With this the man started off into camp, and the rain swept over the crimson staining his clothes and the slight smile on his lips. Zhou Yu watched him disappear into the mist between the tents before sighing and staring up at the clouds once more.

Sun Ce wasn't fine. If he were fine, there would be shouting and arguing from within the tent. But everything was quiet. Not even the weary sound of footsteps broke the silence as Zhou Yu watched the flaps of the tent bearing the battering rain – the wind picked up and stung his cheeks with icy drops, but he didn't blink.

His patience was finally rewarded some minutes later when Doctor Zhang backed out of the tent and closed the flaps securely behind him. The Xin'an native jumped in surprise as he wheeled to find Zhou Yu's stony countenance, but his expression soon smoothed back into composure. "My lord," he greeted, smile sincere but wary. "Tell me you haven't been here all this time." Zhou Yu didn't bother to answer – his dripping clothing spoke for him. The doctor laughed a little and tossed his head back toward the tent, but uneasiness belied the apparent simplicity of his smile. "You may go in now, if you like – he should be waking shortly."

Zhou Yu didn't need telling twice; he slipped past the doctor without a word, assuming the man could find his own way to the surrendered soldiers' encampment outside the walls. The rain clouds overhead and the waning daylight made the tent darker than he'd expected, and he paused to let his eyes adjust to the shadowed, damp air before moving to Sun Ce's side and watching the impassive face closely.

He was indeed sleeping. His chest moved up and down in a peaceful, natural rhythm despite the bandages covering his stomach and twisting over the hidden wound. Sun Ce's eyes were tightly closed, but his face seemed carefree nonetheless and his lips were just barely smiling. Zhou Yu dropped to his knees at the edge of the sprawling reed mat and leaned silently over Sun Ce's form to retrieve the light blanket which had been tossed aside upon waking early that morning. His hands tucked the faded gray fabric around his companion's shoulders and almost shivered under the sweeping, sodden air. The young strategist shook his head a little and sighed. Sun Ce was a perpetual mess – he truly was.

Zhou Yu leaned forward on his hands and studied Sun Ce's soft breathing. The quiet rain intruded and slipped between the door flaps of the tent, but Zhou Yu hardly noticed, gaze lost in the unnaturally alabaster contours of Sun Ce's face. Was he getting sick, or was it simply blood loss painting his face so pale? Zhou Yu lifted fingers to brush his companion's cool cheek; the words sifted into his mouth, and he hardly thought to stop them before he was already speaking.

"What are you dreaming about?" The whisper seemed to trickle out of his lips unbidden, and it drifted unhurriedly down to Sun Ce's ears. The young officer sighed and opened one eye lazily, smile inching ever wider in the failing afternoon light.

"Food mostly," he admitted quietly. Zhou Yu pulled back a little at the unexpected awakening, and was forced to conclude Sun Ce hadn't been asleep at all as his companion stretched languidly and took hold of the hand resting beside his cheek. "But you were in there, too."

Zhou Yu's surprise dissipated as he adjusted the weak pillow of clothing beneath Sun Ce's head. "If you're hungry…" he began, but Sun Ce waved one hand to cut him off and made an unpleasant face.

"Not that gross camp food. Real food – like the Qiaos make. When we get back, we should have them cook an enormous dinner." Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath and pulled himself into a full sitting position.

"I'm sure you'll have forgotten by then." Sun Ce's smile seemed impossibly bright in the murky darkness that was descending all too quickly through the thick tent. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed in concern as Sun Ce shifted and winced. "How are you feeling?"

The young officer laughed and wrapped his fingers more securely through Zhou Yu's. "I've been better," he murmured, eyes slipping slowly closed against the damp light. Zhou Yu watched him silently. Sun Ce needed to sleep, and Zhou Yu himself had matters to attend to – matters that were all the more pressing as he'd ignored them for three hours. But it seemed worthwhile to understand the origin of the wound before he left to ascertain the condition of the prisoners, the welfare of the soldiers, and everything else that constituted his post-battle schedule.

"What happened, Ce?" Had his voice been this soft before? The words slipped off of his tongue in silk and he could hardly hear them himself. Sun Ce laughed shortly and raised one hand to rub his forehead.

"It was just a stupid mistake." His voice was less steady than Zhou Yu had ever heard it before, and one of the strategist's quiet hands moved to brush the bangs back in the still, saturated air. Sun Ce's eyes flickered open at the contact before falling shut in comfortable acknowledgement, and his breath bordered on a sigh. "I was working on the center area, you know, and lost track of this one patch of archers…"

Zhou Yu felt himself frowning into the shadows. "Archers are dangerous, Ce. You could have been very seriously injured." Sun Ce's eyes fought open again and he reached up to pat Zhou Yu's cheek.

"Don't worry about it. I'm invincible." Zhou Yu snorted softly and fingered the blanket abstractly.

"That kind of attitude is going to—"

"—get me killed," Sun Ce finished. "I know. Just like taking risks, reckless behavior, not thinking before I speak, and refusing to eat my vegetables." His eyes were teasing but honest beneath their exhaustion. "Do you realize how much you lecture?"

Zhou Yu ignored his words, but his eyes flitting open and closed seemed like an important message. The strategist sighed again and prepared to stand, but Sun Ce caught his sleeve and held on tightly, eyes wide open once again. "Where are you going?" Even his voice was silted with weariness. Zhou Yu gave him a pointed look.

"I have some things I need to take care of," he explained shortly. "And you need to sleep." He made an attempt to stand, but Sun Ce refused to release the tight cloth sleeve and shook his head fervently.

"Don't leave," he insisted, and Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. This argument again. How many times had they debated this? Every time Sun Ce got injured, he decided mildly. Sun Ce looked particularly desperate this time, and his fingers were tenacious in the fabric. "Stay with me. I don't want to be here alone." Zhou Yu used his free hand to sweep the hair out of his face and avoided Sun Ce's pleading eyes.

"I have things to do," he asserted again. It was true that he could have taken care of everything while waiting for Sun Ce's surgery to finish – but he hadn't been able to concentrate. He never could until he made sure Sun Ce was going to be all right. But the troops needed a report on Sun Ce's condition, and that at least shouldn't wait until morning. Sun Ce still looked stubborn though, and Zhou Yu couldn't help his sigh. "I'll come back once I finish."

The young officer was apparently not going to be dissuaded that easily, and he tugged on his companion's sleeve as pitiably as he could manage. "Yu…" Sun Ce had never quite learned not to whine – probably because it worked so well with his siblings. At Zhou Yu's undaunted expression, Sun Ce huffed and took hold of the strategist's arm with both hands. "Then at least stay with me until I fall asleep," Sun Ce wheedled, expression compromising but displeased. "You know I can never get to sleep when we're out on campaigns – especially when you're gone."

Zhou Yu's eyes swept impassively over the young officer's pout, all of his responsibilities still nagging in the back of his mind. He couldn't stay – not yet. But he promised Sun Ce silently that he would return as soon as everything was finished. The afternoon seemed to slip into evening as he opened his mouth to speak; the words paused on the tip of his tongue as Sun Ce shifted a little and winced again. His eyes weren't quite miserable as he gazed up at the strategist, but they were close. Zhou Yu's fingers found Sun Ce's face and brushed gently across the cool skin.

"Does it hurt?" When had the question fought its way to the front of his lips and pushed refusal aside? The foregone words stumbled back into his throat as Sun Ce laughed sharply.

"Yeah… it hurts like hell." The first strike of thunder sounded overhead as Zhou Yu let the frosted tone drift over him. Lightning was flashing somewhere – he wondered passively when the storm had gotten so severe. The rain was coming down faster now, shattering like jade across the tent above them and filling their ears with its persistent rhythm. The light of the thunder's complement flashed in Sun Ce's stubborn eyes as Zhou Yu's tongue betrayed his mind yet again.

"All right." The murmur got lost in the pulsing of the storm. "I'll stay with you." Sun Ce's smile widened into a grin, which shone joyfully despite the strategist's next words. "But only until you fall asleep," Zhou Yu found himself clarifying as Sun Ce squeezed his hand and closed his eyes.

"Good enough for me." Zhou Yu's stoic gaze moved over the tired, painful lines marring Sun Ce's forehead and he raised one hand to smooth them back. Sun Ce tossed and turned beneath the thin blanket, grunting each time he forgot his injury and rolled to the wrong side. Zhou Yu watched him as the rain worsened and pounded pitilessly across the tent, and then dropped off to a lonely hum that drifted in solitary circles and underscored the drizzle above their heads. Afternoon crumbled into evening and dusk overtook the camp, stealing between the frail tents and chilling the guards standing steadfastly on the outer wall. The sickle moon cut its way through the storm clouds and seemed to pose just between the flaps of the tent, and still Sun Ce sighed and tumbled and Zhou Yu watched him.

He didn't speak until the calling of first watch, as the moon slipped despairingly away from sight and back into the folds of the storm clouds. "Are you still awake?" The syllables turned to ice in his mouth and escaped with hesitation. Sun Ce opened his eyes and frowned.

"Yeah." Zhou Yu shook his head in the damp silence.

"You need to sleep, Ce." Sun Ce just rolled his eyes, and Zhou Yu felt his brow creasing. "I won't leave." There was no point now – all of the soldiers were either asleep or wishing to be. Sun Ce shot him an uncomprehending glance, and Zhou Yu sighed into the darkness. "I can finish things in the morning. Just go to sleep." There was a point at which stubbornness was just stupidity, after all. Sun Ce scoffed.

"I really wish I was staying awake on purpose," he muttered, voice coarse under the desolate rain. "I just can't relax." Zhou Yu blinked a little as Sun Ce tugged on his hand. "Can I use you as a pillow?"

"No." Zhou Yu didn't feel the need to say any more than that. Sleeping in the same tent was one thing, but sleeping on the same mat was something entirely different. There were lines he refused to cross on campaigns – or at least, there were lines now that Jiang Dong allowed them time together. Things had been different for a month, but surely Sun Ce hadn't forgotten his strategist's restrictions so quickly. The young officer was rolling his eyes in irritation at his companion's answer, but Zhou Yu wasn't interested in changing his mind.

"Do you have your flute?" Sun Ce's face tumbled with despair as Zhou Yu shook his head slowly. He never brought the instrument along on campaigns – there was no time to play amid the chaos of conquest. Sun Ce closed his eyes against the unwelcome answer and scowled into the shadows, and Zhou Yu felt the silence pressing down on his shoulders as he tried for another solution. Sun Ce was a perpetually fickle sleeper – and short of more comfortable conditions or soothing music, nothing was going to lull the young officer into dreams.

Zhou Yu watched the pained breath slipping in and out of Sun Ce's lungs and felt his frown deepening. Sun Ce needed sleep – his wound wasn't threatening now, but he needed to recover as soon as possible. And rest was the only remedy. The whole situation reminded him a little of a night three years earlier… Sun Ce's inadequate pillow, the twisted and sleepless blanket around him, the moon sailing past them in the clouded sky. But there was one fundamental difference – he couldn't use his flute this time. And that left him only one option.

Zhou Yu took a deep breath; the evening air filled his chest, and the cold felt like swallowing stars as he closed his eyes. "I draw the earth as prison – it is truly tiring, but I pretend not to notice." The notes shifted rough and uneven over his tongue and spilled into the night dabbed in hesitation. Sun Ce's eyes came open in surprise, but Zhou Yu pressed on. "I show no traces of loneliness and bask in fate's consolation." He forced his unaccustomed voice under control and watched the glimmering moon through the cloth above them. "I wander the tastes of human life in the shadow of the bright future…"

Zhou Yu trailed off as Sun Ce reached up and caught his cheek. The young strategist glanced down at his companion as a chastising smile consumed Sun Ce's expression. "You said you didn't sing," Sun Ce accused, voice light and forgiving. Zhou Yu sighed.

"I am not a singer." His voice was nothing extraordinary, he knew – compared to Lady Qiao's delicate songs as she wandered the gardens of Fu Chun, the soft notes still drifting through the night air were harsh and unremarkable. But it was the best he could do – and Sun Ce knew that. The young officer laughed a little and smiled so brightly that his expression threatened to outshine the obscured moon above them.

Sun Ce didn't need to say anything – the request to continue was already speaking in his amber eyes. Zhou Yu coughed a little before retrieving the fallen notes and starting again. "I wish you good fortune, with all the power in my hands… the subtle pulse and my turbulent soul." One hand trailed through Sun Ce's chestnut hair and wove between the words. "We create the path of life forever without fear…"

The stars were shining again, and scattering the clouds between them into milky shards that caught the moonlight and echoed in Sun Ce's eyes. "The lonely times just before dreaming confirm my own world… sceneries sketched without light still surface before my eyes…" Somewhere the wind had picked up and was twirling against the sides of the tent, slipping between the folds of fabric to send shivers down Zhou Yu's back. "Everything has its own meaning. I believe in the endless future…"

The song was nothing. It was a simple tune he barely remembered – lines from music performed so long ago he couldn't even recall who had given him the notes. But he felt the words knitting into the tattered thread of his heartbeat nonetheless as the night swallowed Sun Ce's smile and closed his eyes. "I wish you good fortune, with all the power in my hands… the flowers bloom for you, the moonlight shines for you…"

A simple sigh stole Sun Ce beneath the border of sleep and scattered dreams into his soft breathing as Zhou Yu's voice faltered and paused. No sound of protest came from the silent figure, and Zhou Yu felt his shoulders relaxing. Finally. It had been hours… but finally Sun Ce was asleep. The young strategist closed his own eyes and felt exhaustion stinging behind his temples. But the song wasn't quite finished, and the night demanded an end even if the audience did not…

I wish you good fortune with all of my power

We have no reasons, no reasons, no reasons

End Chapter 20

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For anyone who didn't recognize it, this song is a stylized version of the Dynasty Warriors 3 ending song "Shen Lu," called "Life Road" in English. This chapter kind of took a long time, so sorry for the wait. Let me know what you thought.

A note for Sage Serenity: I'm not sure if this chapter counts as 'chocolate' or not, because it was far less comedic than the last one… but I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Xiao Qiao was indeed rather annoying – on purpose – but I hope that with time you'll like her character better. Your kind reviews are always appreciated.

A note for Khyie: Thank you very much for your detailed and encouraging words. I strive to make the details of the story interesting, and it is always gratifying to hear they are being enjoyed. I am also pleased that you don't feel anyone is out of character, which is of course the most difficult part of fan fiction writing. I sincerely hope that you continue to enjoy subsequent portions of this story, and please always feel free to relay any comments you may have.

A note for Xing Wu/Hotaru: I am personally not fond of the Lu Meng/Lu Xun pairing because I don't see them as a good fit for each other. In terms of further Dynasty Warriors games… they make enough money that I would conjecture they will probably continue their line of games as long as people keep buying them.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: It was enjoyable to play off of the idea of their marriage. Glad you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope this one was also entertaining.

A note for Jen: Sadly, Sun Quan's pitiful stage is coming to an end sooner than I would like… I'm rather attached to him as the bumbling child he is now. The first hint of his change was in this chapter – you probably noticed that. At any rate, I'm glad you agreed with my portrayal of the Qiao sisters. I hope your midterms were successful.

A note for Xing Ling: I have difficulty with Xiao Qiao's personality in the game as well, and as she grows up I will do my best to take the annoying and childish aspects out of her. It's kind of ironic that you thanked me for frequent updates and then this chapter took so long… but I will attempt to be faster in the future. Once again, thank you for your informative and encouraging comments.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 20 

"Sun Ce recovered quite rapidly, and was ready to return to battle in a very short time."

Chen Hao sighed unintentionally and allowed his jaw line to relax. He hadn't truly been expecting anything else – the general had mentioned many times that the wound was not serious. But nonetheless, Chen Hao couldn't stop himself from worrying every time Sun Ce was in danger – because at some point, there wouldn't be a smile on his bright face or a laugh on his lips…

Chen Hao could almost picture him. Tall, muscled, tan face creased from lines of perpetual laughter – his ponytail flapping behind him in the summer wind. There were scars on his skin but they hardly seemed to matter beside his sturdy armor, and his enthusiastic grin spilled over his expression and accented the sparse beard below it. Chen Hao couldn't help the beard – probably because the only image he'd ever seen, a stylized painting, had incorporated the traditional feature.

And those amber eyes Zhou Yu had described so many times burned confidently under the waving red banner, as sword in hand he raced across endless plains and never lost the ambition tumbling out of his cheerful cry. Chen Hao felt inspired and humble just imagining him, and wondered what emotion that kind of man might stir face to face. It was not surprising that so many soldiers had been willing to follow him – blindly, loyally, forcefully.

"After Kan Li-chao was summarily dealt with, many of his former soldiers chose to join the ranks of Sun Jian's forces, which allowed us to keep a steady guard in our northern territories for the first time. Those who did not wish to remain under the employ of the Sun family were dismissed and sent home – Zhang Bai among them. With the heightening of the summer, Sun Ce and I returned to Jiang Dong and remained there for some months. It was during this time that I truly became accustomed to the Qiao sisters' presence, and I have come to consider them great companions over the years."

Chen Hao watched the moonlight flickering over Zhou Yu's face as the rain clouds seemed to pull back from the shining circle and retreat into the night. "Sun Ce and I spent many afternoons in their company – often we played games or simply conversed, although we did spend a short while teaching them to spar."

Chen Hao felt a look of surprise overcoming his expression, and Zhou Yu almost smiled at the soldier as midnight stole through the wagon and settled into his eyes. "We live in chaotic times, soldier," he murmured into the soft wind. "And Sun Ce and I both agreed that no one ought remain helpless in the wake of the unpredictable nature of circumstances. I could cite to you occasions when the Qiaos' martial skills were of great assistance to us…" A heavy sigh escaped as Chen Hao bit his lip. "But there isn't time. So I shall suffice to say that both women are exceedingly talented with both dagger and spear, and that I have never worried that they might be unable to protect themselves if the necessity arose."

Chen Hao wanted to ask for a story – the image of the two Qiaos spinning and dashing through their enemies was intriguing and mystifying. A sudden fit of coughing contorted his general's face, and Chen Hao held the request back on the tip of his tongue. He winced as the familiar sound of Zhou Yu's distress echoed and darted against the wooden wagon, and waited anxiously for silence with the water clutched tightly in his hand.

But this time was different – it took him a long moment to realize that the coughing wasn't abating, and that Zhou Yu's chest was heaving in pain and not relaxing back against the floor. Chen Hao struggled to his knees and stared down at the general with wide eyes, hands helpless at his side and breath short with worry. His fingers reached out but stopped short of touching the general's shoulder, shaking with concern and undecided agitation. The water canteen tumbled uselessly onto the floor as Chen Hao's hands melted into fists and the nails bruised his palms, and still Zhou Yu's body twisted in sharp motion and his breath spattered unevenly from his lips.

When the coughing finally did subside, Zhou Yu closed his eyes and breathed deeply into spasming lungs. Chen Hao tried not to trace with his eyes every line of pain marring the general's forehead and flinch at each agonizing breath, but it was impossible even when he tucked his face against his shoulder to avoid the sight before him. Zhou Yu sputtered a little and cleared his throat, eyes tightly closed even as Chen Hao regained the canteen and provided the general a small drink of water. Zhou Yu's dark hair quivered and trembled across the rough wooden planks as his shadowed eyes came open and glared up at the covered roof.

"You may not have me until I finish this story," he rasped, and Chen Hao shivered as words meant for the King of the Dead himself sparked in the cold air. Zhou Yu sighed again and pressed his lips together in a thin line, but his eyes remained steadily fixed on the distant sky and haunting stars within it. Chen Hao collapsed in on himself and pulled his knees up to his chest in a kind of anxious fear that trilled through his stomach and settled hard against his backbone. He didn't want to be witness to the clashing wills of time and the man lying so still before him.

Silence pervaded for a long time after the pronouncement, and Chen Hao kept his gaze trained on the grass stains of his pants and the rough patches streaming across their thick fabric. He tried to will his energy into a tiny, glowing ball – he would give it to Zhou Yu with no qualms, hand the general his very breath if it delayed death just a little longer… just until the end of the story. Just until Zhou Yu could rest without tearing his eyes open and continuing to speak.

"Chen Hao." The soldier startled at his name, which hadn't left the general's lips since it had first been requested hours and hours ago. His eyes shot to Zhou Yu's face, which was calm but guarded in the faint light. Chen Hao made to respond, but another deep breath cut him off. "Are you ready?"

Chen Hao felt himself frowning, but anxiety still covered his brow and kept confusion in his eyes. "Ready…"

Zhou Yu raised one hand to slowly brush the hair away from his eyes. "I'm going to skip almost a year. To just after Sun Shang Xiang's seventeenth birthday. In high summer of 195."

Chen Hao shook his head a little. "My lord… I don't understand. Ready for—" And then his eyes got very wide and his hands tightened into fists – because all of a sudden, he did understand. 195… 195 was…

Zhou Yu watched the soldier carefully before closing his eyes. "Very well. Then we'll begin." Chen Hao fought back the urge to cover his ears. He didn't want to listen – not to this part. It was going to be terrible – what if he started to cry? What would Zhou Yu think of him if he cried—

"As Shang Xiang's birthday had just passed, Sun Ce asked his father for permission to arrange a journey to Guantian in order to celebrate. We were gathered together discussing proposals when the courier arrived."

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Summer had set in. The flowers of spring were all gone, replaced by tiny green fruits in the leafy boughs and new bamboo shoots springing up from the vibrant earth, and the wind had turned mild with the promise of rain. Not a cloud marred the cerulean sky, and the sun shone so brightly that Zhou Yu had to shade his eyes as he looked out of the window into the rollicking gardens. Everywhere deep jasper colored the foliage and sent rhythm of renewal through the trees, and the air seemed to carry a kind of sugary inundation of humming insects as it drifted through the carvings and decorations on which Zhou Yu rested his pale hands.

"Come on, Shang! Come on!" Sun Ce pulled hard on his sister's arm and pouted down at her from his superior height, tone firmly whining and expression hopeful. Shang Xiang appeared entirely nonplussed, and she shook him off with a quick jerk of her arm.

"I said no and I meant no, Ce," she answered calmly. "We're not going to watch a tiger fight."

"But Yu's never seen one before!" Sun Ce protested in vain. Zhou Yu turned back to the conversation at the mention of his name, and his eyes found the two Sun children deep in debate.

Shang Xiang shook her head firmly. "But it's my birthday celebration, and I don't like them. Besides – you know Quan hates seeing the tigers get hurt." Sun Ce's shoulders slumped and he rolled his amber eyes skyward.

"Quan-" he started, but Shang Xiang cut him off.

"-has just as much say in this as you do, which is absolutely none," she finished for him, eyes bright but solid. "Now quit complaining. You're lucky you get to go on a trip to the city at all."

Sun Ce mumbled a little under his breath, but the door to the sitting room opening and the arrival of a few more family members halted conversation. Xiao Qiao bounced into the room with a lively lilt in her step, and Lady Qiao followed more quietly to seat herself beside Sun Jian in one of the scattered chairs. The lord of Jiang Dong nodded politely to both girls and laughed a little at the disapproving expression on his eldest son's face.

"Don't be like that, Ce," he encouraged. "If you really want to see a tiger fight, you can always do that on your own." Sun Ce brightened perceptively at this statement and regained his former smile.

"That's what we'll do!" he affirmed, turning to Zhou Yu and barely remembering not to take his hand. Zhou Yu's eyes widened slightly at the near miss and he shot Sun Jian a nervous glance, but the general didn't seem to have noticed anything out of the ordinary. Sun Ce's cheerful voice pulled Zhou Yu's attention back to the excited youth bopping his head back and forth. "Don't worry, Yu – we'll definitely see a tiger fight, even if my stick-in-the-mud sister doesn't want to go."

Zhou Yu sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "But I don't want to go either, Ce," he pointed out. Sun Ce just laughed.

"You only say that because you've never been to one," he accused. "They're the most fun in the world. Besides – if we don't go, we'll have to stay with Shang."

Shang Xiang huffed and dropped her hands to her hips, but Xiao Qiao spoke up before the argument could progress. "Where are you going?" Her childish voice had matured somewhat in the year Zhou Yu had known her, but its simple contours still danced brightly through the room. Sun Ce blinked.

"Well, you're coming too, of course." He turned away from Zhou Yu and matched the girl's smile. "We're all going to Guantian to celebrate Shang Xiang's birthday. It's a tradition."

Zhou Yu watched Xiao Qiao's eyes light up at the mention of the great merchant city not far north of Fu Chun. Ever since their return to Jiang Dong, the Sun family – and Zhou Yu with them – had made an annual journey to Guantian for Shang Xiang's birthday. And every single year, Sun Ce went off about tiger fighting. Zhou Yu personally considered entertainment like that a waste of time and money – and fortunately, he'd never been subjected to the unfortunate pastime yet.

To be honest, he wasn't that fond of the trip itself – it disrupted the routine of their daily affairs and was a rather exorbitant economic venture. There wasn't much that interested him in the bustling merchant city, either, and the long, uneven road they traveled was always significantly less than pleasant. But he consoled himself every year with the thought that, if nothing else, it made Sun Ce happy.

"What do we do there?" The curious thirteen-year-old leaned against the arm of her sister's chair and watched Sun Ce's face with a starry expression. Sun Ce laughed and came to stand beside her.

"All sorts of things. There are parades, and performers, and they sell all kinds of food in the market—"

Xiao Qiao straightened and hopped to her feet. "I love markets! Do we get to go there?" Sun Ce gave her a disgruntled look and scratched his elbow.

"Yeah. That's where we spend most of our time, actually. 'Cause all Shang wants to do is shop." Shang Xiang scoffed and punched his arm.

"I like to watch the jugglers," she protested, chin tipped up in self-righteous affirmation. Sun Jian chuckled at his children and stood up with a stretch.

"There's no need to bicker, you two." His soft, warm tone flooded the room and countered their conversation like soothing water. "I've said we can do whatever you'd like." Both children smiled and Sun Quan stood up from the floor where he'd been reading, casting his siblings a knowing look before tugging on his father's sleeve.

"They like to bicker, Father," he observed astutely. "They don't have to have a reason." Xiao Qiao smiled at the boy before hopping up and down.

"Do we get to buy anything?" she asked bluntly, and Lady Qiao frowned slightly.

"Xiao," she began, voice chastising, but Sun Jian raised a hand to cut her off.

"It's all right, Da Qiao." Zhou Yu watched the summer sunlight spilling over Sun Jian's face from the open window as he smiled, and it seemed to the strategist that the man had never looked as happy as he did now, eyes passing over each of his young charges. "You are both as close as children to me – I should hope no formality is needed between us." Lady Qiao looked ready to protest again, but Xiao Qiao forestalled her words with a giggle.

"That's because Sun Jian is the best almost-father-in-law in the whole world!" she concluded, and Sun Jian couldn't help smiling as the young girl leapt forward to give him a quick hug. Zhou Yu felt his lips turning up at the corners despite his disenchantment with the trip. Xiao Qiao had melted so smoothly into the Sun family that it was hard to remember the distinction at all – and she was so fond of Sun Jian that she could have been one of his own daughters. Not that the lord of Fu Chun had been able to resist attachment to her tumbling, joyful attitude for very long himself.

Xiao Qiao pulled back after a moment and put a small hand to her chin. "When are we leaving? And how are we getting there? How far is it?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement at the proposed trip as rapid-fire questions left her lips, and Sun Ce laughed.

"We'll leave tomorrow, probably. We always go by carriage because it's kind of a long way… a day's ride, maybe." Xiao Qiao's eyes widened.

"Tomorrow? So soon?" She clapped her hands distractedly. "Why didn't anyone warn me? I've got to go pack!" Without another word, she dashed through the partly open door and disappeared into the shadows of the corridor. Zhou Yu listened to her echoing footsteps and the final traces of joyous humming as Sun Ce blinked.

"How long does it take to pack?" he asked idly, raising one hand to scratch his ear. Shang Xiang chuckled in answer, and Lady Qiao rose to her feet.

"I suppose I ought to assist her," she murmured musically. "Otherwise she'll bring the most ridiculous things…" Her bright brown eyes caught the steady sunlight and seemed to smile. "When we were preparing for the journey here, she tried to smuggle a good portion of the dishware along as mementos of our father's house." Lady Qiao shook the wrinkles out of her skirt and turned to Sun Jian with a gentle smile. "How many days will we be gone?"

Sun Jian shrugged lightly. "We usually don't stay more than a week…" Lady Qiao favored him with a short bow and turned for the door.

"I will inform her of that." Her soft steps paused just on the threshold, and she glanced back over her shoulder with a full smile. "And thank you for agreeing to take us along."

Sun Jian's polite response got lost in a sudden clattering of footsteps, and the second door swung open to reveal the panting form of General Cheng Pu, who leaned one arm against the door frame to steady himself. Zhou Yu felt his eyes narrow at the abrupt arrival, and Lady Qiao stopped to turn back into the room. "My lord." Cheng Pu's rasping address faltered in the clear air and raised Sun Jian to his feet. "Urgent correspondence – it's just arrived. The messenger claims to hail from Lord Yuan Shu."

Zhou Yu felt his back stiffen at the mention of their distant ally. Yuan Shu had often sent letters to Sun Jian in the course of their extensive friendship, and indeed Zhou Yu himself had spent a good deal of time meeting with the renowned general's envoys. But a letter had never arrived in such spectacular display before – from Cheng Pu's heaving breath, it seemed the flank general had sprinted straight from the welcoming courtyard with the message. Cheng Pu was a settled, grounded man – a man whose conduct and judge of circumstance Zhou Yu respected. The letter must truly be important to rouse the general to such uncommon action.

Sun Jian nodded sharply and received the rolled parchment, deft fingers untying the knotted cord with solemn speed. The room went silent as his warm eyes scanned line after line of the written message and grew dimly cold despite the sunlight. When he had finished reading, Sun Jian closed his eyes and let a stony expression envelope his features. No one spoke for a long moment, until Shang Xiang hesitantly cleared her throat.

"What… what does it say, Father?" Her reluctant query seemed too loud in the tense atmosphere. Lady Qiao shifted and Sun Ce straightened at Zhou Yu's side, jaw firmly set. Sun Jian opened his eyes slowly and glanced between their wary faces.

"Yuan Shao and Liu Biao have joined together – and are planning an invasion of Jiang Dong." Zhou Yu felt his eyes widen at the unexpected news, and Sun Ce's hands clenched into unconscious fists. Sun Jian set the letter on his empty chair and nodded carefully. "Yuan Shu is proposing a joint counterattack. He will attack Yuan Shao's holdings in Izhou, and we must mount an immediate assault on Liu Biao in Chingzhou."

Sun Ce visibly started. "Liu Biao – the man who Yuan Shao asked to stop us on our way back home, right?" Sun Jian's short nod was all the answer necessary. Sun Ce cast Zhou Yu an unsettled glance. "He's coming here? It's so far from his territory…"

In Sun Jian's darkening eyes, Zhou Yu could see the shadows of one hundred horsemen careening down an open prairie toward the mighty Xiang Lang River, spears in hand and banners flapping viciously in the cold wind. "If you continue conquering northward, Ce, it won't be long until you reach the edge of his holdings." Sun Jian's voice had become very quiet. "There is no reason for him to let us live in peace here."

Zhou Yu's brow furrowed at the silken shade covering Sun Jian's expression. Something seemed wrong. He had an uncomfortable weight in his stomach, and he didn't know why. Cheng Pu found his tongue before the young strategist, and he bent to one knee before the lord of Jiang Dong.

"You shouldn't trust Lord Yuan Shu's words," he urged. "He is devious and self-serving. What assurances have we that he will follow through with his promise to attack his brother? And even if he does… there is no good to come of stirring up trouble in the north."

But Sun Jian's eyes had become hardened jade, and his lips were set in a grim line. "What care I for Yuan Shu's help?" Zhou Yu felt his muscles tense at the memories spinning in Sun Jian's words. A single small form fleeing the hundred horses and running for the rider ahead, hooves pounding so hard over the packed earth. "I want revenge for myself. Yuan Shao and Liu Biao have allied against me for the last time." One syllable ringing in panic through the deep night air, a frantic heartbeat and two arms so tight around the waist of a terrified companion, the smell of foam and water in the black mane… "Liu Biao has threatened my family for the last time."

Sun Jian's dark expression lightened a little as he seemed to notice Cheng Pu's kneeling form for the first time. "Come now, Cheng Pu – what accounts for this formality?" The dignified soldier rose slowly to his feet and met his lord's eyes evenly. Sun Jian nodded respectfully to the general. "We're old friends."

Cheng Pu sighed. "And I have always told you what I think. I want you to know that I do not approve of this." Sun Jian shook his head mildly.

"You know I can't let a threat stand." The words seemed sincere but hollow in Zhou Yu's unsure ears. The lump in his stomach still hadn't gone away, and he didn't like it. Sun Jian's eyes had lost their dark edges as he clapped a hand onto Cheng Pu's shoulder. "You don't have to accompany me, if you prefer to remain here." Cheng Pu laughed shortly at the offer.

"And you think I would send you off to battle alone? You've acquired more sense through the years, but not enough to keep your head in the middle of things." The general's eyes were deep with soft memory. "The first battle we ever shared, I had to save you from that eager soldier who wanted to put his axe to your neck." Sun Jian's expression was gentle and congenial.

"A debt I've never repaid you," he muttered. Cheng Pu couldn't help smiling as he turned for the door.

"One thousand times over." Zhou Yu watched the general's sturdy back as he paused on the threshold of the long hallway. "I assume we'll be sailing to Liu Biao's stronghold in Fancheng. Shall I ask Huang Gai to prepare the river fleet?" Sun Jian thought a moment before nodding.

"That will do. My thanks." Cheng Pu was gone almost before the words cleared Sun Jian's lips, but Zhou Yu caught the worried smile on his gruff face as he moved down the corridor and out of sight.

Silence reigned for a long moment before Lady Qiao turned to leave as well. "I'll inform Xiao about the change of plans." Her soft words tore the last harsh lines out of Sun Jian's eyes, and a simple smile fell across his face.

"She'll be disappointed," he warned. "Make sure you tell her that we'll go to Guantian just as soon as I return." Lady Qiao smiled back and slipped out of the door without another word, leaving the room as quiet as before. Sun Jian sighed heavily and reached forward to pat Shang Xiang's back.

"I'm sorry, Shang. We'll have to delay your birthday trip a little while." The Sun princess shook her head and smiled brightly up at her father, eyes clear and open in the sunlight.

"I understand. Just knock Liu Biao out and come back quickly." She gave her father a few jesting punches in the stomach, and Sun Jian laughed at his daughter.

"It shouldn't take much more than a week – it's sailing that takes the longest." Zhou Yu felt his jaw set stoically as Sun Jian shot his eldest son a look. "With these two young officers beside me, Fancheng's walls won't keep us out." Sun Ce smiled, but his eyes still seemed uncertain, and Zhou Yu could feel his own hesitation mounting. Something was wrong – he couldn't place it, but he knew it was true. Why this dark shadow of forgiving in his mind? Liu Biao was nothing. They could take him down swiftly and easily, despite the rabble of generals that would no doubt surround a cowardly man of that caliber. There was nothing to worry about.

Shang Xiang grabbed her father's hand and held on with a brilliant smile, and Sun Quan wrapped his thin arms around Sun Jian's waist. "Why don't I ever get to go with you?" His complaint only made Sun Jian laugh as he bent down to look the young boy in the eyes.

"How old are you, Quan?" Sun Jian asked playfully. Sun Quan pouted and withdrew his arms to cross them over his chest.

"Twelve," he answered, pose stubborn. Sun Jian raised his free hand and ruffled the boy's tightly bound hair.

"And I've told you over and over that you can come campaigning with me when you're fifteen." Sun Quan tried his best pathetic look, but Sun Jian just smiled and took hold of his son's chin. "It will be worth waiting for, Quan – I promise you. We'll both ride horses as swift as the wind, and no one will be able to match us." Sun Quan brightened perceptibly at the proposition before glancing at his siblings and the stony strategist by the window.

"Brother and Sister will be there, too – and Master Zhou Yu, right?" Sun Jian laughed at the hopeful boy.

"Yes, but they won't get horses like ours. They'll just have plain gray horses, because you and I have to be the fastest." Sun Quan tried to stifle a self-satisfied smile at this, but it spilled onto his bright face anyway and into his eyes.

"And Xiao Qiao and Lady Qiao, too?" Sun Jian's face became serious for a moment as he pretended to consider his answer.

"Perhaps they'd better ride in a carriage with your mother," Sun Jian decided with mock gravity. Sun Quan nodded energetically, and the fantasy battle seemed to float just over the contours of his face in dazzling imagined pictures.

"I should tell Mother that you're leaving – she always wants to see you off." Sun Jian's eyes softened at the mention of Lady Wu, and an image of the kind woman flitted through Zhou Yu's mind.

"I'm not leaving quite yet," he reminded his son. "We won't embark until tomorrow morning."

Sun Quan shook his head adamantly. "You should leave sooner – then you can come back sooner, too." Sun Jian straightened and shot Zhou Yu a quick look.

"There are some things we need to get in order first." Zhou Yu nodded in a light bow before turning on his heel and heading for his office. There were maps to collect, approaches to consider, a number of logistics to complete…

But the thick, painful feeling persisted in Zhou Yu's stomach as he left the Sun family behind him and entered the long corridor, shadows flashing over his face between the sunlit windows. Something wasn't right – and all he could do was hope they would be strong enough to overcome it.

End Chapter 21

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Okay, this chapter was kind of my confession: Zhou Yu has really lived entirely too long. He's going to have to keep holding on a little longer, though. This chapter was fairly short, because the next one is going to be… not so short. Anyway, I hope this was interesting. As always, let me know what you think.

A note for Xing Wu: Glad you liked the last chapter. As for pizza… I'm not sure how everyone would like it, but I'll bet Sun Ce's a real fan of pepperoni and Sun Quan refuses to eat anchovies. Thank you for your review.

A note for Xing Ling: Zhou Yu is indeed adamantly refusing not to die. Detail is something I strive for, so I am pleased to hear you noticed it. Sun Ce is maturing a little, but I can't help loving his childish attitude, which I feel was most introduced in Dynasty Warriors 5… not so much in 4. And Zhou Yu will always have boundaries, because that's just the kind of person he is. Again, thank you for your comments – feedback is always appreciated.

A note for Sage Serenity: I'm glad you liked the song. Ever since the beginning of this fic, I've been thinking it would be nice to get that song in there – because I feel it kind of fits them somehow. If circumstances ever get too similar, please be sure to let me know – the best way to ruin a story is mindless repetition.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: I'm not sure Zhou Yu would appreciate his nickname, but I suppose there's nothing he can do about it. Yes, he does sing – not well, mind you, but Sun Ce's sense of pitch is questionable anyway. And the song is a stylized translation of the Dynasty Warriors 3 ending song. It is called "Shen Lu," or Life Road.

A note for Jen: One part of both Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's characters that is very important to me is their internal strength. I agree that they would both keep fighting even after the other was injured as long as they were needed on the battle field. Sun Quan reverted to his childish stage in this chapter because we went back in time… I'm gonna miss him.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 21 

Nothing was more miserable than a clear, starlit sky in the midst of battle. Zhou Yu stood in the doorway of his tent and stared up at the gleaming, glistening points in endless black and the bare sliver of a moon thrown between them. The night wind ruffling his hair and the banner flapping beside him sent an unwelcome shiver down his back – somehow, the absence of clouds made it seem colder, and Zhou Yu wrapped his hands into his sleeves. Ahead of him, watch fires burned and sparked along the thick, impassable wall. Somewhere in that fortress, Liu Biao was waiting.

Two days of heavy fighting had brought them to the walls of Xiang Yang Castle. The trip upstream had been a long one, made more difficult by the rain of arrows Sun Jian's fleet received as welcome when they finally tried to land outside of Fancheng. It had taken three days of waiting before all of the archers expended their arrows and fled in disarray back toward the city's walls. Sun Jian's forces had pursued quickly and steadily, and Zhou Yu's choice of the three-tiered attack had driven Huang Zu's advance troops back so far they'd abandoned the city of Fancheng and retreated to the garrison some three miles north. And now the Jiang Dong army had reached the castle – but that was as far as their advance could take them, and everyone had agreed to halt for a night.

Zhou Yu frowned and watched the winds sifting over the thin moon above him. To the present, the enemy generals had proved weak and easy to dispatch. Cai Mao, Zhang Hu, Chen Sheng… these had already been defeated. But Huang Zu had escaped capture, and Liu Biao refused to surface despite countless taunts called up over the walls of his castle. Victory was so close it seemed that if Zhou Yu just stretched out his fingers he could grab it and take it back inside the tent with him, and then they could set sail and get out of this barren place… Zhou Yu shook his head. The lands of Jing lay fallow all around their camp, and arrows and corpses were strewn along the path to the castle's main gate. And even though they had come so far, that uncomfortable lump still dug into Zhou Yu's ribs every time he breathed. It would be best to get home as fast as possible – so that he could know for sure he was just worrying too much again.

The banner flickered viciously and snapped at his cheek, and Zhou Yu ducked back inside out of the wind, which grew stronger and wrenched at the door as he fastened it lightly closed. Zhou Yu turned to find Sun Ce sitting on a crude stool at the strategist's makeshift desk, twirling an ink brush distractedly between his fingers. Zhou Yu watched his tense face in silence. Sun Ce was jittery too, and that was worryingly unusual. Zhou Yu waited a long moment before stepping forward to place a soft hand on Sun Ce's shoulder, and the young officer jumped violently. His amber eyes turned up to find Zhou Yu's face as he sighed and set the brush down on the desk.

"Don't sneak up on me," Sun Ce chastised, but his voice was light and his shoulders tense despite Zhou Yu's warm touch. Zhou Yu didn't reply; his hand skimmed over Sun Ce's armored shoulder in slow, soothing circles, but Sun Ce's muscles remained painfully tight. The young officer raised one hand to rub his forehead as though struggling with a headache.

"I don't know, Yu," Sun Ce started, answering an unasked question. "I just have this really awful feeling in my stomach, like something bad's going to happen." Zhou Yu nodded a little as his fingers caught against the rough cloth armor. Sun Ce felt it, too. That thick dread building as the hours flashed by under sword and spear… Sun Ce shook his head and looked back up to Zhou Yu's stern face. "But we've made it this far, right? We'll be finished in another day. We can make it that long." Zhou Yu wanted to agree, but he couldn't quite get his tongue around the words. Sun Ce closed his eyes and leaned back heavily to rest his head against Zhou Yu's arm. "I just hope everything's okay at home."

Zhou Yu remained silent, but his hand never stopped its measured movement back and forth as he watched the lines of tension coloring Sun Ce's face. Zhou Yu had never seen his companion look so uncertain and anxious before – usually battle brought him endless energy and an excited smile. But tonight they were both drained, and had fought the day's skirmish with restraint and caution. For the first time Zhou Yu could remember, Sun Ce had not strayed from his side even once, and neither of them had been interested in long pursuits behind enemy lines. Sun Ce frowned to himself and Zhou Yu watched him quietly. Something was wrong. Something, somewhere, was terribly wrong.

The night wind railed against the open face of the tent and drowned out the muffled sounds of soldiers moving about the camp, but footsteps near at hand attracted Zhou Yu's attention. He straightened and turned toward the door, hand slipping from Sun Ce's shoulder as Sun Jian's quick fingers unfastened the flap and the general poked his head into the tent. A quick but weary smile dusted his lips as he ducked inside and brushed the helmet tassel out of his eyes. "I was wondering if you two were still awake – you're being awfully quiet in here." The joke brought a forced smile to Sun Ce's lips but nothing more, and the young officer stood slowly to join his strategist on the dirt floor.

"Father." The word seemed so tight and thin that Zhou Yu felt his stomach dropping again. Sun Jian gave his son a quizzical look.

"Are you feeling all right, Ce? You look pale."

Indeed Sun Ce's naturally tan face was much lighter than usual, and Zhou Yu felt worry mounting in his mind as Sun Ce laughed softly and shook his head. "I don't feel so great, actually." Concern seemed to waver in Sun Jian's eyes for a moment before he smiled gently.

"It's very cold out, especially for summer – you're probably getting sick." Sun Ce crossed his arms tightly over his chest and nodded a little.

"Probably." The awkward conversation paused momentarily as a powerful gust of wind slammed against the tent and flickered in the open door, making Sun Ce shiver a little and Zhou Yu's hair scatter into his eyes. Then Sun Jian sighed and rubbed thoughtfully at his chin.

"Why do you both look so glum?" Zhou Yu and Sun Ce shared a quick look. "We'll be finished here in a day or two. Things have been going very well so far." Sun Ce shifted uneasily and thought for a long moment before opening his mouth.

"Father—"

The words were cut off by a sharp, sudden crack just outside the tent door. Zhou Yu jumped and had his sword in hand before Sun Ce had even managed to stumble backward over the stool, and Sun Jian spun to face the flap as well – but all was silent. As Sun Ce rubbed his elbows and slowly disentangled himself from the broken pieces of the stool, Zhou Yu and Sun Jian moved to push back the door and glance outside.

All was quiet, but the banner that had been positioned just outside their tent had snapped in half from the force of the wind. The emblem of Sun Jian's forces flickered weakly on the cold ground, bent awkwardly by its snapped stem. Zhou Yu watched the tendrils of wind playing at the edge of the flag and felt another chill run down his spine; at his side, Sun Ce tensed and straightened. But Sun Jian laughed freely and bent to retrieve the banner.

"That's all, then. It was just the wind." Zhou Yu's fingers gripped the hilt of his sword as he stared at Sun Jian's clear face. How could the general not feel it? Foreboding was lurking in the shadows all around them, and as he glanced at the broken flag the young strategist felt the knot in his stomach growing and tangling even farther.

The words came before he even thought them. "It's a bad omen."

Sun Jian turned to face Zhou Yu, expression amiably puzzled. "I didn't know you believed in omens, Zhou Yu. It's only the wind – nothing to get worried over."

Zhou Yu didn't believe in omens – but somehow, he believed in this one. Sun Ce's countenance had become even more distressed and he unconsciously shifted closer to Zhou Yu's side as concern creased his forehead. "Father…" Sun Jian turned bright, open eyes to his eldest son as Sun Ce shook his head a little. "I don't think it's just the wind."

Sun Jian blinked. "You think someone broke it on purpose?" Sun Ce shook his head harder this time, ponytail flying back and forth in the stiff breeze.

"No. I think it's a really bad sign." His voice rose in volume as he continued speaking, and the wind gave his words a frigid edge. "Let's just go home. Forget about Liu Biao – we can take him out some other day."

Sun Jian scoffed and tossed his head toward Xiang Yang Castle. "But we're right at the fortress's wall – why would we turn back now? Victory is just ahead of us. Don't tell me you're frightened of a worthless man like Liu Bio."

Sun Ce's hands tightened into fists, but he held his ground, tone roughening under the frost-laden air. "I'm not afraid – I just don't feel good about this at all! And I've been feeling that way ever since Yuan Shu's letter arrived in Jiang Dong. Something's not right and we should get out of here before something bad happens!" Sun Ce's eyes were burning with urgency as he stepped forward to confront his father. "Come on – this isn't important. If Liu Biao does come south, we'll take him out on our own turf. Yu and I can secure Jing in a couple months once the mountain areas settle down."

Sun Jian's eyes were kind but hard as he looked at his son. "I've brought these soldiers this far from home already – would they ever follow me again if I gave up on the edge of victory?" Sun Ce opened his mouth to speak, but Sun Jian cut him off by leaning forward and placing both hands on the young officer's shoulders. "I know you have a strong sense of intuition, Ce." Sun Jian's eyes caught the light of the candle on Zhou Yu's desk and flickered black. "But whatever it is, we can handle it. We're the Sun family, remember? And you are my son. I know you have the power to surmount anything that comes your way."

Sun Jian was smiling, but Zhou Yu's stomach was twisting and churning as Sun Ce's shoulders slumped a little. They were words no different than the Sun lord had said one hundred times before… but why did they tear at Zhou Yu's flesh now, and why was that lump in his stomach just tightening and pulsing even more with each moment that passed…

With a sudden noise like thunder, Xiang Yang's main gate swung open. Zhou Yu and his companions spun to watch as a fleet of horsemen tumbled from the castle and sped south, careening around the camp at top speed. Torchlight glinted off of their metal and bamboo armor as the leader began to shout, causing soldiers to stumble out of their tents in confusion.

"I am Lu Gong! Any who dares, follow and I will duel with him! Let's see one of you rabble match my might." The horses dashed around a bend in the path and disappeared into the forest of pine, and Zhou Yu stared after them for a moment before Sun Jian dropped the banner heavily to the ground.

"They must be going to call for reinforcements." Cold jade had found its way into Sun Jian's eyes again as he drew his sword and stalked toward his horse. His strides were heavy and smooth against the uneven ground. Sun Ce took a few steps after him and hesitated as the night wind swept around him and chilled his thick clothing.

"Father. Father, wait!" Sun Jian turned to shoot his son a quick smile that Sun Ce did not return. "I'll come with you!" Sun Ce called, turning for the tent before Sun Jian's voice stopped him.

"No, Ce – you're not even in your armor." Sun Ce paused and glanced back as Sun Jian mounted his horse and the creature danced in place. Sun Jian smiled a little despite his serious expression. "I'll bring them down – you two stay here. I'm counting on you to hold the camp, and to charge that gate if it opens again." With two swift kicks, the horse leapt and dashed headlong across the field through the wind; Zhou Yu watched the stars tangle in its flowing tail as Sun Jian rounded the bend in the road and vanished.

"Damn it!" Sun Ce's words were harsher for the cold air around them, and his eyes were piercing and metallic. "He didn't even take a guard with him – he could get in trouble!" Sun Ce slammed one fist into his palm and headed for the tent. "I'm going after him. You take care of things here." Zhou Yu started to nod, but his eyes caught on movement ahead and widened painfully against the chill wind.

"Ce…" One hand on the tent flap, Sun Ce turned to follow Zhou Yu's gaze and his shoulders tensed. The horsemen had fled, but a cloud of armored soldiers had also issued from the gate and were tearing across the expansive field toward the camp, blades and spears gleaming in the light of the fragile moon.

"Damn it." Zhou Yu glanced at his companion's stony expression. Neither of them was dressed in more than the cloth designed for wear beneath armor, and it would hardly protect them from the weapons of their enemies. But there was no time to arm. There wasn't even time to exchange a few words as distance disappeared beneath the feet of Liu Biao's soldiers.

Sun Ce yanked the broken banner's staff out of the ground and held it before him as a weapon. "All right. I guess I won't go with him, after all." Zhou Yu looked at the cruelly snapped pole and stepped closer to Sun Ce. The young officer was a brilliant fighter – but a single blade could shatter the wooden staff. Zhou Yu's fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword as Sun Ce took a deep breath.

"Men to arms!" His shout echoed through the crisp night air, and a great clattering arose from the camp. Han Dang and Cheng Pu stumbled out into the cold from their nearby tent; they glanced around for their missing commander before seizing the weapons at their belts and settling into firm stances as the wave of enemies surged ever closer.

"I'll take you all down!" Sun Ce shouted, and then he dove forward to meet Liu Biao's men head on. Zhou Yu made to follow him, but bamboo and cloth swept between them and stopped the strategist in his steps, sword slashing deftly as he dodged the enemies coming at him. Sun Ce had gotten ahead of him – was probably surrounded by now. Zhou Yu drove a soldier to his knees with a quick blow and glanced around as best he could before refocusing on his own area of combat. If that persistent knot in his stomach had been warning of something happening to Sun Ce… Zhou Yu couldn't even think about it. It wouldn't be. Sun Ce would be fine. He always was.

Time disappeared under the hard, persistent rush of war. Zhou Yu lost all sense of his surroundings as the blood collected on his blade and froze in the cold night air. He hadn't noticed very many enemies streaming toward them, but the soldiers just seemed to keep coming – pounding relentlessly against the sword in his hand as he dodged and twisted around them. From somewhere came the heavy tread of their own soldiers hurtling into battle and meeting Liu Biao's troops under the endless evening sky, but he could hardly hear them. He could hardly hear anything except the blood struggling in his veins and the soundless death cries of the fallen.

An incidental blow found his back, and the strategist staggered for a moment before regaining his balance. Zhou Yu felt his frown deepening as another form stumbled to an eternal halt at his feet. A long day of fighting had made him tired – but there was no time to rest. Two quick slashes created a small gap in the ring of soldiers surrounding him, and through raised pikes and scolding moonlight Zhou Yu could see the gates of Xiang Yang Castle closing tightly and a number of soldiers retreating back into the depths of the fortress. He couldn't help his cynical smirk. Liu Biao had expected to take them by surprise – he hadn't prepared for a fight.

It didn't seem long until the last enemies before him fell heedlessly to the ground, crumpling beneath the weight of their armor into piles of broken bones and mutilated flesh. Zhou Yu wiped his sword against the back of one man's sleeve, but most of the blood had thickened with the cold and refused to come off. The young strategist eyed his weapon with mild aggravation before setting it gently on the frigid grass and shaking his head. One hand came up to rub the sore spot on his back. Fortunately, whatever had hit him was missing a blade – unfortunately, the bruises were hardly more pleasant. Moonlight flickered over the dyed sword lying between corpses and Zhou Yu shook his head to force priority into his mind. His back didn't matter, and linen cloth could always polish a stained weapon free of death's spattered record. What he needed was to find Sun Ce.

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to call, but his eyes spotted the young officer heading his direction and held back the words. Sun Ce was smiling and jogging a little, and he looked all right – even if his staff was broken. Zhou Yu took a few steps toward the young Sun lord and met him halfway. Sun Ce leapt the last stride and caught Zhou Yu around the middle, and the strategist was glad enough for his companion's uninjured appearance that he didn't even push him away. Zhou Yu let his eyes travel over the field of bodies as Sun Ce squeezed him and the two broken pieces of the staff pressed into his bruised back. There was so much death under the fickle moon… he was just glad Sun Ce wasn't one of the nameless victims.

Sun Ce pulled back after a moment and straightened, smile bright and sincere. "We made it!" he exclaimed, voice tight with whispering relief. Zhou Yu nodded, but his eyes caught on a thin line of crimson trickling across Sun Ce's cheek.

"You're bleeding." His words seemed too soft as he raised one hand to indicate the wound. Sun Ce winced at his light touch.

"Yeah… not badly, though. I did it myself." Zhou Yu's eyebrow inched upward and Sun Ce held up the cracked pieces of the staff as evidence. "I was blocking a downward swing and the damn thing snapped… caught me right in the face. And then it was broken, too – but I improvised." Zhou Yu felt his frown deepening.

"It almost hit your eye." Sun Ce chuckled and the sound fell heavily into the shadows at their feet.

"I know. Really surprised me, too. But it's not serious." Zhou Yu opened his mouth to say something, but Sun Ce's uncertain expression made him pause. The young officer reached out and caught his thick shirt as Zhou Yu's hand fell back to his side, fingers tainted red.

"Yu…" Sun Ce paused and his eyes became troubled. "You didn't get stabbed or anything, did you?" Zhou Yu blinked.

"No." Sun Ce smiled brilliantly at the flat words.

"Great. Glad to hear it." Zhou Yu let his bloodstained fingers drop back against the skin of his palm and felt the crimson ice melting into the creases of his hand.

"Why do you ask?" Sun Ce shrugged up at his strategist and played idly with the fabric between his fingers.

"Just… I've had this really bad feeling all day, and then we got caught out of armor like this. And I got separated from you with just these dumb sticks as weapons, and I was thinking there was no possible way I'd get out of it all right. But I did – so I started wondering if maybe the feeling was about somebody else. And I know you hate telling people you've been injured, so…" He shrugged again as the words faltered. "Just checking, that's all."

Zhou Yu wanted to say that he had been the one with the sword, and the one nearer their soldiers – and that if anyone had been worth worrying about, it was the young officer himself. But Sun Ce's smile seemed to make the words unnecessary, so he swallowed them back and watched the sinister starlight filling the young officer's amber eyes instead. Sun Ce returned the look for a long moment before tugging on his shirt and heading back for the camp. Zhou Yu followed soundlessly at his companion's heels as they stepped carefully over the fallen corpses no one would bother to retrieve.

"I guess we should check on everybody else." Zhou Yu bent to reclaim his sword and watched Sun Ce's dancing ponytail as the wind cut into his thick clothes. "Father should be back soon – let's wait to turn in until he finishes with Lu Gong."

Zhou Yu nodded, but his steps faltered to a stop at the edge of the camp. The wind had paused for breath and a cold, clear cry sifted through the stars and sent a shiver down the strategist's spine. Zhou Yu's eyes found the trees of the forest and he listened hard, but all had gone silent once more. Nothing moved but the laden boughs shifting in the wind and the clouds rolling across the moon.

Zhou Yu turned to go inside and the breeze swept across his shoulders. If he were a fool, he might have attributed that low, mournful sound to a phoenix – but it was probably only a blackbird.

.x.

Dawn had barely creased the clear skyline when Zhou Yu raised his head. The sleeping mat beneath him was cold, and his neck stiff from the unnatural, curled position he had adopted for the night, and his fingers moved only awkwardly in the early morning air. Sun Ce did not stir from his place at the strategist's side, face tight with fatigue and worry. Zhou Yu watched his silent features in the pale light and tucked their hempen blanket closer around his companion's shoulders to ward off the wind still flickering against the tent flap.

Zhou Yu rose carefully and brushed the lingering inclination for sleep away from his dark eyes. Sun Ce had paced for hours, awaiting the return of his father in the small watches of morning until finally collapsing onto the sleeping mat beside Zhou Yu and falling into restless dreams. Even now, his pale face and worried forehead spoke of exhaustion; Zhou Yu was cautious not to wake the young officer as he drew the armored tunic over his head and slipped into cold boots, teeth pressed together against the morning chill. He peeled back the tent flap and emerged into the morning light, wincing as a stream of wind found his unprotected face.

It was always colder in the morning than at night, and he didn't know why. Perhaps because any warmth from the previous day had been swallowed by the night and the icy stars, or drifted down into the earth, or been soaked up and consumed by soldiers shivering at their posts. Or maybe it was all a matter of perception. Zhou Yu wrapped one arm around the other to keep warm, but heat escaped in every foggy breath as he stepped carefully over the stiff grass and looked around.

The moon had not quite reached the horizon yet, but it was close. Streaks of pink and pale yellow scattered over Heaven in the east – somewhere back there was the river, he knew, where Huang Gai was holding position. The deep twilight twined between darker shades of night and drifted after the moon like a brocade curtain, dragging stars across the sky toward the other side of the world with hardly a backward glance. Somewhere an oriole was crying. The notes were piercing and cold in the chill wind, and they hardened to ice in Zhou Yu's ears as he surveyed the frozen battleground. Nothing had changed from the night before, except that chaos always seemed starker in the morning light. The crumpled forms were weary and pitiful on the broken grass and Zhou Yu turned his eyes back toward camp to avoid staring at them.

He had always heard that those in the business of funeral rites were drenched in the inescapable, polluting essence of death. He wondered why that claim had never centered on soldiers like himself, sleeping so close to carnage and destruction.

Zhou Yu shook the thoughts from his head and rubbed his hands together to entice blood through the chilled flesh. It was high summer – the cold was unseasonable even this far north. What stars had aligned to bring frost down on their campaign when torrential rain ought to have been a greater risk? Zhou Yu kicked the hardened ground idly and turned back toward camp. There was no point in freezing – he figured he might as well return to the tent and wait for sunrise.

His footfalls, heavy and dull in the close air, paused at the edge of the tent flap as his dark eyes fell on Sun Jian's broken banner. It was still lying in the dirt, discarded and trampled after the night's impromptu battle, and the once clean edges had frayed badly into a matted mess of fabric. Zhou Yu watched it sifting weakly in the morning breeze. It didn't seem right to leave the emblem abandoned and crumpled on the ground where so many corpses were waiting for scavengers, but he regarded it for a long moment without moving all the same. There was something about the flag against the cold ground that made it difficult to drag that frozen banner up and replant it in the hard soil… Zhou Yu frowned, forcing himself to kneel and take hold of the broken staff. No. It was bad conduct to leave an emblem of power in the dust… and inauspicious as well.

"Yu? Are you out—"

Zhou Yu hadn't expected Sun Ce to come stumbling out of the tent into the cold morning air – if he had, he might have planned a little better. Sun Ce emerged just as Zhou Yu straightened with the banner in hand and the young officer slammed directly into his companion, taking them both backward onto the frosted grass. Zhou Yu jammed the end of his recovered flag into the soil and managed to keep himself in a vaguely upright position by virtue of the wooden staff, but Sun Ce tripped over his strategist's legs and turned almost a perfect somersault before landing in a twisted heap on the frigid ground. He groaned a little and shook his head before flopping onto his back and glaring up at Zhou Yu, who tried to catch his breath at the unexpected collision.

"I definitely should not have gotten up this morning," he announced. Zhou Yu ignored him and rose slowly to his feet, dusting shattered fragments of dirt from his long tunic. Sun Ce remained sprawled over the ground and reached out to grab Zhou Yu's pant leg in protest. "What were you doing kneeling down like that?" he demanded. "You could have said something before I ran into you."

Zhou Yu flicked the dark strands of hair back over his shoulder and glowered down at his companion. His bruised back had hurt enough already before the unfortunate collision. "Watch where you're going," he shot back as Sun Ce relinquished his grip and climbed to his feet. Zhou Yu tried to gauge the level to fatigue still lining Sun Ce's face as the young officer sighed.

"Well… I'm awake now in any case." A lighthearted shrug smoothed his countenance back as he smiled. "I guess we'll call that a good morning surprise attack." Zhou Yu huffed as Sun Ce rubbed final remnants of sleep away from his eyes.

"Where are you going so fast, anyway?" he asked, voice flat and low in the pale light. Sun Ce's eyes lit up and he took a few steps forward in anxious anticipation.

"Is my father back yet?" The words tumbled so urgently from his lips that Zhou Yu could hardly decipher them for a moment. Then his eyes shot to Sun Jian's tent – but everything was dark and quiet, and his horse was still nowhere to be seen. Sun Ce moved toward the absent general's tent, stride light and uneasy, and Zhou Yu caught his forearm in place of an answer. Sun Ce's face fell at the lack of loud snores that always accompanied Sun Jian's sleeping presence, and he turned back toward his strategist with a stony expression in his eyes.

"He should have finished by now." The words were cold and worried in the dawn air. "What's taking so long? He should have come back hours ago." Zhou Yu's fingers tightened around the chilled sleeve as Sun Ce's eyes tossed with tension. "What's keeping him so long? Doesn't he know we're all worried about him?" His voice resounded and shattered in the fragile wind circling them.

"Ce, don't shout." Zhou Yu brought his free hand up to Sun Ce's shoulder and held on as tightly as he dared, drawing the young officer's eyes away from his father's empty tent. Sun Ce's frown deepened as true fear creased his brow for the first time.

"He's got to be all right… doesn't he?" Zhou Yu's mouth went dry at the words. Every muscle in his body seemed to be tensing under Sun Ce's desperately searching eyes. "You don't think he could be hurt or something… do you?" There was nothing to say. The broken banner flickered and snapped at the edge of Zhou Yu's vision as Sun Ce shook his head. "My father is… he's a great fighter. And he's been a soldier all his life. He's been gone longer than this before. I know he'll pull through – he always does. This isn't different than any other time…"

Zhou Yu couldn't speak. Sun Ce's words and his own thoughts were all getting jumbled into one impenetrable mass and swirling in his mind. Somewhere the sun was reaching the horizon and sending thin rays of warmth through the pine trees, and the new light all seemed to be collecting in Sun Ce's anxious eyes.

"Yu, answer me!" Sun Ce grabbed Zhou Yu's shirt and shook him hard, snapping his companion out of confused contemplation and back into their conversation. The amber in Sun Ce's eyes was begging for assurance from his stony strategist – assurance Zhou Yu's tongue couldn't seem to concoct.

"Ce…" Zhou Yu simply did not have an answer. Sun Jian had been gone a long time. Never could he remember a night passing without the general's reappearance from his solo ventures. But Sun Jian had always been a capable warrior and a sensible man, even if his temper did carry him away sometimes… Zhou Yu tightened his grip on Sun Ce and shook his head. "I don't know."

It was not the answer Sun Ce wanted, but the young officer fought back a shout in reply and bit his lip. His eyes were burning and glittering in the new sunlight, but the worried lines had not left his forehead. "I'm not going to think about it," he muttered into the cold air. "It's not going to happen. We're the Sun family… he'll pull through. He always does."

Sun Ce looked so uncertain that Zhou Yu wanted to hold onto him as tightly as possible and tell him things would work themselves out, but his hands were frozen in place and his mouth refused to move. They stood motionless for a long moment as the sun slowly escaped the horizon and slipped into a pale golden sky. Then Sun Ce stepped back and Zhou Yu's hands fell uselessly to his side, stiff and heavy with uncertainty. Sun Ce smiled, but for the first time in many long years it was a hollow and worried expression.

"Do you think… we should go look for him?" Hope had made its way back into Sun Ce's eyes, and Zhou Yu had difficulty meeting them in the crisp morning air. He didn't have a chance to answer before a figure brushed his way through the pines at the edge of the clearing and limped toward them. Sun Ce spun on his heel. "Father!" The word crumpled and died as sunlight lit Cheng Pu's battered form and sifted through his charcoal eyes. The veteran general strode carefully across the field, reaching Zhou Yu and his companion just as a shoal of dark birds fled the pine trees and took flight, wheeling overhead in slow circles.

Sun Ce took a hesitant step toward the injured officer as Han Dang emerged from the nearby tent and rushed to help his comrade. A few of the soldiers, who had gathered at Sun Ce's shout and were milling around anxiously, secured a bench for the wounded general. As Cheng Pu slumped heavily onto the wooden seat and closed his weary eyes, Sun Ce came to stand before him, fingers clenched in tight fists.

A moment of silence drifted past before Sun Ce opened his mouth again. "Cheng Pu…" Cheng Pu nodded but did not speak. Worry was spreading farther across Sun Ce's face and more than anything Zhou Yu wanted to brush it away, but he didn't know how. "Where is my father?"

Cheng Pu's bloodshot eyes flew open, and he glanced up at Sun Ce with stark honesty caught in his expression. The two men looked at each other for a long moment before Cheng Pu coughed and made to rise.

"Perhaps we should move inside…"

Sun Ce's face contorted in anger and fear. "No!"

Cheng Pu sat back heavily as the shout resounded throughout camp, drawing more soldiers from their tents and biting through the cold wind. Sun Ce's eyes were dark and anxious, but displeasure coated his concerned posture and drew all attention to the fiery words. Zhou Yu took a step closer to his companion and his long hair whipped through the morning breeze and over his shoulders.

Sun Ce shook his head hard and stamped one foot. "Just spit it out!" The soldiers shifted and murmured in surprise, and Cheng Pu sighed heavily. Han Dang dropped a hand to his companion's arm for stability. Cheng Pu's eyes drifted to the ground for a long moment before he stood up forcefully from the bench and knelt in one swift motion.

"When the battle broke out, I pursued a few soldiers into the woods. Lu Gong's forces had set up an ambush at the crest of the nearby hill. I only saw the aftermath… there were large rocks all around, and arrows in every tree…" He shook his head slowly. "I was attacked by the remnants of the party. But I found Lord Sun Jian's horse." Tears were collecting in Cheng Pu's cinder eyes as he pounded the ground with one fist. "They killed him… in an ambush, those cowards!" The words seared from his lips and scattered roughly through the mass of soldiers. "They took his body inside the castle…"

Sun Ce's eyes went very wide, and all of the anger drained from his face, painting his expression with empty shock. Zhou Yu felt the pit drop out of his stomach. It couldn't be true. Sun Jian was not the type to be easily destroyed in a simple ambush – not the type to die for such a useless battle. But a thread of ice-cold silver was making its way down his spine, and Cheng Pu had never lied before.

"No…" Sun Ce's lips were quivering. His eyes were open and vulnerable and the single word seemed to shatter the endless silence hanging between clouds of shocked soldiers. Sun Ce shook his head slowly. "No, that… that can't be…" In his amber eyes, Zhou Yu could see every moment spent in Sun Jian's company whirling past and ending with his last ride into the deep night; every word the general had ever said echoing in Sun Ce's ears as he began to shake his head wildly and his eyes squeezed shut. "No! No, he can't – he couldn't—"

Zhou Yu caught Sun Ce's forearms and held on tightly as the young Sun lord slumped backward and his head collapsed onto his companion's shoulder. Sun Ce's heavy breathing raked through Zhou Yu's ears, becoming more agitated with every moment. "That… he…" Zhou Yu's muscles tensed as Sun Ce straightened and shook his head ferociously. His breath slipped sharply through gritted teeth as he tore himself away from his strategist and slammed one fist into his palm.

"Bastard! I'll kill you, Liu Biao!" The shout pulsed and roiled through the camp as two hot, angry tears made their way down the young officer's tan face. His chest heaved as he paced back and forth, rage filling his veins and shrieking across his features. "I'll kill you!"

Sun Ce grabbed a rock from the ground and threw it as hard as he could toward the castle; it stumbled and skipped against the dirt and landed among the forgotten corpses in front of Xiang Yang's main gate. Zhou Yu watched him silently. His back was tense and every thought in his head was screaming. Every smile Sun Jian had ever given him was empty and useless in his memories – every word left unsaid turned and twisted in his mind with dizzying clarity. Every favor he would never be able to pay back…

Except that he could do that much. Because Sun Ce was striding toward the castle now, armed with nothing but his fury and his fists, and Zhou Yu could see the eyes of every archer atop the wall following him. Zhou Yu turned and took a few steps after his companion, but he was too far ahead – there would be no catching him now.

"Ce!" Zhou Yu's shout hurtled across the battle field and found Sun Ce's ears, but the young officer's steps did not slow. Zhou Yu felt worry fluttering in his chest as Sun Ce began to jog across the field of fallen soldiers; Cheng Pu rose warily and grabbed the sword from his belt in a slow, painful motion. Zhou Yu took a few more steps forward. "Ce!"

The second shout elicited no more response than the first. Zhou Yu felt his heart pounding faster as one man along the wall reached for his bow. He barely felt himself move before he was running across the flattened grass as fast as his feet could carry him, chasing the heedless young officer rushing into the rain of arrows waiting up ahead. Sun Ce seemed so far away – Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and urged himself forward. Sun Jian was enough. He was not losing Sun Ce as well.

"Sun Ce!" The young lord stopped abruptly at the sound of his full name, feet frozen to the bloodied ground. He didn't turn, and Zhou Yu kept running until he reached Sun Ce's side, coming to a halt as he reached for his companion's wrist. Sun Ce shook the hand away and turned his face toward the forest, but Zhou Yu could see the tears flowing freely and dripping onto the collar of his shirt. Sun Ce raised one hand and shoved it roughly across his eyes. His gaze never left the castle walls.

"Don't try to stop me." His voice was harsh and angry even under the veil of tears. "I'm going to kill him! I'm going to rip his bones out and tear him apart!" Zhou Yu reached out and caught his companion's shoulder; Sun Ce didn't bother to brush him away. "Father is—"

"Dead." The word fell heavy and sharp from Zhou Yu's lips, and Sun Ce turned to stare at him in surprise. The tear-streaked face and shattered eyes cut into Zhou Yu's flesh and almost made him stop, but he forced his mouth open anyway. "And there's nothing we can do about that." Zhou Yu felt as though ice water was running in his veins as two more tears escaped Sun Ce's hurt eyes and slid down his face. "But if you go charging in there now, all you're going to do is end up the same way."

Sun Ce's face contorted in rage and he yanked away from his companion. "You—" Anger seethed on his tongue and darted furiously between his teeth at the flat words. "If it were your father—"

"I would do the exact same thing you are," Zhou Yu interrupted. The young strategist felt his eyes hardening as the pang in his stomach spread and dulled into a cold, metallic sensation. Sun Jian was his father – the only one he had. And he was dead. But Sun Ce needed to be stopped. Zhou Yu took hold of Sun Ce's sleeve and stared at him hard, cold reason fighting its way across his face. "And you would be the one to stop me, just as I'm doing for you."

Sun Ce's eyes widened before narrowing again as hurt flooded his expression. He turned his head away from his companion and glared at the dirt. "I'm going no matter what you say," he announced, tone biting and uncompromising. "I'm going to drag Liu Biao out here and—"

"Sun Ce." Zhou Yu's voice was quiet and calm under the icy wind, and Sun Ce stopped talking, clamping his jaw shut in aggravation. Zhou Yu's eyes felt as though they had been doused in sea water – they burned as tears collected but refused to fall. Sun Jian had asked them to take care of each other… to stay together… to forever stay as close as you are now… Zhou Yu held back the raging river in his mind and tightened his hold on Sun Ce's sleeve. "Listen to me."

Zhou Yu refused to get angry. They didn't need a shouting match right now – they didn't need disagreement and rash decisions and yelling in front of the soldiers… and somewhere he was so numb that anger almost seemed impossible. Perhaps that was what death felt like – just emptiness. Some part of him was no longer there, and it was the absence of pain that hurt the most…

Sun Ce's eyes were burning, but he had turned back to face his strategist. Somewhere in his mind Zhou Yu recalled Sun Jian and Sun Ce – years ago, back in Shucheng… Sun Ce riding on his father's shoulders and laughing so freely. It was all he could see in the blazing amber eyes and furious scowl. Zhou Yu shook his head. "It's up to you now to lead your family." The words were quiet and simple, but Sun Ce's eyes widened anyway. "Who will take care of them if you don't?"

Sun Ce's bottom lip was quivering, but he threw his head to the side and tore his gaze from Zhou Yu's. "To hell with that. They can take care of themselves." Zhou Yu felt a thin smile surfacing on his face, and he let a short laugh escape into the brittle wind. Sun Ce turned back at the harsh sound.

"Who – Quan? He's going to rule Jiang Dong?" Zhou Yu could feel his eyes hardening; the tears were falling back and disappearing. This was no time to be crying – no time to be feeling at all. His hand slipped from Sun Ce's sleeve to his wrist, and he clutched the tan skin tightly beneath his fingers. Sun Ce was looking at him again, and his eyes were breaking – but he wasn't running yet, and that was encouraging. "How long do you think they'd survive without you? How long before Liu Biao takes Fu Chun and destroys them as well?"

Sun Ce had turned back completely, distracted from the castle by his companion's words. Zhou Yu watched him carefully. A few more moments… if Sun Ce hesitated a few more moments, he'd be convinced they could return to the camp and forget this suicide venture. Revenge had its place… but the archers were still threatening from above and Liu Biao's forces were just beyond the gate, and even the two of them would be helpless in the face of such violence.

A thousand different thoughts were spinning in Sun Ce's eyes, and uncertainty was filling their amber depths to battle his rage. "But Father…" He shook his head more slowly as confusion tangled in the web of anger Zhou Yu could see building behind his expression and muddling thoughts into one tidal wave of emotion… Zhou Yu moved his hand to Sun Ce's forearm and held on as tightly as he could, seizing the young lord's full attention.

"How are you going to conquer China, Ce… if you let them stop you now?"

The words echoed and trilled through the air and seemed to catch on the broken pike staffs scattered at their feet. Sun Ce's shoulders slumped and he squeezed his eyes shut for a long moment. The strategist waited – and for a brief eternity, neither young officer spoke, letting the morning wind trail futilely around them. Then Zhou Yu turned and headed back for camp, pulling Sun Ce with him despite the drag in the officer's steps.

"I can't…" Zhou Yu paused at the edge of the battle field as Sun Ce's words choked from his throat and landed heavily in the thawing soil. The sun was shining so brightly it was nearly blinding. "I can't leave his body behind…" Zhou Yu felt his steps catch on the rough ground and hesitated long enough to meet Sun Ce's adamant gaze. He nodded solemnly as the emptiness pounded dully against his ribs.

"We won't."

Sun Ce swallowed and they continued their journey, weaving carefully between the abandoned corpses.

.x.

Someone was crying. Zhou Yu listened to the desolate, lonely sound as he stood outside of Sun Ce's closed door, the moon shining brilliantly through a nearby window and shattering against the floor in glimmers of white. All around him, the palace of Fu Chun was silent – except for the muted, mottled words coming from behind the door at his side and the sobs breaking between the wood panels.

Zhou Yu closed his eyes and sighed heavily. It was probably Sun Quan. Shang Xiang was too determined to weep like that – at least in front of her brothers – and Zhou Yu could hear Lady Wu's soothing voice running across the distressed tears. And Sun Ce… Sun Ce was being strong for his family. Sun Ce was holding them together. He wouldn't cry.

The moon was bothering him. It seemed so stark and cold against the silent floor. Jiang Dong was always flooded with rain – why had the clouds decided to take one night off and unleash the full power of the smiling moon down on their grieving household? Zhou Yu felt anger rising in his throat and he scuffed one leather boot against the shimmering light, but the fury died down quickly and retreated to his stomach. It didn't solve anything.

Zhou Yu raised one hand and rubbed his growing headache, but it pulsed without sign of release under his tired fingers. They had returned from Chingzhou hours ago, and Sun Ce had immediately called his family together, leaving Zhou Yu and the other generals with the job of spreading their unfortunate news. The emergence of the coffin from their ship had been enough, truly, to send wildfire rumors throughout the palace and city alike. Zhou Yu's eyes slipped open at the memory of Xiao Qiao's face – the flood of tears and the passionate wails as she fled down the hall for her room, her sister close behind. Zhou Yu's hands clenched into tight fists as he glared down at the pool of moonlight. And Liu Biao still lived.

They had retrieved Sun Jian's body by agreeing to return Huang Zu, the general Huang Gai had managed to take prisoner during his advance from the ships. After the trade had been completed, everyone boarded the boats and set sail for Jiang Dong, leaving Liu Biao and his loyal retainers in Xiang Yang Castle. Alive. Zhou Yu's fingernails dug into his palms. But Sun Ce was alive, too, and that was going to have to be enough.

It hadn't been easy to stop the young officer's suicide run, and even more difficult once he actually saw his father's crushed, crumpled body – but Zhou Yu had managed because even angry, Sun Ce knew there were people who could not survive without him. His brother, his sister, his mother… he probably hadn't added his strategist to that list, but Zhou Yu knew it to be true anyway. Life without Sun Ce… he shook his head. It wasn't worth thinking about.

Soft footsteps down the hall distracted Zhou Yu from his thoughts, and he glanced up to see Lady Qiao heading for the kitchen with an empty tray. She paused as she caught sight of him standing silently against the wall, and in her sad eyes Zhou Yu could almost see the reflection of Xiao Qiao's inconsolable cries. Lady Qiao turned and took a few steps in his direction, pausing just before the puddle of moonlight littering the coarse wooden floor.

Zhou Yu met Lady Qiao's searching stare for a long moment before crossing his arms over his chest and sighing. "How is she?" The words whispered into the darkness and vanished under the moonlight, but Lady Qiao smiled.

"You don't need to worry, Lord Yu." Her delicate voice had never seemed so strong as it did now, and Zhou Yu could barely hear the uneven weave of grief carefully tucked beneath the calm tone. Her brown eyes turned and sighed in sympathetic strength as she bowed. "I can look after my sister."

Zhou Yu nodded. He had never given Lady Qiao much credit for her strength of character. But the absence of tears on her face and the loose way her fingers held the tray showed him a tough dignity he had never seen before, and her selfless eyes were enough to convince him the Qiao sisters could take care of each other. He nodded again absently and watched the moonlight darting against the long skirt that fell to Lady Qiao's feet.

"Will you…" The words felt heavy against his tongue, and he couldn't quite find the correct order to put them in. "Shang Xiang will be having a hard time as well…"

Lady Qiao's smile faltered a little in compassionate sorrow before she caught the falling expression and held herself straight. "Of course…" Zhou Yu felt himself nodding again. Lady Qiao watched him for a long, silent moment before bowing once more and turning back for the kitchen. Her tightly braided hair fell around her shoulders and brushed the back of her neck as quiet steps carried her away down the corridor. Zhou Yu watched her shadow on the wall until it vanished around the corner.

Silence. Zhou Yu straightened against the wall and stood up fully. There were no sounds coming from Sun Ce's room. The crying had stopped. Another minute passed before the door opened with a long, low creak. Zhou Yu's eyes shot to Shang Xiang as she slipped soundlessly from her brother's room and headed away down the hallway, not bothering to glance at the strategist. Zhou Yu watched her silent face and the tears threatening to escape her eyes as she quickened her steps to a run and tumbled down the corridor, muffled sobs hidden in her long sleeve. Seventeen years of kindness were riding on her shoulders as she hurried away from him, and in his dark eyes Zhou Yu could see her curled up beside Sun Jian in the library, learning to read and laughing aloud…

Sniffling brought his eyes back to the door as Sun Quan emerged, clutching his mother's arm. His face was red and swollen with tears, and Lady Wu's soft hand on his head brushed the bangs away from his wet eyes. Sun Ce's mother smiled warmly to Zhou Yu before drawing Sun Quan with her down the hallway, mimicking Shang Xiang's path with far slower steps. Zhou Yu felt his headache pulsing once more. How many times had Sun Jian lifted the young boy into his arms and swung him back and forth, how many times had he chased that broken child around the garden and taught him to spar…

Sun Quan tripped over his robes and stumbled to his knees, a sharp cry escaping his lips as he hit the floor. Lady Wu knelt beside him and caught the free-flowing tears with her silken sleeve, a gentle smile still painting her lips. Zhou Yu swallowed against the sudden dryness in his throat. How many times had Lady Wu sat beside her husband – laughed and talked with him, fought with him, scolded him, held his arm in her two small hands and smiled just like she was smiling now… except that the tears hiding beneath her thin lips had never been there before, and the little boy in front of her was not lord of Jiang Dong.

Sun Quan was crying again, openly and freely into his long robe. Lady Wu just smiled, and her voice echoed like ghostly music in the dark corridor. "There's no need to cry, Quan." Zhou Yu marveled at how easily the words slipped from her tongue. "Ce is still here. And you know I will always look after you." Sun Quan whimpered and slid into his mother's arms, tiny fingers tight in the flowing silk. After a moment, he lifted his head from her shoulder and wiped the tears roughly away from his eyes.

"I'm not going to cry anymore." His voice wavered with every syllable, but his clear eyes caught the moonlight and flashed determination up at his mother. "I'm going to be strong, just like Brother." Lady Wu's glass smile glinted warmly above him. "I'm going to help him conquer China."

"I know you will." Zhou Yu listened to their patterned footsteps trailing off down the hall under the ruffling silk, his eyes grounded on the glimmering moonlight. Soon all sound had stopped and silence filled his ears once more, driving back the midnight wind outside and the memory of Sun Quan's tears. Zhou Yu felt himself sinking back against the wooden wall as the moon waited for clouds in the evening sky outside. Everything seemed to stop breathing in the still air of the corridor. Zhou Yu listened to the shadows beyond the open door, but nothing moved or spoke and solitude drifted over him from the bare window.

At last Zhou Yu pushed himself away from the wall and entered Sun Ce's room, pausing in the doorway to let his eyes adjust to the darkness. All of the curtains were drawn to hide the clear night sky, and the moonlight spilling behind him through the door barely caught the Sun heir in its folds. The young officer was standing motionless in the middle of the room, back turned to his strategist and the corridor beyond him. As Zhou Yu's steps halted against the carpet, Sun Ce turned his head and glanced over his shoulder at the motionless young man on the threshold. Zhou Yu held the dark amber eyes with his own for a long moment before his companion spoke.

"Yu…" The single syllable drifted hauntingly through the air before reaching Zhou Yu's ears. The strategist took a few steps forward in response, closing the door soundlessly behind him before his eyes returned to Sun Ce's blank face. The young officer's hands were still against the fabric of his clothes, but his eyes were flickering in the feeble light. He took a deep breath. "Would you cry for me if I died?"

Zhou Yu's heart stopped. He felt it jam in his ribs and crack under the words slipping so easily out of Sun Ce's lips. Two strides took him across the room and with the third he caught the Sun heir and held him so tightly that the young officer's elbow dug into his stomach and threatened to bruise his flesh – but Zhou Yu didn't care. The image of Sun Jian riding off into the night threatened his thoughts, and in his mind the sunshine youth's face superseded his father's and smiled one last time…

Zhou Yu pulled back to stare into Sun Ce's eyes, and the quiet surprise drowning in their amber depths tore at his composure. The strategist gave his companion a firm shake. "Never…" He broke off to wrap his fingers into the young officer's shirt, pressing the Tiger's son so close that he could feel their shared heartbeat. "Never say anything like that ever again."

Sun Ce seemed to fold in on himself; his eyes slipped closed against Zhou Yu's powerful gaze. The dark young man watched as thousands of moments, emotions, and memories flashed over his companion's face in the shadows and echoed in the trembling hands clenched so tightly against his chest. There were tears in his amber eyes but none of them fled down his cheeks, choosing to hover between the dark lashes instead; the cascade ponytail shuddered as Sun Ce shook his head hard.

"I'm not giving up." His voice was defiant, angry, and breathless, and his gaze was hopelessly bright and Zhou Yu just waited for the rest of the words. "I'm going to keep fighting, and I'm going to conquer all of China – and I'm never going to stop! No one can make me stop." His eyes were fiercely closed against the sound of his own voice and his arms were tense around Zhou Yu's back, trembling just a little under his chain of declarations. "I'm going to take over Chingzhou and drag Liu Biao out of that castle… I'm never going to let anyone hurt my family again." The strategist nodded silently even as lead twisted in his stomach at the mention of Sun Jian's killer, and Sun Ce's eyes came open to find his, filled with their customary determination in counterpoint to the pain. "And I'm never, ever going to forget. Not a single minute of it."

Nineteen years were flashing across the young officer's face and getting caught in his words, every one of them playing over his features in intermittent light and shadow. Zhou Yu listened to the echo of Sun Jian's laughter tangling between them and hiding in the moonlight as his eldest son's voice continued to banish the silence, dedicated if unsteady in its rolling assertion.

"I'm going to do it – I'm going to unite China. For Father, and for me, and for Quan…"

The words were messy but his eyes were worse, bordering on chaotic as they stared up at his strategist's stony expression. Zhou Yu couldn't bring himself to flinch as a brief shudder ran down Sun Ce's back, but he pulled the young man tighter against his chest, offering whatever comfort his arms truly contained. Two amber eyes were tearing at him, knitting through his flesh, because they looked so resolute and simultaneously wounded in the dim light, fighting back the tears as the Sun heir took another deep breath.

"But it hurts! It hurts, and I miss him, and I'm so angry…" Hands tight in fists pressed against Zhou Yu's back, and Sun Ce ground his teeth together, his voice muted with determination as he shook his shivers away. "No… I need to take over ruling Jiang Dong, and keep conquering, and take care of everybody… I don't have time to cry about this."

The dark strategist met the Sun heir's wavering eyes for a moment and fought down the unsteady feeling in his ribs, the feeling that Sun Jian's death had left within him – then he shook his head and pulled the young officer closer in his embrace, forcing the Tiger's memory to unwind within him. Letting go was never easy… but Sun Ce was still there, standing just in front of him and fighting back the emotions threatening to drown them both.

Zhou Yu pressed his forehead against his companion's, and the new Sun lord blinked at the contact, his eyes more confused than they had ever seemed before. The young strategist shook his head. "Yes, you do," he answered, his voice low and steady in the night air. "Cry right now."

Sun Ce's face faltered, amber eyes wavering for a moment in indecision before he threw his head onto Zhou Yu's shoulder and dug ten fingers into the flesh of his back, his composure shattering under the hand of the distant moonlight. The tears stuck the dark youth's shirt to his skin, and the sadness dripped across the strategist's flesh and soaked into him, shadowing his obsidian gaze as the moon headed for the horizon. The Sun heir's muffled sobs echoed around the room in faded twilight streaks and brushed Zhou Yu's face, drawing his expression into silence and closing his eyes to the rippling curtains. Sun Jian's was a heavy loss, but he had something to hold onto and it was enough to keep the emptiness locked in his chest…

Sun Ce clung to his companion as he lost his balance and they both fell to their knees, colliding with the carpet in an unsteady kneel, but Zhou Yu said nothing and the young officer kept crying, his face warm and damp against his friend's calm shoulder. The strategist's arms tightened around his back and pulled him closer, watching as the carpet swallowed moonlight and spit it back in duller strokes.

"Yu…"

The whisper barely escaped Sun Ce's lips between the short sobs, shivering like he was. Zhou Yu clenched both hands into his shirt in answer. Sun Jian's memory was dissipating fragment by fragment, sliding out of the room and vanishing beneath the brilliant moon; the dark strategist watched it go with unshed emotion collecting across his stoic features. There was nothing left but a coffin, a sword, and the shattered pieces of a great leader – shattered pieces spilling down Sun Ce's cheeks and standing in Zhou Yu's eyes.

The strategist crushed his companion closer and listened to the unspoken words echoing around them, cold as the night wind and harsh in his ears. Would you cry for me if I died? Zhou Yu closed his eyes to hold them back, focusing on the feeling of Sun Ce's heart beating against his through their tangled embrace.

"How can you even ask that?" he murmured at last, his voice falling softly over the Sun heir's crumpled form and getting lost beneath his tears. The young officer didn't speak, and Zhou Yu rested his cheek against the chestnut hair as he waited for the cries to stop, arms tight around his companion in the darkness. His hold never slackened, even as Sun Ce's tears dried and vanished and the young leader sighed against the silk shirt surrounding him, his breath as quiet as his vanished words. Slowly, the officer raised his head and wrapped one arm around Zhou Yu's neck, amber eyes glowing with the radiance of the hidden moon.

"Don't let go." The strategist listened to the rhythm of their shared pulse as starlight caught the tear tracks marring Sun Ce's face, making the line of saltwater into a glittering trail. "I'm not giving up, and I'm never going to let anything stop me…"

Zhou Yu felt his mouth curving into a near smile, his arms tightening at the repeated vow. "Does it feel like I'm going to let go?" he asked, his voice almost inaudible above the circling shadows, and the young officer couldn't help the slowly turning corners of his lips. His eyes flitted closed and Zhou Yu studied his expression carefully, winding his fingers through the silk of his companion's shirt.

Almost. It was almost a smile. For now, almost was close enough.

Sun Ce's head fell back to Zhou Yu's shoulder as the night wind fought against the closed curtains and lost, drifting back into the lonely garden without accompaniment and leaving them in silence. The young strategist watched the fabric casting the breeze away, and the moonlight pooling behind him, and listened to his companion's soft breathing, the only sound in the depths of the darkness. Healing took time, and that was something they didn't have very much of. Little though it was, this would have to be enough.

Sun Ce's breath dropped into the murmur of sleep, and somewhere the stars were singing in the wind, their voices painting the young officer's face peaceful beneath the shadows. Zhou Yu closed his eyes and didn't let go.

End Chapter 22

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Well… I guess that's it. Let me know what you thought of this chapter, as always… it was a good deal longer than the last one, because I didn't want to break off in the middle of any of this. I think I'm going to miss Sun Jian.

A note for Khyie: I try to update frequently – and thanks for the vote of confidence. How do you feel I did with characterizations in this chapter? Grief is always difficult to portray realistically because it's so different for each person. Anyway, your comments are always appreciated.

A note for Sage Serenity: I don't understand what confused you… but as to your question, this whole story does take place in one night. It's just a very long night. I am basing this story on a mix of the ROTK novel and the games… in the novel, Zhou Yu dies while on his way home from Jing after being shot and poisoned, so his death is taken from that with a few changes for the sake of the story. This chapter was fairly long… did you like it?

A note for Jen: I will assume you weren't shocked by Sun Jian's death in this chapter. I toyed with the idea of changing the story a little for the sake of suspense, but in the end I decided to stick to historical context. And I apologize for afflicting you with an unhealthy habit. Your comments are always welcome.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 22 

The night wind piercing through the wagon mimicked the long-distant curtains sweeping and twisting, and Chen Hao took a deep breath. Everything seemed unnaturally still as moonlight cascaded and skittered across Zhou Yu's skin, which was growing paler with every aching moment that passed – or perhaps it just seemed that way in the dim starlight. The general had grown quiet as the story ended, leaving Chen Hao with the thorn of loss pressing between his ribs. The recounting of Sun Jian's death hadn't made him cry – Chen Hao regarded the wagon about him and the man on the floor with dry, clear eyes. But there was no denying the pang somewhere in his chest and the way breath just wasn't filtering through his lungs right… it seemed to catch and shift even as he drew it slowly through parched lips.

Cold had suffused the night air, and it wasn't helping Chen Hao's staggered breathing or the expression on Zhou Yu's face. The general frowned and sighed softly as though fighting the wound in his flesh, and Chen Hao bit his raw lips again and turned his eyes to the sky glittering vibrantly outside their wagon. He could almost count the stars hovering just at the lip of their thin roof and waiting for time to pass… waiting for morning to come and steal them away. Zhou Yu coughed but Chen Hao did not glance at him, choosing to keep his eyes locked on the crystal heavens where death did not linger.

"What are you… looking at?" The phrase was sharply broken and halfway jagged and Chen Hao almost wondered if it might cut Zhou Yu's tongue to say it, but the thoughts wandered away as he turned back to find Zhou Yu's tired gaze.

The soldier shrugged, but his expression seemed too cold and he tried to soften his lips into a vague smile. "The stars." Chen Hao knew the words were weak and frail, but it was all he could think of to say – Zhou Yu's stony, shattered face froze his thoughts in sympathetic misgivings.

The answer wound slowly across the distance between them, and to Chen Hao's surprise a light smile creased the general's quiet countenance. Zhou Yu met the soldier's stare evenly and glanced at the sky outside. "Which constellation can you see?" Chen Hao jumped involuntarily at the unexpected question and looked back to the stars for a moment. The Chains and the Scholars were prominent in the western sky, but his eyes caught on another and his mouth moved involuntarily.

"The Willow." Chen Hao watched the patterned lines, drawn in small stars against the background only blue by moonlight. The branches seemed to be swaying in the breeze as Zhou Yu almost laughed.

"Ah. That one was Shang Xiang's." Chen Hao's eyes moved back to Zhou Yu's reminiscent face as confusion settled through his thoughts.

"What do you mean?" He wondered to himself when he had become comfortable asking Zhou Yu questions. He had lost all of his reserve and hesitation as the general's condition worsened – every line separating them seemed to be shrinking as the night wore on and ice crept between his nails and his skin. In Zhou Yu's piercing look, Chen Hao realized it didn't matter. They were too far now to worry about position and formality.

"The constellations. We each had one." The words trailed off in reminiscence as Zhou Yu frowned. "Willow, Chariot, Net, Heart, Fortress, Ghost… what was Sun Quan's?" Chen Hao let the nonsense words spill across his hands and disappear in the cold breeze, but they tumbled with moonlight in his mind and asked one thousand questions before Zhou Yu stumbled over a chuckle. "Oh yes. The Turtle."

Chen Hao wanted to ask, but he didn't have to. Zhou Yu's eyes were sifting through the words and trying to find a good place to begin – struggling to gather every thread that might be needed so the story wouldn't fall apart from a loose weave…

"Chen Hao." His name again. Zhou Yu closed his eyes. "Do you believe in reincarnation?"

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There was no snow on the ground, and wouldn't be for at least five months – but the sky just looked like winter to Zhou Yu where he lay flat on the grassy hill and stared up at the endless darkness. Forever had never seemed longer than it did at that moment, stretching before him between the glinting stars and fathomless black velvet taut above him. Zhou Yu's eyes passed between the constellations overhead in quick, melting strokes.

He wondered idly who had found the time to create each star formation, and why they had bothered. Was there a definite advantage to winding the sky into concrete patterns rather than unleashing the dim expanse just as it existed, open and ethereal? Navigation, he supposed. Fortune telling. Scientific advancement. But none of these reasons seemed sufficient and in his mind he tried to dissolve the lines – to let the stars simply drift in the evening's black Heaven.

Sun Ce's voice from farther down the hill caused Zhou Yu to sit up, and his gaze drifted slowly across the four figures running amok at the base of the hill. Sun Ce was carrying an armload of fireworks, and Sun Quan clutched a lighted candle between his small hands. Xiao Qiao was just watching and doing her best to get in the way, while Shang Xiang stood back a little and supervised. Six large bamboo shoots had already been planted in the ground, and another three waited in Sun Ce's arms. The young officer glanced around with a frown of concentration on his lips. "Where should these ones go?" he called to his companions, and three distant shouts rang out in answer. Zhou Yu rested on his elbows and watched them silently.

When Sun Ce had first approached Zhou Yu with a bushel of fireworks and a hopeful expression, the strategist's intention had been to tell him 'no way in hell' and be done with it. Sun Ce setting off fireworks seemed like the best possible way to explode something, be it the young Sun lord himself or an obstacle nearby. The words had been halfway out of Zhou Yu's mouth before his mind caught up with him and refusal froze in his throat… and in the end, Zhou Yu had settled for chaperoning them. Not that he was doing much good isolated on the hilltop, but after a scant few minutes of what Sun Ce called "fussing" he'd been banished from the launch site and sent out into the audience – an audience which consisted only of himself and Lu Meng. Lu Meng was crunching sourly away on dried seaweed and regarding the flurries of activity below with displeasure, but Zhou Yu largely ignored the other young man and focused on the stars.

The young strategist dropped onto his back and sighed silently. Refusing to allow the fireworks show would probably have been the smarter idea, but he hadn't been able to find the heart to do it. Because today was Sun Ce's birthday. His first birthday since Sun Jian's death.

Prickles shot up Zhou Yu's spine at the thought of the fallen Tiger general. In the clean two months since Sun Jian's ill-fated campaign against Liu Biao, Zhou Yu had come to realize that grief never really went away – it just faded. Like hayseeds wrapped in wool, the pain disappeared under a weave of life's continuing trials; but at the oddest moments, the cloth slipped back and the sharp seeds pressed jaggedly against his lungs again. There was no escaping the past – all he could really do was learn to live with it.

Sun Ce laughed at Sun Quan's worried face as one of the bamboo shoots slipped from the young officer's fingers and tumbled into the grass with a resounding thunk. The boy turned soft, chastising eyes to his brother and waved one finger in admonishment. "Be more careful." His reprimand fell heavily through the thin air as Sun Ce reached out to ruffle his hair and dropped another set of fireworks. "Yuan Shu said not to ruin his garden."

Sun Ce laughed, but Zhou Yu felt his shoulders grow tense as another sigh escaped into the night. Yuan Shu. The stars overhead seemed to lose their beauty as memory reminded him that this was not their garden, or their palace, or even their city. They were far north and west in Izhou, the home of Sun Jian's ally – miles and miles from Fu Chun, Jiang Dong, and the marker above Sun Jian's grave.

With the great lord of Jiang Dong's passing, things had only gotten harder for the remnants of his family. Almost immediately, local lords and nobles had raised trouble and protested Sun Ce assuming his father's mantle – the outlying regions he and Sun Ce had spent so long pacifying caved under pressure from malignant external forces. Sun Ce had never been one for government, and his rebuke of the lords' clamoring had only caused more trouble.

In the end, Sun Ben – a kind, orderly elder cousin of the Sun children – had agreed to act as prefect of Jiang Dong and hold the region together until Sun Ce could reestablish himself as its rightful ruler. Sun Ce had been furious about the developments and fought the surrounding lords as hard as he could in an attempt to hold his father's lands; but nothing had helped, and finally even the passionate young officer had agreed to hand Jiang Dong over to his cousin.

Zhou Yu watched Sun Ce checking the position of each bamboo shoot with an excited smile on his face. In all honesty, Sun Ce wasn't ready for the settled life that came with governing a province anyway – he was a war chief at heart, and constant conquest his preferred path. He wouldn't have ruled Jiang Dong nearly as effectively as Sun Ben surely would; when the time came and the young officer had calmed down somewhat, and their empire had been rebuilt, Sun Ben had agreed to give his full support to Sun Ce. Zhou Yu's dark eyes flitted over the restless form as Sun Ce took the candle and prepared to light the colored gunpowder. For now, they could focus on finding another foothold and starting over.

It hadn't been an easy decision to join Yuan Shu. Sun Ce and his siblings still felt animosity toward the man whose letter had killed their father, and Sun Ce had been forced to disband his entire army – there was no way to drag the soldiers away from their homes and families, and they had been left in Sun Ben's service for the time being. Besides this, working for Yuan Shu meant taking orders and fighting only when instructed, and Sun Ce hated that.

Zhou Yu drew a deep breath and glanced back to the sky. But as of now, Yuan Shu was the only access they had to a fair number of troops, and the only general near enough to Jiang Dong that they could launch a campaign against the troublemaking lords with ease when the time came. It had been a difficult two months, however; Zhou Yu knew it showed in the lines of sleepless nights coloring his eyes. Between waging Yuan Shu's wars for him and negotiating the troublesome waters of political relations, he and Sun Ce stayed awake most nights trying to sort everything out and develop a plan of action. Sun Ce was anxious to get working on his own dream of conquest again and take back the lands of Jiang Dong from their temporary regent, but Zhou Yu knew it would take time to regain their former strength. Time Sun Ce didn't want to wait.

"Run for it!"

The frantic shout pulled Zhou Yu to his feet in an instant, and his eyes shot to the scattered group of firework launchers, most of whom had sprawled onto the grass as the first firework shot straight up into the sky. Sun Ce sprinted up the hill and grabbed Zhou Yu's arm, excitement written all over his face.

"Here it comes!" he exclaimed, his eyes dancing with the light of the readying fire. Zhou Yu followed his line of sight into the sky as a brilliant streak of green fire split open the heavens and sent sparks like shooting stars in every direction. Sun Ce whooped and clapped and Xiao Qiao laughed; Sun Quan, who had smashed his nose by tripping over his robes and landing face-first in the grass, watched the fireworks through bleary eyes and clutched his face in agony. Even Shang Xiang was smiling happily, and Zhou Yu's eyes were torn between the colorful sky and her rare expression as more bamboo shoots exploded and sent gunpowder arching upward through the night.

Sun Ce bounced on the balls of his feet. "Happy birthday to me!" he shouted into the cool air as the last firework exploded brilliantly and flooded to the earth in a flurry of sparks. Xiao Qiao ran up the hill to join them and spun excitedly.

"Isn't that awesome? Let's do it again!" Sun Ce looked delighted at the prospect, but Zhou Yu cleared his throat and shook his head at his wife.

"I'm afraid there aren't any more." Or rather, there weren't any more that he hadn't confiscated from Yuan Shu's store room and hidden beneath Lu Meng's bed earlier that afternoon. Xiao Qiao's smile faltered a moment in disappointment, but it sprang back quickly as she grabbed Sun Ce's arm and tugged excitedly.

"Oh well. That was amazing by itself, right?" Sun Ce nodded before turning to Sun Quan, who was staggering up the hill with tears in his eyes. The boy's brother laughed.

"How'd you get that, Quan?" Sun Ce teased. "Didn't get in a fight with Shang, did you?" Sun Quan pouted up at his brother and rubbed his nose painfully.

"It really hurts," he insisted, but Sun Ce just laughed and patted his shoulder. Sun Quan took a seat beside Lu Meng, who was frowning heavily and glaring at the sky. The young boy turned his attention to their stony audience and patted Lu Meng's arm. "Did you like it?" he asked, each of his words tinged with naïve hopefulness.

Lu Meng huffed. "No," he answered shortly. "It was too loud, and there weren't even that many of them." Sun Ce rolled his eyes and Zhou Yu just sighed. Lu Meng's attitude hadn't budged one inch south of sour in all the years he'd frequented the Sun palace, and joining Sun Ce's forces on his eighteenth birthday a month earlier hadn't changed his demeanor one bit.

Lu Meng had been one of several generals who chose to accompany Sun Ce when he joined Yuan Shu – Huang Gai and Han Dang being among the others. Cheng Pu had been asked to remain in Fu Chun and assist Sun Ben, though it hadn't been easy for the family friend to watch the Sun children leave on their own. Now that they were in Izhou, Huang Gai and Han Dang primarily kept watch on their young leaders from a friendly distance; Lu Meng, on the other hand, had begun to accompany their excursions on a regular basis. Zhou Yu couldn't figure out why he bothered – nothing seemed to make the young man happy, and he complained every time he got the chance. Sun Quan and Shang Xiang had insisted on dragging him to the fireworks celebration in hopes of lifting his perpetually unhappy mood, but apparently to no avail.

Xiao Qiao huffed and crossed her thin arms over her chest. "You've got a bad attitude, Lu Meng," she chastised firmly, nodding in emphasis as the young warrior blinked up at her. "A very bad attitude. Try being cheerful once in a while." Lu Meng muttered under his breath, but the smile she flashed at the end of the reprimand softened his displeased retort. Zhou Yu watched their companion's grumpy face for a long moment before turning his dark eyes back to Heaven.

The stars seemed to have gotten brighter, and Zhou Yu wondered idly whether a few rogue firework sparks had gotten caught in the cascading starlight and captured. No matter how many stars there were, the sky always felt empty without a moon, and it seemed especially void after the bout of fireworks as silence descended and covered the small group in its folds. Zhou Yu returned to the grass and stretched his arms above his head, watching the constellations in the sky as Sun Ce sat beside him. Every star seemed to be holding its breath and waiting.

Sun Ce sighed with satisfaction and laid back into the grass, pillowing his head against Zhou Yu's stomach and finding the strategist's hand with his fingers. "What are you looking at?" he asked as their companions found comfortable positions on the ground as well.

Zhou Yu made his breathing smooth and slow. "The stars," he answered quietly. Sun Ce nodded in understanding and Zhou Yu watched as his eyes darted between the sparkling pictures in the heavens above. Xiao Qiao and Sun Quan made a game of seeing who could find the most constellations, and Shang Xiang watched them with a quiet smile on her face. Zhou Yu couldn't see Lu Meng, but he could well imagine the standard expression coating his features – even on a night like this one.

Sun Ce squeezed Zhou Yu's hand after a long moment, as Xiao Qiao excitedly pointed out the belt of three stars know as Longevity and Shang Xiang sighed. "Do you believe in reincarnation?" His voice was quiet and full, and his expression still in the mild light.

Zhou Yu drew a sharp breath. Sun Jian's name was written all through Sun Ce's eyes as they gazed at the stars, and hovered at the edge of his motionless lips. Zhou Yu opened his mouth silently and closed it again before finally finding the words. "Why do you ask?"

Sun Ce shrugged, his shoulder brushing against Zhou Yu's side at the small motion. "Just wondering." Zhou Yu watched him for a moment before looking back to the sky and considering.

"Not really," he answered finally. Sun Quan laughed as he pointed out the Ox constellation and rocked back on his heels. Shang Xiang smiled at him and Xiao Qiao stuck out her tongue. Sun Ce reached up one hand and stretched, as though by extending his fingers he could touch the stars themselves. Then he smiled.

"I do." His expression was filled with hopefulness and honesty, and shone through the thin light of the summer stars. His hand dropped back to the ground without its sparking quarry. Zhou Yu said nothing. Sun Ce took a deep breath and let it out again as a grin creased his face. "I'll bet I was the greatest king who ever lived in my last life."

Zhou Yu snorted softly and focused on the pulse running through Sun Ce's fingers. "What makes you say that?" Sun Ce glanced at him over his shoulder.

"Because I'm going to be the greatest king who ever lived this life, too – so it's only logical." Zhou Yu didn't think logic had anything to do with former lives, or reincarnation at all for that matter, but he kept the thought to himself. Sun Ce sighed and gazed up at the sky in fabricated memory.

"Yep. I probably had an enormous palace and thousands of servants, and everyone in the whole country bowed down to me." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow in skepticism, but Sun Ce ignored him and pressed on. "All of my enemies submitted as soon as they saw me, because I was such a fearsome warrior. And all of my subjects adored me, of course."

Zhou Yu couldn't keep back the chuckle this time as excitement covered Sun Ce's face. The young officer poked him and grinned cheekily. "I guess you would have been my empress," he teased smoothly. Zhou Yu's amusement vanished.

"Ce," he started, but Sun Ce cut him off with a light laugh.

"Sheesh, I'm kidding, Yu." His insistent tone couldn't quite cover the exultant smile, and Zhou Yu considered standing up, but another tug on his hand stalled him. Sun Ce's eyes were bright with mirth as he swallowed any further mockery and patted Zhou Yu's wrist. "I'm sure you were the smartest man who ever lived, and wrote lots of boring books about strategy and governing and stuff."

Zhou Yu wasn't sure whether that was an insult or a compliment, but he relaxed back into the grass anyway and listened to Xiao Qiao arguing with Sun Quan over whether the Wall constellation really counted. The young girl set her hands on her hips and pouted.

"I'm right, Sun Quan," she told him firmly. "The Wall is too a constellation." Sun Quan stuck out his tongue. Xiao Qiao huffed. "I'm almost fourteen, and you're just twelve. I know much more about constellations than you do."

Sun Quan considered this for a moment before smiling. "Yeah, but Shang Xiang is seventeen – so she knows more than either of us. Let's ask her!" Both children turned to look imploringly at Sun Ce's sister, who laughed a little and tried to find a way to answer them without hurting anyone's feelings. Lu Meng grunted and dropped onto his back.

"It's just a stupid constellation," he muttered. "What does it matter anyway?" Three pairs of annoyed eyes turned to Lu Meng and Shang Xiang opened her mouth to speak, but the sour young warrior was spared a lecture by Sun Quan's sigh.

"It's a shame Da Qiao isn't here," the boy mused. "She would know for sure." Zhou Yu's eyes turned to Sun Quan as he frowned. The missing Qiao sister hadn't occurred to him before.

"Where is Lady Qiao?" Now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen her all day. Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to call her that," he reminded the strategist for the millionth time. "She's just Da." Zhou Yu ignored him.

"She spent the day with Lady Wu," Xiao Qiao answered with a shrug. "I think they were painting together last time I checked." A small thorn struck Zhou Yu's stomach at the thought of Lady Wu, who had become great friends with her young daughter-in-law after Sun Jian's death. The two often spent time together now, and Zhou Yu was thankful for Lady Qiao's persistence – Lady Wu would no doubt have been often alone without her simple company. Zhou Yu had happened upon them one afternoon and discovered that they shared at least two common interests – painting and conversation – which kept them well occupied.

Zhou Yu's musings were cut short by Sun Ce suddenly sitting bolt upright and pointing to the sky excitedly. "Hey! Hey everybody, look!" Zhou Yu followed his gaze into the sky, and was surprised to see a flurry of falling stars cascading through the Chariot constellation. Xiao Qiao gasped and Sun Quan grabbed her hand as the two stared upward, eyes riveted on the shifting lines of light. Even Lu Meng sat up and watched until every star had vanished in the empty darkness. Sun Ce was smiling as he turned back to look at Zhou Yu from his sitting position. "That was so cool!" His voice rang through the garden and Zhou Yu felt his lips curving upward at the young Sun lord's expression.

"They're just stars," Lu Meng murmured under his breath, but Zhou Yu could see that the young warrior's eyes were still searching the heavens as though more falling stars might appear. Xiao Qiao bounced and hugged Sun Quan around the shoulders.

"It was so pretty!" she exclaimed into the night air. Sun Quan nodded in energetic agreement.

"Did everybody make a wish?" the boy asked urgently, eyes scanning his companions' faces in the dim light. Sun Ce laughed.

"Of course we did." He crawled across the grass until he reached the young lord's side, and then tugged on his sleeve. "Tell me what you wished for," he urged. Sun Quan scoffed.

"You can't tell wishes," he chastised firmly, and his serious expression struck Zhou Yu as comical. "Then they won't come true." Sun Ce chuckled and wrapped an arm around Sun Quan's shoulders.

"You can tell me," he insisted, trying to keep his face sincere against the smile tugging his lips upward. "I'm your older brother… it's an exception to the rule."

Sun Quan looked doubtful. "And what about everybody else here?" Sun Ce looked around and his eyes caught Zhou Yu's for a moment as he considered. Then he gave Sun Quan a little shake and another bright smile.

"They're exceptions, too," he assured his brother. "Just your older sister, your older brother's best friend, and your older brother's best friend's wife." Xiao Qiao looked like she wanted to protest the description of her position, but Sun Quan cut her off by glancing over his shoulder.

"And Lu Meng?" Sun Ce blinked and watched the sour young warrior for a moment.

"Well, he's…" Sun Ce paused and then shook his head slowly. "You're right. It wouldn't do to tell him." The Sun lord released his brother and strode over to Lu Meng, slapping his hands soundly over the warrior's ears.

"Hey! What are you doing?" Lu Meng's displeased response prompted a wink from Sun Ce and a giggle from Xiao Qiao as she twirled a long strand of hair around her finger.

"Okay. Go for it, Quan," Sun Ce encouraged. Zhou Yu smirked at Lu Meng's increasingly black expression as Sun Quan glanced around and then back at the sky almost sheepishly.

"It's a really silly thing," he mumbled, and Shang Xiang prodded him in the ribs.

"We can't help it come true if you don't tell us what it is," she reasoned. Sun Quan blushed and fidgeted.

"Master Huang Gai told me once that when he and Father first met, they were soldiers in the same army sent to fight the Tartars." Silence enveloped the group at the Tiger general's name, but Sun Quan took a deep breath and pressed on. "And one night, they had sentry duty together. Huang Gai said it was very cold, and to keep themselves from thinking about it they tried to pick out all the constellations. Huang Gai taught me how to find them all," he added with a glance at Xiao Qiao, "which is why I know the Wall isn't one of them." Xiao Qiao huffed but kept silent as everyone waited for the boy to press on.

"Anyway…" Zhou Yu listened to Sun Quan's hesitant voice as it spilled into the night and drifted away – up toward the stars. "Huang Gai said that they each chose a constellation for their own – to represent them – so that when they parted ways, they could look up at the sky and remember their friendship." Zhou Yu felt like the breath had been stolen out of his lungs, and Sun Ce's hands had fallen away from Lu Meng's ears at the words. Sun Quan sighed and focused his gaze on the sky. "I was just wishing… that I could have a constellation, too."

No one spoke for a long moment. Then Sun Ce began to laugh, softly at first but more sincerely as he shook his head and returned to Sun Quan's side, sitting next to the boy on the flattened grass. Zhou Yu watched the young officer's loose posture as Sun Ce slung an arm around his brother's shoulders and gazed upward. "Well, Quan," he murmured. "That's the kind of wish you should never keep to yourself." The soft tone melted into the night's still air before a chuckle escaped him. "I think it's a great idea. We should all have constellations."

Sun Quan's eyes lit up at his brother's words and identical smiles lit their faces; Zhou Yu watched their shared expression for a moment before chaos broke out. "I want the Wall!" Xiao Qiao clamored, dancing to her feet. Sun Quan scoffed.

"You can't have that one – it's not a real constellation," he argued again. Lu Meng grunted and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I don't want a stupid constellation," he muttered – but Zhou Yu wondered if he meant it, because his eyes were darting furiously between the patterns above them. Shang Xiang laughed at the two children before Sun Ce cleared his throat and held up a hand for silence.

"Hold it, guys." The young Sun lord rose and looked down at them all very seriously, but Zhou Yu could see the humor lurking under his eyes. "We have to be very careful about this. We can't just assign ourselves any old constellation – there has to be a method." Sun Quan and Xiao Qiao quieted and looked up at him with impatient excitement as he raised a hand to his chin and considered a moment. "We'd better go one at a time. And I think I'd better go first."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow as Sun Quan and Xiao Qiao immediately began to protest. "Why you?" Xiao Qiao demanded spiritedly. Sun Ce stuck his tongue out at her, all seriousness forgotten.

"Because I'm the oldest, and it's my birthday today." Xiao Qiao slumped back onto the grass and pouted, but he ignored her and nodded. "We'll go in order of age to make things simpler. I'll be first, and Quan last."

Sun Quan had an unhappy expression on his face, so Shang Xiang nudged him playfully. "It's okay, Quan," she soothed. "At least you're not old like he is."

Sun Quan brightened at this and Sun Ce rolled his amber eyes. "Twenty is not old," he argued. "I'm in the prime of my life." Shang Xiang laughed and cuddled her younger brother as Sun Ce turned back to the sky. "I think I should have the Chariot constellation," he announced after a moment. Xiao Qiao's jaw dropped in displeasure at his words and Zhou Yu bit back a smirk.

"Why do you get the one that had all the falling stars?" Sun Ce sighed dramatically and dropped his hands onto his hips.

"Because I get to go first. Besides, it's a summer constellation, and brightest right around my birthday." Xiao Qiao grumbled to herself as Lu Meng scoffed.

"It will probably never have falling stars again," he predicted darkly, and Sun Ce kicked a little dirt at him.

"I don't like your attitude," he proclaimed before turning back to the sky. "Now let's see… Yu had better have the Fortress, because he's born in early winter and stone cold anyway." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and laid back into the grass, hands behind his head as Sun Ce's ponytail bobbed back and forth. "And we'll give Lu Meng the Ghost, because he's being so sour tonight."

"I said I don't want one," Lu Meng countered. "And especially not that one." Zhou Yu had a feeling that no matter which constellation had been chosen for the young warrior, he would have protested and complained – but Sun Ce wasn't interested in hearing any disparaging opinions, and he pressed on without so much as a backward glance.

"Shang's next. Let's see, midsummer constellations… how about the Willow?" Shang Xiang looked rather pleased with his choice and brushed her bangs out of her eyes before nodding shortly, at which Sun Ce smiled. "Great. Then who's next…"

Sun Quan bounced a little with impatience. "Hurry up and get to mine," he urged, and Sun Ce laughed.

"In a minute," he singsonged. Sun Quan pouted. "I guess Xiao's the next eldest, right?"

The girl in question started to nod before pausing and tapping her fingers together. "Wait. Let's give my sister one, too – even though she's not here." Sun Ce grinned and glanced upward.

"Right. Almost forgot Da. Well… she's born in spring, so she could have the Heart." Xiao Qiao laughed and clapped.

"I think she'd like that one." There was a line of some emotion Zhou Yu couldn't quite place hiding in Sun Ce's eyes as the stars glittered overhead and in his smile. The strategist wound his fingers into the thin blades of grass and watched his companion's easy posture as contemplation spun through his hands.

"We'll give Xiao… the Net, since it's an autumn constellation." Xiao Qiao tipped her head to one side and accepted in silence, gaze trained on the pretty constellation in the sky above her. Sun Quan couldn't contain himself any longer and leapt to his feet, rushing to Sun Ce's side and clasping his arm in urgent hands.

"Now mine!" he begged, and laughter spilled from Sun Ce's mouth at his pleading expression.

"Yeah, yeah… let me see. A late winter constellation… hm." Thought darkened Sun Ce's eyes for a long moment before he shook his head. "No. I don't really think any of those will do."

Sun Quan's expression faltered in the shadowed air. "You mean I don't get one?" Sun Ce chuckled and ruffled his hair.

"Sure you do. Just give me a minute…" The Sun lord rubbed his chin in silence and then snapped is fingers. "I got it. We'll give you the Turtle."

Sun Quan's jaw dropped open as his companions laughed, and a smile spilled onto Zhou Yu's lips before flitting away. "The Turtle?" he protested, incredulity written all over his face.

Sun Ce laughed and squeezed him. "Yep. It's an autumn constellation, so that's close enough. Besides… you're kind of like a turtle." Sun Quan pouted and crossed his arms.

"I am not!" he insisted. Sun Ce stuck out his tongue.

"Too bad. My decision is final – the Turtle it is." Sun Ce danced out of the way of Sun Quan's swinging fist as the young boy tried to hit him before returning to his spot by Xiao Qiao and hugging his knees. And Zhou Yu had to admit that, curled in on himself that way, the youngest Sun child did somewhat resemble a turtle.

Shang Xiang patted her brother's knee and tried to soothe him. "I like turtles, Quan. I think they're cute." Sun Quan shook his head furiously, and the girl sighed before trying another track. "What were Father and Huang Gai's constellations?"

Sun Quan sat up a little and glanced at the sky. "Huang Gai's was the Horn," he murmured as displeasure slowly soaked out of his expression. "And Father had the Wings."

All eyes returned to the heavens to seek out the final constellation, and to Zhou Yu it seemed to be sparkling ridiculously brightly against the endless emptiness of the sky. Then Xiao Qiao smiled and stood up. "Come on, Sun Quan," she urged. "Let's go ask Sister whether the Wall really is a constellation or not."

Sun Quan surged to his feet. "I'll bet you it's not," he insisted.

"I'll bet you it is," Xiao Qiao countered as they rushed down the hill. Shang Xiang stretched and made to follow them, pausing to smile at her brother where he stood at the crest of the hill staring up into the star field.

"Lu Meng and I will go with them," she remarked. Lu Meng started to protest, but the Sun princess grabbed the back of his shirt and hauled him to his feet. "I guess we'll see you later!" She waved and turned for the palace with her sour companion in tow, and Sun Ce waved back for a moment as Zhou Yu got to his feet.

Silence slipped between them before Sun Ce chuckled. "Hell of a birthday." His voice rolled with amusement as Zhou Yu stepped close enough to brush his arm and draw his eyes back down from the Chariot above them.

The young officer met his strategist's gaze for a long moment before the latter spoke. "What did you wish for?" Zhou Yu's question whispered into the soundless air and filtered through the starlight to encircle them as Sun Ce sighed.

"Honestly?" Zhou Yu nodded; Sun Ce scratched his head and laughed shortly. "I wished for more fireworks."

Zhou Yu smiled. Sun Ce's expression was shining with the dim starlight and his rueful grin was far brighter than any constellation in the darkened sky above. The Sun lord shrugged once and found Zhou Yu's hand. "But I guess we can't all get what we wish for, huh?"

Zhou Yu bit back his smirk and turned away, letting Sun Ce's fingers fall away from his own as he started down the hill. A confused few steps followed him before Sun Ce paused at the edge of the slope. "Yu? Where are you going?" Zhou Yu glanced over his shoulder and found the curious amber eyes.

"Wait right there," he answered cryptically. "I'll be back soon." Sun Ce's puzzled expression furrowed his forehead as the strategist turned away and headed for the palace. Zhou Yu brushed the long, dark hair out of his face and shook his head as the well-trodden path disappeared beneath his feet. Perhaps giving Sun Ce the concealed set of fireworks wasn't exactly the wisest course of action – but if that truly was his birthday wish, Zhou Yu would see it done.

"Hey! Hang on!" Zhou Yu paused and turned back at the call. Sun Ce was still standing at the top of the hill, eyes dim from the distance between them. The young officer crossed his arms over his chest. "You didn't tell me what you wished for."

Zhou Yu turned away and began to walk again, but the words fell from his lips anyway. "I can't tell you, Ce – it might not come true." Zhou Yu could almost feel his companion's indignation as his measured steps carried him closer to the lighted windows of Yuan Shu's palace.

"That's no fair! I told you!"

Zhou Yu did not answer. He didn't want to tell Sun Ce that he wasn't accustomed to making wishes on falling stars, and that he hadn't thought to make one at all. If he could do it again, he'd have wished for forever. But then again, Zhou Yu wasn't quite sure he believed in wishing on stars anyway.

Above him, the Chariot and the Fortress glistened in the vast empty sky – and the Wings absolutely shone.

End Chapter 23

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This is a fairly short chapter, mostly because I had a minor plot upheaval and had to plan around that… oh well. For anyone who was wondering: the constellations mentioned are all traditional Chinese constellations, and the Wall actually is a real one. So Xiao Qiao was right. As always, comments in any form are appreciated.

A note for Khyie: Thank you for your extensive and detailed review. First, I was mildly confused about what might have been a spoiler that you were thinking about… but other than that. I'm so glad to hear you liked Lady Wu. I realize she didn't really have much of a part in this story, and most of the time when she did she was kind of a space cadet – but I wanted to make her strong, because she comes off that way so much in the ROTK novel. As to Sun Ce's question… well. We'll get there.

A note for Xing Wu: Did you really cry? My apologies. I am glad, however, that you were touched by the chapter. Your comments are always welcome and enjoyed.

A note for Jen: I wasn't really thinking Sun Jian's death would surprise anyone, but it is infinitely gratifying to know that it was emotional even without the surprise aspect. I toyed with the idea of changing the circumstances a little bit in order to add the element of surprise, but in the end I decided to stick with the accepted set of circumstances. I was considering perhaps sending Sun Jian off on the ambush trip and then actually having him come back safely, and then getting him suddenly with an arrow from the castle or something… but oh well. Thank you once again for your thoughtful review.

A note for Sage Serenity: Zhou Yu will indeed have his own time to grieve and answer Sun Ce's question… at a much later point in the story. I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter even if its content was not exactly amusing or cheerful. And I suppose you're right that Zhou Yu's mental functions are significantly limited when he's dealing with Sun Ce. Well, love does funny things to a man's brain.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 23 

Chen Hao's eyes searched the star-soaked sky almost desperately – but it was the wrong time of year, and neither the Wings nor the Chariot dashed through the open end of the wagon. The soldier turned back to his general with a disappointed frown on his lips. It would have seemed so perfect for Sun Ce's constellation to be outshining every other star formation on this particular night… he resigned himself to the disenchanting truth that the heavens moved for no one and coincidence didn't always come true.

The long-dead sparks were fading from Zhou Yu's eyes as his words of faith and fireworks slipped into the darkness and vanished. Chen Hao wondered what the rest of that night had been like – whether Sun Ce's expression would have lit up when Zhou Yu returned with the bamboo shoots, or whether he would have been angry with his companion for hiding them in the first place. Whether the other children would have returned to watch the renewed spectacle… whether any more shooting stars had fallen over their heads that night. Perhaps another flurry of Heaven's snowflakes would have put a smile on even Lord Lu Meng's face.

The thought of the sour warrior brought Chen Hao's eyes back to Zhou Yu's slow, measured breathing and frosty countenance. The soldier shifted and cleared his throat, almost jumping when Zhou Yu's gaze shot up to his face. The blank stare was not entirely inviting, but Chen Hao swallowed back his lingering hesitation and spoke. "Lord Lu Meng…" He couldn't find the right words to end his sentence, but Zhou Yu chuckled softly and raised a hand to his forehead.

"Around then, he began spending more time in our company. It took several months of living in Yuan Shu's palace before he had proved himself as a warrior and was allowed to join Sun Ce in his campaigns. By the following spring, Yuan Shu had granted him the rank of company commander and dispatched a legion under his control… and after that, it was a rare battle when he did not assist us in our military ventures." His creased smile twitched for a moment with concealed humor. "…But if you're asking when he became involved with my wife, that was a few years later."

Chen Hao nodded before another question occurred to him. "And Lord Ling Tong? Did he also come to Izhou?"

Zhou Yu's eyes misted a little with what might have been reproach. "Ling Tong was a good deal younger – only 13 when Sun Jian was killed – and chose to stay with his father in Jiang Dong until much later, when Ling Cao rejoined the army under Sun Quan and assisted in our attack on Huang Zu…" His words paused in midair and turned cold. "Let that be a lesson to you. Never allow your enemies a chance to flee – they will simply return later and stab you in the back." Chen Hao shivered at the contempt dripping through Zhou Yu's words and the cold wind threatening the wagon's passengers. Zhou Yu shivered, too.

The general let his words hang in the frigid air for a moment before he pressed on. "Sun Jian's memory haunted his children – and myself as well – for a long time. Months passed before one of us could mention his name without the room falling silent. Perhaps being so far from Jiang Dong made it easier to pass beyond the grief – but it didn't always feel that way. I can remember nights when I lay awake for hours, tormented by every moment of Sun Jian's company and wishing for the ability to walk down to his grave, as though that might put my thoughts to rest." Zhou Yu choked on his short laugh. "I have returned to the marker on many occasions… every time I pass through Fu Chun. But the memories never go away." Chen Hao swallowed hard and shifted. Somehow, he had a feeling it was not Sun Jian's grave the general visited so often. Sun Ce's light was shining in Zhou Yu's eyes again, painted in rueful measures of amber against the overwhelming darkness. "His voice is never silent."

A chill sped down Chen Hao's spine, but whether from the breeze or the weighted words he didn't want to guess. The stars were suddenly cold in the black sky that mirrored Zhou Yu's struggling eyes – they cut at Chen Hao's mouth as he took an unsteady breath. The air settled into his lungs and sank toward his stomach, pivoting roughly between his ribs. Zhou Yu shivered again, and Chen Hao watched the bandages stretched so tightly against the general's flesh. Then Zhou Yu was speaking again, and his eyes were filled with questioning pictures as the words warped into images and shattered the murky darkness between them.

"Time wore on, and the days ran together, and eventually we became accustomed to living under a borrowed roof in the palace of our tenuous ally. Life settled into a routine – not a peaceful one, but peace was less common then than it is even now. Sun Ce and I assisted Yuan Shu in fighting his enemies, and our other companions did their best to manage in Yuan Shu's palace during our absence. Together, we struggled against the weight of Sun Jian's death for seven long months."

Chen Hao blinked and held his hands together to banish the cold. "What happened after seven months?" How could such an exact amount of time heal the wound of Sun Jian's absence? When Chen Hao had lost his elder brother years earlier during Dong Zhuo's rebellion, the tears of empty defeat had not vanished for much longer. The soldier fought a distorted image of Chen Xie's bloodied face as Zhou Yu reached out his shaking hand toward the stars.

"The end of the Bitter Moon," he murmured. Chen Hao's eyes widened. "And the beginning of 196."

xxxxxxxxxx

The snow was melting. It had been falling consistently for the last few days, filling the central courtyard and the expansive gardens with cold powder, and from his position beside the open door Zhou Yu could see layers of footprints littering the trodden white paths. He had wondered, as they whitewashed the outer walls and lacquered Yuan Shu's side gate, how the traditional New Year's proceedings could be carried out in the icy drifts that covered the ground and stuck to their leather boots. But it was disappearing now, little by little, slipping from the tree branches and revealing the dead grass waiting for spring.

Not that the mild warm spell had done much to lessen the cold filtering numbly through the door and sliding between the papered windows. The strategist fought down a shiver as a wisp of wind careened across his shoulders and passed into the room beyond. They had spent the better part of two days nailing paper over every one of Yuan Shu's grand windows, but nothing kept the chill air out. Not that the open door was helping, he knew. But Lady Qiao had insisted.

Zhou Yu shook his head and directed his wandering attention back to chopping the tender shoots of winter cabbage on the table before him. The thirtieth of the Bitter Moon had always been a busy day – busier, now that Sun Jian was gone. Without the array of hired hands and family friends who had often stopped by on the last day of the dying year, every member of their entourage had been assigned important tasks. Zhou Yu himself had been put in charge of making the traditional white soup, which would be handed out as a gift to lesser friends and relatives… or rather, in this case, the other members of Yuan Shu's household.

Zhou Yu had only seen the soup made once, and half his life ago at that, but Xiao Qiao did her best to assist from where she was throwing the customary porridge together on the opposite side of the kitchen. Lady Qiao and her mother-in-law rushed back and forth with handfuls of pork, rice, fruit, and wine, chatting as they cooked enough food for that night's celebration and the next day as well. Shang Xiang occasionally joined in their conversation from her place beside the fire – by virtue of her beautiful script, the Sun princess had been instructed to write the traditional New Year's messages of good fortune on red silk strips. She took great care in phrasing each inscription, and Zhou Yu watched her careful hands moving over the characters for luck, longevity, riches, and good health.

The red dye flickered in the light of the flame and Xiao Qiao sighed. "Sister, are you sure we have to keep the door open? I'm freezing!" The young girl wrapped one arm around herself in illustration and frowned, but Lady Qiao just shook her head.

"The smoke has to escape somehow." The musical words flowed through the cold air like chimes, accompanied by the rapid chopping of her knife through bamboo shoots and Lady Wu's quiet hum. Xiao Qiao huffed and slumped beside the pot of porridge. Han Dang laughed as he mashed softened rice grains into porridge and pretended to wipe sweat from his brow.

"Come now, Younger Lady Qiao," he joked. "It's quite warm enough in here already." Xiao Qiao stuck her tongue out at the mess of rice, grain, and raisins she was stirring but said nothing. Zhou Yu reached for a nearby onion and began to chop thin slices of the white vegetable into the pot. The acidic odor stung his eyes as it floated into the conglomeration of smells circling the kitchen.

"My sister has had trouble adjusting from the warmth of Jiang Dong." Lady Qiao paused in her work to give Xiao Qiao a sympathetic look. "Izhou is so much colder in winter… but we'll be done soon." Xiao Qiao straightened a little from her meditative slump and smiled over her shoulder at the busy young woman, banishing the cold with her customary enthusiasm.

"Won't all this taste delicious?" She bounced a little as the porridge gurgled and bubbled in its earthen pot. "When do we get to eat?"

Shang Xiang laughed. "You sound like Sun Ce."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. After being a complete nuisance in the kitchen for the better part of the morning, Sun Ce had finally volunteered to peel fruit for the sweet pastries and cakes. After it had been discovered that he ate as many tangerines as he peeled, however, the Qiao sisters had chased him out of the kitchen and sent him to aid Huang Gai in erecting the altar.

Zhou Yu threw a glance at the courtyard as he finished slicing the first onion. The altar had never really been important before – Sun Jian had delivered a customary prayer to their ancestors and Sun Ce had half-heartedly performed his duties as the eldest son. Zhou Yu remembered how the young officer had shifted and stamped his feet against the cold, waiting for the ceremony to end so he could rush inside and devour the sumptuous banquet already laid out on the long tables.

But things were different this year – because now Sun Jian was amongst the deceased being honored by wooden statues and dry bowls of rice, and Sun Ce was the head of his family. Sun Ce would be the one delivering their communal prayer to the ancestors – to his father – for guidance and good fortune. Huang Gai had offered to perform the duties of the family's master, but Sun Ce had been firm in his resolve; Zhou Yu could only imagine the meaning of the ritual for his spastic companion.

The strategist paused and stared absently at the cloves of garlic in his hand. The shattered fragments of memory were stinging his eyes even as the onion disappeared into the boiling water. Thinking about Sun Jian had gotten easier, but it was still a far cry from easy. Zhou Yu knew that a few hours and the darkness of the calendar's renewal would bring him face to face with the Tiger general again – every member of the family would have a moment of individual prayer at the altar, just as they always had. When the time came, he wasn't sure what he would say to the lingering shards of Sun Jian's memory. What words could possibly lay the lord of Jiang Dong to rest? Perhaps Sun Ce knew.

Zhou Yu shook his head and returned his attention to the kitchen as Lady Qiao paused to answer her sister's faded question. "We can't eat until after the ceremony – you know that. And we won't start until Lord Meng returns with the firewood." Xiao Qiao groaned and glared down at the churning porridge. Han Dang glanced around in surprise.

"He hasn't made it back yet? Didn't he leave a few hours ago?" The veteran general tapped his chin. "The market will be closing soon. What could be taking him so long to buy a bushel of firewood?"

Lady Wu chuckled, and the sound sifted over the mash of pudding between her hands. "It's not only the firewood. Lu Meng also volunteered to bring back a few chickens – I didn't buy quite enough this morning." Xiao Qiao blinked a little.

"Do you think Lu Meng can handle chickens all by himself?" Zhou Yu couldn't help his smirk at the girl's honestly concerned look. His wife noticed the expression and dropped her hands onto her hips. "Don't laugh, Zhou Yu," she scolded. "Chickens can be downright vicious."

Zhou Yu swallowed his superior smile and straightened, stirring the garlic carefully into the thick white soup. Chickens could be vicious, it was true – but Lu Meng was a warrior, and any warrior worth his salted seaweed ought not have any trouble with chickens. More likely the young man had gotten waylaid by bothersome traders and merchants angling for the strings of coins he'd been given upon departing in the late afternoon sun. Zhou Yu knew Lu Meng's grasp on tact was significantly less than proficient, and the warrior had often had trouble escaping the company of those he disliked.

Zhou Yu lifted a few fibrous roots into his free hand and regarded them doubtfully. Xiao Qiao had said to add at least five of them, but the strategist knew from experience what a bitter taste they contained, and wrinkled his nose at the thought of consuming them. Lady Qiao shot an encouraging smile his way as she finished forming small pastries with her quick fingers, and Zhou Yu shrugged before dropping a whole handful into the glistening soup. He didn't need to eat this, after all.

A burst of shouts and stamping feet announced the arrival of a few more family members, and Zhou Yu turned to glance over his shoulder as Sun Ce and Sun Quan tumbled through the open door. Sun Ce shed his shoes and rushed through the darkening afternoon shadows, shaking his hands furiously and blowing on them.

"It's so cold outside!" Sun Ce's exclamation echoed through the close air of the kitchen as Lady Qiao hid her smile. The young officer rushed to Zhou Yu and threw his arms around the strategist's waist, pressing his chilled face firmly into the silk-clad back. Zhou Yu stiffened as the frozen form leeched his barely maintained body heat. "How do you stay so damn warm?" Sun Ce demanded, squeezing his companion despite the curious glance Han Dang was shooting them over his laborious rice pudding.

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and stirred the soup carefully, letting the steam drift over his face as though it might remove the icicle of an officer congealing to his robe. He had an urge to shove Sun Ce off – even after all these years, public displays of affection were not something he relished. Only the ice-cold flesh pressing against his thick shirt stopped him.

"I stay inside," he answered shortly, dousing the soup with a handful of some unnamable spice. Lady Wu had said it was most important for the flavor, but he couldn't remember what it was. Sun Ce sighed into the silken shirt.

"Yeah, well – some of us didn't have that option. So you have to let me steal your warmth – it's only fair." Zhou Yu didn't see what was so fair about that, but he didn't bother answering. Sun Quan, who had been nearly trampled by his anxious brother, entered the room more slowly and walked to his mother's side with measured steps.

"We finished setting the altar," he informed her with a bow. Lady Wu smiled before bending down to meet the young boy's eyes.

"Why so serious?" She laughed and raised one hand to pinch Sun Quan's cheek; he shook his head and pouted.

"I'm not a child anymore," Sun Quan announced firmly. "I'm thirteen years old. I need to treat you with proper respect." Lady Wu blinked in surprise, but a booming chuckle from the frigid doorway stopped Sun Jian's wife from speaking.

"First of all, young Master Quan, you are a child until your sixteenth birthday." Zhou Yu looked back to find Huang Gai brushing snow from his boots as he braced himself against the doorframe. The veteran soldier had a catching smile on his face as he winked to the strategist, which Zhou Yu found highly confusing and mildly concerning. "And secondly… the lastborn is always his mother's baby, no matter his age." Lady Wu patted her young son's head at this and turned back to the cakes. Sun Quan looked perturbed.

Huang Gai moved into the kitchen and found a seat beside Han Dang. He pulled the other general's bowl of wine toward him and drank deeply as Sun Ce withdrew his arms and appeared at Zhou Yu's side, cheeks still flushed but face smiling against the cold. "Let me taste it," he suggested, grabbing a nearby spoon and reaching for the soup.

Zhou Yu slapped his hand and scowled. "No." Sun Ce had a bad habit of sneaking samples whenever large-scale cooking was being done – a habit that had only worsened since his childhood – and Zhou Yu was not interested in sharing the possibly poisonous concoction with his companion. Sun Ce frowned at the rebuke and stuck out his tongue before sidling over to Xiao Qiao and peering over her shoulder. The young girl stared up at him suspiciously as she continued stirring her porridge warily. Everyone in the family had learned to guard cooking food from the Sun lord's eager mouth, and Zhou Yu's wife was no less vigilant than her husband in that regard.

Lady Qiao laughed. "Here, Lord Ce – I saved some scraps from the pastry." Sun Ce brightened and hurried over to her, popping the sweetened dough into his mouth with a lighthearted grin. Xiao Qiao rolled her eyes.

"You know it just encourages him," she warned the elder girl. Lady Qiao sighed.

"I know. But he's just more trouble otherwise. You remember last New Year's, when he tried to get at the stew and tipped the entire pot over." Sun Ce chewed happily and ignored the mildly negative comments floating over his head.

"Tastes good," he announced as the Qiao sisters' chatter ended. "When's everything else going to be done? I'm starving!"

"You're always starving," Shang Xiang pointed out, pausing in her careful writing to give her brother a flat look. "We're waiting for Lu Meng to come back with the chickens." Sun Quan looked startled.

"Chickens?" He shared a worried look with Huang Gai. "I'm not sure Master Lu Meng can handle chickens."

Sun Ce blinked, and Zhou Yu eyed the young boy curiously. "What's so hard about chickens?" the Sun officer wanted to know. His brother shuddered under his thick jacket.

"Chickens are mean. They scratch and peck, and it's scary when they flap their wings."

Sun Ce blinked. "How do you know what chickens are like?" Sun Quan huffed and dropped his hands onto his hips.

"Because I always went with Mother and Lady Cai when they bought them… while we lived in Shucheng."

The mention of his village set Zhou Yu's thoughts darting and reeling. Shucheng… what was happening up there? Had Qi really joined Duke Cao in the north? Was Xan holding out all right by himself? And his parents… his father. Did Zhou Fan even have the strength to stand, now that his household had been so fractured? Zhou Yu hadn't seen any of them in more than two years.

The strategist shook his head and stirred the soup carefully. Family… a person spent the New Year with their family. And here he was in Izhou. He had abandoned Shucheng long ago – it wasn't worth thinking about. Sun Quan had continued speaking, but his wandering thoughts stole all but the tail end of a long narrative. "…And they're smart, too. You can't trust them."

Sun Ce smiled at the boy and ruffled his hair. "Ah, don't worry about it. Lu Meng's tough. He'll be fine." Sun Quan opened his mouth to protest, but a flurry of noise from outside cut him off. Every eye in the room turned toward the heavily breathing figure in the doorway.

Zhou Yu's eyes widened. It was Lu Meng… and a pair of chickens. The young warrior had strapped the requested wood to his back and held one chicken in each hand. The fowl, which Zhou Yu was surprised to note were still alive, were clearly refusing to give up – Lu Meng's forearms were covered in bright red scratches and vivid welts. The warrior gave them all a very sour look and closed the door behind him.

"I got your chickens," he muttered sullenly into the thick air. Lady Qiao's hands sprang up to cover her mouth, though whether in surprise or to hide a smile Zhou Yu couldn't tell. Sun Ce gaped at the injured warrior open-mouthed.

"What happened to you?" he wanted to know. Lu Meng glowered.

"The wood seller took a long time counting out the price, and by the time I found someone selling chickens he only had these two left… he wanted more money to kill them, and I didn't have enough, so I just brought them back like this." The warrior huffed and shook his head. "If I'd known how much trouble they were going to be, I would have just come back empty-handed."

Han Dang and Huang Gai were fighting identical smiles that twisted their expressions awkwardly. Xiao Qiao rolled her pretty eyes and rose from the small stool to retrieve more rice. "Poor Lu Meng," she singsonged. "I think he needs a hug." Lu Meng's face turned an interesting shade of white and he took a step back, holding the chickens out as deterrent.

Lady Wu chuckled. "Why didn't you just come back and fetch another string of coins, Lu Meng? Yuan Shu has been very generous with our cash gifts."

Lu Meng blinked and then frowned again. "The seller was on his way home, and didn't want to wait… besides, it's too cold out to be running back and forth. He was a long way from here, and he was charging too much money anyway. But the damn things scratched the whole way…" Lady Wu's sigh cut the young warrior off mid-complaint. Sun Ce's mother laid her stirring stick on the table and moved toward Lu Meng.

"Oh, very well – have it your way. Just bring them here; Da and I have another set of dishes to finish before the ceremony can begin." Lady Qiao smiled a little and returned to her cooking.

"How do you kill a chicken, anyway?" Sun Ce asked, dropping onto the bench beside Huang Gai. "Cut off its head? Boil it?" In answer, Lady Wu took the first chicken from Lu Meng and snapped its neck with a sickening crack. Zhou Yu felt his stomach churn a little at the heartless noise and Sun Ce jumped. The young officer stared at his mother and the lifeless chicken as Lady Wu returned to the table.

"You can't cut the head off," she replied smoothly, plucking the feathers in droves and tossing them onto the floor. Zhou Yu felt himself freeze at the brutal scene, and Sun Ce's eyes widened to the size of saucers. The red feathers sifted slowly onto the floor as Lady Wu continued her explanation. "Chicken on New Year's is a symbol of long life and completeness. That's why you serve chicken whole, with the head and feet still attached." Sun Quan turned his face away and stared at Han Dang's rice pudding, which the general continued to stir absently.

"Chickens are awful, mean, nasty animals," the young boy announced furiously, but Zhou Yu could see a sympathetic sheen in his eyes. Even Xiao Qiao looked somewhat moved by the violent preparation as more bare skin began to show under the vanishing feathers.

Perhaps it was the sound of death, or the limp body strewn across the table – but for whatever reason, Lu Meng's chicken made a renewed bid for freedom. Zhou Yu whirled to stare at his fellow warrior as Lu Meng yelped and dropped the clawing fowl, which had begun to scream as it drove three sharp nails into Lu Meng's flesh. The chicken hit the floor soundly and ran – under the tables, across the floor, flapping uselessly and shedding feathers with a vengeance. Zhou Yu stared in frozen shock for a long moment as Lu Meng clutched his bleeding wrist, and then Xiao Qiao jumped to her feet.

"Catch it!" she cried, and Sun Ce was off. He dove under the table, arms waving madly and knocking against the unsteady legs as the chicken darted back and forth between the benches. Zhou Yu leapt forward and grabbed the cabbage soup up into his hands just as Sun Ce brought the entire table down. The enormous bang startled a shriek out of Sun Quan and a surprised gasp from his mother, and Shang Xiang fled to the safety of the hearth as Sun Ce hustled after the devious bird. Xiao Qiao jumped up and down and screamed hoarse instructions as she tried to shield her porridge from the flurry of feathers Sun Ce kicked up as he scurried around the floor, and Lady Wu backed into the door in her shock.

"Gotcha!" Sun Ce announced, pouncing on the struggling chicken – but he only got a few scratches and a face full of feathers for his trouble as the wild-eyed fowl darted away again. Zhou Yu watched his skittering companion in frozen astonishment as Shang Xiang clapped a hand over her mouth. Another moment found Han Dang on the floor as well, and he and Sun Ce worked together to corner the chicken against the empty wall. The bird eyed them suspiciously and flapped in indignation as both officers paused and exchanged a glance before Sun Ce spoke.

"Okay… now what do we do?" Xiao Qiao shook her hands in frustrated anxiety and stamped her foot.

"Just… grab it!" she urged. Sun Ce reached out a cautious hand and attempted to latch onto the bird's feet, but the chicken retaliated with a sharp peck and righteous cry.

"Ow!" Sun Ce yelped, drawing the hand back to his chest and clutching it tightly. "It bit me!" Zhou Yu took an unconscious step toward his injured companion, but Lady Qiao beat him to it, stepping past Sun Ce's kneeling form with a firm sigh.

"Oh, for Heaven's sake," she scolded, snatching the chicken by the neck and killing it quickly. The struggling limbs fell slack in her tight hold as Lady Qiao gave them all a disapproving look. Sun Ce gaped up at his wife as she shook her head and the ragged feathers fell from her hand. "It's just a chicken."

Lady Wu sighed and returned to the center of the room as Sun Ce got slowly to his feet, brushing loose feathers from his knees. "What a mess you've made, Ce," his mother noted. Sun Ce rubbed his neck and set the table back on its legs, pausing to inspect the damage to his hand as Lady Qiao began to pluck the second chicken.

"That really hurt," he muttered, rubbing at the distinctive red mark. Sun Quan came to stand by his brother and peered up at him sympathetically, but Shang Xiang just rolled her eyes.

"Did you have to crawl all over the floor, Ce?" she lectured, picking up her scattered scraps of silk and the dirtied calligraphy brush. "How old are you again?" Sun Ce frowned defensively and clutched his injured hand tighter.

"I'm twenty," he shot back. "But Han Dang was doing it, too, and he's a lot older than me – so be quiet. I didn't see you doing anything helpful." Shang Xiang paused in her act of cleaning the brush to glance back at him.

"I couldn't catch a chicken," she told him flatly. Sun Ce paused and blinked before sticking out his tongue and dropping heavily down beside Huang Gai. The veteran general laughed and slung a consoling arm around his officer's shoulders.

"Well… a bit of excitement tonight after all," he joked. "I haven't seen something as entertaining as the two of you scurrying around the floor for quite some time." Sun Ce's scowl slowly dissipated under the warm pressure of Huang Gai's laughter. Han Dang shook his head sheepishly and returned to the bench.

"I'm afraid I got carried away," he mused. Zhou Yu watched the firelight playing across Han Dang's scars as mottled laughter escaped his lips. "I saw Sun Ce crawling all over and I just lost my head." Xiao Qiao hopped down from the stool and returned to her porridge to pick out the floating feathers that had gotten lodged between raisins and rice.

"Sun Ce does that to people." Her perky tone drew a smile onto Han Dang's face as he glanced at Sun Ce's gloomy countenance. The veteran general laughed again and rubbed his forehead.

"Well… he gets that from his father." Sun Ce straightened under Huang Gai's arm and Zhou Yu felt the muscles in his back tighten for a long, silent moment. Sun Jian's name cascaded through the gathering in soundless whispers until a smile slipped onto Lady Wu's countenance and a quiet chuckle fled her mouth.

"Yes… he does, at that." All eyes turned to the Tiger general's widow as she bent to kiss her youngest son's cheek and straightened with a laugh. "When I met Jian, I fought my parents for the right to marry him… I never even thought about his position, a lowly military clerk in Changsha. Of course he became prefect a short while after that… but at first, we barely had twenty strings of coins to live off of. I can't even count the days I spent wondering what I had gotten myself into marrying such a man." Laughter resounded through her eyes and met the clouds of silence steadily. "It was his smile, you know. That alone was enough to keep us going some days when we had nothing else."

Zhou Yu swallowed hard and the sound of her words got stuck in his chest, flickering between the slow breaths winding in and out of his lungs. In her gaze he could see everything – Sun Jian's eyes and his face and the tassel on his helmet, the silver of his sword and roughness of the unshaven chin, his chestnut hair and his sturdy armor and most strongly his smile… pouring, drowning, spinning. Lady Wu glanced at her son's companion for a long moment before turning her shining expression to Sun Ce's rigid form. "You have his smile, you know."

Sun Ce's eyes wavered and for a long moment he didn't speak, a brilliant grin creasing the glowing skin of his face. The young officer met his mother's gaze for a quiet moment before nodding; the chestnut hair danced into his amber eyes as another laugh stole between his lips. "Yeah…" Sun Ce murmured. Zhou Yu almost jumped at the intensity of the look turned his direction. "I know."

Shang Xiang stepped forward to drop a hand on Sun Quan's shoulder, and for one moment it seemed to the young strategist that the family was unified – whole, complete, unbroken. The firelight was casting strange shadows over the back wall and it was almost a smile – a dark, glinting, honest smile against the whitewashed wooden panels… and then it was gone. Lady Wu sighed and turned back to inspect the ruinous state of the kitchen and Sun Ce slumped under Huang Gai's steadying arm, and Lady Qiao put a hand to her temple.

"Well… this certainly is a mess," she breathed. Zhou Yu returned the cabbage soup to the table and stepped back to Sun Ce's side. His hands resisted the urge to find his companion's arm as Lady Qiao glanced around and met their eyes.

"I think there are too many people in this kitchen," she remarked pointedly. Sun Ce blinked as his wife tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Lord Meng, I suggest you and Lord Ce go wash out those cuts. Chickens have dirty claws." The young woman paused to smile a moment before nodding. "Perhaps Lord Yu could accompany you."

Zhou Yu wondered idly when Lady Qiao had been designated master of operations, but there was no time or reason to argue – Sun Ce had already gotten to his feet and stretched into the frigid air. Lu Meng huffed and straightened from where he had lurched back against the wall during the previous chaos, a grumpy expression painting his face displeased.

"I don't even like chicken," he grumbled. "Why did we need to get two more chickens? Look how much trouble they caused." Xiao Qiao jumped to her feet and shooed the young warrior out the door and back into the corridor, a stern frown on her pretty lips.

"No negativity in the kitchen!" she ordered, and Lu Meng backed away from her in surprise. "You'll make the food taste bitter." Sun Ce laughed and followed his sour companion into the hallway, slinging an elbow through Lu Meng's as Xiao Qiao retreated to her porridge. Zhou Yu followed them with careful steps, casting one last glance behind him to catch Lady Wu's wistful smile and the hopeful light shining in Sun Quan's eyes.

"Mother, do I have Father's smile, too?" Lady Wu patted the boy's head and turned back to her chicken.

"You do," she murmured into the music of Lady Qiao's quiet hum and Xiao Qiao's careful stirring. Zhou Yu turned away and caught up to his fellow soldiers as the shadows of twilight found his feet.

"Lighten up, Lu Meng," Sun Ce was advising. "It's just a few scratches. You didn't even get pecked." Lu Meng tore his arm away from his companion's loose grip and rubbed the small injuries petulantly.

"It still hurts," he argued, eyes sulking and frown severe. Sun Ce laughed.

"Yeah, I know – it got me too, remember?"

Zhou Yu stepped through their fading shadows and reached Sun Ce's side in time to catch the glittering smile as it descended into chuckles. The young lord turned to favor him with a blinding grin, and Zhou Yu watched the expression carefully. It wasn't true – Sun Ce didn't quite have his father's smile. Sun Jian's countenance had never been so free and welcoming, even in its brightest moments. But what the two shared – what Lady Wu had found in Sun Quan's face as well – was the light pouring out of their eyes when that smile appeared. The warmth that filled the entire room from just one blistering gaze.

Sun Ce laughed and grabbed Zhou Yu's hand, tugging the strategist behind him as he began to run down the corridor. Zhou Yu felt his body lurch into an awkward jog at the tight grip and the five fingers around his; Sun Ce's ponytail bounced and scattered as he glanced back at Lu Meng's slow steps.

"Hurry up, Meng!" he shouted, the childhood nickname falling unbidden from his lips. "Let's go! Last one there's a rotten soldier!" Zhou Yu watched the struggle playing across Lu Meng's face – and then the young warrior began to run, chasing after them down the hallway almost against his will.

As their footsteps pounded across the worn floor and Sun Ce cackled, Zhou Yu felt a smile tugging at his stony expression. Xiao Qiao was right. When Sun Ce acted, people followed without even wanting to – without believing in his reasons, without caring for his dreams, without thought to dignity, rites, or reason. Sun Ce swept those near him up in a wave of passion and joy that nothing else could rival. Lu Meng's thundering steps and his own ragged pace were proof enough.

"Not fair!" Lu Meng complained as he rushed closer and panted heavily. "I can't run as fast as you two!" Sun Ce shot Zhou Yu a smile that went straight to the strategist's chest, knitting into the flesh over his beating heart and trapping a sharp breath between his lungs…

"Yeah, no kidding!" Sun Ce agreed in a rasping tone as he increased his pace and let his fingers fall from Zhou Yu's. "That's because I'm the best soldier of all!" Zhou Yu felt the contact between them falter and break; and then Sun Ce was gone, tearing down the hallway unchallenged as the first star blinked overhead. Zhou Yu's steps slowed and came to a stop on the silent floor. The twilight shadows found his face and hands as the sound of a door being thrown open echoed down the hallway.

Somewhere behind him, Lu Meng was heaving and struggling for breath. Somewhere ahead, Sun Ce was whooping and cheering at his victory. Zhou Yu stood between them and listened – to the sound of Lady Qiao's humming, to Lady Wu's knife chopping roughly against the wooden table, to Lu Meng huffing and Sun Ce laughing and the stars sighing overhead. Then he began to walk again, following his companion's empty footsteps down the long corridor.

"Hurry up, you guys!" Sun Ce's voice. It swept around Zhou Yu's shoulders and swallowed him, banishing the darkness with the light of a distant smile. "We have to start the ceremony soon!"

"I hate ceremonies," Lu Meng grumbled as he caught up to Zhou Yu. The strategist watched his fellow warrior as measured strides took them toward the waving figure. "It's too cold outside for a ceremony anyway."

Zhou Yu thought about answering the sour young man, but he settled for a flat look instead. His eyes focused on Sun Ce's grinning face as the young officer began to shout.

"Come on! Go, Yu! Beat him! Beat him!" Sun Ce cheered, cupping both hands to his mouth. "You can do it! Don't lose to Lu Meng!"

Sun Ce was grinning, shooting sparks of joy and warmth throughout the hallway, banishing the shadows, his words echoing in the arms of the starlight and the paneled walls. That smile that never faltered… the smile Lady Wu had lost. And before he knew it, he was running again, abandoning Lu Meng in the darkness of coming evening.

"Zhou Yu? What are you doing?" Lu Meng's eyes were beyond confused as Zhou Yu spared a quick glance over his shoulder. The floor pounded away beneath his feet as the distance between Lu Meng's black eyes and his own widened, leaving the young warrior in the fading light.

Zhou Yu turned back to gaze down the hall and found Sun Ce's bright face. Sun Ce's smile, Sun Jian's death… the two got lost together in his mind and jumbled between hard footsteps; Zhou Yu's pace steadily increased, destroying the lingering space between Sun Ce's finish line and the strategist's swift feet. Sun Ce's eyes were burning and laughing and Zhou Yu didn't want to look away – he didn't even try. Lady Wu had lost that smile, but he vowed he never would.

Absently he heard the renewed effort of Lu Meng's awkward running gait – but it was far too late to catch up, and Zhou Yu had always been quicker than the powerful warrior anyway. Mere moments brought him to the end of the corridor and Sun Ce's brilliant smile – his joyful, delighted, shining smile.

"All right!" Sun Ce shouted, grabbing Zhou Yu's arm with one hand and punching the air with the other. "Yu is second best! Lu Meng is a rotten soldier!" Lu Meng halted abruptly and scowled, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I never wanted to be part of your stupid race anyway," he muttered, brushing past the assembled officers with a firm frown. Sun Ce laughed and made a face at him.

"Aw, cheer up, Lu Meng," he encouraged. "You're still a better soldier than Quan is." Lu Meng huffed and ignored him, passing into the shadows beyond the open door and disappearing. Sun Ce chuckled and squeezed Zhou Yu in a tight hug. "And I'm the best of all!" Smiling. Still smiling.

Somewhere, firecrackers were exploding – Zhou Yu could hear them beyond the whitewashed outer walls. Celebration had suffused the city, and would not let go for days to come. The Bitter Moon was drawing to a close – all that remained of the dying year was an altar and a handful of prayers. Zhou Yu felt stone encasing his expression again as the young officer bounded after Lu Meng and vanished into the shadows. The altar – and one last ceremony to lay Sun Jian's smile to rest.

.x.

The stars had never seemed so cold. Zhou Yu watched them silently stirring in the velvet background as Sun Ce shivered and clenched both hands into the thin silk of his bright robe. Across the small courtyard, the two Qiao sisters huddled beside Shang Xiang for warmth, and Sun Quan shuddered involuntarily with each breath of wind rushing past. And in front of them all, the altar flickered with the light of burning wooden statues.

Huang Gai stepped back from the substitute sacrifices, dousing his brushwood torch in the snow as flames licked over the carved human figures. Han Dang was carefully mixing dry rice with a bowl of water, which he placed reverently beside Huang Gai's ashen offering. Both generals bowed low and stepped back, leaving the altar open beneath the muted starlight. Zhou Yu's gaze wound to Sun Ce's face; never had he seen the young officer's lips set into such a harsh line. The Sun lord's amber eyes watched the burning gifts without speaking, and Zhou Yu followed the flames sparking across Sun Ce's expression for a long moment before six steps brought his companion to the altar's edge.

Sun Ce lifted the ancestral tablet from amongst silks, grain, and bamboo and held it in his hands. Zhou Yu couldn't see his face, but the wilting line of his back was enough. The strategist took two involuntary steps forward before Sun Ce's voice stopped him in his tracks.

"Father…" A long sigh escaped the young officer's lips and settled onto the altar as though made of stone. Zhou Yu stopped and felt his muscles go rigid; Sun Ce's chestnut ponytail wavered as he shook his head. "I never thought I was going to have to do this. Not for you." His voice was so soft it almost missed Zhou Yu's ears under the persistent wind circling them.

Sun Ce lifted his eyes to the sky, and the ancestral tablet slipped from his fingers, falling back onto the crowded altar. Zhou Yu swallowed. Somewhere he could hear drums beating – in the town center, or a local home perhaps. A celebration not brushed in tragedy. Sun Ce gave a short laugh. "You know I never really believed in praying to the ancestors. We all have to stand on our own two feet, make our own way – what can a bunch of dead men do about it?" Lady Wu smiled. Zhou Yu closed his eyes and listened to Sun Ce's soft, distant breathing. The sound of his ponytail shifting against the nape of his neck. "But it seems different when it's you."

A small rustling opened Zhou Yu's eyes and brought them back to Sun Ce. The young officer had retrieved a small knife from the altar and raised it to his finger. "So… I guess this is my way of saying thank you in advance." Zhou Yu's heart skipped a beat as the knife slashed into Sun Ce's finger and came out red. Sun Ce barely flinched, despite his sister's gasp and the blood collecting along his skin. Zhou Yu took another step forward; but the snow on the ground and Sun Ce's unhurried posture stopped him, and he paused awkwardly between the gathered family members and the altar ahead. Sun Ce retrieved the ancestral tablet and ran clean fingers over the characters.

"I know we always used chicken's blood to sanctify the tablet," he murmured. Zhou Yu couldn't help the way his dark eyes fixed on Sun Ce's blood as it hovered beside his nail. "But that doesn't really seem good enough. So take mine." Sun Ce pressed his finger firmly against the tablet and Zhou Yu winced. The blood settled and froze onto the wooden surface, darkening the already stoic slab and glittering weakly in the starlight. Sun Ce placed the tablet carefully between two dishes of gruel and stepped back, eyes darting between the offerings as the firelight flickered and waned. Zhou Yu felt tendrils of wind lashing at his ears and the cries of distant fireworks.

One of Sun Ce's fists found the altar, and Sun Quan jumped as the loud noise echoed and fled throughout the courtyard. Zhou Yu felt his back straighten into rigid solidity. Sun Ce had turned, and now the strategist could see his face. He wasn't crying – not quite. None of the frail tears escaped his eyes, and Zhou Yu could only believe it was the determined smile keeping them back. Sun Ce tossed his head in a defiant nod and lifted his gaze to the sky. "Watch over me, Father."

The thin words sent a shiver down Zhou Yu's spine. Why was Sun Ce smiling? Between the cold wind, the burning altar, the soundless courtyard, the lingering snow… what was there to smile about? But the Sun lord persisted; grinning like an idiot and nodding with firm determination. "I swear to you… I will claim this land for us!" Sun Ce threw one hand into the air as his promise scattered, blinding the stars and the onlookers with its blazing resolve. Huang Gai took a step forward and Han Dang straightened, and Zhou Yu knew that neither of them would ever be able to leave Sun Jian's son – their eyes made vows of loyalty and courage as Sun Ce turned and faced his family again, countenance set.

Zhou Yu felt his eyes narrowing. Didn't it hurt to smile like that? Sun Ce couldn't hide the tears behind his amber eyes – he couldn't hide the forsaken stumble in his steps as he returned to their midst, but his expression didn't move. It made Zhou Yu angry; his hands trembled in powerless frustration as Sun Ce paused and glanced around at them. His eyes were shining; Zhou Yu ground his teeth together and clenched his fingers into fists. Why bother parading that fragile smile? Why didn't Sun Ce just let the shadows lurking in his eyes spread across his face?

"Well…" Sun Ce's words died on his tongue, and the smile faltered before he lifted his eyes to Zhou Yu's and his grin returned. "I guess I'm done. Who's next? Let's get this over with fast – it's too cold out here." Zhou Yu pressed his lips together and didn't answer, but he didn't have to – Lady Wu stepped forward purposefully and raised a hand to her lips, staring at the altar in peaceful contemplation. There was a smile on her face, too; Zhou Yu fought down the harsh words with effort. What good could a ceremony like this serve if it did not involve honesty?

Sun Ce's slow steps brought him back to Zhou Yu's side; he stood facing away from the altar as Sun Quan moved to pray beside his mother. One wandering hand found Zhou Yu's and held on tightly, and the strategist bit his lip in the chill air. Even through the distorting shadows and his awkward perspective, he could see the shining smile lilting across Sun Ce's lips. The lighted windows of Yuan Shu's palace glinted in the young officer's eyes as he glanced up at his companion and squeezed his hand.

"What do you look so grim for?"

Zhou Yu bit his tongue and held back the answer. Sun Ce's hollow smile was dancing up at him and Zhou Yu wanted it gone – he wanted the emotions tucked carefully behind Sun Ce's expression to exhaust themselves in an honest reflection across the Sun lord's face. He wanted to tell Sun Ce that he wasn't fooling anyone with the pleasing grin, that he was allowed to be unhappy, that he didn't have to smile – that he shouldn't smile. But he said nothing and just watched the twisting metal filling Sun Ce's eyes as Sun Quan took his mother's hand and made room for their sister in front of Sun Jian's altar. Sun Ce blinked and tugged quietly on his silken sleeve.

"New Year's is the best holiday of all, Yu." That damn, immaculate smile – why did Sun Ce have to drag a smile like that around even in circumstances like these? Zhou Yu's frown deepened as he stared down into Sun Ce's encouraging expression. The young officer nodded to himself and swung their joined hands back and forth. "You get to eat all sorts of delicious food, and chase goblin spirits out of the house, and then everybody gives you presents…" Sun Ce paused and tipped his head to the side. "Why would you scowl like that when we've got a huge feast waiting inside?"

Zhou Yu fought back the reprimand and tried not to search Sun Ce's face for signs of faltering cheer. He turned his eyes back toward the altar and watched the flames dying around Huang Gai's wooden offerings. The Qiao sisters had moved forward now to take their places; he could see a thin curtain of tears running down Xiao Qiao's face and dignity shining in her sister's dark eyes. The wind dipped and turned and scattered the skirts of their bright robes; the colors collided in almost painful contrast with the lingering snow.

Sun Ce's soft chuckle brought Zhou Yu's eyes back to his face. The young officer smiled up at his companion and shifted one arm to rest around his strategist's waist, fingers tight between layers of silken cloth. Zhou Yu watched the dying flames tearing through Sun Ce's eyes as his energetic companion spoke again. "You know what Father would say, if he could see us?"

Zhou Yu felt his back stiffen at the mention of the Tiger general, and somewhere his cynical mind remarked that, had he been present, Sun Jian would probably be confused as to how his strategist and his eldest son had wound themselves so close together. But Sun Ce was speaking again – speaking, and smiling, and laughing under the folds of his eyes. "He'd say we make quite a pair…"

Zhou Yu felt his eyes widening at the memory of a dark tent, a first battle, and the Lord of Jiang Dong's words came hurtling back to him over the empty space of nearly three long years. Ce, wipe that grin off your face. And Zhou Yu… you don't have to look so glum. It's not a funeral yet. Zhou Yu's shoulders slipped from their tense position into a ragged slump. Somewhere the voice was speaking to him – and he couldn't make out the words, but he didn't have to.

Sun Ce was smiling – and as he stared down at his companion's joy-filled expression, Zhou Yu was surprised to acknowledge that it wasn't a forced smile after all. Sun Ce was truly grinning – the light split his face and the courtyard and every lingering regret lurking in Zhou Yu's shadowed mind.

Sun Ce was smiling. Smiling in honesty, in celebration, in excitement. In declaration to a fallen father and promise to a set of loyal followers. Smiling because he wanted to. Smiling because the feeling in his chest had never been able to conceal itself. The warmth of the Tiger's dedication and the pounding rhythm of Sun Ce's dream flooded through Zhou Yu's dark eyes, chasing out the cold, the hesitation, the anger…

Sun Ce glanced over his shoulder and elbowed Zhou Yu in the ribs. "I think it's your turn. Hurry up, okay? I'm starving." Zhou Yu stared at his officer for an interminable moment before breaking away from Sun Ce's hands and stepping purposefully toward the altar. And even with his back turned, the light of Sun Ce's smile was ten times stronger than the embers radiating across Sun Jian's final table.

The snow cracked and splintered under his leather boots as the strategist halted an arm's length before the altar… and to his surprise, he discovered he had nothing to say to the man whose memory lay in front of him. In Sun Ce's words and unrelenting smile, anything important had already been said.

Zhou Yu watched the wind scattering ashes across his feet and tangling them into the unruly hair falling behind his shoulder. He watched the stars, and his eyes closed as the Wings constellation presented itself high above him in the murky eternity of the sky. And against his inclination, Zhou Yu felt a tiny smile curving his lips upward. He bowed twice for the sake of formality and allowed Sun Jian's memory to escape through his clenched fingers. Let it go, Sun Ce had said all those years back. Let it go.

With silence in his hands and a well-concealed smirk painting his expression, Zhou Yu turned back to his companions. Sun Ce was hopping up and down impatiently, and he set off for the house as soon as Zhou Yu's steps brought him back to the family's circle. "Time to eat!" the young officer exclaimed joyfully, and Xiao Qiao laughed.

"That's the only reason you care about this holiday, isn't it?" she accused harmlessly. Sun Ce chuckled and slung a casual arm over the young girl's shoulders as she struggled to keep pace with him.

"No way. There's a lot more to New Year's than that." The Sun lord shook his head and whistled a little in building excitement. "After we eat, let's go down to the town center and watch the exorcism! Those are always a blast."

Sun Quan pouted and crossed his thin arms over his chest. "Why do we always have to do that?" he complained. Huang Gai and Lady Wu exchanged a knowing smile. "I don't like exorcisms. They're creepy. Can't we just stay home and tell fortunes instead?"

Sun Ce rolled his eyes and grabbed the young boy's hand. "Quan, have I told you recently that you're a complete sissy?" Sun Quan opened his mouth to protest, but Sun Ce cut him off with a laugh. "We'll have a great time. You, me, and Xiao – and we'll drag Lu Meng with us, too."

Xiao Qiao giggled and raised a hand to her chin. "Are you sure that's a good idea? Lu Meng's awfully whiny." Sun Ce snickered and shrugged.

"Yeah… but he's good to have around. Just in case anybody throws a fit at you being in the town square without a proper escort. We can pass you off as Lu Meng's wife."

Xiao Qiao kicked snow at him and dropped her hands onto her hips. "I don't want to be Lu Meng's wife!" Sun Ce cackled and darted away from her attempts at retribution. The pretty young girl wrinkled her nose and then blinked in contemplation. "But isn't Zhou Yu coming with us anyway?"

Sun Ce shook his head and threw the strategist a glance. His eyes were laughing so brightly that they outshone the lit windows of the palace coming closer with each frigid step. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow and Sun Ce smiled. "Yu's no fun at exorcisms. He can stay home with your sister." Lady Qiao raised a hand to hide her chuckle at the statement, and Zhou Yu shrugged. He didn't like exorcisms anyway.

"Just make sure you don't come back too late," Han Dang warned, a smile offsetting the cautionary words. "We're locking the doors in a few hours to keep the goblins out." Sun Ce saluted the veteran general and began to run for the house, dragging Xiao Qiao and Sun Quan with him over the icy ground.

Zhou Yu's feet stalled and hesitated against the snow, and the strategist came to a halt halfway between the house and the altar. He watched Sun Ce's family moving away from him, watched the young officer springing for Yuan Shu's palace door, and listened to the combined laughter of the two children as Lu Meng emerged and greeted them. The cold wind shifted around Zhou Yu and set his robe straining; shadows brought silence to his ears in the clear starlight. He glanced back at the altar again – the piles of ash descending to the ground, the thin bowls of gruel, the lines of silk, the sanctified tablet. Zhou Yu felt the words building behind his lips but kept them quiet, listening to the echoes of a lost voice stirring through the wind.

"Yu! Yu, come on!" Zhou Yu's eyes turned back toward the palace at his companion's vibrant tone. Sun Ce was standing in the doorway, one arm waving and the other braced against the wall. And even with the distance between them, Zhou Yu could feel the warmth of Sun Ce's shining grin. "Let's eat! What are you standing around for?"

They were too far apart for Sun Ce to catch his tiny, fleeting smile. Sun Jian's memory and the absent voice disappeared behind Zhou Yu as his feet began to move again, taking him back into the light of the candles and the muted chatter from the dining hall and the open, hopeful smile waiting for him in the doorway. The cold wind cut at the strategist's back as he walked away; the ashes crumpled from the Tiger's altar and scattered into the surrounding snow. And Zhou Yu made his way back to the family that Sun Jian had built – the family Sun Ce would keep – and the eyes of the brightest sun.

End Chapter 24

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Sorry for the long wait on this one. Finals have been making things difficult… but at least it's a long chapter, too. We're about to go on winter break, so the chapters will either start coming faster or slower for the next month… I'm not sure which. Anyway, please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter.

A note for Xing Ling: Please let me know if there are any specific parts where it seems like I'm forcing the details. Generally details just kind of come to me and I don't bother to edit them out, but I could try if you think it's overbearing. I'm glad you enjoyed Sun Ce's discussion of past lives, and I hope you also enjoyed this chapter.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Thank you for your kind review. As to your question: ROTK was written by a man named Luo Guanzhong about 300 years after the actual events of the Three Kingdoms period. However, there was an earlier text – called 'Records of the Three States' – written at the end of the period by a man named Chen Shou; here, hypothetically a second son of Chen Hao's, or perhaps a grandson. Thank you for the question.

A note for Jen: I'm glad Lu Meng makes you laugh. He's been a fun character to construct – and of course, I'm working on developing his relationship with Xiao Qiao as well. Sun Quan and Xiao Qiao strike me as having great potential for being best friends, so I've been trying to work that in. Glad you enjoyed it.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Welcome back. I'm pleased that you enjoyed the last chapter. I went back and listened to the Wu Zhang Plains soundtrack from DW3 after your review… and you're right, that is kind of a fitting background. Thank you for your review.


	25. Chapter 25

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 24 

Chen Hao couldn't help his sigh as Zhou Yu's words trailed away and the general's charcoal eyes slipped closed. The night wind flickered over them in heartless strokes and Zhou Yu winced at the cold; Chen Hao watched the agitated lines cutting across his face as shadows swallowed them both. The soldier had a funny feeling in his stomach – one he couldn't place. It felt like warm embers, or cool water, or something in between; the intangible strings curled and twisted beneath his ribs. More than anything, Chen Hao wanted to answer – wanted to echo Zhou Yu's story with his own. The soldier hardly even felt the words before they tumbled from his mouth, confused and hurried in the weakening starlight.

"I lost my older brother." Zhou Yu's eyes came open and focused on Chen Hao's face; belatedly, the soldier remembered his early promise to be quiet and let the general's story unfold unhindered. But it was too late to stop now. Chen Hao squeezed his eyes shut against the picture of Chen Xie's final expression and pressed on despite Zhou Yu's silence.

"I was eight years old. He was working as a blacksmith in Luo Yang when Dong Zhuo rebelled." It had been twenty years… twenty years since a friend brought Chen Xie's mutilated body back to the family. Twenty years since the rushed funeral. Twenty years – but his brother's face had never dimmed. The soldier just wished he could remember Chen Xie without remembering the blood, too. "He was killed when Dong Zhuo destroyed the city." Chen Hao crushed back the lump in his throat and opened his eyes to meet Zhou Yu's silent gaze. "When I think about it… I still miss him."

Zhou Yu said nothing for a long moment, but his eyes never moved from Chen Hao's face. Then the general sighed softly and raised a hand to rub his forehead. "We live in cruel times, soldier." Chen Hao swallowed. His mother had told him that, too – but it felt different coming from Zhou Yu. It felt like sage advice, or deep honesty… Chen Hao shook his head and shifted into a more comfortable position.

"I shouldn't have…" Zhou Yu glanced back to him at the weak words, and Chen Hao tried to school his expression into an image of strength. He didn't want to think about Chen Xie's face. He didn't want to remember his father's sturdy hand on his shoulder, or his mother's stern expression… "I'm sorry."

A thin smile slipped across Zhou Yu's face, and Chen Hao barely caught it before the night consumed his countenance again. The general dropped his hand back onto the stark bandages and raised his eyes to the hidden sky as another shiver shook him. "Hm."

Chen Hao didn't know what Zhou Yu's answer meant, but he closed his eyes and listened to the general's forced, fitful breathing as silence suffused the wagon. The soldier's thoughts wound back to his home – to Meicheng, and his young son Li. The fire would have gone out by now – cold would be filling the house, creeping under their hempen blankets and through the folds of their clothes.

Perhaps Meicheng would wake up, and rise to stoke the fire, leaving Li alone on the cold straw mattress. Perhaps Li would roll about and curl in on himself against the night wind. Chen Hao wanted to see them; he wanted to pick Li up into his arms and warn the boy never to be a soldier, not even for as worthy a ruler as Sun Quan. His eyes came open and latched onto Zhou Yu's struggling form. A soldier was not destined for a life of peace.

The general coughed quietly and shook himself, bracing one hand against the floor as though to latch onto reason and force order through his mind. Chen Hao could see the hazy thoughts floating in Zhou Yu's eyes and between the lines of his frown; time was slipping back, and the soldier couldn't stop it. He bit his lip and wound his fingers into the cloth of his sleeves. He found that he finally understood the general's resolve, after all these hours in the bumping bed of the wagon. Zhou Yu had to finish his story before death claimed him – for Sun Ce and for himself. Chen Hao straightened a little as Zhou Yu's eyes came open again and focused on the stars. He didn't know how much of the story remained, or even how much Zhou Yu had the strength to get through. But he vowed that he would listen, to the very end.

"That summer was difficult for us," Zhou Yu began, sorting through the words slowly; Chen Hao watched them struggle into a rough order. "A few weeks after Sun Ce's twenty-first birthday, we received a letter from his cousin, Sun Ben – the man left in charge of Jiang Dong. From Sun Ben's report, it became clear that the local lords had determined to rid Fu Chun of all remnants of the Sun family, and had contacted Lu Kang – an outlying noble of the Jiangnan region – and asked for his assistance in toppling the interim prefect. Lu Kang moved to attack Fu Chun; in doing so, he occupied one of Yuan Shu's exterior strongholds at Xinchang. Fortunately, this angered Yuan Shu enough that he allowed Sun Ce and I to mount a campaign against Lu Kang's forces." Zhou Yu paused and frowned. "I can assure you Yuan Shu cared little for the fate of Fu Chun, but he was quick to launch an offensive for the stability of his own power."

Chen Hao nodded a little and watched the faded indignation escaping Zhou Yu's eyes, but said nothing. The general pressed on after a long moment, hesitation trapped in his words. "Sun Ce and I set out, accompanied by Lu Meng and a large body of Yuan Shu's troops. Our forces met Lu Kang's in a river valley just south of the Yangzi, in the wettest month of the year; we could hardly move for the mud, and our horses fared hardly better." The shadows of the distant battle raged across Zhou Yu's face for a moment before he sighed. "And Sun Ce and I only made things worse."

Chen Hao blinked. "How do you mean?" Zhou Yu glanced up at the soldier and then back to the stars, and an expression of reminiscent trial consumed his countenance.

"We have never been very good at compromising."

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Zhou Yu was so sick of mud he wanted to tear the clouds right out of the sky, fling them down to the swallowed earth, and rip them into useless shreds. The rain fell hard all around him, sliding down his back and over his shoulders – dampening his hair until it melded into the fabric of his armor, getting in his eyes and blocking his hazy vision of the battlefield. All around him, enemy and allied foot soldiers melted into one conglomerate force, the shade of their armor indistinguishable in the muted, drowning light. Zhou Yu wondered, as he slung his clean sword through the hordes of men surrounding him, how many would fall under a friendly hand by mistake.

At least he didn't have to worry. Any of the men charging into battle could distinguish him from common soldiers – and enemies looking for a quick death could find him easily as well. The bodies were growing in number as he wove his way across the muddy expanse, slipping despite his cautious footsteps on the volume of gritty sludge threatening to consume the entire battle. Zhou Yu brushed the drenched bangs out of his eyes and shoved his blade through another few enemies. Lu Kang's forces ought to have been about equal in number to their own – but it never seemed that way when the dedicated soldiers surrounded him.

The strategist disposed of several useless infantrymen and paused to look around, letting his own army surge forward into the tides of battle. It was almost hard to see which direction the main camp was – everything was lost in the gloom and muck of the infernal weather. Lu Meng had remained behind to guard their camp, he knew – and Sun Ce was somewhere. Despite his efforts to trail the Sun lord, Zhou Yu had lost his companion early on and been stuck here between the two forces' operation points for the better part of the morning. Where Sun Ce had gotten off to in that time – and what he'd been doing – were all lost in the haze of war. Zhou Yu wondered if he'd even be able to find the young officer once everything was over.

Somewhere ahead, he could hear the murmuring ripples of the Yangzi making its swift progress south. The river was dangerously high, and the constant rain only made things worse – at his suggestion, scouts had been posted on the superior rises to watch the river's course and warn against any possible disaster. Zhou Yu had heard only too many stories of the ragged waters escaping their bank and bringing chaos down upon an unprepared army. Not that warning would really do them much good at this point – being as close to the river as they were, the scouts could barely return to camp before swirling waters would swallow them whole. But it seemed prudent nonetheless – and with any luck, the day's fighting would bring them farther inland, toward a bend in the river, where a few natives claimed they could find higher ground. Zhou Yu slung his sword through a nearby soldier's throat and passed into the mayhem ahead, moving slower than he would have liked over the coarse, consuming ground.

Silence swallowed him for a long moment as the nearest soldiers staggered back a little and ducked away from his precise swings, stumbling over themselves to avoid the determined blade. Zhou Yu watched the trampled comrades trip at their feet and paused only to drop his sword into the soldiers' chests before turning away, trying not to notice the bleak blood matting their uncertain footing… somehow blood always seemed to make battle worse. The closest enemies turned and darted away, abandoning their posts in the murky light for the sanctity of withdrawal – Zhou Yu only hoped the other contingents were having as much luck pushing their opponents west through the valley. Ahead, he could see units retreating away from them – scurrying toward the flat plain and forested hills where Lu Kang had hidden his forces. At this rate, perhaps they could even circumnavigate the river within a day or two – ahead of the predicted schedule. After hours of the trying, tedious battle, it seemed that Sun Ce's army was finally holding the advantage; Zhou Yu glanced around and opened his mouth to order another full assault.

"Fall back! Fall back!" An unfamiliar voice ringing out from several strides away interrupted his unsaid words, and Zhou Yu turned to locate the officer, squinting through the haze of the sodden battle field. "Retreat to the main camp!"

Zhou Yu scowled and took a step forward. The man's back was turned, and Zhou Yu couldn't see his face – but none of Yuan Shu's officers on this side of the divided hills outranked him anyway. Who did this upstart think he was – and why did he assume he could take command of Zhou Yu's squadron? It had taken hours to get this area of the valley under control; if Sun Ce's forces retreated now, securing the central battle plain would only be more difficult the next morning. Not to mention the fact that only an idiot willfully surrendered his advantage. The strategist dropped his free hand onto his hip in annoyance.

"Who ordered the retreat?" he demanded of the faded form. "I'm in command of this company. We stay where we are, understood?" The officer wheeled to face him, and Zhou Yu's eyes hardly had time to widen before he threw himself into a muddy roll and dodged the oncoming dagger. The strategist regained unsteady footing and lashed out with his quick blade, striking the opposing officer's weapon in a sharp clang.

When had the enemy general advanced this far? How long had he and Zhou Yu been standing practically back to back, staring into the misty chaos and ignoring each other? There was no time to answer, but Zhou Yu berated himself roughly in his mind for the failure to detect such a close enemy. It was true that the battle field made vision sparse at best – but with the man close enough to try putting a dagger through his stomach, his status as an enemy should have been obvious. Zhou Yu swung his sword again and barely missed the officer's shoulder as his adversary ducked and slipped sideways in the mud.

"My lord! The enemy reinforcements have retreated from the forest area!" Zhou Yu barely heard the shout as he dodged left again, avoiding the officer's dagger strike with a sharp turn and two slashing counterattacks. He refused to glance at the soldier who had spoken – an idiot, he reasoned, to be shouting like that when a duel was taking place – but managed to get his mouth open despite the quicksilver blows headed for his torso.

"Retake the central path! And keep advancing!" Zhou Yu wondered if the soldier could even hear his shouts over the pounding of feet that seemed to rise up and assault his eardrums. Lu Kang's forces fleeing or his own struggling forward – or had he simply mistaken the pounding of his own heart as another dagger strike cut too close and grazed his armored thigh. Zhou Yu leapt back and barely kept his footing against the mud binding his boots in slow movements, and drew a deep breath as his adversary slipped and landed on one knee, daggers raised in defensive posture as the mire soaked through his clothing. Zhou Yu felt his blood rushing and tumbling as he tried to force battle maneuvers through the haze that clouded his mind, and he watched the officer's heaving chest as shouts resounded and the armies rocked around them.

From a distance, Zhou Yu could prevent being hit – but the mud was interfering with his generally swift movements, and darting in close was hardly an option when his adversary held such weapons. A brief memory of Qi and himself sparring jostled Zhou Yu's already preoccupied mind, and he shook it back with the long strands of dark hair bothering his eyes. How could he get around the officer and strike his back without finding himself swallowed in the slick mud around them? The enemy general struggled to his feet and faced Zhou Yu, eyes darting behind him in fear and wild adrenaline.

"I'm retreating!" The sharp bark was almost painful in Zhou Yu's ears, and the strategist found his eyes fixed on the heaving breaths struggling from his adversary's jaw along with the words. Zhou Yu lifted his dark eyes to meet the gaze of the man in front of him as a chorus of arrows shot above them and dragged screams from Lu Kang's retreating forces. The officer swallowed hard and clacked his teeth in a bravado that couldn't quell his shaking knees. Zhou Yu wondered if the general had ever looked at death this closely before. The officer braced himself and tossed his head backward, exposing the dirty skin of his neck and the shaking panic in his eyes. "I'm retreating. Back away and I won't hurt you."

Zhou Yu said nothing. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword as he readjusted the stance and waited for more postured negotiation. The silence between them grated against the shouts and pounding of the battle as flanks of soldiers rushed past Zhou Yu into the gathering gloom, leaving the forms of the fallen in their wake. The dark-haired swordsman watched his adversary's face filling with desperation and his feet fighting the hazy mist that surrounded them. The rain flickered down the blades of the trembling daggers and through the strategist's steady breathing.

Zhou Yu watched the clouds and listened. The battle seemed to be everywhere – had they really cleared the northern bank? Where did the hammering crossbow sound come from? Who was crying in pain? He had lost track of himself and everything else under the steady hand of war. There were bodies all around, troops scattered through the shadows – it would almost be easier to fight blind. Every lingering motion in the fog looked like an enemy, every jagged slap of rain a rogue arrow; his mind became still under the influence of familiar sound. In these conditions, all he could do was listen – sight only distracted him.

A slick sliding alerted him to the movement of his adversary's feet, and Zhou Yu's eyes left their surveillance of the battle field to catch the man's heated glare. The chest beneath that taut, drenched armor heaved and rocked unsteadily with mounting desperation. The thin lips trembled and twisted into a ferocious scowl under the persistence of Zhou Yu's silence. The strategist tried to still his blood, urging his mind to focus. The officer was losing patience, and faith – any moment now, he would collapse.

"Get back!" The distance between them shortened as the enemy general staggered forward a step and raised both blades defiantly. Zhou Yu didn't move. The man's left foot was forward and unbalanced – he was planning a charge. Crazed light from the lost sun flickered in the adversary's eyes as he wiped sweat from his forehead with a bloody palm. "I'm not afraid to kill you!"

Zhou Yu released a slow breath, feeling the air skirt over his teeth and tongue before meeting the foggy atmosphere. He watched the man's composure crumple and shatter under the weight of war, water, and fear. Rain slashed through the officer's eyes as he dove forward, blades outstretched in uncertain hands. A fierce battle cry tore itself from his throat and matched the speed of the daggers as they hurtled toward the crimson strategist. Zhou Yu blocked and pivoted easily, leaving his enemy to stagger on through the mud and almost trip; the dark swordsman turned on his heel and braced for another attack as the general tried to regain his stance.

A hopeless laugh shrieked from the officer's mouth and Zhou Yu felt himself wincing at the haunting noise. One shining dagger shot from the general's hand; Zhou Yu barely dodged the missile, turning in time to watch the weapon collide with sunken soil several paces back. Thunderous steps brought Zhou Yu's attention back forward as his adversary charged, waving the remaining dagger heedlessly with his eyes bright and blind.

Zhou Yu bit down on his lip and threw himself into the attack, narrowly ducking the mindless swings to drive the hilt of his sword into the man's stomach. The enemy general toppled backward into the muck, gasping for breath as force robbed his lungs of power – but Zhou Yu's blade refused to hesitate, and he swung down in a harsh arc, driving the weapon into the officer's neck. His dark eyes watched flesh and bone torn apart beneath the curving edge of the sword as blood shot all directions and coated his boots in unforgiving lather. The man had no time for last words – Zhou Yu pressed his lips together in soundless finale as the severed head slipped away and settled into soft footprints, eyes and mouth locked in eternal emptiness.

Zhou Yu didn't move. His eyes passed over the motionless torso in the mud and the stains all around him; labored, even breaths made their way past clenched teeth and dry mouth into his armored chest as Zhou Yu wiped his sword across one torn sleeve and straightened. The body lay silent at his feet and Zhou Yu closed his eyes for a moment, letting the rain smooth focused wrinkles from his forehead. The storm had worsened again; rain pelted his exposed skin without mercy, digging at the creases in the rough armor and chilling his hardened fingers. The broken corpse soaked under the sky's tears and Zhou Yu wondered how long the young man had been a soldier, and what he had left behind.

The pounding of approaching hooves shook Zhou Yu from his contemplation of the dead. The young strategist turned and squinted at the rushing figure headed his direction, eyes straining to recognize features – and then his face relaxed as Sun Ce's expression freed itself from the gloomy fog and shone like a beacon under his amber eyes. "Hey!" The young officer waved in greeting and Zhou Yu stepped back from his adversary, letting the mud reach up and swallow the body. Finally – Sun Ce had managed to work his way back from the forest. Zhou Yu wondered at the plentiful bruises darkening his companion's hands and face, but he said nothing.

Sun Ce's horse stopped uneasily and shied away from the warm corpse, and the Sun lord peered curiously down at the slaughtered enemy. "You really got this one," the young man observed, raising one hand to wipe at a streak of mud across his chin. Zhou Yu's eyes flitted back to the torn general as Sun Ce glanced around.

"Flank commander." Zhou Yu's voice sounded low and mirthless even to his own ears; the mud seemed to drain all his energy away. "We've secured this side of the hills – Lu Kang's forces are retreating. A few squads have gone on ahead, but I wasn't able to follow them… I'm not sure how far the front lines are from here." There was a long cut running from one end of Sun Ce's wrist to the other, and blood in his long, swishing ponytail – but no time to mention them before he spoke.

"We cleared the forest by the main camp – Lu Meng went and got himself injured in a charge. Arrow through the shoulder, but it doesn't look like it's pierced the bone. The doctor says he'll be okay." Sun Ce's eyes moved restlessly around the battle field and watched the shadows with a mixture of excitement and thoughtfulness. "And I heard we've taken the north bank as well."

Zhou Yu nodded. "We've received word that an ambush may be waiting up ahead – but if we can get past that, I'd like to move camp. We need to get out of the flood plain." His eyes darted upward and met the sodden clouds in a calculating stare. "…Conditions are only getting worse."

Sun Ce nodded to himself and the horse danced in place, wary of the muck licking its heels. "Agreed. You go back and check on Meng; get everyone ready to move. I'll go ahead and take out that ambush."

Zhou Yu felt his eyes widen and he took an involuntary step forward. "What? Ce, you can't be serious. They're waiting for you – and we haven't even cleared the secondary valley. You can't rush into an attack like that."

Sun Ce shrugged. "You said a few companies are already moving west. We can manage." Zhou Yu ground his teeth together and felt his hand clenching into a fist. Time had done nothing to diffuse Sun Ce's general recklessness, but this was taking stupidity too far. The strategist kept his voice level with an effort and stepped closer to his lord's horse.

"A few companies won't be enough, Ce. You need the full force of the army behind you. Come back with me to the main camp and we'll organize an assault." Sun Ce frowned and crossed his arms defiantly.

"I'm not leaving those men all alone out there! They can't handle an ambush by themselves—"

"And neither can you," Zhou Yu interrupted angrily. But Sun Ce shook his head and shot his strategist a smile, tugging the reins to draw his horse back toward the west.

"Better than they can. I'll meet up with you in a few hours." He made to leave, but Zhou Yu grabbed the edge of his sleeve and pulled back hard, argument making his motions rough. Sun Ce's surprised gaze found Zhou Yu's disapproving one and held it steadily.

"You're not charging in there alone," Zhou Yu asserted firmly. "I'll come with you."

Sun Ce shook his arm free and rolled his eyes. "Look, it'll be fine. You don't even have a horse. And everyone's panicking back at camp – I need you to get them under control or they'll start causing trouble. Besides, I can handle it. They're retreating, right? If we let them regroup, we'll suffer for it tomorrow. We need to attack now, while they're vulnerable." Zhou Yu's fingers snatched for the cloth armor covering his companion, but Sun Ce dodged and kicked his horse into motion, letting the fog lap around him in waves as he wheeled away. Zhou Yu tried to follow, but the mud swallowed his bloodstained boots and held him motionless as the horse ran, struggling through the rain-washed soil and carrying Sun Ce into the shadows.

Zhou Yu felt the shout welling up in his throat and couldn't stop it. "Ce! Ce, stop! Sun Ce!" The panicked, infuriated syllables dove and whipped through the close air, but Sun Ce only spared a smile before his form disappeared altogether into the gloom. Zhou Yu felt his heart contract in worry and then spun on his heel, finding the eyes of every soldier around him before opening his mouth again. "Follow him!" The order was echoed by the feet of many soldiers as every squad under Zhou Yu's control moved forward into the valley. Zhou Yu closed his eyes as anger and concern choked him. "Stay with him!" The soldiers moved on every side as the strategist began to run, aiming for the main camp through the fog that cloaked the river valley.

"You idiot," he spat under his breath, moving as fast as he could toward the invisible outpost. Charging into an ambush heedlessly and blindly… just like his father.

.x.

The sea of camp activity parted to make way for Zhou Yu's pounding, angry footsteps as the strategist stepped between tents and wounded soldiers, mud lingering around his heels and unchecked annoyance in his eyes. Zhou Yu could only imagine the look on his face – whatever version of scowl had gripped his countenance drove every man in sight back a few feet under the force of a thoughtful glare. Only the rain dared touch him as the strategist threw open the door to their command tent and ducked his head into its gloomy, damp interior.

"Damn it, Meng." The words slipped out before he could stop them, drawing a surprised look from the silent warrior resting on sodden bedclothes and matted in mud. Zhou Yu met Lu Meng's uncertain stare for a long moment before the young warrior looked away, unable to quite match the fury in his commanding officer's dark eyes. Zhou Yu swallowed hard and forced his voice to still despite the raging irritation coursing through him. If Lu Meng hadn't been injured, he could have organized the camp himself, leaving Zhou Yu free to chase Sun Ce down another ill-advised path… the strategist took a deep breath and closed his eyes against a building headache.

But though he would have liked to throw blame at the slumped figure, it wasn't actually Lu Meng's fault. No doubt the sour young man hadn't been trying to get himself shot – and by the look of the heavy bandaging covering his barren shoulder, Lu Meng wasn't in any better a mood than the swordsman. The only person at fault here was Sun Ce – Sun Ce who couldn't keep hold of his thoughts long enough to wait for reinforcements. Sun Ce who insisted on charging off like a blithering idiot into danger no matter how many warnings he received. Sun Ce who was still somewhere on the soggy battle field and probably enjoying the challenge of a prepared ambush. Lu Meng winced as Zhou Yu's eyes sparked open with renewed fury. The strategist released a heavy sigh and clenched his fists. Sun Ce who was going to get a severe lecture when he got back.

"Zhou Yu…?" Lu Meng's voice broke the strategist's silent seething and drew that dark gaze back to his straggled face. The silence hung in awkward suspension as the unsaid question lingered between them; Zhou Yu sighed and rubbed at his temple.

"How are you feeling?" The query sounded insincere even to his own ears, raking over his teeth as it escaped, but Lu Meng just rolled his eyes in answer and rubbed the injury.

"Never better." Sarcasm sluiced from the words and tumbled into the mud around them as a frown covered the warrior's face. Zhou Yu was decidedly disinterested in distributing sympathy, however, so he chose to accept the statement at face value and spun back out the door, slamming the wet cloth shut behind him. His hand rested a moment on the flap in flickering tension, and his eyes stared unseeing into the conquered wood before him. Sun Ce…

I can handle it. The remembered words ground Zhou Yu's teeth together as his fingernails dug into the fabric. That cocky, self-assured voice promising invincibility. How long before one of Sun Ce's stunts got him killed? He could handle it, could he? As well as his father had? Zhou Yu shook his head violently to disperse the image of Sun Jian gathering between his eyes. Only tragedy could come of rushing off alone.

Zhou Yu cut his musings short with a terse sigh and straightened. There was nothing to do for now. Furious thoughts and words would have to wait for Sun Ce's return – until then, the soldiers needed to dismantle their camp and prepare to march. Whether Sun Ce and his troops could conquer their enemies' ambush or not, the camp needed to be moved. The rain had not lessened all day – surely the Yangzi was teasing its banks already. In this position, a flood would destroy them more completely than Lu Kang ever could.

Zhou Yu strode forward into the mess of movement and stiffened, letting the anger and concern in his veins pull him straighter. Soldiers surrounding him stopped to listen, anticipating orders before he even began to speak. "Prepare to move." Zhou Yu's voice broke in a sharp bark and scattered throughout the motley camp, reaching even sleeping ears with its harsh intensity. "We're heading west."

Motion sprung up around him as soldiers fell to their knees and began dismantling tents faster than usual, their numb fingers struggling at the taut ropes in unspoken acknowledgement. Zhou Yu watched silently for a moment before moving to locate the river scouts. The men in Sun Ce's army would never have as much love and respect for their strategist as their leader – but each and every one of them had learned not to cross Zhou Yu when he looked angry enough to kill anything that moved.

Zhou Yu shot a backward glance over his shoulder at the swiftly working troops as he ascended the nearby rise, grabbing at wet branches and weeds to keep his balance on the clumped, sliding soil. The hill was not large enough to use as a site for the main camp, but it had provided excellent scouting stations so that chosen soldiers could watch the whirling waters for any sign of overflow. Zhou Yu struggled up the unsteady incline and hesitated a few feet from the top as his foot slipped, staying precariously still against the force of gravity and mud. The strategist clenched his jaw and glared down at his soaked, disgusting surroundings. It was hard to like the rain in conditions like this.

"Need a hand, sir?" The steady voice spoke from somewhere above him, and Zhou Yu's gaze returned to the crest of the rise to see a few scouts peering over the edge. One man extended a hand and Zhou Yu took it, gripping the dirty fingers in firm necessity as he managed to traverse the remaining distance. The soldier held on until his lord reached the top of the hill, dropping his hand to give a short bow. Zhou Yu half-heartedly echoed the motion, gaze stolen by the rollicking river still a fair way north. Even from this distance, Zhou Yu could see the brown water licking the shores and venturing into the trees at its side.

"The water level's been rising all day." The man who had assisted Zhou Yu came to stand beside his lord and nodded, a motion echoed by the two soldiers behind him. "We didn't send word because it hasn't really gotten out of the banks yet, but we'll be lucky to get another day before it gets out of control." Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest and doused his eyes in the impenetrable waters. The soldier was right – it was time to move.

"We're leaving now. Get down to camp." The soldiers started in surprise, but Zhou Yu's quick steps back toward the edge halted their questions and drew them in a silent procession down the side of the hill. Zhou Yu let his feet carry him in a light jog, using gravity to his advantage and stepping carefully between the sulking plants in an effort to descend as quickly as possible. Ahead, the camp had already been dismantled – limp tents and piles of weaponry were strewn throughout the area as soldiers wound into formation and prepared to set off through the foggy afternoon.

Zhou Yu frowned. A few companies were already moving into the gloom as though at some unseen command; the strategist felt annoyed creases lining his forehead. Why were they moving without instruction? There was no knowing whether the path ahead had been cleared or not. The heavily-laden troops could be marching into slaughter without the slightest warning. Zhou Yu increased his pace and hurried into camp, hearing the fast footsteps of his scouts behind him.

The strategist found one of his lieutenants directing flank formation at the front of the encampment, and Zhou Yu hastened to his side before another company could be released. "Who ordered the march?" Zhou Yu's voice preceded his soggy boots over the trying ground, and the officer looked up to meet his displeased eyes with a surprised expression.

"One of Lord Sun Ce's scouts returned and announced that they've conquered the opposing squadrons," the man replied simply, tongue slipping into formal language by force of training. "He ordered a full advance." Zhou Yu growled under his breath at the mention of his companion's name and the lieutenant blinked, but the strategist waved a dismissive hand and turned on heel before his scowl could unnerve the waiting soldiers.

"March, then." Acidity bittered his tongue as he stalked back into camp and listened to the protesting feet of the muddied soldiers. His face twisted in an unpleasant expression as he glanced around at the waiting squads and the dark scars of tool marks in the ground. Sun Ce. He was still fighting, then – or had he moved his troops onto the night's campground and begun preparation? How had he dealt with the ambush? Had Zhou Yu's soldiers caught up in time to be of any help? Or had Sun Ce jumped straight into the waiting enemy alone, twisting and countering like some errant and idiotic god of war? The questions would have to wait – for the moment, there were more pressing problems to deal with.

Like the one staggering gruffly toward him now. Lu Meng clutched his discarded armor in one hand and his spear in the other as he made his slow way toward the strategist. The young warrior was wincing heavily, but he was walking nonetheless, putting one tired foot in front of the other until he reached Zhou Yu's side. The swordsman dropped one hand onto his hip and waited for his subordinate to speak, lips settled in a grim line.

Lu Meng sighed in aggravation. "They took the damn tent down," he complained hoarsely. Zhou Yu felt his mouth turn up into a smirk, but the momentary mirth disintegrated almost before it had arrived. "How am I supposed to get any rest with us moving camp?" Zhou Yu snorted under his breath and looked the warrior over silently. He was more than accustomed to Lu Meng's griping, but for once the man seemed to have a legitimate reason. "Am I expected to trudge along with everybody else?"

Zhou Yu frowned. Morale was crucial to an army – and to see one of their best generals parading around in bandages could only dampen the soldiers' spirits more than the storm already had. Not to mention the simple impossibility of carrying Lu Meng in a medical stretcher all the way to the next site. And judging from the labored breaths passing Lu Meng's lips, the warrior couldn't walk that far, either. Zhou Yu thought a moment longer and then reached for the armor in his sour companion's hand. It only took a few motions to get the thick shoulder guard back over Lu Meng's swollen arms and drop his war cloak around them. The warrior blinked a little as Zhou Yu positioned a helmet roughly onto his head to complete the misleading attire.

"You'll have to take a horse," the strategist explained, voice lowered. "Ride ahead of the companies – and when you reach the camp, lie back down immediately." Lu Meng shifted a little uncomfortably and frowned beneath the bamboo headpiece.

"Look, Zhou Yu – we don't have enough troops as is. You need me in the battle. It will probably heal on its own… eventually. I can't just lie around." Zhou Yu crossed his arms and sighed. Despite the four years they'd known each other, sometimes the strategist couldn't help remembering Lu Meng as he had been at fifteen – still sour and blunt, but more childish about it. The warrior didn't even look convinced of his own words as he struggled to maintain a strong posture. Zhou Yu rubbed at his temple in distraction and annoyance.

"No, I just need you to look like you could go to battle. You can hold the main camp tomorrow while we fight. Your wound isn't serious, but it may become aggravated if you move too much." Zhou Yu motioned for a horse and watched as Lu Meng grudgingly pulled himself into the saddle, resisting a nearby soldier's offer of help even as he lurched and clutched at the reins. The strategist gazed around the faded landscape and through the mist of late afternoon as the rain ploughed against his skin, sending unwanted shivers down his back and beads of water into his eyes.

Lu Meng huffed and sat rigidly in the saddle, nodding to Zhou Yu in parting before turning to follow the stream of marching soldiers into the gloom. A sudden thought struck the strategist, and he strode after the retreating warrior before finding his voice.

"Lu Meng!" The man in question paused and glanced back, catching Zhou Yu's renewed gaze as the swordsman's eyes narrowed. "One last thing."

Lu Meng's eyebrow lifted in question even as his lips moved. "What is it?"

"When you get to camp…" Zhou Yu ground the fingernails into the skin of his palm. "Tell Sun Ce I want to talk to him." He could feel the thin light of the rainstorm echoing in his dark eyes as Lu Meng turned to leave again. One pale hand rose and flicked the sodden bangs back off of Zhou Yu's forehead as he scowled. It was time he and Sun Ce had a serious discussion about this battle strategy, and he refused to be avoided.

End Chapter 25

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It's been a very long time since a chapter of this was posted. Sorry guys – winter break got crazy. Anyway, here's this one – it's a two-part thing, and the second part should be up in a few days or so… depends on how tomorrow's work schedule goes. As for the content of the next chapter: it's that time again. Time for Zhou Yu and Sun Ce to have an enormous argument. Anyway – as always your comments are appreciated, so please let me know what you thought.

A note for No Specified Identity: I haven't heard the song 'My Immortal', but I'll take your word for it. Zhou Yu grieves in the way I can see most realistic for his character – not for an extremely close friend, but for a father-like figure. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter as well.

A note for Jen: Always pleasant to hear from you. I did try to balance the more morose aspects of the New Year's holiday with Sun Ce's eternal spark of life… glad to hear you enjoyed it. Finals were fine, and break as well – thank you for asking.

A note for Xing Wu: My apologies for making you cry yet again. I hope this chapter wasn't as emotionally taxing as the last. Please send me any comments you may have.

A note for Emma: I'm glad you like Sun Ce. It is his character that I struggle so much to keep realistic, because he differs so much from myself… thank you for the message of success. Quan and Meng are entertaining characters to write (even though Quan is getting older, sadly), and Meng's real role in the story is just beginning. Lady Wu's character is slowly moving farther out of the spotlight… and as to your question, I hadn't really planned to do anything with Yuan Shu, but I suppose it's a possibility.

A note for EverKitsune: Thank you for all three reviews. I'm sure Sun Jian would be heartened by your message… and no doubt Sun Ce and Zhou Yu will happily accept your prayers. I suppose I can't stop you from having the Wall. I recommend that you not buy any translation of ROTK done before about 2000, because they're done in the Wade-Giles Romanization of the names and it's very confusing. Thank you for all your kind sentiments.

A note for Argetshur'tugal1: I'm pleased to hear you were emotionally touched by Sun Jian's death. Thank you for your reassuring comments. I hope this chapter was also enjoyable for you.

A note for Sage Serenity: Welcome back. The idea about star constellations and friendship just kind of popped up when I was thinking about Huang Gai and Sun Jian's relationship. Sadly, Zhou Yu is not the kind of person to engage in idle wishing, so we'll never know if he and Sun Ce might have gained more time by wishing for forever. Thank you for your book recommendation – I'll look into it. As for your question: I have not written any novels as of yet. Publishing this story would be extremely difficult because of copyright liability, but I do have sketches for a few original novels, and perhaps if I ever get them written I will contact you. Thanks for the unending support.


	26. Chapter 26

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 25 

The darkness of night haunted through the tent door and settled unrepentantly onto the rugs drawn around Zhou Yu's feet, sucking all color and shade out of the thick cloth in one tremendous breath that sounded almost satisfied to the strategist's cold, displeased ears. The rain was still coming down as angrily as ever – it splashed through the tired mud and threatened to flicker past the partially-drawn flap, but the ground was no longer hard and absorbed each drop without a second thought, dragging the sky's infernal torrent down into itself and swallowing without remorse.

Everywhere around him, Zhou Yu could hear soldiers moving and shifting in their wet encampment; water was trickling down the sides of the tents and each sentry's face as the wind began to churn, lifting chilled air into its arms and throwing it throughout the camp with a devilish howl. Zhou Yu could almost sense the soldiers burrowing into their sleeping mats, their thin blankets and harsh armor for a little warmth against the storm's brutal tirade. Even Heaven was furious. But no one could be as furious as the dark-haired swordsman watching his thin candle flicker with each gust, eyes trained on the tent flap in unblinking scrutiny.

Sun Ce was avoiding him. He couldn't actually prove it, but the young officer leaving to lead a raid scant minutes after Lu Meng arrived in camp seemed a little too convenient to be a coincidence. Zhou Yu had followed after the main brigade, and reached the new campsite near dusk to find the encampment completely constructed and conspicuously lacking a leader. Lu Meng had managed to find a spare tent and lay down again, and last Zhou Yu knew he was sleeping uncomfortably on his left side – which was all well and good. Lu Meng needed whatever rest he could secure between the dismal conditions and the threat of fighting, and the strategist could certainly handle running the camp by himself. But that didn't change the fact that Sun Ce had disappeared, and that Zhou Yu's irritated words were still trapped beneath his tongue.

He shifted silently, letting blood resume flow to his tingling legs. The rain pounded above him and shuddered against the tent's surface. The angry shao shao of the damp wind echoed the slow, deliberate beating of his heart and the flickering behind his eyes. Sun Ce… he'd been gone for hours. Had they really found a pocket of resisting troops nestled against the hills ahead? Or had Sun Ce just led his squadron off into the mist to avoid the irate strategist waiting for him? That would have been irresponsible…

But then, that's what the whole argument was about anyway. Sun Ce's irresponsible behavior. Zhou Yu sighed and rubbed one hand against his dark eyes, listening to the brutal, simple pattern of the rain around him. And now it must be nearing midnight. Sleep beckoned Zhou Yu to lie down and rest for a while, to wait for Sun Ce's return in the comfortable cover of dreams… the dark swordsman battled his fatigue for a long moment before dropping back onto the damp sleeping mat. He had fought all day – and would fight all day tomorrow, as well. A few minutes of rest were essential.

A few minutes turned into a few hours as Zhou Yu lay between the thick hemp blanket and the bamboo mat, shallow breathing the only accompaniment for the spitting rain. The young strategist rolled and twisted, but even foggy his mind refused to slow down, and his eyes remained stubbornly open against the piercing night air. Every attempt at rest was in vain, he knew; he never went to sleep without Sun Ce – not on campaigns. There was a part of his mind that could not shut down until the Sun lord was safely back in camp and lying beside him. The part of his mind that always whispered insidiously in the strategist's ear and fueled his anger at the young officer's reckless behavior. The part that asked, What if he doesn't come back?

Zhou Yu scowled into the thick darkness and sat up, bracing against the ground with two cold palms and banishing the unwelcome thoughts. Sleeping was hopeless – he might as well check in with the scouts assigned to watch the river's movement. As soon as he'd arrived in camp, Zhou Yu had sent three soldiers to the high nearby ridges; and though they had promised to send word at the first sign of trouble, the strategist considered finding them now.

Their news could only be disheartening – it seemed nearly inevitable that the Yangzi would spill over and run wild through the surrounding wilderness before too much longer. Base camp was safely out of the flood plain now – the first squadrons had checked water marks on trees and rocks to determine the area's risk factor, with Lu Meng himself lending a hand. Still, Zhou Yu would feel more comfortable if he knew how close to danger the rain had brought them – they'd need to be sure not to send any scouting parties out while the river threatened to overflow.

With a sigh of concern, Zhou Yu struggled free of the chilled blanket and stood, running pale fingers through his hair and donning an extra level of armor before bracing himself at the tent door. The wind still thundered around him, and the rain was visibly streaking to the ground as he glanced out of the secured flap – but there was nothing to be done about the weather. It would be even worse for the battle the next day, he knew: progress would be dismal at best. Zhou Yu wondered momentarily whether it was really worth venturing out into the abysmal conditions to consult his scouts, but a few shouts from the edge of the camp distracted him. Soldiers' voices, solid and strong, demanded answers of the unseen riders – and then Zhou Yu's heart leapt into his throat, and he shot through the door without a second thought as a clear, golden laugh shattered the night air.

The camp was instantly in motion, brought to life despite the tiring rain by their leader's return. Zhou Yu dodged between rushing infantrymen and the dark tents until he could see Sun Ce's returning party, and his eyes dashed across the young lord in worried assessment. Sun Ce was bleeding lightly from the forehead, but that didn't look serious – and other than the slightly odd angle of his knee, he appeared to be all right. The officer stumbled a little as he swung down from his horse, and a steadying hand to his shoulder made him wince, but his bright smile triumphed over the momentary twinge and washed concern from the faces of his observers. All but one, anyway.

Zhou Yu took an involuntary step forward as Sun Ce laughed and rubbed the back of his head. He was smiling, but Zhou Yu could read the steel line of bitter pain riding under that concealing expression. Sun Ce's amber eyes flashed and sparkled triumphantly as he staggered into the crowd, face awash with the same cocky assurance that had set Zhou Yu's teeth on edge so many hours ago. That idiot… I can handle it. What had happened to him, anyway? Why was he limping? Zhou Yu crossed his arms and felt a glare settling into his obsidian eyes. Somehow, his annoyance at Sun Ce's rash decisions hadn't dissipated in the hours they'd been apart.

The young officer opened his mouth to exchange a joke with his company, but any words for the soldiers vanished as he caught sight of his strategist and sent a blinding grin in that direction. One bruised arm came up to wave in greeting, purple medals turning black in the thin torchlight. "Hey, Yu! Give me a hand here?" He was still smiling, but an undertone of urgency caught the swordsman's attention. Sun Ce was standing without support, but for how long?

Anger and seething words made Zhou Yu hesitate for a moment before he shook them off and stalked over to the pleased officer, mud dripping around his hastily donned boots. Their argument could wait until Sun Ce was inside, and bandaged… and out of harm's way. The Sun lord slung an arm over Zhou Yu's shoulder when the swordsman came close enough, and the strategist could hear labored breathing fighting against his ear as Sun Ce collapsed into him, letting the taller man bear his weight.

Zhou Yu blinked. Perhaps Sun Ce was more injured than he had previously suspected – the burden pressing down onto the strategist's shoulders surprised him. Zhou Yu took hold of Sun Ce's waist and began walking, helping the smiling officer along with as much dignity as he could manage. Sun Ce laughed and reassured the soldiers they passed, but now Zhou Yu could hear a hiss of pain under his words, and he was only too glad to reach their tent. Sun Ce crumpled onto the stool and closed his eyes in relief as Zhou Yu secured the flap, shutting out the rain and the curious eyes of the army.

"Finally…" The grateful whisper caught Zhou Yu off guard as he turned back to his companion, watching the harsh breaths drawn in and out of fatigued lungs as Sun Ce's fingers clung to the rugged wooden perch. Zhou Yu could see beads of sweat and rain mixing with the open wound on his forehead and running in a long, thin line down his cheek. Sun Ce's eyes came open again and he gave the brooding strategist a small smile. "Long day."

Zhou Yu's words tumbled over themselves and fought for freedom. It was the officer's own fault for having a long day – no one had asked him to rush headlong into an ambush, or to lead a raiding party, or whatever he'd been up to in the last few hours… no one had asked him to fight from dawn to midnight. And as much as Zhou Yu wanted to say so, he kept his teeth tightly clenched and reached for the roll of bandages instead, dropping into a crouch on the cold, damp ground so he could meet Sun Ce's eyes. They would get to that. He just needed to get Sun Ce bandaged first – bandaged, clean, and warm.

The young officer blinked a little and then grinned as Zhou Yu used his drenched sleeve to wipe the blood from his companion's forehead; he wrapped several long cotton strips over the wound, tucking each end carefully under the sodden ponytail. The light bandages almost seemed to glow in contrast to the Sun lord's hair, chestnut in the sun but nearly black now. Zhou Yu wondered how much of its color came from the blood and dirt no doubt imbedded throughout the cascading strands. As Zhou Yu finished and dropped the roll of bandages carefully onto his forgotten blankets, Sun Ce chuckled.

"It's just like that other time."

Zhou Yu blinked, glancing up to meet his companion's amused gaze. "What other time?"

Sun Ce sighed and rolled his neck in a circle, wincing at the sharp cracks coming from his tense muscles. "When we had our first real fight. Remember? Under our really old trainer – what was his name again?"

Zhou Yu hesitated. "Liang Pen." Sun Ce smiled.

"Yeah. That's the one. And you got me in the head, remember?" He reached up and tapped one temple in illustration. "And then you bandaged it for me." Zhou Yu felt the smirk tugging at his lips, but the darkness between them hid his expression. "That was the first time I ever beat you." The strategist frowned, and Sun Ce laughed at the grunt of disapproval that escaped his stoic comrade. "Seems like forever ago." The teasing tone was back in Sun Ce's voice – the one Zhou Yu had heard so often for so many years. "Now I can beat you hands down, any day of the week."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the familiar banter, but was not in the mood to be amused; the lines of laughter barely touched his face before wisping away. He bent to remove Sun Ce's boot and yanked harder than necessary, drawing a hiss of pain from the young officer's lips.

"Hey, watch it," Sun Ce chastised, voice tinged in hurt. Zhou Yu looked up into his unhappy amber eyes and guilt at his lack of caution stabbed through his stomach; his grip on the boot relaxed as he sighed.

"I'm sorry."

But Sun Ce didn't hold grudges and the smile was back on his face in a moment, chasing away the discomfort that had marred his countenance. "No real harm done."

Zhou Yu lifted Sun Ce's foot carefully out of the leather boot and lay the soaking shoe aside, wincing at the long cut that showed so clearly against the young lord's flesh. It ran the length of his arch, jarring against the strangely pale skin and icy calluses of Sun Ce's hardened sole. Zhou Yu ran a tentative finger along the wound, pressing his lips into a thin line as Sun Ce flinched. This explained why the officer had been limping.

"How did you get this?" Zhou Yu wondered if Sun Ce could even hear his words over the continuous rain assaulting the tent; his voice had fallen into whisper somewhere between intent and the edge of his lips. The young officer flexed his ankle experimentally and sighed; Zhou Yu bandaged the awkward injury as best he could.

"When we were off on our raid… we ran into this scouting party of Lu Kang's. They kind of surprised us, so I just jumped out of the saddle – but I lost my boot on the way down. I didn't notice it until we'd finished them off, honestly – I guess I must have stepped on something."

The raid… Zhou Yu kept his mouth shut with firm effort and closed his eyes for a moment to hold in the tirade. They'd been attacked by surprise? How much trouble might they have encountered if their enemies had been but slightly better fighters? What if Sun Ce had lost his helmet instead of his boot? But slowly he shoved the words back down his throat, listening to Sun Ce's steady breathing as his hands moved over the cold skin, drawing the bandages after them in an effortless weave.

Another sigh fled the young lord's lips, drifting down over his companion like the cold rain outside. Zhou Yu continued knotting the bandages at the back of Sun Ce's heel and then cautiously slipped the swollen foot back into its boot for protection. One hand came up to rest on the officer's knee, halting beside the heavy bamboo guard in contemplation. This armor… the armor Sun Jian had bought for them all those years ago. The strategist wondered if the Tiger of Jiang Dong had known just how long his present would last. Thoughts of Sun Ce's father brought anger and the pending discussion back to his mind, but he shook them away. There would be time. Any minute now…

Zhou Yu started in surprise as two cold arms circled his neck and drew him closer, knotting into the damp hair scattered carelessly across his back. Sun Ce leaned forward and dropped his forehead against Zhou Yu's shoulder, letting out a thick breath as his bandaged skin found the strategist's sodden clothing. Zhou Yu blinked and closed his eyes, letting the shivers course through Sun Ce and into him. One hand came up to secure a loose hold around the Sun lord's back, and Zhou Yu waited in the silence before finally speaking.

"Ce…?"

Sun Ce chuckled and shook his head, winding his fingers through the dark hair and tucking his face into the hollow of Zhou Yu's neck. "Just for a minute, okay?" The strategist felt a deep breath lodge in his lungs as he wrapped his arms more tightly around the reckless young officer, offering warmth he did not have.

"…Okay."

Zhou Yu felt himself hesitate as Sun Ce sighed, breathing into the drenched, pale skin with tangible fatigue. The angry words the strategist had harbored all day clamored and demanded release – he had to tell Sun Ce what he'd done wrong, or the officer would just do it again. He had to make a point; to put a stop to this destructive battle strategy before it really did get someone killed. But now was not the time – Zhou Yu knew he couldn't have spoken a single one of the harsh words that stewed in his mind. Not when Sun Ce was hanging on to him like this, shaking with exhaustion and cold.

Zhou Yu moved his hands in steadying circles, easing tension from his companion's back and shoulders with the rhythmic motions. Sun Ce's position didn't look very comfortable, bent nearly double to get his arms around his strategist, but if the young officer didn't care, Zhou Yu would let it go.

"I'm so tired." Zhou Yu didn't answer, but he didn't pull away either, letting Sun Ce's weary hands flop uselessly against his back. The young lord laughed again, a full if quiet sound that almost seemed more powerful than the rain. Zhou Yu sighed and lifted his fingers the brush through the soaking mess of Sun Ce's ponytail.

"Go to sleep." Their discussion could wait until morning, if it had to. Sun Ce sighed and shook his head again, and Zhou Yu felt the wet chestnut bangs tickling his collarbone.

"I can't. I don't want to. There's so much left to do tonight." Zhou Yu snorted softly and pulled back, leaving Sun Ce with a disgruntled expression. The strategist reached up and fingered his bandaged wound carefully before rising to his feet and finding the officer's hand. He felt Sun Ce's fingers winding between his own as he tugged lightly, encouraging his companion to stand.

"Don't be ridiculous, Ce. You look like you're about to collapse." Sun Ce gave him a weak grin in response and cocked his head to the side in mock insult.

"Who, me? Never! This is nothing. I could go on like this for days." A wide yawn interrupted him halfway through the admission, and Zhou Yu smirked. The Sun lord frowned up at his strategist and pulled the other man forward until he could grasp both hands. "I said I don't want to go to sleep. I can't sleep on campaigns anyway." Zhou Yu looked down into the amber eyes, unmoved by his companion's stubbornness. Before he could respond, however, Sun Ce stood up and stretched. "So…" Zhou Yu watched the tense shoulders shifting with fatigue. Sun Ce caught his eye and smiled a little. "Let's talk about tomorrow. What's our angle of approach?"

Zhou Yu hesitated, his thoughts focused on the raging river not far below them. The condition of the Yangzi even early in the evening had been dangerous; it couldn't be long now before the dams collapsed and the muddy water rushed forth unchecked. Zhou Yu considered a moment longer and then shook his head, eyes lost in contemplation. "We can't attack tomorrow." Sun Ce frowned.

"Why not? We have Lu Kang on the defensive now – we should go at him while he's trying to recover." Zhou Yu shook his head more firmly and met Sun Ce's eyes, determination written across his face.

"It's too dangerous. The river could run over at any time now. We can't risk being caught in the flood plain when it overflows." Sun Ce dropped both hands onto his hips, weariness forgotten in the debate; Zhou Yu straightened despite the cold shivers still running down his spine and met his lord's stare evenly. The young officer chewed on his lip and ran quick fingers through his hair, holding his ground despite the strategist's firm tone.

"Look – this is our best chance. They lost a lot of ground today, and a lot of troops, too. We have to take advantage of that weakness. If we leave them alone tomorrow, they'll be back in shape before we can hit them. As long as we move the entire army in a frontal assault, we should be able to take them out before the river becomes a problem." Zhou Yu scowled and matched his lord's intense gaze, keeping his tone even with effort.

"We can't do that, Ce. If we get caught down in the valley when the river overflows, we could lose the entire army. There's nowhere to run once you're in between the peaks. We'd be completely demolished." Sun Ce frowned severely and Zhou Yu clenched his jaw in resolve. "If the rain keeps up like this, we can expect the river to flood very soon. And once it does, we'll be able to advance across exposed land without any danger. We just have to wait until then to move." Sun Ce's displeased look remained fiercely prominent on his face, and Zhou Yu sighed. Trust Sun Ce to ignore natural disasters.

"We can't just sit around all day!" The Sun lord gestured vaguely to the camp surrounding them and tapped his foot. Zhou Yu crossed his arms and glared.

"Yes, we can." The biting tone caught Sun Ce's attention, and the officer blinked at his annoyed strategist. Zhou Yu scowled and reached up to rub his temple. "The soldiers need a day of rest after everything we've done so far – and you're not much better than Lu Meng at this point." Sun Ce's eyes widened in surprise before disagreement suffused his features instead.

"What?" Zhou Yu braced his feet into the damp earth and waited. He could already see where this argument was heading – there was no point in denying it. All of the words that had been waiting hours to pour from his lips gathered and hissed in his mouth, but Zhou Yu kept quiet and let Sun Ce continue. The officer was angry now, waving dismissively with irritated fingers. "I'm fine! It's just a few bruises. I've had worse after a day of training." Zhou Yu scoffed.

"You can hardly stand." The words that had been gentle mere minutes before turned harsh on his tongue, and he spit them into the damp air with only passing reservation. Sun Ce opened his mouth to yell, but Zhou Yu was quicker, and he stopped the officer's protests before they could begin. "And yourself aside. Think of the soldiers. They've been marching for two weeks, with constant fighting – even Lu Meng is down. The only men not exhausted are those who held our main camp today. Everyone needs a little time to recuperate. Let the river flood – and once it does, we'll move in on Lu Kang's forces."

Sun Ce looked like he wanted to argue, but his eyes flickered with uncertainty at the mention of the soldiers. Zhou Yu waited silently. Sun Ce might not be happy about the prospect of sitting around in the encampment, but he was nothing if not a good leader – and no decent leader would allow his troops to suffer for his own inclinations. The Sun lord clenched both fists and glared a little before finally sighing, scowl still blazing despite his acquiescence.

"…Fine. We can rest the army tomorrow." Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed at the statement, but he didn't have to wait very long before Sun Ce fanned the flames of the argument. "I'll just take a small group and go out scouting."

Hell no. Zhou Yu stepped forward and grabbed Sun Ce's shoulders, staring straight into the determined gaze of the tonfa master. "Did you not hear me? I said the river could flood at any time – we have to stay out of the lowlands tomorrow. All of us," he added, shaking Sun Ce a little for emphasis as his lord shrugged.

"I'll be careful. We can keep an eye out for danger as we go. I can handle it, really." Zhou Yu shook his head. Those words again. They dragged the angry tone up out of this throat and set annoyance coursing through his veins, and Zhou Yu almost didn't realize he was speaking until the words burned into his ears.

"You will not put yourself in danger like that." Sun Ce opened his mouth to retort, but Zhou Yu cut him off. "Going out on a raid tomorrow is foolish and you know it. Lu Kang's forces will all be concentrated at the main camp as well – they have to know how dangerous the Yangzi is this time of year. There isn't going to be anyone worth attacking out there. Why can't you just stay here and wait?"

Sun Ce huffed and pulled out of his grip, stepping back and squaring his shoulders in defiance. "Maybe some of us don't mind watching the battle from a safe distance—" Zhou Yu bristled at the unfinished insult, "—but I can't just stand around doing nothing all day. I'm going to conquer this whole country, Yu, and I'm going to do it with my own two hands! I don't need the army behind me – I'll take Lu Kang down by myself."

Zhou Yu snorted and clenched his fists, derisive words circling through his mouth and waiting for the opportunity to escape. "Don't be an idiot. Lu Kang has as many men as we do – you can't take them down by yourself. It's an entire army." Sun Ce glared and his face twisted into a snarl at the mocking tone.

"Watch me." Sun Ce dropped one hand onto his hip and raised the other in an irate fist. "I don't need you or anyone else watching my back." That hurt. Zhou Yu covered the sting by gritting his teeth and shifting into a fighting stance. "I can manage just fine by myself – when have I ever needed backup before?" Sun Ce's voice had become a yell, and Zhou Yu could hear soldiers moving anxiously outside. He tried to rein his temper back, but the answering words refused to stop opening his mouth.

"You're not invincible, Ce. You can't win all by yourself. You think you can take on thousands of armed soldiers in close combat? Are you out of your mind?" Sun Ce teemed with annoyance, eyes brimming full of fire and stubborn determination.

"You know what? You can sit around here all day tomorrow with your stupid army. Be my guest. But I'm a warrior and I'm not going to let a little rain get in my way."

With that, Sun Ce turned and stormed out of the tent, throwing the flap out of his way and frightening the cloud of soldiers that had amassed. Zhou Yu felt his eyes going wide as he pivoted and followed the seething officer, ire streaming through him at the words Sun Ce ignored. He caught up with his lord halfway through the camp and snatched his sleeve, which Sun Ce yanked roughly out of his grip before turning to face him.

"What do you want now?" The shout echoed between the close tents, the low sky and their furious expressions. Zhou Yu glared and straightened, watching Sun Ce apprehensively through the fringe of anger in his dark eyes.

"Where are you going?" Sun Ce crossed his arms over the soaking chest as rain made its way down his face, drenching the white bandages that shone weakly under the torchlight.

"Out on a raid." Zhou Yu felt his eyes widen as Sun Ce ground his heels into the mud.

"Right now? In the middle of the night?" Sun Ce glowered at him, gaze unrepentant and firm.

"Yeah. Right now. All by myself." Zhou Yu scoffed and glared daggers at the irritated officer.

"You've really lost it, haven't you? There isn't even any moon tonight – you won't be able to see a thing. And Lu Kang's forces have already withdrawn from this area." Sun Ce wasn't listening. He had motioned for a horse and was watching the soldiers around them in disinterest. Zhou Yu snarled and stepped forward, grabbing his forearms with tight fingers and staring down into the independent amber eyes. "Sun Ce, listen to me."

Sun Ce wasn't in the mood for a lecture, and he jerked away from the angry strategist none too gently. "Don't touch me." Zhou Yu growled as the young officer stalked away, and then leapt after him, catching the soaked shoulders once more and forcing Sun Ce to face him.

"There is no way in hell I'm letting you go off by yourself again." Sun Ce's eyes became furious and he laughed – a disbelieving, sarcastic laugh that lodged in Zhou Yu's ears and reverberated around his mind.

"Letting me? I don't remember needing your permission. Which one of us is in charge of this army, Zhou Yu?" That hurt, too. How long had it been since Sun Ce had used his full name? The strategist snapped and fisted both hands into his lord's drenched shirt, shaking the young man to garner his full attention.

"Damn it, Ce, you idiot! You can't just go charging off into situations like this! You may think you're the greatest fighter in the country but that won't save you from an entire army. If you don't stop acting like a complete imbecile and running off on your own, you're going to end up just like—"

"Like what?" Sun Ce shouted. Zhou Yu clamped his mouth shut, teeth meeting with a sharp clack. He held his silence, but Sun Ce was having none of it. "Spit it out!" His demand shook the soldiers around them with its intensity. "Like my father?"

Zhou Yu straightened at the Tiger general's title, but he couldn't hold his tongue much longer and Sun Ce was livid. "Running into dangerous battles on your own is ridiculous and childish. You can't let your emotions get the best of you. Sun Jian might still be alive if he hadn't—"

Sun Ce punched him. Zhou Yu staggered back from the force of the unexpected blow, releasing his hold on Sun Ce's shoulders to find the swelling jaw line where a bruise was no doubt already forming. The strategist glared hard at his companion through the pulsing pain in his cheek; Sun Ce shook his head violently and clenched his hands.

"My father was a brave warrior! He fought with courage and dedication all his life!" Sun Ce's shout drew more soldiers into the surrounding crowd. The officer's hands were shaking as he raised his fists in consuming fury. "Don't you ever talk about him like that again!" Zhou Yu could only watch in silent outrage as Sun Ce's horse was brought forward and the young officer swung into the saddle. The amber eyes turned back to catch him in a challenging stare as he accepted a torch from the waiting soldiers. "I'm leaving now. Do whatever the hell you want while I'm gone." Without another word, he turned and raced into the darkness.

Zhou Yu snarled at the quickly disappearing light, rain flitting through his soaked hair as he straightened and watched Sun Ce's form vanish into the starless night. The rush of anger left him in a thick breath, and the swordsman turned to slam one hand into the nearest tent before becoming quiet. He could feel the eyes of the soldiers on him, could hear their restrained whispers between the relentless raindrops; Sun Ce was gone again. He had rushed headlong into another situation all alone. This time, there weren't even any troops to support him – was he truly planning to take on Lu Kang's forces by himself? Even for Sun Ce, the idea seemed rash; Zhou Yu wondered how much of the argument had been honest and how much merely spurred on by flaring tempers. Hopefully, Sun Ce would cool down after an hour or so – the driving rain might help with soothing the officer's short fuse.

"Lord Zhou Yu?" The swordsman looked up to find several soldiers waiting nervously and glancing about. The one in front bowed a little and twisted a dagger between his muddy fingers. "Should we… go after him? To make sure he's all right?"

Zhou Yu considered the idea for a long moment before shaking his head. Sending reinforcements would only make Sun Ce mad – and he wasn't liable to meet much danger in these conditions anyway. Only a fool would be out in a storm like this – which explained Sun Ce's rash departure, of course. Still, Lu Kang had likely pulled each of his advance forces back as soon as night set in. Zhou Yu turned to the soldier beside him and sighed. "No. Let him be. There's no way of knowing where he went…"

Zhou Yu's voice stopped. Instant silence descended on the assembled soldiers. Every head turned to glance north as a sharp, distant cracking sound split the air, rending the clouds above with its solemn foreboding. Zhou Yu felt the pit drop out of his stomach at the ominous echo. What could make a sound like that?

"Lord Zhou Yu!" Zhou Yu spun to see three forms racing toward him, careening down the nearby hill and through the camp. Each soldier collapsed at his feet, out of breath but frantic nonetheless. The man who had assisted Zhou Yu at the earlier campsite looked up from the ground and gasped for air. "The river!" The strategist's eyes widened in fear. "The dams have broken! The river is flooding!" Zhou Yu stood stark still for a moment before his gaze snapped in the direction his missing companion had gone.

Oh god. Sun Ce.

Zhou Yu was running before his mind even started working again. The soft ground tore away beneath his feet but he was moving too fast to slip, and barely felt the mud soaking through his saturated shoes. The strategist reached the edge of the rise in mere moments, breathing heavily as his eyes flicked to the landscape beneath their encampment and shock stalled in his lungs. It was true – the water was rushing past them and drowning everything in its path with a silted wave as the sound of destruction rent the close air. Even through the rain and limited light, Zhou Yu could see how swift the current was – fallen trees and uprooted plants hurried down the overflow and disappeared into the night. The water made a horrible churning noise as it pushed relentlessly forward, hammering down everything in its path.

Zhou Yu felt his heart begin to race as he scanned the area ahead, desperate to find a pinprick of light amidst the storm… nothing. Only darkness greeted his frantic search, and the strategist swallowed hard against the lump in his throat. Sun Ce couldn't have gotten far enough away to be out of sight in such short time. Which meant… he…

Zhou Yu shook his head violently and clenched both fists. Damn it. Damn his words and his temper and his horrible sense of timing. If he and Sun Ce hadn't been arguing, the Sun lord would have stayed in camp – would have been fast asleep on the bed mat and tucked between hempen blankets, probably snoring peacefully. Zhou Yu closed his eyes and opened them again, hoping somehow that the waters would recede – that he'd wake up in the damp tent and find it all a horrible nightmare. But the river stubbornly scoured the base of the rise, and Zhou Yu was forced to conclude that reality had indeed come to this.

What was he going to do? The thought flashed through Zhou Yu's mind like a lightning strike, accompanied by an image of Sun Ce swimming, fighting the raging water and clinging to trees and bushes to stay afloat… the swordsman shook that back as well, squeezing his eyes shut against the feeling of desperate panic threatening to overwhelm him. He had to stay calm. He had to do something. Sun Ce was strong – maybe he'd been able to get away from the water. Maybe he could get to dry land. He wouldn't give up – that much the strategist knew for sure. Zhou Yu opened his dark eyes again and glared into the water below. There was only one thing to do – go and look for him, and pray that the young officer hadn't been caught completely off guard by the tumultuous flood.

The swordsman turned back into camp and stormed to the center of the soldiers. Each man watched him anxiously, shifting with a mix of anticipation and fear. Zhou Yu's glance passed from face to face; they followed his gaze quietly, waiting for him to speak. The strategist pressed his lips together in a thin line.

"I'm going to search for him." The soldiers straightened and squared their shoulders almost as one. Zhou Yu motioned for a horse and took his sword from one of the aides; his dark eyes flashed along the sheathed blade for a moment before he slung the weapon through his belt and turned back to the army. "I need an accompanying party." Searching for Sun Ce would be easier with the help of a squad or two. Zhou Yu vowed not to stop looking until he found the young officer. A tangle of panic lit in his stomach at the thought of what condition Sun Ce might be in, but he ignored it and refocused on the soldiers. "Any volunteers?"

Every man in sight took a step forward, offering his services silently. Zhou Yu blinked. Of course. He'd forgotten – each and every soldier in Sun Ce's army was willing to die for their lord. Zhou Yu surveyed the assembled crowd a long moment before nodding. "Step forward if you were stationed in camp yesterday during the battle." There was no sense in dragging already fatigued troops out into the weather. Several squads distinguished themselves, pushing in front of their muddy comrades to be seen. Zhou Yu frowned. There were still too many – for the party to travel by horseback, no more than twenty would be practical…

Zhou Yu spotted a flank lieutenant among the assembled troops and motioned him forward. The man started in surprise before hurrying to his side, one hand on his hilt as though ready to charge into the darkness at any moment. "How many men under your direct control?" The lieutenant paused and then tipped his head in a bow.

"Eighteen, my lord." Zhou Yu nodded. It would do.

"Get them ready. I will wait for you by the main slope. We're leaving immediately." The lieutenant bowed again and rushed into the crowd, drawing a number of men with him. The rest of the army waited in silence for further instruction, and Zhou Yu fought back a sigh. Time for a show of bravado. It was a shame dramatics had never been his special talent. Sun Ce would have known what to say. His heart skipped anxiously at the name flickering through his mind, but Zhou Yu shoved the feeling away. He was doing everything he could. It had to be enough.

"Get some rest." The order dispersed through the crowd and set the soldiers to murmuring. Zhou Yu swung easily onto his horse and turned for the slope. "I will bring him back. That is a promise." A glance over his shoulder showed Zhou Yu that the soldiers were smiling warily, their trust firmly in his hands. The swordsman swallowed. If only he had as much faith in his own efforts as they seemed to.

Sun Ce… Zhou Yu shook his head and paused at the entrance of the camp, staring into the water rushing heedlessly east. His dark eyes turned to coal in the damp air as rain pelted his face and arms. Hold on, you idiot. I'll find you.

.x.

Never had a night felt so hopeless. Zhou Yu peered uselessly into the murky, damp air that suffused the landscape and seemed to isolate him even from the torches of the soldiers nearby. To every side, he could hear roiling water and raindrops cascading into the escaped river, breaking the night's stillness with their monotonous rhythm. Beneath him, the horse shivered from cold and stomped its hooves against the slick ground that threatened to swallow them both if they remained stationary too long.

He couldn't see a thing. The torches given to several soldiers were only making matters worse, reflecting deceptively along the wet ground and concealing the presence of quieter eddies. Zhou Yu couldn't even tell how far they'd come from the main camp – he could no longer see the rise, but that meant little in a situation where his eyes were nearly blind. His small search party had been making its way over exposed ground, following a tongue of the overflowing river that wound south – the way Sun Ce had been heading. Zhou Yu felt the horse's feet slide and tensed instinctively before the animal found its balance again. Progress had been slow, and every step treacherous… and truly the strategist was unsure whether they would be able to see the young officer even if he were waving in greeting. The thought choked him, and Zhou Yu twisted the reins absently in a distracted fist. Sun Ce.

"Lord Zhou Yu! Be careful! You're heading for the water!" Zhou Yu blinked at the lieutenant's desperate call, and his eyes moved to the area just ahead of him – sure enough, the rushing of an errant tide assaulted his ears from far too close. The swordsman clutched the reins and drove his heels into the horse's flank hard, barely dragging the confused animal left before it slipped into the deadly currents. Zhou Yu sighed. It was not the first near miss, and as he guided his mount carefully back toward the squad he had to wonder at the feasibility of their search. But they couldn't return to camp – not without their missing companion. The strategist's heart seized in fear and worry. Sun Ce… where was he? What was it like being isolated in these conditions? Zhou Yu pulled the horse to a halt in front of his squad and fought back a growl, eyes growing brighter with resolve and the light of the torches. They couldn't be too late. It wasn't an option. Sun Ce was somewhere, and they were going to find him – flood or no flood.

The lieutenant eyed his commander cautiously before dismounting, encouraging the soldiers behind him to do the same. Zhou Yu stared and raised an eyebrow at the man's apologetic bow. "My lord… please, let's rest. We can't see anything in this light, and the way is becoming more perilous as we move farther from camp." Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed in anger and he felt the urge to shout rising up in his throat. Stop? With Sun Ce lost in the depth of night? The words halted on his tongue as the lieutenant raised a placating hand.

"I'm not suggesting we give up, my lord." There was a kind of determination illuminating the man's expression – it looked even starker by the light of the torches. "I never would. But right now we're only putting ourselves in more danger. It will be dawn in a few hours. Let us rest just until the sun rises – then we will find Lord Sun Ce. We can't help him if we run into trouble ourselves."

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth to hold desperation back. A few hours… how was he supposed to sit and wait for sunrise at a time like this? But there was no denying the lieutenant's point, and even the flickering shadows couldn't hide the weariness soaking each soldier's face like the rain. Sun Ce… Zhou Yu felt his jaw clenching. Sun Ce was still missing. What if he were attacked, alone and astray? What if the water had sent him far downstream, bashed him against the rocky rises that surrounded them? What if…

The strategist's thoughts were shattered by a hand on his knee. Zhou Yu's dark eyes flashed irately down at the lieutenant, who bowed to his lord's glare but did not move. "Please my lord." Reason strove to be heard in his level tone. "You need rest as much as the soldiers. We'll start again as soon as it's light." Zhou Yu closed his eyes and took a deep breath. There was nothing for it. He was going to have to wait until dawn. He only hoped Sun Ce could hold on that long.

The strategist dismounted and allowed his horse to wander off into the night, hoping it would find the other animals and not stray far. Zhou Yu watched the soldiers huddling together for warmth and seeking dry ground; each man shivered under the persistent wind and the damp air. The enthusiastic lieutenant had his squad under control, and Zhou Yu turned away, seeking solitude under a nearby outcropping. He slumped against the wet rocks and dropped his forehead into his hands, ignoring the rough stone pressing into his back. Dark eyes closed to shut out the darker night, but he knew sleep was impossible. Thoughts scattered through his mind, plentiful as the sodden pebbles beneath his feet and equally disorganized. Could Sun Ce wait for sunrise? Would he be all right for another few hours? How long had it been already? Somewhere, a small corner of his brain whispered that perhaps he'd taken too long; perhaps Sun Ce was already beyond rescue—

Zhou Yu slammed one fist into the puddle by his feet, eyes glaring into the encompassing darkness as water splashed his soaking ankles. No. He wouldn't consider it. Sun Ce was all right. He had to be. The young officer had taken on and surmounted more impressive obstacles than a flood, or even being washed down a river… surely he wouldn't let something like a natural disaster destroy his dream of uniting China. Zhou Yu almost smirked at the ironic thoughts. With most people, a natural disaster was a formidable opponent. But Sun Ce…

But Sun Ce hadn't been prepared. He would have been just into the valley when the dams broke – had he managed to ride to safety? If the flood hadn't hindered him in the least, surely the young officer would have returned to camp. Which meant… Zhou Yu ground his fingernails into the palm of his hand and growled. He didn't know what it meant. That was the problem. They'd never dealt with a flood before. Would Sun Ce know not to climb the sandy rises around them – the small ridges that had disintegrated under the forceful hand of the water? Was Sun Ce a strong swimmer? Could he fight a tide as forceful as the Yangzi's? Zhou Yu wrapped his arms around his knees and dropped his forehead to rest against the soaking sleeves, hiding his face from the driving rain and the slick wind biting into his eyes. Sun Ce's visage flitted through his mind. Where was that smile now?

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth as a small burst of anger coursed through him. Wasn't this exactly why he'd refused to attack the next day? Wasn't this exactly what he and Sun Ce had been arguing about? Sun Ce had refused to listen to reason, rushing off by himself into a dangerous situation – and now here they were. The Sun lord was missing, the army was no doubt frantic back at camp, Lu Meng was still out cold from the pain of his injury, and the sodden strategist could feel his pulse rushing in each wrist. Sun Ce was in trouble – somewhere. And there was nothing he could do but sit and wait for sunrise. Impatience and uselessness pressed at his ribs, tearing into his flesh like claws. When he found Sun Ce – when he found Sun Ce – he would have to yell at him again. Another bleak situation because the young officer refused to wait – refused to take things one step at a time. Why did he always have to put himself on the front lines? Why did he always have to do things his own way?

I'm going to conquer this whole country, Yu, and I'm going to do it with my own two hands! The memory of Sun Ce's words narrowed Zhou Yu's eyes in irritation. When would Sun Ce learn that just two hands weren't enough to dominate a country? When would he stop trying to shoulder the entire burden of conquest by himself? Why was it so hard to take someone with him in his raids? Why was it so hard to let Zhou Yu come along? Were four hands so much worse than two? The strategist felt his lips bending in a scowl. I don't need you or anyone else watching my back. Of course not. Sun Ce didn't need anyone. Zhou Yu shifted against the hard rock and closed his eyes again. When had Sun Ce ever needed him, anyway? Even now he was probably fine on his own. …Right?

The swordsman growled low in his throat as the thoughts chased themselves in circles. This opportunity for rest was only making him more frustrated. How was he supposed to calm down and sleep at a time like this? A glance sideways showed him that the soldiers had managed, leaning against each other and crouching close together under a small overhang. Even the lieutenant was nodding off, head bobbing back and forth as he shook himself awake every few moments. Zhou Yu scowled. Here they all were, doing nothing, and somewhere Sun Ce was alone. Wet, cold, injured maybe… Zhou Yu stared up into the clouded night sky, letting the rain assail his face and soothe the swollen jaw line. Sun Ce's punch had left a mark – the strategist could feel his cheek throbbing even under the relentless shower.

It was a blow he deserved – he never should have brought Sun Jian into the argument. Especially not at that moment. Zhou Yu had never intended to indict the Tiger general as a coward or a fool. Sun Ce's father had been a bit hotheaded – though nothing compared to his oldest child – but a kind man and better soldier all his life. And Zhou Yu knew Sun Ce was defensive about his father even now, a year after their campaign in Jing. How many times had he stood beside Sun Ce and supported the deceased general, holding his merits clear of disparaging tongues in Yuan Shu's court? But it was just so terrifying – the thought that Sun Ce might end up the same way. That he could lose the fiery young officer just as he'd lost Sun Jian.

A sudden drop in the pattering noises around him made Zhou Yu blink, and he stared into the rolling clouds above with distaste, dark eyes drenched and displeased at Heaven's timing. Of course. Now it stops raining.

.x.

Dawn came slowly – slower because Zhou Yu's eyes scanned the horizon for hours, waiting for any sign of light under the thick veil of clouds. Gradually, streaks of white appeared in the dark gray sky, highlighting the edges of storm clouds that still hovered threateningly as far as the strategist could see. The rain had not returned, and despite the stiffness in his limbs Zhou Yu could feel his clothes progressively becoming dry, though his shoes seemed permanently drenched. The swordsman had lost feeling in his feet hours before the unrisen sun finally illuminated his surroundings, and it was with considerable effort that he pushed himself into a standing position, bracing one arm against the rock face as he worked blood back through the fatigued muscles.

The squad slept on, oblivious to the steadily dawning day and their restless commander. Zhou Yu scanned the area and frowned a little; the errant river was far closer to their feeble camp than he had believed. They had somehow found a small rise – it seemed like a miracle given how dark the night had been – but the water turned and swelled only a man's height or so beneath them. The river wound into the trees ahead like a ribbon, black with the meager light and faster than it was deep. Zhou Yu sighed and stepped away from the wall, faltering a little on his reluctant feet as he approached the edge of the rise. Ahead, the forest stretched on into eternity, broken irregularly by other hills and ridges. The strategist felt himself frowning. It was daybreak – but things hardly looked more hopeful than they had the night before.

Zhou Yu moved carefully down the edge of the rise until he reached the river, hands running coarsely through his damp hair and straightening the creased armor. The ground had regained a little firmness, but mud remaining from the day before sucked tenaciously at his boots nonetheless. The strategist refrained from kicking the offending earth and moved instead to crouch beside a still patch of the river, separated from the tumbling water by driftwood and uprooted weeds. Zhou Yu studied his reflection for a moment – the black smudges beneath each eye, the dark bruise coloring one cheek. The swordsman shook his head. Why was it always the cheek? Years before, Sun Ce had inflicted a similar injury with a pair of chopsticks…

Sun Ce. Zhou Yu dipped his hands into the rippling pool and splashed water onto his face, wincing at the cold droplets that spattered his already chilled skin. The motion cleared his features of dirt and grime, but the discolored jaw remained just as it had been. The strategist fingered his swollen injury tenderly. Was Sun Ce still angry? Would the passionate young officer resume their argument when he was eventually found by the search party? It seemed unlikely – but then, Sun Ce had never been predictable. Zhou Yu scowled at his distorted reflection and broke the surface, sending rays of activity through the dark image. That idiot. But he couldn't deny the pang of worry that accompanied his annoyance.

"My lord." Zhou Yu spun on his heel and straightened, turning back toward camp to see that the diligent lieutenant had woken and reached the edge of the rise. Zhou Yu frowned. If the man said anything about a good morning, the strategist was going to stab him – simple as that.

The flank lieutenant spared himself a fatal wound, bowing solemnly and walking to wash his face in the river as well. Zhou Yu watched his steady back in mild irritation. Now that the squad leader had awakened, he wanted to move out – they needed to keep looking. Sun Ce could be anywhere by now, and the more time that went by, the more difficult finding him would become. Zhou Yu shifted impatiently as the lieutenant rose from his brief bathing, shaking water from his face and hissing at the cold. The man turned and studied his commander's face for a long moment before speaking. "I'll wake them up. I know you want to leave as soon as possible."

Zhou Yu did not want to leave as soon as possible. He wanted to leave immediately – or better yet, to have already left. A short nod was all the lieutenant got by way of an answer as the swordsman glanced around in vague aggravation. Where had the horses gotten off to? His eyes gazed downstream, following hoof prints that showed so clearly in the drying mud. Perhaps the animals had been searching for food, a flat grazing plain… everything would have been washed away in the flood. The muddy tracks disappeared into the undergrowth and Zhou Yu sighed, losing the trail amidst a plethora of damaged plant life and another set of prints.

Zhou Yu's eyes widened as the thought sank in. Another set of footprints. A set of human footprints. The strategist was on his knees beside the river in an instant, studying the faint outlines diluted by the night's rain. His breath hitched and came faster, speeding up to match the rhythm of his heart as he fingered the curve of the boot impression – they would have to be of good make to leave this shape…

"My lord?" Zhou Yu leapt to his feet and stamped one foot into the drying ground as hard as he could, pressing against the damp earth just to the left of the other print. He could hear the lieutenant shifting uneasily behind him, no doubt puzzled about his commander's sudden behavior – but Zhou Yu didn't care. Because the print in the mud matched his own exactly. And there was only one other person who could have a matching pair of boots. Sun Ce… so he was all right. Or had been, when the impressions were made. The rain had muted their lines but the flood had not erased them, so the young officer couldn't have been here before the dams broke. Meaning he could walk. He was alive. The strategist felt hope guiding his feet as he trailed the prints, thanking chance with all his might as he rushing into the woods and left his squad behind. "My lord!"

Zhou Yu did not hesitate, merely turning long enough to shout commands over his shoulder. "Bring the men and the horses and follow me!" The lieutenant looked shocked; Zhou Yu returned his gaze to the ground and dashed away, chasing the footprints along the edge of the river. Sun Ce had been here after the initial burst of flooding – after the river had chosen its banks. That meant he hadn't been too badly injured in the river's overflow… Zhou Yu almost smiled and raced on, increasing his pace to match his pulse.

The swordsman careened heedlessly along the river bank, dodging torn trees and tangles of brush that threatened his feet. Sun Ce. Sun Ce had come this way. The proof was there in the mud. Zhou Yu clutched the sword at his belt as he ran; there might still be danger ahead. The rain had stopped and the flood settled down – Lu Kang had no doubt sent out squads to examine the terrain. Had Sun Ce taken a weapon with him? Would he still have it after the trial of the flood?

The strategist came to an abrupt stop as the footprints died in the mud. Dark eyes wide, Zhou Yu glanced around. Where had the trail gone? The foliage away from the river didn't show any sign of disturbance – if Sun Ce had run into the wood, shouldn't broken branches prove it? How could the footprints just vanish? Zhou Yu felt panic lighting in his gut, but pushed the feeling away as best he could. This was not the time. Sun Ce had to be somewhere. Unlike footprints, people could not just disappear. The swordsman cleared his throat. "Ce!" His shout echoed through the surrounding trees, but other than his own voice Zhou Yu heard nothing. His eyes moved furtively between the shadows, searching for any sign of movement, of acknowledgement… "Sun Ce!" Nothing.

Zhou Yu fought back the frantic beating of his heart and stared at the footprints. There had to be a clue. The toes were pointed west in the final steps – which meant Sun Ce had not entered the forest. But that would leave… Zhou Yu stared at the tumbling water and frowned. Why cross the river? West was the exact opposite direction of camp – surely Sun Ce had not been intending to take on Lu Kang's camp in his state? Zhou Yu shook the thought away. Sun Ce was stupid, but he wasn't suicidal. More likely the young officer had just lost his bearings and wandered in any direction away from the water. The swordsman eyed the river carefully, weighing his options. The water was a good deal shallower and thinner here, but just as quick – he could try to find a bridge and risk losing the trail, or…

Zhou Yu leapt as far as he could, landing near the opposite bank with a splash. The current – far faster than seemed possible – yanked on his shoes and threatened to drag him away, but he reached the shore before the water could do more than soak his boots. The leather slapped the dirt hard as he began to run again, following Sun Ce's resumed footprints into the forest and shadowing a faint trail of destroyed undergrowth. The haphazard path took him uphill, and Zhou Yu followed it carelessly until he reached a field of waving grasses untouched by the flood. The footprints disappeared altogether between the undisturbed plants, and the swordsman felt despair settling into his stomach again before he reined it back with clenched fists.

Calm down. Concentrate. Zhou Yu closed his eyes and tried to ignore the pounding between his ribs. He'd come this far – he couldn't lose Sun Ce now. If the young officer kept wandering southwest like this, he'd run into Lu Kang's main camp completely on accident… Zhou Yu shook his head fiercely and forced himself to listen. Sun Ce had never been quiet before. Maybe if he wasn't too far away… would he have stopped to rest during the night? How far had he gotten?

No. Stop it. Listen. For a long moment, Zhou Yu held his breath, searching for even the softest whisper of a signal, but his heartbeat was the only sound in the silence. Zhou Yu bit his lip and frowned. Anything. Any clue where to go. There had to be something. Sun Ce hadn't just disappeared. He was somewhere and—

Wait. Zhou Yu's eyes flew open as the noise came again. It sounded like steel on steel – a good distance away, but distinct nonetheless. Weapons clashing. His brow furrowed in thought as both hands clenched into fists. All of their own forces had drawn back to the main camp, meaning only Lu Kang's troops should be in this area. Except… the thought and the noise came simultaneously, and Zhou Yu's head snapped to face the western forest. Except for Sun Ce. Sun Ce.

Zhou Yu tore through the meadow, leaving a trail of broken grass in his reckless wake. His feet carried him through the trees so fast the strategist almost felt like he was flying; breath came hard into his lungs and beat against the ribcage like his heart. Not much further now. Just ahead. It had to be. There was nothing else – no other reason for the sounds of a fight. But that meant Sun Ce had been found. How many troops were waiting ahead? How long had the Sun lord been fighting them? Had he been injured? Surrounded? He couldn't possibly be in fighting condition after the night before—

And then Zhou Yu burst into the clearing, and all of his question didn't matter anymore. There was Sun Ce – locked in a weapons clash with two soldiers. Zhou Yu felt his entire body nearly collapse in relief as the bruised, bloodied officer came into view, ponytail flashing like his eyes under the limp bandages as he struggled to push both opponents back. He held a rugged sword in white fisted hands, and Zhou Yu wondered momentarily where he'd gotten it – but there was no time to guess. The Sun lord was being slowly pushed back by his enemies, and a few more adversaries were lurking a good distance away, eyes locked on the battle and swords unsheathed. One man was moving – rushing forward to attack Sun Ce's blind side while his hands were occupied. The enemy let out a sharp yell and lurched into movement, hurtling across the open area and aiming for the officer's head.

Like hell.

The man fell into a broken clump as Zhou Yu shot forward, catching him through the middle and spilling crimson across the surrounding grass. Sun Ce and his opponents looked up at the enemy's anguished death cry, and Zhou Yu barely had time to register the surprise in his companion's eyes before he hacked into the distracted adversaries, cutting them away from Sun Ce's stolen blade with two swift motions. The corpses fell into awkward piles of limbs and weapons as Zhou Yu straightened, dark eyes locked on the red dripping down his blade.

Sun Ce's jaw dropped. "Yu…" Zhou Yu turned to face his startled officer, eyes blazing in diverted anger. Sun Ce looked all right – there were bruises scattered over his skin, and a few thin gashes littered his tan face, but nothing seemed broken and there were no flowing wounds to be seen. The strategist straightened and glared a little, letting his worried gaze lurk under a façade of annoyance as he waited for Sun Ce to find his voice again. Silently, he sighed in relief. Finally.

"You idiot." The words slipped off of Zhou Yu's tongue almost unintentionally as he met Sun Ce's shocked stare evenly, hilt gripped firmly between two almost trembling hands. He's all right. He really made it out of the flood alive.

And then Sun Ce's face split in the brightest grin Zhou Yu had ever seen, and the strategist was sure that if they hadn't both been holding swords the young lord would have leapt into his arms. His amber eyes shone with the light of the newly risen sun and sparked triumphantly as his shoulders relaxed into a slump. "I knew you'd come find me." Zhou Yu felt lips turning up slightly as Sun Ce reached out and grabbed his arm, expression drowning in an emotion the swordsman couldn't quite pinpoint. The young officer cocked his head to the side and let his smile speak for him, and Zhou Yu couldn't help nodding.

"I always will." A chuckle escaped Sun Ce's lips and shimmered for a moment in the cloudy sunrise. Zhou Yu smirked. The young officer released his grip on his strategist and turned to face the remaining enemy troops, who watched both soldiers warily and inched into fighting stances. Sun Ce laughed outright and gripped the sword hilt tighter, preparing for a rush as his eyes drifted to catch Zhou Yu's gaze.

"How about we finish this?" Zhou Yu fought the urge to smile, hesitation stalling his acquiescence. He still needed to finish the argument – to make amends for the feeling of guilt running through him. It was his fault Sun Ce had gone heedlessly into a dangerous situation – his and a stinging tongue made more potent by years of arguing with the young man in front of him. The strategist took a deep breath and sighed a little, catching Sun Ce's attention.

"Will you let me help you this time?" Sun Ce blinked before his gaze softened, remembering the previous night's quarrel and the angry words exchanged. Zhou Yu watched as his enormous grin shadowed into a smaller, gentler smile that shone chiefly in his eyes. The young officer shook his head and stepped up to match Zhou Yu's stance, wincing a little at his injured foot.

"I always want your help." The Sun lord winked up at him and turned back to face their enemies. "We're going to conquer China, remember? You and me – together." Zhou Yu let the smirk fall onto his face, following Sun Ce's glance to the cautious adversaries across the field.

"Your own two hands?" Sun Ce scratched his elbow and grinned.

"Make that four." Zhou Yu closed his eyes for a brief instant – and then they were off, tearing across the grass like twin cyclones, chasing the startled soldiers and cutting a path through the thin opposition. Hardly a minute passed before all four enemies joined their comrades in the grass, faces turned to the damp earth and swords useless beside them. The wind picked up long enough to send strands of Zhou Yu's hair scattering over his shoulders, tarnishing the dirtied armor with clean dark lines. Sun Ce straightened from his final lunge and found Zhou Yu's eyes, holding the strategist's gaze with his own.

"I can't change how I fight." A finishing point to their earlier argument. Zhou Yu nodded at the straightforward admission, glance falling to the bodies at their feet. The swordsman exhaled in slow contemplation, letting Sun Ce's words stand unchallenged in the silence for a long moment.

"I know." His boots were still soaking – from the stream, he imagined. He could feel the water sifting against his skin with every step that brought him closer to Sun Ce; the young officer dropped his guard and watched the strategist approach, eyes trained on his face. Zhou Yu stopped just in front of his companion and reached out, finding the sleeve of his armor with quiet fingers. "But would it be so hard to take me with you?"

Sun Ce started at the words. His amber eyes flickered in confusion as he grabbed Zhou Yu's free hand, dragging the fingers away from his damp shirt and holding them in his own. "Take you with me? But you're always in charge of the other companies." Zhou Yu felt himself glaring mildly into the officer's countenance.

"I know. But…" Surely there was someone who could replace his position. After all this time, one of the lesser generals had to be competent of taking command. Lu Meng was becoming more talented with each battle – perhaps it was time he started operating farther afield. Sun Ce was waiting for the rest of his statement, so Zhou Yu straightened and frowned. "But I would feel better knowing someone was watching your back."

Sun Ce smiled, a teasing light back in his expression. "And you'd feel best if it was you, right?" Zhou Yu didn't answer. The Sun lord grinned and squeezed his pale hand, chasing the cold morning air away with his touch. "You know I like fighting beside you the most anyway. I guess you can come along… provided you keep up."

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath, letting gravity carry his eyes down to their two joined hands. In the distance, the whickering of horses caught the swordsman's attention; his dark eyes rose to meet Sun Ce's curious gaze.

"Reinforcements," he answered simply. Sun Ce nodded and dropped the rugged sword to the ground, pulling Zhou Yu toward the trees with only a slight limp. Zhou Yu couldn't see the young officer's eyes, but he didn't have to – he knew they were sparkling with excitement and renewed energy.

"Let's go, Yu. We have to get back – the river flooded, so we can march on Lu Kang's main camp today. Huzzah!" His free hand came up in a rousing gesture of bravado, and Zhou Yu balked.

"Like hell you're going out in battle after what you've been through." Sun Ce turned and blinked at him, eyes wide.

"What do you mean? I'm fine." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"Swept away in a flood, out all night in the cold, lost in the forest – I'm surprised you haven't collapsed yet." The Sun lord opened his mouth in resentment at the biting tone, but the words disintegrated as he caught the almost humorous gleam in the strategist's eyes. Sun Ce gave him a soft punch to the shoulder and grinned. They paused at the edge of the woods and waited, watching the vague shapes of horses heading their direction through the trees.

"You know what?" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow as Sun Ce's sudden question broke the silence. The young officer swung their joined hands back and forth, gaze focused on the approaching soldiers. "It wasn't so bad. I managed to get out of the water pretty fast after it caught me, and then I got away from the rain while I was in the forest… so it wasn't even that cold. But I couldn't sleep at all." His eyes danced playfully under the breaking clouds. "I never can without you."

Zhou Yu listened to the spirited cries of the soldiers ahead and watched Sun Ce's cheerfully dirty face, and wondered if he'd ever seen such a beautiful smile.

End Chapter 26

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Sheesh. Another long chapter. Sorry this one took another week after chapter 25, but it just dragged on… oh well. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had another argument, but at least everyone went home happy. As always, please let me know what you thought.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Ha… yeah. Zhou Yu got to yell at Sun Ce, but the thing about Sun Ce is that he yells right back. Anyway, he'll probably still rush heedlessly into battle from now until four years or so… but at least he won't rush in by himself anymore. Again, thank you for your kind comments, and please let me know what you thought.

A note for Xing Ling: Well, my reasons for the long update aren't that great. Basically, I didn't have as much time as I'd expected during winter break. My class right now has a lot of homework, so sadly the chapters may be coming more slowly for about a month, but I'll try to stay on track. As for how much is left… not that much. But it may take a lot of pages nonetheless. I hope this chapter met your expectations.

A note for Jen: I'm sure Zhou Yu would agree with you that 'blithering idiot' is a very appropriate insult for Sun Ce. 'Little idiot' was honestly my favorite, but Sun Ce kind of grew out of that… so it was time for a change. Anyway – I hope you enjoyed angry Zhou Yu as much in this chapter as in the last, and please let me know what you thought.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Don't worry about Sun Ce. He can more than hold his own in an argument. Thank you for your review.

A note for Crazy Insanity: Please never apologize for a long review. Every writer likes long reviews. As for ghosting… what makes me most pleased is that you read the story, whether or not you have time to share your thoughts with me. Thank you for your dedication as a reader. And as only seems fair, this will be a long response as well.

I'm glad you like the Qiao sisters. Since Da Qiao especially is a little different from the games, I wasn't sure how well those characters would go over. Same for Lu Meng and Sun Quan… although Sun Quan will eventually grow into the more serious warlord of the game. Sadly. I am deeply pleased to know Sun Jian's death touched you, even in a sorrowful way. The hardest part of writing is making a character come alive enough that a reader can feel for them.

Sun Jian may well have known about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu. I'm not really sure myself, since it never came up directly. The man would have to be blind not to know, I suppose… but parents often are, when it comes to their children. Speaking of which, I'm glad you like Sun Ce. He's the hardest character to write, in my opinion.

And as for their arguments… how did you like this one? It kind of went down a little different than the previous ones, because it was more serious… anyway. I am always glad to hear from you, so please continue to read Secession and review when you have time. Thanks again.


	27. Chapter 27

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 26 

There was something about the story that made Chen Hao's face lighter; the expression dabbed at the corner of his lips in faint color and threatened to show even through the darkness. The thought of Sun Ce lost in a flood had sent frantic stitches through his stomach, and he couldn't deny the worry that had held his breath captive so long under the spell of Zhou Yu's words. How could he help it? After all these hours in the wagon, Sun Ce had become alive for Chen Hao – more than the man in the stories, more than the brave leader credited with the foundation of Wu. The courageous officer laughed and shouted through Chen Hao's mind in vibrant color, and the soldier could almost hear those echoes even now, as Zhou Yu paused between stories and studied the hidden sky in contemplation. How could Chen Hao help fearing for the powerful Wu king, when he knew how the story had to end?

Zhou Yu coughed and closed his eyes; Chen Hao could feel the weight of the night pressing down on them both, making it harder to breathe as the air became colder still. Midnight was long past – he wondered how much time remained until sunrise. And how far until Han Ni Castle? What would he do if the wagon reached its destination before the story had ended? Would Lord Sun Quan allow him to stay with the general in his final moments to hear the conclusion of a tale he'd spent hours absorbing? The prospect seemed unlikely. Chen Hao closed his eyes and tried not to think about the swirl of confusion in his stomach – the ongoing turmoil between the part of himself that wanted to arrive as soon as possible, and the part praying for daylight to hold off just until the end of the story.

Chen Hao's thoughts sped back to the wagon and its faltering occupant as Zhou Yu coughed again, eyes confused and worried in his pale face. The general raised one hand and wiped unwelcome moisture from his lips before turning his gaze to the silent soldier. Chen Hao met his searching stare as levelly as possible, letting the dark eyes scan his shadowed expression before Zhou Yu sighed. "What… year?" The parched voice brought Chen Hao's hand up to tip water into his general's mouth, and it was only as the liquid slid down Zhou Yu's chin that he considered the words.

The soldier blinked. "What year? I don't understand." Zhou Yu huffed softly and raised a hand to rub at his temple.

"What year was I talking about?" Chen Hao's eyes widened and then crumpled closed in fear for a short moment. Zhou Yu was losing his concentration – even simple things were slipping away. Could the general hold on until the end of the story? At this rate, Chen Hao wasn't sure.

With a shake of his head, the soldier forced himself to concentrate. Sun Ce had been 21 in the last story. Meaning… "196, my lord." 196. It seemed all too close to 200. The year that Sun Ce…

Zhou Yu nodded slowly. "196. Yes." A deep breath interrupted his words, and then the story set off again. "In early autumn, we finally managed to destroy Lu Kang and eliminate his presence in the region. Sun Ben secured Jiang Dong and regained control over the errant lords, blocking that threat to Sun Ce's kingdom. Yuan Shu sent us to take down a few more of his enemies, and by the onset of winter eastern Jiangnan was well-stabilized and under his control. Yuan Shu then called back all of his troops for the coldest months, deciding to bide his time before stirring up conflict to the south."

Zhou Yu shook his head. "Power is an inescapable corrupting force – and Yuan Shu was a naturally greedy man. If he'd had his way, he'd have conquered all of eastern China and still been dissatisfied. And after joining with Lu Bu in a brief alliance, he considered himself nearly invincible." A heavy sigh escaped the general's lips and filtered over his chest. "But Sun Ce got in his way."

Chen Hao blinked in surprise. "Sun Ce? But Sun Ce was working for him." Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Yes – at that time. But Sun Ce was not content to be subjugated for long. During those months, he asked Yuan Shu for permission to lead a small squadron west, intending to further secure the Sun family's power in Jiang Dong. Yuan Shu refused; his selfish dominance made Sun Ce angry, and all winter we discussed the possibility of leaving Yuan Shu and striking out in an independent campaign. At first, there was the issue of how to entreat troops from the officious old man… but I'm sure you've heard that story."

Chen Hao nodded. The Imperial Seal. He had never been all that clear about how Sun Jian discovered the priceless treasure in a well during the allied campaign against Dong Zhuo – but since Zhou Yu had seconded the story, he would accept it. According to rumor, Sun Ce had traded the seal to Yuan Shu for barely over three thousand troops and set off to conquer the Wu territories…

A cold wind burst into the wagon and surrounded them, chilling Chen Hao straight to the marrow of his bones. Zhou Yu winced before his words started up again. "At that time, we were lucky enough to draw several of Yuan Shu's trusted officers with us – Zhu Zhi and Lu Fan among them. Cheng Pu met us on the road to Jiang Dong, bringing several companies with him—" The breeze rebounded between the thin walls and circled like a scavenger, stealing the breath from Chen Hao's very lips. Zhou Yu shivered and his teeth met in a sharp clack, cutting the words in half. The general closed his eyes to fight down the shaking that had descended on his body, each muscle trembling against the unbearable temperature.

Chen Hao bit his lip. The night was only getting colder as it dragged on, and Zhou Yu was becoming steadily unable to tolerate the chill, rushing air. With hardly a second thought, the soldier unbuttoned his thick jacket and slung it from his shoulders, leaning forward to tuck the garment carefully around his general's shivering form. Zhou Yu's eyes shot open and he glared at the well-meaning soldier, expression filled with irritation and concealed suffering.

"I told you not to—"

Chen Hao shook his head fiercely and interrupted the rebuke halfway. "You have to tell this story, don't you?" Zhou Yu blinked. The soldier bit his lip and pushed the sharp tone back in favor of pleading. "How are you going to tell me what happens if you freeze to death? Let me help you." Decisive movements wrapped both sleeves under Zhou Yu's shoulders, and Chen Hao sat back, waiting for retribution with an open countenance. Somehow, he felt much better despite the cold wind tearing through his thinner clothing. He was doing what he could for the fallen legend – everything he could.

The general watched him for a long moment in silence, letting the breeze splay his bangs across the furrowed forehead. Then he sighed, a thick exhalation of resignation that stirred strange pride in Chen Hao's chest. "You're a fool," Zhou Yu told him shortly, words bereft of gentleness. Chen Hao smiled.

"A fool I may be – but I am a loyal fool, and will be until the day I die." Zhou Yu looked up in surprise at the firm announcement, eyes scrutinizing the determined features of the soldier before him. Chen Hao clenched his hands into fists against the stinging cold and bit down on the urge to quiver. He couldn't show weakness. He couldn't give Zhou Yu any reason to think he needed that coat.

Another span of silence interrupted the ongoing story, and then Zhou Yu smirked into the delicate darkness. "Sun Ce…" The general's breath caught and held in the barest whisper of a chuckle. "Sun Ce admired people like you." Chen Hao felt a moth begin to flutter in his stomach, and feelings of pride chased the wind away from his cooled skin as a full smile fell across his face. He liked the idea of being worthy in the great king's eyes – even if he couldn't hear the words from the legendary conqueror himself. Zhou Yu shivered again and the expression dampened; Chen Hao bit his numb lips in concern. The general was fading. The wound was serious – fatal even. But Chen Hao couldn't help wondering whether, had Sun Ce still been alive, Zhou Yu might have survived even the poisoned arrow.

Zhou Yu shifted on the rough planks, and Chen Hao turned his attention back to the restless general. There was a wispy, almost content look in the dark eyes, and Wu's strategist had a small smirk playing on his lips. The soldier watched his commander silently, mind tumbling with renewed questions; he didn't have to wait very long for their answers. Zhou Yu stretched softly and moved his gaze back to the obscured stars above them.

"That winter… the winter before we left Yuan Shu… was particularly cold. It snowed for nearly three months straight – even Sun Ce had to take a break from training and remain inside with the rest of us. The only person who didn't seem to mind the weather was Lu Meng. Or rather…" He chuckled into the wind. "I shouldn't say he didn't mind it. He complained about the snow and the damp cold every day, but nonetheless trained for several hours each afternoon, ignoring the blizzard and swinging his staff around Yuan Shu's practice field." Chen Hao blinked in confusion.

"Why did he practice if it was so cold?" Zhou Yu shook his head, but the smile remained on his thin lips.

"Lu Meng was nearing promotion. The more he practiced, the closer he came to attaining the rank of flank commander – which would allow him to head a legion of troops. Since Sun Ce and I had begun operating together, we were sorely lacking another officer in the field. He was also recovering from the shoulder wound he suffered in our campaign against Lu Kang, and training strengthened the muscles he had lost during weeks of recuperation." Chen Hao could have sworn a small sparkle was glimmering in Zhou Yu's eyes – it hardly seemed possible for the distant officer's expression to be so open. The general shoved back a slight smile and cleared his throat. "But there may have been other reasons."

Chen Hao frowned, unable to see the connection between this small tale and the story of leaving Yuan Shu. He coughed hesitantly, drawing Zhou Yu's undeniably amused glance up to his puzzled features. "The attack on the Wu Territories?" The general seemed to understand his question and waved the words away with a pale hand.

"We'll get to that in a moment. But you wanted to know about Lu Meng, didn't you?" Chen Hao blinked. The general closed his eyes. "You were asking about his developing relationship with Xiao Qiao." Memory clicked in Chen Hao's mind, and he scooted forward unintentionally, letting the words pull him closer to the quiet commander. Zhou Yu noted his movement and smirked into the failing night around them.

"Xiao Qiao turned fifteen that autumn. As time wore on, Sun Ce and I – as well as her sister – began to notice a change in her hobbies. She had never been particularly fond of training, but as the tenth moon faded into winter she became more and more interested in shadowing the practice fields; many times Sun Ce and I would break from sparring and find her perched nearby. We were baffled, I assure you. No one could account for her sudden change in pastimes – if you'll recall, she and Sun Quan had been great playmates in earlier years." Chen Hao opened his mouth to ask, but Zhou Yu beat him to it. "It was Sun Ce who finally got the truth out of her, though I believe Lady Qiao may have suspected something earlier."

"The truth?" Chen Hao's hesitant voice cut into the amused weave of the general's story like a thin needle. Zhou Yu smiled.

"My wife had developed a crush. On Lu Meng, of all people."

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There was no denying it. When winter set in, Zhou Yu missed Jiang Dong. Not that the strategist – standing as he was beside the window and gazing over the blanketed terraces outside in mild scrutiny – would ever admit that he enjoyed the climate of the soggy, tempestuous southern region. In the beginning, Jiang Dong's weather hadn't suited him, and he had even missed the snow of his childhood. But four years of warmth and rain had changed that – he might never get used to northern China's winters again, despite growing up in Shucheng. The cold wind never stopped howling in Izhou, even through the deftly constructed hallways and comfortable sitting rooms of Yuan Shu's indefatigable palace.

Winter had come too quickly, and it had come to stay – snow encased the gardens in unrepentant drifts, blotting out the paths and bamboo groves in frigid totality. And it just kept coming. With a heavy sigh, Zhou Yu watched snowflakes plummeting into frosted fields and frozen lakes from the low, graying clouds overhead. Yuan Shu's estate rarely looked so pleasing as it did now – under the cover of winter, the strategist could almost believe they were somewhere else, away from the domineering general and his selfish aims. It was just a shame that a temperature drop had to accompany the change in scenery.

"How about… this?" The soft clink of bamboo on wood brought Zhou Yu's gaze back from their study of the weather to land on Sun Ce's face as the young officer slid his Xiangqi piece across the board. The thoughtful eyes of his wife considered the action a long moment before moving her Horse into a matching position, letting the two disks face each other across the River.

Sun Ce frowned, and Zhou Yu couldn't help the smirk that slipped onto his face. The Sun lord had never been any good at strategy games, and apparently that hadn't changed – he had yet to notice the direct threat to his General Lady Qiao could execute in just two moves. Zhou Yu turned back to the window, hiding his superior smile in mock interest of the weather. The snow hadn't stopped falling for three days – and it was lucky that Yuan Shu's palace held several storehouses, because there was no telling when anyone from the household would be able to reach the market. For the most part, the strategist and his companions had stayed inside and enjoyed the warmth of the fire – Sun Ce especially, since he disliked the cold so much. But after a few days of being trapped in the borrowed palace, the young lord's eternally restless personality was beginning to show through.

"Agh! I can't do this anymore!" A conclusive outburst. Zhou Yu turned back to the game to see Sun Ce running both hands through his ponytail in annoyance, as though in echo to his stoic comrade's thoughts. The impatient young man stood up from the game board abruptly and spun toward his strategist, who merely raised an eyebrow. Sun Ce's gaze flashed with amber agitation. "I hate this game, and we've been playing it for four hours straight! There has to be something else to do in this house!"

Lady Qiao smiled benignly and began to pack the Xiangqi board away, lifting each carefully carved piece into its place with a light laugh. "I know you hate being locked inside, Lord Ce – but I'm afraid there's nothing to be done about the weather." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue and crossed his arms over his chest, turning toward Zhou Yu and frowning.

"Who invented snow, anyway? Stupid stuff. Gets in my way." The young officer pressed one hand up against the window and watched condensation circling his fingers. Zhou Yu sighed and brushed the strands of dark hair away from his eyes, gaze locked on his restive companion.

"You used to like the snow," he pointed out. Sun Ce grimaced.

"Yeah, but that was back when I had somebody to enjoy it with. Ever since Quan turned fourteen, he just wants to study all day. No fun." Zhou Yu smiled a little. Sun Quan had indeed matured in the last month – or at least, he had been trying to. Hardly a day went by without the devoted boy asking Zhou Yu to explain some facet of combat or another, especially concerning strategy and diplomacy. From all accounts, he'd also begun sparring again – an activity he had staunchly refused ever since Sun Jian's death. Zhou Yu wondered absently what had brought on the sudden change in the otherwise carefree child – but it wasn't worth dwelling on.

Sun Ce had turned his back on the window and leaned against the wall, cleaning his fingernails as Zhou Yu considered the youngest Sun child in his mind. "Even Xiao won't play with me anymore. And you never liked the snow," he finished, poking Zhou Yu in the chest. The strategist nodded noncommittally and shrugged.

"Lu Meng doesn't seem to mind this kind of weather." Their eyes returned to the garden, where the young warrior could be seen whipping his halberd above his head, face red with the cold; puffs of warm air escaped his lips with each breath. Lu Meng's hawk eyes were focused on something they couldn't see, and his hands shook with effort as muscles strained, bringing the heavy weapon around his back and twirling it before him. Sun Ce huffed at the unspoken suggestion that he invite Lu Meng to play in the snow, and Lady Qiao looked up from putting away the Xiangqi set to meet Zhou Yu's eyes.

"What is he doing, do you suppose? He's been out there for hours." The strategist shrugged, gaze flicking back to the spirited officer beside him. Sun Ce used his forefinger to draw a picture in the steamed window and turned to his waiting companions, restless smile back in place.

"He's training. Lu Meng's a real sour grape, but he's dedicated at least." There was a hint of pride in the officer's voice that drew a half-smirk onto his strategist's face and made Lady Qiao raise a delicate eyebrow.

"Everyone has their good points." Sun Ce laughed at his wife's comment and slung his arms behind his head, a cocky grin falling onto his face as his gaze followed the warrior's movements through the window.

"Yeah… Lu Meng just has fewer of them than most people."

"That's not nice, Sun Ce!" The sudden exclamation brought all eyes to the doorway, where Xiao Qiao was poised with a tea tray and a displeased expression. The lithe young girl slipped through the partly closed door and settled her tea on the emptied table before her hands flew to her hips and the pretty hazel eyes regarded them adversarially. "Lu Meng has plenty of good points."

Sun Ce blinked as he reached out to accept a cup of tea from the pale hands of his wife, who chuckled a little into her sleeve as she distributed the steaming liquid. Zhou Yu drank deeply and let the warmth flow down his throat, chasing winter's chill away with the soft flavor. He regarded Lady Qiao curiously as she carefully swallowed a smile and turned her back to the company, fussing with the tea arrangement. Zhou Yu's dark eyes narrowed, but he had little time to hypothesize – Sun Ce and Xiao Qiao were knee-deep in an argument already.

"Oh yeah?" Sun Ce sipped his tea gratefully and crossed his arms, meeting the determined girl's stare with his own unimpressed one. "Name three." Xiao Qiao huffed.

"Well, he follows your army around wherever it goes." Sun Ce shrugged.

"He works for me. That's his job." The young lord maintained his serious expression, but Zhou Yu could see an amused twinkle lighting in his amber eyes. The strategist leaned back against the wall and smirked. Sun Ce had always loved arguing. It was his favorite kind of mental exercise. Zhou Yu's wife made a face at the unrepentant officer and glanced toward her husband, gaze catching his for the briefest moment before it snapped to the window.

"He's outside training in this weather – which is more than I can say for you," Xiao Qiao asserted, kicking Sun Ce lightly in the shin. Sun Ce frowned.

"Hey! It's cold out." The defensive tone melted into self-assurance with his growing smile. "Besides, I don't really need it. I'm years better than Lu Meng anyway." Xiao Qiao stuck out her tongue.

"You say that now – but someday you'll be old and gray, and then he'll be able to beat you hands down." Sun Ce laughed, plopping both elbows forward onto the table at the easy, enjoyable bickering.

"Never. I'll be the strongest old man that ever lived. I'm just gonna keep getting stronger as I get older – so by the time I go gray, Lu Meng'll have no chance against me." Xiao Qiao giggled before pouting prettily and lacing her fingers together.

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see," she countered. Sun Ce chuckled.

"We're going to be waiting a long time." Zhou Yu felt his lips softening into a rare smile. What with their services to Yuan Shu and the constant warfare, it wasn't so often anymore that they could sit around like this – just the four of them, as they had in the summer before Liu Biao, enjoying each other's company and the effortless friendship between Sun Ce and Xiao Qiao. Sun Jian used to say they fought like siblings – just the way his own children had, when Shang Xiang was younger and less mature.

The Tiger general's name sent a shiver down Zhou Yu's spine, and the strategist turned his gaze to the window, watching Lu Meng absently through the haze of his thoughts. He couldn't help wondering if the loss of a close companion was something one could ever get past – even now, Sun Jian lurked in the corners of his mind and seemed to become part of every action, every idea. Maybe death was something that never let go – once it had touched a family, there was no releasing the cold, contemplative fingers from the psyches of those left behind. But then again, perhaps the others didn't dwell like he did – perhaps it was easier for them to move forward.

The silence that had suffused their gathering parted and gave way as Sun Ce cleared his throat, placing his tea cup back on the table. "Seriously, though – it's weird that Lu Meng's training so much. He never works this hard in nice weather. What's the deal?" Lady Qiao smiled. Xiao Qiao had a funny look on her face – halfway between a smile and a scowl – and Zhou Yu regarded his wife with some concern as she choked back a mouthful of tea. She had been acting a bit strangely in recent weeks; Zhou Yu wondered what was on her mind to induce such uncharacteristic behavior.

"I don't know – he's not following my advice at all." The new voice made Zhou Yu turn, and every gaze in the room settled on Sun Quan's small form as he leaned against the door, expression twisted into a pout. Sun Ce started a little at the sight of his brother and motioned the boy closer, a smile lighting his features.

"Hey, Quan – come on in. Have some tea." Sun Quan shook his head as he walked to stand beside his brother.

"I'm studying right now – but Mother wanted to know where everyone is, and I have a question for Master Zhou Yu." The young lord looked up at the strategist from his place by Sun Ce's side, eyes begging without intention. "Will you help me?"

Zhou Yu watched the boy's face for a moment before nodding softly and moving to sit across from Sun Ce at the small table, eyes on the paper Sun Quan clutched so tightly between his hands. "What do you need?" The youngest Sun child shifted uncomfortably and flushed in mild shame.

"I was reading from that book you gave me, because I wanted to practice strategy… but I don't understand this approach that it talks about." The young boy dropped his hand-drawn diagram onto the table and knelt beside Zhou Yu, glancing between the strategist and the paper. "Can you show me?"

Zhou Yu studied the inked scenario. One army on the hill, the other underneath… forest to the west and south, two camps separated by plains, two rivers meeting in the middle. The strategist almost smiled. It was a little different, but the landscape reminded him of Zhenhai. Zhou Yu fiddled with the brush for a long moment before he swept arrows onto the thin parchment, directing each army seamlessly along the edges of distant memory.

Sun Quan shifted at his side, eyeing the map with interest as Sun Ce huffed into his tea and watched them, arms crossed in contemplation. Then his face lit up, and Zhou Yu paused in his sketching to glance at the curious officer. "Hey, Quan," Sun Ce began, scratching his temple thoughtfully. "Why did you say Lu Meng hadn't taken your advice?" Sun Quan frowned, and then understanding lit his countenance and he nodded.

"Well, I told Master Lu Meng that he shouldn't just do physical training. I told him he should come work with me on strategy, too – because a good officer has to be able to fight well and set up a battle." The boy blushed a little and shot Zhou Yu a sideways glance. "That's what I think, anyway. That's why I'm studying so hard. It's too cold out to practice sparring, so I might as well learn about this part of leading an army." He bit his lip and pouted, drawing a quaint smile onto Lady Qiao's face. "But I'm not very good at it."

Sun Ce stretched, leaning back on his palms and giving his brother a lazy smile. "Well, practice makes perfect and all that." Sun Quan looked up and found his brother's eyes, forehead furrowed in pensive confusion.

"But you don't practice strategy, Brother." Sun Ce laughed.

"Yeah, well – I don't have to. I've got the best strategist in China to do it for me." Zhou Yu smirked, hiding the expression in a concentrated swipe of the ink brush. Sun Quan blinked.

"Oh." Xiao Qiao, who had been staring out the window distractedly, rested her small hands on the sill and turned back to study Sun Quan's face. Zhou Yu watched her fingers twitching with… anxiety?… as she cleared her throat.

"What… what did he say? When you told him he should practice strategy?" Sun Quan frowned a little and shrugged.

"He mumbled something about the ethics of battle and troublesome busybodies… I didn't really catch it." Zhou Yu sighed as he finished etching a path of advance onto Sun Quan's small map. Lu Meng. No doubt whatever his response, it had been decidedly bad-tempered.

"Here." The Sun child snatched his diagram delightedly and jumped to his feet, eyes moving excitedly over the new marks.

"Thank you!" With the barest hint of a bow, Sun Quan ran for the door, disappearing down the corridor in a flurry of feet. Sun Ce smiled after him and shook his head.

"Weird kid." The young officer raised the tea cup back to his mouth. "I never cared about studying when I was his age." An image of Sun Ce at fourteen crossed Zhou Yu's mind and he scoffed, watching his fidgety wife out of the corner of his eye.

"You never cared for studying at all." Sun Ce made a face at him and exhaled happily into the steam of his tea.

"Studying's no fun. I'll take sparring any day. It's more exciting." A sigh caught his attention, and the young officer glanced over his shoulder to see Xiao Qiao leaning against the window, smiling absently and gazing outside. Zhou Yu and Sun Ce exchanged a confused glance, and the strategist noted Lady Qiao studying her sister as well. Sun Ce's wife refilled their teacups carefully and her husband coughed, amber eyes sharing silent questions with the swordsman seated across from him.

"Hey Xiao." Zhou Yu's wife looked over her shoulder at the Sun lord's voice, leaning her chin against one hand in delicate relaxation. The young girl blinked at the distraction.

"Hm?" Sun Ce shot Zhou Yu a quick look and then took another sip of tea.

"You, uh… you want to tell us what's going on?" he suggested, tone colored soft from the green tea. Xiao Qiao pursed her lips and turned to face him fully, brow confused.

"What do you mean?" Lady Qiao smiled to herself, and Zhou Yu watched the flickering emotion before his gaze returned to meet Sun Ce's. The young officer shrugged, keeping his eyes on Zhou Yu as he spoke.

"You've been acting pretty strange lately. How about telling us what's up?" Xiao Qiao huffed, hands slipping instinctively to her hips.

"I'm not acting strangely." Sun Ce laughed.

"Yeah, right. Spill it. What's wrong with you? And why are you glued to that window?" The girl took an unconscious step forward before a slight scowl suffused her countenance.

"Nothing's wrong with me. I'm being perfectly normal." Here Lady Qiao interjected, straightening from the tea tray to cast her a reprimanding look.

"Xiao." The girl struggled to remain defiant against her elder sister's calm gaze, but the expression faltered under a wave of uncertainty and concealed excitement. Zhou Yu frowned. Xiao Qiao was usually very easy to read – what reason could there be for her shifting features?

Zhou Yu's wife held out in silence for another long moment before a sigh broke through her façade. She turned back to gaze out the window, eyes lost in the white blizzard and focused on a point Zhou Yu couldn't see. The strategist frowned and held his tea cup to his mouth, swallowing the lukewarm liquid carefully as Xiao Qiao began to speak.

"It's not… there's nothing wrong with me." She twisted the sleeve of her long robe absently between two fingers, roughing the soft silk against her thumb. "It's just that… well… recently I've been thinking…" Sun Ce smiled in anticipation, lifting his own cup to his lips.

Xiao Qiao giggled, a vague sparkle shining in her pretty eyes as she leaned her chin against her palms. "Lu Meng's so cool."

Zhou Yu's dark eyes widened in shock – but he hardly had time to be surprised before the large gulp of tea Sun Ce had just taken came shooting back out, bursting across the table in a shower of pale green and catching Zhou Yu right in the face. The strategist felt his jaw drop as the cooling liquid collided with his features, accompanied by the sound of Sun Ce coughing and sputtering and Lady Qiao's gasp. Drops of tea cascaded from his chin to the polished table as the swordsman raised a slow hand almost in disbelief and wiped it across his face, staring at the dampened fingers in absolute astonishment. Sun Ce was pounding on his chest in a struggle for breath, and Lady Qiao snatched a nearby napkin before running to Zhou Yu's side and wiping at the sticky mess with hurried strokes. The strategist was too stunned even to help her. Xiao Qiao turned back from the window and stared at the commotion she had caused, fingers flying to cover her mouth at the sight.

Sun Ce finally found his voice. "What?" The choked syllable shot from his lips in a near shout, making Xiao Qiao jump. "Lu Meng?"

Zhou Yu shook himself a little and glared at his lord through the trickling tea and fervent napkin clouding his vision. "Ce…" he growled. Sun Ce looked at him with incredulity painted all over his face, and pointed almost viciously at the girl behind him.

"Lu Meng! She said Lu Meng! Your wife likes Lu Meng!" Lady Qiao shook her head, the cloth sopping in her hand.

"Oh, my – what a mess. Are you all right, Lord Yu?" Zhou Yu reached up and took the napkin from her anxious hands, letting the young woman stand back as he continued wiping his face in sodden annoyance. Sun Ce frowned.

"I didn't mean to. But did you hear what she said? Lu Meng! Sour old Lu Meng!"

Xiao Qiao huffed and stamped one foot, irritated at the repetition of her love interest's name. "Oh, so what?" she shot back. "Why can't I like Lu Meng? He's strong and handsome, even if he does have a bad attitude. It's perfectly normal for me to like him. I'm a beautiful fifteen year old girl. Why shouldn't I like someone?" Sun Ce coughed again, and Lady Qiao frowned.

"But you're already married," she pointed out. Zhou Yu scrubbed the tea out of his eyes and looked up to see Xiao Qiao cross her arms over her chest, a firm pout swallowing her expression.

"It's not fair! I don't want to be alone my whole life. My husband's having an affair – why can't I have one, too?" Zhou Yu choked at the words, and surprise captured Sun Ce's face for a long moment before sliding into a snicker. Xiao Qiao stamped her foot again. "Why can't I have someone else, like he does?"

Sun Ce shot Zhou Yu an amused look, and the strategist glared right back. "She's got a point, you know," the young officer prodded, grinning despite himself. Zhou Yu scoffed and picked up his tea cup warily, stalling under the premise of a drink. Xiao Qiao watched him silently, her face a mix of defiance and apprehension.

Did it matter? Zhou Yu supposed it didn't. Xiao Qiao was right that it wasn't fair. Had she married another man, she would no doubt have stolen his heart immediately and lived out her life well-loved. She was pretty, and young – and it truly seemed unjust for her to be condemned to a life of solitude because of his decisions. As long as no one found out, it shouldn't cause a problem. Zhou Yu took a small sip of tea and shrugged, doing his best to appear nonchalant.

"Do what you want. It doesn't matter to me." Xiao Qiao's face brightened, and she bounced a little from her spot by the window. Sun Ce laughed.

"Yeah… that goes for you, too, Da – no reason you should have to be all alone." Lady Qiao merely smiled and shook her head. Sun Ce took another drink of tea and Zhou Yu braced himself, but fortunately the young officer managed to swallow properly that time. Silence surrounded them for a moment before the Sun lord spoke again.

"But did you have to choose Lu Meng? I mean, really." Xiao Qiao frowned delicately and turned to yell at him despite the joker's grin on his face, but their argument was forestalled by a rustling in the doorway.

"Choose me for what?" All eyes whipped around to see the warrior himself standing in the entryway, red from the cold and dripping with melting snow. His arms were folded crossly over his chest and his hawk eyes scanned their faces in confusion. "What were you talking about?" Xiao Qiao flushed brilliantly and took a step back, running into the window by mistake.

"N-nothing important." Her tone was as shaky as her hands, which Zhou Yu could see were trembling. Without warning, the strategist's wife shot from her position by the wall and ran for the door, slipping past Lu Meng to disappear down the corridor. The sour warrior watched her go in confusion, turning back to his commanders with a severely baffled expression.

"What was that?" Sun Ce choked on a snigger and accidentally kicked Zhou Yu under the table, drawing a scowl onto the swordsman's face. Lu Meng sighed. "Xiao Qiao has been acting strange lately. Why do women have to be so unpredictable?" He turned from the room and walked away without another word, ignoring the warm cup of tea Lady Qiao held out for him. Sun Ce allowed his laughter to explode, filling the room with bright music. Zhou Yu frowned.

"She'll get him, you know." Lady Qiao's voice surprised them both, and Zhou Yu looked up into her smiling brown eyes with curiosity filling his gaze. The pretty young woman twisted a braid between her fingers and nodded. "It won't take her that long, either. A month or two, perhaps." Sun Ce straightened.

"We should make a bet on it," he announced. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. "I'll say a month and a half."

"One month." Zhou Yu blinked up at the soft tone, giving Lady Qiao a discouraging look before Sun Ce reached out and caught his hand across the table.

"Come on, Yu – join the game." His infectious smile stayed Zhou Yu's gaze and brought a little light to the strategist's eyes. "It's harmless. Winner just gets bragging rights."

Zhou Yu considered a long moment, glancing over his shoulder at the empty doorway and then down into his tea. He thought about his wife, and about her sour intended, and the red coloring her face as she ran away. He thought about their personalities and Xiao Qiao's forthrightness, and Lu Meng training in the snow… he took a quiet drink of tea.

"Two weeks. If not less." Sun Ce's jaw dropped a little before dissolving into a chuckle.

"You're on." Warmth spread along Zhou Yu's hand where it met Sun Ce's, and he stared at the joined fingers. Two colors of flesh melting into one across the lacquered tabletop… some piece of poetry nagged the back of his mind, but he couldn't quite recall the line he wanted.

"I'm glad." Zhou Yu discovered that his tongue was speaking for him, and looked up to find the eyes of his companions trained on his face. The strategist thought about the words and shook his head, letting a smile hint at the corners of his lips. "That she found someone." Sun Ce considered, cocking his head to one side in order to catch Lady Qiao in his gaze.

"Yeah…" His wife noticed the young officer's glance and laughed.

"Don't you worry about me, Lord Ce. Someone will come along someday. There's no need to hurry." Her voice like music spilled over and around them; Zhou Yu watched it flitting through the covered window like sunlight, dancing over the snow and trodden paths in singular clarity. "True love takes its time." The sun was peeking through the blizzard above, darkening the shadows of snowflakes as they pressed against the window, begging for entrance into the warm room.

An amber laugh followed her words as easily as water flowing. "Yeah – I guess that's the truth." The swordsman's gaze dropped to their hands again; they looked pale in the strange light, like marble or pottery clay. The Sun lord got slowly to his feet, keeping contact with Zhou Yu as he motioned for the door. "How about we go get something to eat? I'm starving!"

Sun Ce squeezed his hand. Zhou Yu smiled. All was quiet beneath the softly falling snow.

End Chapter 27

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Sun Quan is so cute. I've been waiting to write this scene ever since I started this story. Don't know why – the idea of Sun Ce spitting his tea out all over Zhou Yu just kind of amuses me. Anyway, shorter chapter just before we get into a couple complicated things, like conquering Wu… some new characters are coming in soon. Anyway, reviews are helpful and always appreciated.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Yes, perhaps Sun Jian would have been understanding of Zhou Yu and Sun Ce's relationship. Hard to tell. Glad you liked this chapter. As for Sun Ce's death… it's a difficult thing in this story, because as you know Zhou Yu didn't make it back from his campaign until after Sun Ce died. But I think I've found a way around it – so yes, Sun Ce will have a well-detailed death scene. Thank you for reviewing.

A note for Sage Serenity: Thank you for your extensive review. I'm glad you like Zhou Yu. I have also been disappointed with his portrayal in some fics, because he just comes off so one-sided – or too perfect, which isn't good either. Zhou Yu is sort of starting to lighten up about Sun Ce rushing off into battle – but only sort of, and I'd be lying if I said they were all done arguing for the rest of the story. That may have been their last tremendously huge argument, though. I'm not sure. Please continue to give me your thoughts when you have the time.

A note for Jen: I agree with you – when you really know and care about someone, you often take ridiculously low shots in an argument. I suppose Sun Ce always will be a bit of an idiot – it's part of his charm, though. And I'm not taking bets on how long until he gets off into a serious battle situation without Zhou Yu again. I'm not taking bets because I know: about eight months. Duel with Taishi Ci. Anyway, thank you for your review and please let me know what you thought of this chapter as well.


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 27 

Chen Hao was smiling, but a crease of worry caressed his forehead under the fading darkness. He was troubled – and since Zhou Yu couldn't see his expression in the dim light, he cleared his throat softly and fidgeted with his thin sleeves, watching the general's meandering gaze as it wound to his face. Chen Hao felt a frown shadowing his features as he tried to think of exactly how to arrange the thing that was bothering him into sensical syllables.

"Isn't it…" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at his pensive pause, and Chen Hao pressed on dutifully, letting the dark eyes acknowledge his hesitation and swallow it. "Isn't it improper for a woman to have… relations outside her marriage? Didn't your wife get in trouble?"

Zhou Yu blinked, and he seemed to consider his answer for a moment. Finally, the charcoal eyes faded into certainty and he studied Chen Hao's waiting expression flatly. "I had relations outside of my marriage," he countered softly. "It hardly seems fair that she should not, does it?" Chen Hao found himself nodding, but concern must have remained on his face somewhere because the general sighed.

"I suppose there might have been trouble – but we were careful, and we never let her secret go beyond those involved." A scowl of concentration marred his pale features for a long moment before Zhou Yu shook his head, hair trailing silkily across the floor. "Which amounted to a lot of people, now that I think about it. The four of us, of course – Sun Ce's siblings, his mother, Huang Gai, Zhou Tai… even Gan Ning and Ling Tong in later years."

That name again. Chen Hao couldn't help shaking his head. He shifted against the cold floor and fought down a shiver, surreptitiously wrapping both arms around his raised knees to hold in the meager heat. "Who is Zhou Tai?" His voice sounded lost in the darkness, and he coughed, trying to find strength in the uncertain tone. Zhou Yu looked back to his face, watching him for a moment before closing his cool eyes.

"…It's time we talked about Wu." Chen Hao straightened, posture improving unintentionally at the mention of Sun Ce's greatest campaign – the campaign that had unified all of the Wu Territory and secured Jiang Dong. The campaign that had founded Sun Quan's empire in a way – without that foothold, the Wu ruler could never have matched Duke Cao and Liu Bei in their endeavors. Or so Chen Hao had heard. It seemed a bit far-fetched to him – how could conquering Jiangnan push a man straight into contention for all of China? But perhaps Zhou Yu could convince him otherwise. How many times had the general challenged and overturned his expectations already?

"Shortly after we left Yuan Shu, Sun Ce decided to head for the Wu Territories." Chen Hao snapped from his wandering thoughts and moved forward, eyes locked on Zhou Yu's face as the general's voice spilled smoothly from his lips. "We went back to Jiang Dong first because we certainly couldn't bring the Qiao sisters or young Sun Quan with us on such a wide-scale conquest. Also, Cheng Pu was desperate to rejoin Sun Ce's forces. He'd had enough of petty political dealings at Sun Ben's side." Zhou Yu smirked a little into the darkness. "Cheng Pu is a warrior at heart – he may never be at home anywhere but the battlefield. Han Dang opted to remain behind as acting protector to Sun Jian's city, and the rest of us headed northeast for Yangzhou."

Chen Hao found himself speaking without intention. "Wait." Zhou Yu paused and looked up, surprised at the interruption. The soldier almost apologized, but his mind was muddled with questions that needed answering. "Did Lady Sun go with you?" She hadn't been listed among the crowd left behind – but Zhou Yu had never mentioned her going into battle before. The general blinked and then smiled; the expression hinted at superior as he lifted a weary hand and brushed the loose hair out of his eyes.

"Ah." Zhou Yu met his stare evenly and then glanced back to the sky. "I forgot Shang Xiang is a particular favorite of yours." Chen Hao flushed, turning his face into the cold wind to banish the embarrassment. The soldier said nothing for a long moment; he could feel Zhou Yu watching him but kept his gaze away.

"Actually, she did." Chen Hao found himself turning back into the story despite the general's amused tone. "She requested to accompany us on the extended campaign, and Sun Ce allowed it. She chose to hold the main camp rather than fighting on the front lines in our first battle, and her forces repelled one of Zhang Ying's ambush parties."

Chen Hao tried to keep from smiling, but it didn't work. He admired Lady Sun – her vigor, her dedication, and her loyalty. He had been a bit disappointed by her lessening appearances in the story – Chen Hao supposed it was only natural for the Tiger's daughter to stop spending so much time with her elder brother as she grew up, but he missed her sparkling presence. The second question nudged his mind, and the soldier hurried to speak before Zhou Yu could resume the train of his story.

"And…" The general glanced up and waited; silence dragged on between them before Zhou Yu lost patience.

"What is it?" Chen Hao felt shame coloring his cheeks, and he turned away again, staring at the stars behind them and wondering what time it was.

"…Where is Yangzhou?" The words were soft and apologetic, but they drifted to Zhou Yu's ears nonetheless and Chen Hao watched acknowledgement dawning on his commander's face out of the corner of his eye. Silence suffused the wagon as Zhou Yu studied him, lips pressed into a thin line.

"You can't read, can you?" Chen Hao ducked his head, indicating the quiet statement as truth through a quick nod. It wasn't quite like that – he could read numbers, and his own name, and the name of his town. He knew the character for the Wu army from their flags, and once he'd even memorized the characters for Sun Quan's name, but he didn't remember them. There hadn't been time for schooling in the rice fields of his youth – and there certainly hadn't been time for learning the layout of regions and towns across China. Zhou Yu sighed. "I suppose it wouldn't mean anything if I told you it's north of Jianye?"

Chen Hao didn't answer. Jianye was a hazy place somewhere east of his home and farther east still of this road. All he knew was the area surrounding his tiny village – the region encompassing Han Ni castle. The remainder of Sun Quan's territory, the borders between the lands of Wei and Shu… all were mere projections of rumor and muddled geography. Chen Hao shifted uncomfortably and tucked his face against his raised knees, letting frozen cheek rest on coarse fabric. The yawning silence made him nervous, so he cleared his throat.

"Never mind." Chen Hao let his eyes drift aimlessly among the stars, ignoring the disappointed stab in his heart. Some part of him had truly wanted to know – to learn the layout of the Wu Territories, to be able to draw a map of Sun Ce's conquests in his mind. But now they were just wasting time – time Zhou Yu didn't have to begin with. "It doesn't matter."

Zhou Yu remained silent, and Chen Hao didn't have to look back to feel the general's intense, studying stare. A long moment passed before a soft sigh and rustling cloth drew the soldier's unwilling gaze back to his commander. Zhou Yu fiddled with the sleeves of his borrowed jacket – for a moment Chen Hao thought he was removing the garment, but the general ceased his fidgeting as soon as he had freed both hands from the oppressive gift. Chen Hao watched him moving in silence, uncertain what was expected of him. Then Zhou Yu extended his arm, dark eyes locked in unyielding scrutiny of the soldier's features.

"Give me your hand." Chen Hao started at the soft order, staring at his general's proffered fingers like they had spoken the shadowed words instead of his commander's thin lips. The soldier regarded at Wu's struggling legend carefully, unmoving and silent as the voice circled in his head. Zhou Yu huffed under his breath, frown betraying the attitude of one accustomed to getting his own way. His arm reached a bit farther, drawing Chen Hao's surprised gaze to the pale fingers. "Give me your hand, Chen Hao."

Slowly, uncertainty painting his expression and stalling his actions, Chen Hao did as he was asked, reaching his right hand out until Zhou Yu could grab it. The general wrapped one hand around the soldier's wrist and lifted the other to the rough skin of his palm, finding the creases and planes through touch alone. Chen Hao nearly jumped as Zhou Yu's cold skin followed the thick lines, eyes turned absent as though mapping the contours in his mind. Then the general nodded shortly to himself and began to speak.

"Can you feel this line here? The head line?" Chen Hao watched Zhou Yu's finger moving along his palm in the dim starlight. Where had the moon gone? Was it truly so late? Chen Hao fought back a groan and narrowed his eyes, wishing for a little extra light as he squinted into the darkness. He didn't know what a head line was, but Zhou Yu indicated the wrinkle that cut diagonally across his palm, starting above the thumb and coursing left in a slow arch… the soldier nodded. Zhou Yu coughed and turned his face away for a moment before his explanation resumed. "Pretend that this line is the Yangzi River – where it runs off of your palm, it meets the ocean. This is the farthest east the world goes."

Chen Hao felt his eyes widening. He had never been so far east – but he wanted to go now. He wanted to see the river being swallowed by an enormous sea, wanted to gaze out and find the point where the world ended. It must lie just at the horizon. Had Zhou Yu seen it? The end of the world?

"This is Izhou." Zhou Yu's finger stopped near the end of the curving line, even with the thumb but beneath his soldier's smallest finger. Chen Hao nodded, gaze locked on the small map growing in his palm. "And directly north…" Chen Hao shivered at the chilling contact. When had Zhou Yu's hands gotten so cold? Why didn't he keep them beneath the jacket? The general stopped moving and Chen Hao studied the pale index finger resting along the curve of a higher wrinkle, almost in line vertically with where Izhou had been indicated. "This is Yangzhou. A little south of here – back toward Izhou – is Niuqiao. And it was here that we first met Zhou Tai."

Chen Hao straightened, but his eyes never left the blank map in his hand. "Niuqiao?" Zhou Yu nodded, closing his eyes in memory.

"It was in early summer of 197 that we first moved on the Wu Territories. We had left Yuan Shu in the middle of spring, and it took a few months to get everything arranged for conquest again. Our first obstacle was a man named Liu Yao – or rather, his officer, Zhang Ying." The general shivered and bit his lip, struggling with something Chen Hao couldn't name. "Zhang Ying was sent to fortify Niuqiao against our northern march, bringing with him only a few companies and a squadron of archers." Chen Hao could feel himself frowning.

"That few? Against Sun Ce's entire army?"

Zhou Yu paused, mouth half-open with an explanation. Chen Hao met his stare uncertainly before realization caught up to him. He had said Sun Ce's name without an honorary. He hadn't even thought about it – Sun Ce had become so comfortable in his mind that he earnestly had to struggle to apply the traditional title. Zhou Yu's expression flickered for a moment before settling in a half-smile that rushed into the darkness, escaping before Chen Hao had time to wonder about it.

"Well… a small number of troops is not always a disadvantage. If used effectively, they can easily overcome a larger force." Chi Bi was swimming in Zhou Yu's eyes, and Chen Hao swallowed. He could almost see the flames dancing and spinning musically to the rhythm of crossbows and crashing ships, lurching across the scalded river in war-torn frenzy… "And in this case, Zhang Ying held a fair number of other advantages. He was on higher ground, for one, and better fortified. Besides this, he had reached Niuqiao several days before our forces, giving him time to prepare that we sorely lacked. Still…" Zhou Yu paused and a smirk slipped across his face. "There are some battle deficiencies even planning cannot alleviate."

Chen Hao sat back on his heels and prepared to listen. Zhou Yu had that light in his eyes again – the light that always accompanied a last free breath before all effort went into the words. The conquest of Wu… how far they had come from the nine-year-olds in Shucheng, sparring and bickering at every opportunity.

A sudden thought struck the soldier, and he straightened abruptly, almost shaking Zhou Yu's hand from his palm in the process. The general looked up.

"What?" His voice was tired and somewhat impatient, but Chen Hao shook his head.

"Just a quick question, my lord." Zhou Yu nodded his assent, starlight echoing the expectancy in his eyes. The soldier shifted.

"Who won the bet? About, you know… your wife and Lord Lu Meng." Chen Hao made sure to tack the honorary onto Lu Meng's name this time – but Zhou Yu's face had faded into a reminiscent smile, and Chen Hao doubted his commander had even noticed.

Zhou Yu shook his head, a thin chuckle rising to meet the weak roof. "Lady Qiao. But we shouldn't have been surprised, really – she knew her sister better than anyone." Chen Hao sat back, satisfied with the answer he had been anticipating. The general shook himself, brushing lighter memories away and pulling the heady days of conquest onto his tongue. His dark eyes found Chen Hao's gaze and held, locked in communication. "Are you ready to subjugate Wu?"

Chen Hao smiled, feeling Zhou Yu's finger on his palm to guide him along the threads of the story and the cold, cruel wind tearing into his shivering skin. The stars were overhead and behind them, the moon was missing, daylight was coming – and there were only three years left. Three battle-ridden years. Chen Hao's breath caught in his lungs. Did the story really have an end? Would the night come to a breaking dawn? Finality seemed impossible here and now.

But Zhou Yu was waiting for an answer – so the soldier shook back his thoughts and nodded, ready to return to war.

xxxxxxxxxx

How long had it been since they fought beneath a clear blue sky? Zhou Yu couldn't remember. It seemed like the winds of weather were always in as much opposition to their campaigns as the enemies themselves – hardly could Sun Ce's forces advance without a gale or typhoon sweeping down on them. They had gotten luckier today – only disapproving clouds cluttered the sky above, swallowing the heavens in mottled gray and white. Zhou Yu let his hand drift to the hilt of his sword, twisting across the cold metal as camp activity rushed around him. He wondered where the thunderstorms went while the wind was still.

"Yu!" A tumble of running steps caught his attention a moment before the young officer grabbed his arm, lurching to a stop at his strategist's side. "There you are. I was looking all over for you."

Zhou Yu looked down into Sun Ce's smile and then back to the sky, letting his eyes get lost in the slate folds. Silence held his tongue for a long moment before he shook his head, freeing an answer from between his teeth. "Sorry."

Sun Ce tipped his chin to one side and shrugged. "No big deal. But we're getting ready to move out, so I need your instructions for each company." An extra sparkle lodged in his eyes as he bounced on the balls of his feet. "You and I have something exciting to do, right? Like a straight charge?"

Zhou Yu scoffed, but he felt a flicker of relief in his ribs. Ever since their experience against Lu Kang, Sun Ce had been willing to bring Zhou Yu along in his own company, allowing the stoic strategist peace of mind and a tighter rein on the Sun lord's squadron. Not that it had stopped Sun Ce from hurtling headlong into whatever situation waited for him – but Zhou Yu couldn't help feeling better knowing that regardless of what obstacle threw itself into Sun Ce's path, he would be nearby to help surmount it.

A tug on his arm directed the swordsman's attention back to his impatient companion. Sun Ce was frowning a little, the dampened light of the clouds hovering in his amber eyes. "Come on – where are we headed? I want to move everyone out right away." Zhou Yu rolled his dark eyes, pulling a map from his belted sash and holding it up for demonstration.

"Calm down." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue and shifted from foot to foot, fingers wrapped tightly into the fabric of his strategist's shirt. Zhou Yu blinked and had to smile a little at the officer's obvious enthusiasm. "You're excited about this, aren't you?" Sun Ce brightened at the light question and nodded fervently.

"It's the first conquest in years that I haven't done for that old goat." Zhou Yu snorted under his breath at Sun Ce's insult, Yuan Shu's image flitting vaguely through his mind. The Sun lord grinned. "I'm making a name for myself again – I'm going after my dreams. It feels great." A moment of hesitation passed between them before Sun Ce reached forward and took hold of Zhou Yu's shoulders, shaking him a little. "And that's why we have to go right now. I can't wait another minute!" The young officer huffed, spinning in a circle before posing with hands on hips. Zhou Yu couldn't help the slight chuckle that escaped his lips, drawing yet more energy onto Sun Ce's countenance.

"…If you insist." Sun Ce winked, and Zhou Yu felt a smirk pulling insistently at his expression. He turned back to the map almost reluctantly, letting his eyes swim between the landmarks and projected troop movements. "Let me show you our lines of approach."

"Sounds important." Zhou Yu glanced up again at Shang Xiang's light voice, meeting the princess's gaze evenly as she wandered up, pausing at her brother's side. Shang Xiang smiled warmly, short hair bobbing affectionately around her ears. "Should I get everybody else? Are we having a team meeting before we move out?"

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to respond, but Sun Ce cut him off. "No need." The young officer gestured to several figures striding their direction, weapons at the ready and faces set. Lu Meng looked decidedly disinterested, but Cheng Pu managed a smile beneath the wrinkles of grim preparation peppering his face.

"Your orders?" Lu Meng's gruff question preceded the young warrior the last few steps, rolling into their circle as his steady feet came to a halt. Cheng Pu bit back a chortle, amusement locked on his sour comrade. Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"Lighten up," he instructed, mock seriousness riddling his tone. Lu Meng snorted derisively and made to respond, but Zhou Yu cleared his throat and hurried on before a petty quarrel could spring up.

"Right. Modes of attack." The strategist stared at the map in his hands for another long moment, checking everything silently. It seemed like all angles had been covered – there were only three viable paths of advance toward Zhang Ying's camp, each rather narrow and separated by jutting rises. Sun Ce's forces would be at a definite disadvantage, seeing as they had to advance along the lower ground – but there was nothing to be done. Zhang Ying had reached Niuqiao first; unlike the Sun lord, he had managed to establish a position and take control of favorable terrain before the battle. Zhou Yu's dark eyes narrowed. They would have to push through the jaws of each canyon and overtake Zhang Ying's advance squadrons – not an easy task, but certainly possible given their larger numbers.

The swordsman shook his head to clear the lingering logistics away. The officers around him were waiting for instructions, and Sun Ce was practically exploding with impatience. "All right. Cheng Pu… take the western path. That one heads straight north, so with luck you may reach Zhang Ying's camp before the rest of us." Cheng Pu nodded shortly, crossing his arms in understanding. Zhou Yu pressed on, sliding one finger down the rugged parchment in imitation of the second trajectory.

"Lu Meng. You'll advance along the central path. This one winds back and forth as it climbs – take an extra squad with you and watch out for ambushes." Lu Meng huffed, and Zhou Yu shot him a sharp look. "Zhang Ying isn't a fool. He's certainly stationed troops among the hills." The sour warrior readied himself for a cutting retort, but Zhou Yu wasn't in the mood to hear it and pushed on without pause. "Sun Ce and I will take the eastern path. It's the longest in totality, but chances are Zhang Ying will have stationed fewer soldiers along that route. We'll do our best to hurry and meet you on the other side of the hills, Cheng Pu." The veteran soldier nodded again, eyes scanning the map to prompt memory.

Sun Ce shifted, hands slipping unconsciously onto his hips. "What about Shang?"

Shang Xiang laughed. "I'm holding the main camp, silly. Who would protect your supplies if everybody ran off into battle?" Sun Ce frowned, scratching the back of his neck.

"Your first campaign ever, and you want to just hold the main camp? Where's your sense of adventure?" Shang Xiang punched his shoulder in gentle amusement.

"I think you inherited that, Ce." Her placid response brought another smile to her brother's lips, brightening the tan countenance with self-assurance and warmth. "Quan's not very adventurous either." The Sun lord laughed.

"Don't even get me started on Quan. He's hopeless." Sun Ce shook his head. "He's fourteen already – about time he stopped being such a baby." Lu Meng grunted and stepped back, turning for his troops

"Some people never grow up," he observed bluntly over his shoulder. Sun Ce nodded for a moment before offense clouded his expression.

"Hey…" A frown was aimed at the warrior's back, though it prompted no response. "That better not be directed at me!"

Lu Meng snorted but didn't answer, heading for his companies with tired tread. Zhou Yu watched him go, eyes calculating and preoccupied. Lu Meng had never been energetic on campaigns – but recently his steps dragged listlessly and his spear fell in meager rhythm. Was he ill? Injured? Or perhaps just missing the bouncing presence of a certain companion? Zhou Yu had to smile at the last thought; the expression wormed its way across his face before disappearing into indifference again. Lu Meng. Xiao Qiao. Sun Ce was right. It truly was shocking – shocking, but encouraging.

Shang Xiang laughed at her brother's petulant face and patted his arm. "Don't worry about Lu Meng, Ce. He's being difficult on purpose." The practical young woman turned her gaze back to their strategist, eyes considering. "I guess everything's set, then?"

Zhou Yu nodded. "As soon as everyone is in position, we'll move out." His glance shot to the rolling clouds overhead and thoughtful furrows marred his brow. The weather wasn't bad now – but it might get worse as the afternoon dragged on. Summers in eastern China were unpredictable. Hadn't it been just the year before that a typhoon threatened to tear Yuan Shu's walls apart, and Sun Quan had hidden beneath his bed in terror at the pounding tempest? It would be best to get as close to Zhang Ying's camp as possible before the weather turned.

"All right!" Sun Ce threw both fists into the air and headed for his own company, steps lively and important. "Let's get this show on the road!" His restless fingers slipped down Zhou Yu's sleeve until they found the swordsman's hand, dragging his companion toward the waiting troops with a slight touch. The Tiger's son turned back to catch his sister in an amber stare. "Take care here!" Shang Xiang smiled and waved, turning for the command tent on a sharp heel as the two officers made their way through the tide of camp activity.

Most soldiers had found their places – those not participating in the battle rushed back and forth on errands, hands full of supplies or weaponry. Sun Ce chuckled, pausing to let a stream of messengers laden with scrolls scuttle past into the sea of tents. Zhou Yu watched the back of his head – the bobbing ponytail, the simple red ribbon twisted in cascaded efficiency around chestnut strands. "It's really crazy around here during a fight." Sun Ce's voice broke the rumble of tramping feet, catching Zhou Yu's attention despite the low volume.

The strategist nodded to himself and glanced around, surveying the chaos with experienced eyes. "I hope Shang Xiang can handle everything." Though he hadn't mentioned his misgivings during their preparations the day before, the young swordsman was still a bit concerned about leaving the untried soldier in control of their main camp. But there was nothing to be done – Huang Gai was holding the ford several miles south, and they were shorthanded already.

A sharp tug on his wrist brought the dark eyes back from contemplation to meet Sun Ce's reassuring gaze. "Shang? She'll be fine. She's smart. Besides, it gets quieter around here after everybody moves out." Zhou Yu pressed his lips together and nodded a little, accepting Sun Ce's decision in silence. It had been Shang Xiang's preference as well – the nineteen year old was not at all interested in fighting along the front lines. Sun Ce was right – she was smarter than the rest of them by far. Only a fool would demand duty at the army's head.

"Right! Let's go! I can't wait to get my hands on Zhang Ying." Sun Ce squeezed his strategist's hand and set off into the crowd, and Zhou Yu let a smirk swallow his features. It was almost amusing how Sun Ce proved himself a fool at every turn – almost. With a slight sigh, Zhou Yu stepped forward between clusters of soldiers, following Sun Ce as best he could through the mess of troops. It was time.

A sharp crack and a sudden scream plunged the camp into chaos. Zhou Yu ducked instinctively, landing on his knees in the dirt and covering his head as hundreds of arrows arched across the waiting soldiers, landing like demon needles throughout the companies. Turmoil swarmed around him as shouts of pain rent the air, matching the arcing weapons in rhythm and volume. Zhou Yu's eyes shot from one side of the camp to the other, but his view was largely blocked by knees and useless weapons. A soldier two paces away toppled to the ground, bleeding freely around the arrow in his chest. A thick gasp tore the man's mouth open and his eyes rolled back, white and helpless under the pain.

Zhou Yu felt his breath catch and twist, and for a long moment his lungs refused to operate – the strategist slammed his fist into his own jaw, forcing thought back through his muddled mind with a painful start. Zhou Yu staggered to his feet, staying hunched as best he could and searching for a visual explanation. The hills surrounding camp… somehow Zhang Ying must have brought squads of archers into the thick forest. But where were the scouts? Why hadn't there been any indication of the coming ambush? It didn't matter now. Soldiers were running back and forth in futile panic, tripping over the injured and cowardly in their grand inaction. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth.

"Shields out!" His shout met little resistance but less response, spilling across the nearest troops like a simple breeze in the wake of a thunderstorm. A few men pulled the coarse guards over their heads and huddled low, fighting the unexpected attack with desperate defense. Zhou Yu pressed up against the side of a tent, protected from the airborne weapons as his dark eyes stared across the sea of confusion. The archers would have to reload in a moment – when they did…

A short pause. The rain of arrows lessened in intensity, settling across the soldiers as an afterthought. Zhou Yu ran, making for the head of camp and counting the seconds in his mind. How long would it take Zhang Ying's soldiers to refit their bows? Perhaps a hundred archers flitting through the trees—

Zhou Yu lurched to a halt at the front of the camp, pushing between two baffled infantrymen until the entrance was unobstructed before him. The swordsman's dark gaze flashed through the mayhem, searching for – there. Lu Meng was running toward him now, shield guarding his exposed back and pike pressed into the crook of one arm with frantic resolve. Zhou Yu met him halfway, wincing as the arrows renewed their fury and drew another chorus of screams from the stranded soldiers.

"Get your men out of here!" Zhou Yu was sure his yell could barely be heard over the onslaught of disorder surrounding them, but Lu Meng nodded, black ponytail slapping sharply across his shoulders. "We can't move at all in this formation. Head for the central path and regroup as soon as you're clear of the arrows!" Lu Meng didn't wait for dismissal – he was off and running again before the strategist could even find his next target. Cheng Pu was nowhere to be seen, but Shang Xiang had reappeared and rushed to Zhou Yu's side, weapons ready and eyes anxious.

"Zhou Yu!" A loose arrow struck her armored thigh and bounced, stabbing the dirt at the swordsman's feet and nearly puncturing his leather boot. Zhou Yu felt his breath catch again, but shoved the near miss away to speak to Sun Ce's panicked sister.

"Find Cheng Pu! Tell him to stay here and secure the camp!" A whistle past the strategist's ear informed him that time was getting shorter. "His company, your company – I don't care who it is! Get rid of the archers in the forest! We're moving out of here as fast as we can!" Shang Xiang nodded, her bright face washed with the grim lines of battle, and Zhou Yu spared a glance over his shoulder, anxiety tight as a rope around his stomach. Lu Meng was moving – rows of soldiers made rapid progress through the entrance, running at full speed to pass the deadly threshold. As soon as they were clear, he and Sun Ce could—

"Yu!" Zhou Yu stumbled as another body crashed into his, bowling him into a nearby tent and taking them both to the ground. Sun Ce was heaving for breath, but the strategist's eyes affirmed that he hadn't yet been hit. Both men scrambled into crouching positions, using the tent as a shield, and Zhou Yu swallowed.

"We're moving out. Are your companies still intact?" Sun Ce shook his head, worry coating the normally confident countenance.

"Ours were stationed in the western part of camp – we got hit the worst. I don't think anybody's been killed – they're just shooting randomly – but we're definitely down a number of soldiers." Zhou Yu cursed mentally but bit it back, letting a rough sigh escape instead.

"It'll have to do." Sun Ce nodded, eyes locked for a moment on his companion's steel gaze. Then the young officer leapt to his feet and darted through camp, dodging the wounded and ducking between disarmed squadrons. Zhou Yu glanced at the entrance. Lu Meng had managed to march out – who knew how far his troops would get, or how many of them had been injured. The swordsman swore under his breath and stood up, running headlong for the edge of the encampment. How had he not foreseen this? Through a simple ambush, Zhang Ying had them at a severe disadvantage so early in the battle.

Zhou Yu threw himself into the shadow of a clump of trees that marked the camp's boundary, eyes moving swiftly over the chaos behind him. Sun Ce was coming – waves of soldiers followed him, their shields held above their heads as a light jog carried them forward. Even without counting, Zhou Yu could see that the squads were severely diminished – gaps formed between lines of soldiers and widened as their varied paces led each man out of the chaos.

"Which way?" Sun Ce paused in his run as he reached the waiting strategist, glance skipping between the three paths ahead. "We still going east?" Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Cheng Pu is staying in camp – we'd better use the western path. We have to take Zhang Ying out as fast as possible." But no doubt the western approach would be well guarded… would Zhang Ying have stationed an army at its end? Another ambush? How many more deadly surprises awaited this ill-begun battle?

Sun Ce managed to laugh despite the grim situation. "Don't worry. Once we find him, I'll take Zhang Ying down in two seconds." Zhou Yu only scoffed. The young officer turned and headed west, running backward to keep his eyes on his strategist. "Coming?"

Zhou Yu waved a hand dismissively. "I'll follow the end of your company. Just go! We're not all out of the camp yet." Sun Ce nodded once more and spun, running toward the imminent rises as fast as his feet could carry him. The company followed, tripping on uneven ground but keeping time through the adrenaline pumping in each vein. Zhou Yu watched them pass, gaze flitting between the advancing battalion and the disordered camp. If he looked hard enough, he could see bodies strewn between the tents and abandoned arms… a cold shiver slipped down the swordsman's spine. If Zhang Ying had attacked just a little earlier, before they had been ready to move out, Sun Ce's forces could well have suffered annihilation. What power was there to thank for coincidence? What might have happened if they had not been ready to march?

A trail of bruised and injured soldiers brought up the rear of Sun Ce's company, and Zhou Yu stepped forward to block their path. The leader glanced up from his trudging jog, the arrow in his shoulder quivering in hesitation. Zhou Yu surveyed the small bunch critically. Eight to ten soldiers, maybe… Sun Ce's troop could spare that many.

"Sir?" The soldier made as though to pass his commander, stopping only when Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Stay in camp. Help Shang Xiang get everything under control – and get the medic to look at you." Zhou Yu felt a disheartening weight pulling on his ribs. The medic. Maybe he'd been shot, too. The soldiers seemed displeased with his order, grumbling and shifting in restless disagreement until the swordsman focused his dark gaze on their leader's face. "That's an order. If you go into the field, you're just going to get in the way." The soldier's shoulders collapsed in a slump. Zhou Yu surveyed their clouded expressions before turning on his heel and heading after Sun Ce's rushing company. His stiff stride melted into a run as final words escaped his lips. "Besides… Sun Ce wouldn't like you putting yourselves in danger."

He could almost feel the soldiers straightening at his back; the loose dirt fell away as his feet raced on, carrying him forward in a pace born of adrenaline and worry. Sun Ce wasn't that far ahead – he could catch up in a few minutes. The young officer was just entering the ravine now – the most dangerous time for attack would be near the end. Zhang Ying's ambush parties would try to box the troop in, leaving them no escape and directing them into the jaws of an advance army… Zhou Yu shook his head and ran faster.

The cragged walls of the ravine, heavy with silted trees and the long-lost marks of a raging river, closed in around Zhou Yu just as he reached the slowest line of soldiers. The strategist pressed on, ignoring the strange looks Sun Ce's company shot him as he ducked between them, increasing pace to weave past clumps of infantrymen blocking the strict path. A frown settled over his lips. Sun Ce always had to be in front, didn't he? Zhou Yu dodged a fallen log, eyes settling in worried examination over the loosely forested walls hemming them in. He couldn't see any movement – but judging from the attack on the main camp, Zhang Ying's soldiers were more professional than he'd given them credit for.

There he was. Now Zhou Yu could see Sun Ce's ponytail bobbing up ahead, dancing between his shoulder blades like leaves in the wind. The strategist pushed himself forward, ignoring the stitch in his side and the gradually uphill slope of the path. Sun Ce needed to be aware of the danger ahead – they needed to implement a plan.

"Ce!" The young officer turned his head, smiling when he saw that the swordsman had finally caught up with him.

"Hey, look who it is! Glad you made it." Sun Ce was huffing a little from the fast pace and vertical slope, but his grin never dimmed. Zhou Yu kept running until he reached his officer's side, letting his pace drop into the upbeat jog once he drew level. "Things should be a lot more interesting now that you're here."

Zhou Yu shook his head. "Things are about to get more interesting anyway." Sun Ce blinked, and the swordsman shoved one hand roughly toward the path in front of them. "See that curve up ahead?" Sun Ce's eyes found the jutting wall indicative of a course change before darting back to the strategist's face.

"Yeah. So?" Zhou Yu felt one foot slip on the loose soil but regained his balance an instant before staggering.

"There's an ambush waiting for us." Sun Ce's eyes widened for a moment. Then he glanced back to the front, chewing thoughtfully on an errant piece of hair as he ran.

"No kidding? Huh. Who would have guessed?" The Sun lord's eyes became curious in their amber complexity. "How do you know that?" Zhou Yu waved his hand dismissively.

"Never mind. I have a plan to minimize damage, but I'm going to have to drop back to the end of the company." Sun Ce nodded.

"Okay. Well, I'll take care of things up here." Zhou Yu hesitated, his mind full of things to say but his tongue lacking the words. Sun Ce studied him. "What's that look for?"

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, brushing the hair away from his eyes almost as an afterthought. "They'll probably have bowmen hidden in the trees – and there will be an advance army at the canyon's head, waiting for you. It may even be Zhang Ying's. And remember to look out for caltrops."

Sun Ce rolled his eyes in playful scolding. "Sheesh, Yu. I know how to handle an ambush, okay?" Zhou Yu said nothing, but in his mind all he could see was the disappearing tail of Sun Jian's horse into a thick, cold night, and another man who had known how to handle an ambush. The strategist wondered absently if he'd ever get over the connection – would he have to worry like this every time their enemy sprung a surprise attack? It had been years – none of them easy, none of them safe, but years nonetheless. When would the shadow of Sun Jian's death really leave him?

Sun Ce must have noticed the contemplative angst running rampant through Zhou Yu's eyes; he reached out and gave the strategist a small shove. "Whatever you're thinking, knock it off." Zhou Yu blinked and stumbled, feet catching at the push and momentum lost. Sun Ce rushed past, saluting with a wink as the path carried him farther away. "Now go put your plan in motion."

Zhou Yu felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Maybe… maybe Sun Ce could handle it. Maybe he wouldn't fall prey to an underhanded trick, as his father had. Maybe. The swordsman felt one hand rising in a motionless wave. "I'll catch up."

Sun Ce stuck out his tongue, glancing at Zhou Yu over his shoulder as the company streamed between them. "If you can!" he teased; the shout echoed between the creased canyon walls and reverberated, catching Zhou Yu's ears in a rush of repetition. And then Sun Ce was gone, lost among the scattering soldiers and the wilting wind. Zhou Yu turned his back to the advancing officer and watched the clumps of infantrymen sliding past, waiting for the final squads to reach his position. He could hear Sun Ce yelling behind him – warning about the ambush, maybe, or encouraging his troop to keep pace. The sound of marching rollicked between the high ravine walls.

When all but the trailing end of Sun Ce's company had passed him, the swordsman held up both hands and motioned for the remaining soldiers to halt. Their steady jog stumbled to a stop as they watched him warily, eyes locked on the retreating backs of their comrades. The front men shifted and one stepped forward, but Zhou Yu cut him off before the question could even form.

"Pay attention." The leading soldier straightened unintentionally and his jaw clapped shut. Zhou Yu's tone wasted no time in catching the attention of all assembled, and he pressed on with his explanation as soon as the words had left his lips. "When we round that next corner, there's going to be an ambush waiting for us."

Surprise rippled like waves through the squadron. They glanced between themselves and helplessly after the advancing company ahead, shifting their feet in anxiety. Zhou Yu shook his head. "There's little we can do at this point. It's too late to turn back and we have to reach Zhang Ying's camp somehow." A muffled murmur stirred throughout the soldiers; Zhou Yu ignored it. "All of you are going to help minimize the effectiveness of that ambush. We only have a moment, so listen closely."

The strategist turned and indicated the canyon walls curving ahead. "You see that point? The place where we lose sight of the path? That's about where the ambush ought to be. Wait just south that rock face – the sheer drop, you see it? – until the ambush parties strike." The swordsman turned back to his subordinates, eyes severe. "The first strike will no doubt be a volley. As soon as you know where the archers are hidden, charge up the slopes and destroy them." The harsh sound of his voice echoed a little between the folds of armor assembled. Zhou Yu shook his head. "Do not enter the area of combat, or try to assist us with the ground troops. Take out all the archers as fast as you can. Understood?" The soldiers nodded, to a man stiff and concerned. Zhou Yu sighed silently. There was no sense in reassuring them – this was a dangerous situation.

"Right. We move." Zhou Yu turned on his heel and began to run, listening to the pounding of thirty odd feet following in his wake. Sun Ce's company was almost to the corner, now – in a few minutes they would be curving out of sight – but the Sun lord had slowed his pace to a light walk and Zhou Yu felt himself catching up faster than anticipated. He could hear Sun Ce's last lines of infantry spilling out behind him like an oncoming torrent, shuddering the gravel path with heavy footsteps.

Wait. A sudden thought struck Zhou Yu harder than the waiting rogue arrows, and breath lodged itself in his throat like a jutting rock. The strategist's eyes widened in overwhelming fear. Sun Ce was out front. He would be the first to enter the final stretch of canyon – the first target in view of Zhang Ying's archers. All it would take was one well-positioned bowmen with a quick finger and…

Zhou Yu's pace plummeted into a sprint, tearing the ground away from beneath his heels in a furious run. He could feel the confusion of the soldiers at his back, see the bobbing spears of the company ahead as a few men glanced over their shoulders, but all he could hear was his own angry heartbeat and the imagined twang of a bowstring. He had to catch up. Faster. Faster. His feet obeyed, nearly tripping over the coarsely slanted ground and loose rocks of the narrow canyon. Rows of soldiers flashed and disappeared behind him, but Sun Ce was still ahead, nearing the turn now – flanked only by the wind and his own weapons. The clouds above roiled with the threat of rain, dipping and balking as Zhou Yu pushed himself forward.

Almost. Sun Ce was entering the curve now – he would be beyond the turn in a moment, into the line of fire; but Zhou Yu was just behind him, just out of reach. Just six more steps and—

A great cry arose as Sun Ce entered the next stretch of ravine, and Zhou Yu's heart pounded in drumming rhythm as Zhang Ying's archers sprang from the rocky forest like shooting bamboo. An advance force waited ahead – spears drawn, shields out, mouths open in a fervent battle cry. Sun Ce skittered to a halt, shock clear on his features despite the warning. Every enemy on the hills held a bow, every bow was drawn and fitted, every arrow pointed directly at…

Sun Ce made to dodge. The archers released. Zhou Yu leapt. His body collided with the young officer's and both men crashed sideways, landing against a heavy boulder in the clumped bushes. Sun Ce yelped as Zhou Yu slammed across him and drew his shield in one sharp motion, throwing the stiff guard up to protect their heads. Six thumps met the hard wooden circle and Zhou Yu felt his heart stop at the sound. There had been so many arrows. Surely, one would find them. The strategist waited silently for pain and the sensation of spilling blood; he waited for the end.

It didn't come. Zhou Yu allowed his eyes to slip open, and he stared down into the astonished amber gaze regarding him from where Sun Ce had landed, pinned to the rough ground by his panicked swordsman. The dusty officer's jaw was hanging slightly open in unconcealed shock, ponytail sprawled against the pockmarked boulder beside them. Zhou Yu clenched his fist, waiting for a cry of anguish from the figure beneath him, for the injury they couldn't have avoided… all he heard were Sun Ce's heaving breaths and the noise of battle raging around them. Sun Ce blinked.

Zhou Yu closed his eyes for a moment in relief before climbing off of his companion, keeping his head low to avoid notice by the enemy. Sun Ce pushed into a sitting position and brushed away the leaves that had gotten lodged in his hair, eyeing his strategist warily. Zhou Yu studied the young man's face, lips tight. He had made it in time.

Sun Ce shook his head. Zhou Yu swallowed. There were six arrows imbedded in the wood of his shield – six arrows that might have ended up somewhere else. He dropped the useless arm behind him onto the flattened ground. There was some blood in his mouth – had he bitten his tongue in the moment of flight? – and the copper taste slipped over his explanation. "I forgot to warn you about…"

Sun Ce laughed – a full laugh that shook his armored form where it rested against the skin of the boulder. The young officer rubbed the back of his head before pushing into a crouch, smile still open on his face. "You are completely paranoid," he informed the strategist before standing. Zhou Yu stood with him, eyebrow raised in answer. Sun Ce laughed again, soothing his bruised elbows before scanning the area for an angle of attack.

Everywhere around them, soldiers grappled with hand and halberd – the arrows had stopped, Zhou Yu noticed, so perhaps his last-minute plan had worked after all. And most importantly, Sun Ce had escaped contact with the deadly arsenal. Zhou Yu felt a flicker of overwhelming release. Another close miss. The sword leapt into his hand as Sun Ce tore onto the battle field, spinning like a cyclone and dispatching waiting enemies without effort. The swordsman followed, cutting through Zhang Ying's advance army if they littered the young officer's footsteps. The hum of battle swept around them in palpable color; crimson painted Zhou Yu's eyes as his weapon sliced carefully through assembled adversaries. Sun Ce vanished between the folds of soldiers, but Zhou Yu wasn't worried anymore – the young officer could take care of himself in the thick of battle.

"You know what, though?" The yell drew Zhou Yu's attention out of his war-induced haze, and the strategist turned to see Sun Ce standing behind him, amber stare riddled with teasing and reflective amusement. Zhou Yu slashed his sword through a few more soldiers and paused, meeting the familiar gaze with expectation.

"What?" Sun Ce slung both tonfa forward and sent his opponents sailing into the crowd, bruises already forming across their exposed skin. Zhou Yu felt the young officer's back hitting his own, accompanied by the click of compounded armor. Sun Ce chuckled.

"I love you anyway." Zhou Yu's hand faltered, hesitating as the hauntingly common words flickered past his ears. The strategist turned on heel and faced his companion, who was grinning like a spoiled cat with a dancing look to match. Sun Ce winked. Zhou Yu shook his head. How was it that he still treasured that blasted smile after six years? The swordsman opened his mouth to retort, but Sun Ce's wide-eyed shout beat him to it.

"Behind you!" Zhou Yu spun and quickly decapitated the approaching adversary, shoving his sword through several enemy stomachs in the adrenaline rush. The corpses tumbled to the ground at his feet in a splash of dark red, coating the leather footprints with their sickly spatter. Zhou Yu straightened slowly, drawing a deep breath as he shot his companion another look over his shoulder. Sun Ce exhaled heavily and then smiled, worry extinguished. The swordsman rolled his eyes.

"And you say I have bad timing." Sun Ce laughed, and his strategist watched the brilliant expression for a long moment before taking off into the battle, letting the wind spur his footsteps. He and Sun Ce would get more done separately – and with less inherent opportunity for distraction.

I love you anyway. The words replayed in a dusky murmur and Zhou Yu shook his head, staggering his blade through assorted clumps of enemies and moving toward the head of the valley. It was just like Sun Ce to say that now, in the middle of a dangerous ambush. The officer never could keep his tongue in check. But nonetheless… the swordsman shook it away. This was war. He had a job to do.

Zhou Yu paused between the carnage, trained eyes scanning the battle. There would be a flank officer in this army somewhere – once he was taken care of, Sun Ce's forces could begin moving toward Zhang Ying's central camp. The majority of Zhang Ying's army seemed to have filtered forward to meet their opponents, but one group waited doggedly near the ravine's exit, pikes held stiffly despite the tenacity of the ambushed troop. The swordsman disarmed another soldier and knocked him backward, slamming the hilt of his decorated sword into the man's breastbone before moving off; a choked gasp followed his footsteps like a shadow, coated in pain and bleeding lungs. Zhou Yu closed his eyes for a moment before spinning farther into the approaching enemy. War had never been kind.

Zhou Yu was halfway through demolishing the next line of adversaries when a shift in the wind stopped him in his tracks. His dark eyes shot wide and stared around the battle in concerned confusion, seeking any sign of disturbance aside from the obvious. That smell… thick, coarse, aspen. It could only be fire. A closer look at the sky showed lines of smoke drifting over the indifferent clouds, swirling in greasy ashes across the sky. But there weren't any flames on the canyon walls, nor archers with lit arrows. The swordsman felt breath stick in his throat.

No. It couldn't be that Shang Xiang had lost the main camp – could it? So many troops had been left behind, and Cheng Pu along with her; a company of archers couldn't have destroyed the entire encampment. Logic battled back and forth across Zhou Yu's mind like a turning wheel. It was true that everything had been in upheaval when their squad departed – but Shang Xiang was strong. Smart. Surely… Zhou Yu forced himself to concentrate, backing away from the shaken enemies before him. Think. How do you know where the fire is? Zhou Yu took a deep breath, marking the direction of the breeze and the increased smell of ashes. Surely it couldn't…

No. The swordsman's eyes flew open in cloaked relief, and his hands tightened around the hilt of the sword. The wind was blowing from the north now – which meant the fire was raging in Zhang Ying's part of the landscape. Their camp couldn't be in danger. A frown creased Zhou Yu's pale features, chasing the reassured expression away in thoughtful confusion. It was good news – but there wasn't much to burn in this area of the Wu Territory. And Lu Meng certainly could not have reached Zhang Ying's encampment so soon along the central path. Then what—

His musings were interrupted by a series of screams, shooting the strategist's attention back to Zhang Ying's advance army. He couldn't see much between the lines of armored soldiers, but every man among them had turned inward, tripping and tumbling over his companions to get away from… what? The fire? The swordsman couldn't see any flames. And the path ahead wouldn't burn anyway—

"Yu!" Zhou Yu glanced back momentarily as Sun Ce rushed up, skidding to a stop when he drew even with his mystified strategist. The young officer's breath came short and fast under his dirtied face. "Yu, what's going on? What's burning?" The Sun lord drew himself up straighter, countenance illustrating the leader his men supported heedlessly. "Are we in danger? Do we need to retreat?" Zhou Yu could only shake his head.

"I don't know. I think we're all right for now, but…" His words stopped as another shriek tore free of the army ahead. Sun Ce's gaze followed the swordsman's, squinting to make out anything between the flurry of panicked soldiers. Something was running rampant through Zhang Ying's ranks – bodies seemed to crash to the ground every second. Zhou Yu frowned and raised his sword into a defensive position; his companion tensed, carefree mouth melting into a firm line. Neither said a word, despite the clatter of ongoing battle behind them and the unknown force ahead.

With a pounding scream, a ring of enemies in the advance force fell to ground, writhing and moaning in useless agony. The others ran, threading between themselves and fleeing headlong toward their camp. Zhou Yu started. From the center of the completely demolished army, one stoically handsome man straightened and sheathed his sword, dark eyes flitting with unconcerned focus. His hair hidden beneath a secure charcoal turban whispered at his face, and the smoothly unscarred expression that regarded both officers coolly belied a life of turmoil and war. Sun Ce took a step back in surprise. Zhou Yu swallowed. That a single man could make Zhang Ying's army turn to escape…

The silent warrior turned and marched sharply toward them, causing Zhou Yu's grip on his weapon to tighten almost painfully. He didn't have any idea who this man was, or what he wanted – but that was no reason to let his guard down. Sun Ce moved forward, tonfa extended courageously in an unspoken challenge. The man paused, eyes playing across their faces. Zhou Yu met his stare evenly, searching for a sign of purpose in the empty, unfocused gaze.

Without warning, the man knelt, placing his sheath on the ground in submission. Sun Ce's jaw dropped. Zhou Yu blinked.

"Lord Sun Ce…" The rough trickle of the man's voice spilled across the distance between them. Sun Ce nodded slowly, measuring the man's intentions with his baffled eyes.

"Yeah – that's me." A bare smirk graced the warrior's lips, slipping like sand into the overcast afternoon.

"My name is Zhou Tai."

Sun Ce stared; the bewildered expression on his face might have been comical had Zhou Yu not been feeling the exact same way. Ripples of confusion stirred in his mind. Zhou Tai… was this man a friend or an enemy? The Sun lord scratched his neck and scowled in thoughtful exasperation, tonfa still gripped tightly in preparation.

"And…? What do you want?"

Before Zhou Tai could answer, the sound of rapid hoof beats drew Zhou Yu's eyes to the path from which their peculiar warrior had come. A few seconds of silence passed in rising tension before the animal came into view, skittering around the fallen corpses and dodging loose rocks with a young but heavyset man on its back. The spear in his hand was dyed brutal crimson and reflected the aching light with sharp clarity, glimmering almost haughtily even from a distance. Sun Ce blinked as the unnamed officer reined his mount and leapt to the ground, landing beside Zhou Tai's kneeling form in a cloud of merciless soil. Zhou Tai coughed discreetly, and a smile toyed with the corners of Sun Ce's mouth before perplexity took over.

"Lord Sun Ce!" The second, more triumphant cry echoed between the tight canyon walls with flourish, drawing more confusion onto Zhou Yu's furrowed brow and catching Sun Ce off guard. The man bowed extravagantly and raised one fist in muscular greeting. "The pirates of Jiangnan, reporting for duty!"

Zhou Yu felt a scowl coating his features, and Sun Ce just shook his head. The young officer scratched ponderously at his chin. "The… who?" Their newest arrival looked shocked, shifting his feet uncomfortably against the torn ground.

"The pirates of Jiangnan. We're…" He shook his head, calling bravado back into his voice with a clear effort. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "We are notorious thieves who sail along the Yangzi, robbing and pillaging wherever we please." Sun Ce began to look a little nervous, hands tightening around his tonfa, and Zhou Yu felt his jaw set in stern preparation.

"Oh." The silence hung like thick curtains between both parties. Sun Ce appeared to be thinking very hard, but only puzzlement showed on his face. "You're, uh… you're not here to rob us, are you? Because we're kind of… busy at the moment…" Awkwardness streamed across Sun Ce's face; it was doubled in the expression of the unnamed general before them. Rarely had Zhou Yu seen his companion at a loss for words, but he had only sympathy for the young officer's flailing tongue in the present situation.

"…No." A firm shake of his head sent the man's untamed hair scattering. "No, we're not." Zhou Tai rose solemnly to his feet, eyes spilling with concealed mirth, and replaced the sword at his hip with practiced fluency. Zhou Yu watched him quietly.

"We have come to join you." Sun Ce glanced at the silent fighter before looking back to his nameless companion, who seemed to have taken the cue. The general drew himself up and nodded forcefully.

"That's right! The pirates of Jiangnan have previously served no man – but we are impressed with your exploits, Lord Sun Ce, and with reports of your conduct in the regions you rule." Sun Ce tipped his head to one side, irritation superseding the persistent perplexity.

"Are you telling me you've been robbing my citizens?" The nameless general looked uncomfortable.

"Of course not. Not anymore," he added quickly, observing Sun Ce's shift into a fighter's posture. "As Zhou Tai explained, we have come to join you." Sun Ce looked somewhat unconvinced, and Zhou Yu crossed his arms carefully over his chest. It would take an effort to win Sun Ce's trust after an admission of piracy – and the strategist wasn't sure they wanted misfits like this in their army anyway. The unnamed general frowned sheepishly and gestured behind himself when the Sun lord remained silent. "I, uh… I burnt Zhang Ying's camp for you. We have him fleeing, my lord." The tip of bravado in his last words seemed to stir Sun Ce, and the young officer shook himself before nodding.

"No kidding? Huh…" Sun Ce scratched his neck. "Well – thanks. That was… thoughtful." Zhou Yu had rarely been able to read Sun Ce's thoughts, but they were clear in the Sun lord's amber eyes now. "How weird," he muttered under his breath, covering the words with a slight cough. Zhou Yu bit down his smile, absorbing the news slowly. Even if the two generals seemed to be a bit lacking in tact and brainpower, it would be worthwhile to take this advantage.

"You're saying Zhang Ying's camp has been destroyed?" Both new warriors turned at the strategist's words and commanding tone. Zhou Yu stepped forward, sheathing his sword as delicately as possible and wincing a little at the blood coating his scabbard. "Are you positive he's abandoned the area? Has he left Niuqiao completely?" If that were true, it was impeccable news. Zhang Ying's retreat was an easy victory they hadn't dared hope for. And beyond that, Sun Ce's forces would certainly need bolstering after the day's difficult battle – if the pirates of Jiangnan contained more men than simply the two foolish generals present, they could be valuable allies.

The second general nodded exuberantly, relieved by the simple question. "Completely gone, my lord. We didn't leave anything intact." Zhou Yu acknowledged the favorable answer, shooting Sun Ce a look. That was worth something, at least. The young officer appeared mildly unconvinced, but he managed a bright grin nonetheless, teeth glistening between the confines of his lips.

"Well… great. Glad to have you. We're always looking for new recruits." It seemed to the strategist that Sun Ce's smile was just a little forced around the edges, but the two men before them didn't seem to notice. The unnamed general was so pleased he even ignored his mount, which was chewing curiously at his cloth-covered shoulder and threatening to nibble his hair as well.

"Excellent! Don't worry, Lord Sun Ce – we're true and valiant soldiers, and you can count on us." Sun Ce nodded awkwardly at the pledge of commitment, and then frowned in slight confusion.

"He's Zhou Tai… but who are you?" The Sun lord's pointing finger accompanied his blunt question. The general jumped, a thin laugh escaping him.

"Forgive me – the simplest things get lost in moments like this." Sun Ce smiled uneasily, clearly uncertain exactly what kind of a moment this was. The new officer bowed again. "My name is Jiang Qin. Happy to be of service."

Sun Ce brightened a little. "Jiang Qin, huh? That's funny. Jiang Qin of the Jiangnan pirates. You've got the same name!" Silence followed this pronouncement and blinked across the expression of the man in question. Zhou Yu couldn't be sure, but it looked like Zhou Tai was trying to swallow a spare smile. Sun Ce bit his lip, reaching for something to alleviate the tension. He hit upon the answer after a moment, snapping his fingers when the thought crossed his mind.

"When you were up at camp, you didn't happen to run into a really bad-tempered guy, did you? One of our officers?" Zhou Yu started at the sudden question, having completely forgotten about Lu Meng in the chaos of the second ambush. How had his journey along the central path been? How badly injured were his troops? There was no immediate answer, but Zhou Yu hoped – for everyone's sake – that the sour warrior was unharmed. Lu Meng could be decidedly whiny when it pleased him.

Jiang Qin blinked at the query, sharing a brief look with his partner as the noises of battle began to die behind them. "…We did, actually. He was just emerging from the central path when we burned Zhang Ying's camp. Honestly, we—" The general broke off, clearly embarrassed. "We thought he was you, at first." Sun Ce's eyes widened.

"You mean you've done this whole introduction twice? With the different entrances and the horse and everything?" Jiang Qin licked his lips uncomfortably.

"…Technically." There was no denying it – Zhou Tai's eyes had taken on a definite sheen of amusement. Zhou Yu wondered absently what the man found so funny – his companion was obviously struggling to maintain dignity in an unusual situation. Jiang Qin looked like he would have preferred just dropping the topic entirely, but Sun Ce was interested now, rocking back on his heels with curiosity.

"What did he say when you mistook him for me?" Jiang Qin's face paled a little, and Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. Knowing Lu Meng, it couldn't have been pleasant.

"I… I really don't remember," the general tried, wringing his hands as his horse wandered back in the direction of the burning encampment, tired of nibbling its master's shoulder. Sun Ce scowled, crossing his arms indignantly over the armored chest. Zhou Yu almost smiled. Sun Ce had never liked being lied to.

"Oh, come on. Lu Meng's nothing if not mouthy. I won't blame you for it, I promise." Sun Ce gave him a reassuring smile, but the strategist could see a hint of steel in his amber eyes. Jiang Qin hesitated, flustering his fingers into the cloth armor. Zhou Yu smirked. Lu Meng. Another man who couldn't hold his tongue.

"W… Well…" Impatience threatened to consume the young officer's expression, and Jiang Qin might have gotten a lecture about keeping secrets had it not been for his partner, who had no such scruples about insulting their new commander's pride. Zhou Tai rolled his shoulders easily and met Sun Ce's demanding stare without flinching.

"He said, 'I'm not who you're looking for. Go west – find the overconfident idiot with a dopey grin and his stone-cold bodyguard.'" Zhou Tai's words rippled like pebbles in clear water and vanished. The quiet warrior conquered his smile with undeniable dignity, passing his glance from one face to the other. Zhou Yu swallowed a scoff and met Sun Ce's eyes. There was a clean, cheerful light shining through them, brightening the amber from its battle shade. Sun Ce raised an eyebrow, amused gaze locked with Zhou Yu's.

"I think Lu Meng needs a beating," he remarked flatly. Zhou Yu fought down his smirk at the easy suggestion before shrugging in practiced disinterest.

"Clearly." Sun Ce nodded calmly, grin kept in check.

"He's asking for it. By name, almost." Zhou Yu nodded, letting their banter flow thoughtlessly across the battle field. The young officer's hands settled onto his hips as he turned back to Zhou Tai and his nervous companion – but Jiang Qin had no reason to worry. This time, Sun Ce's smile was nothing but genuine as he flashed an approving salute. "Lu Meng is a brat."

Jiang Qin's shoulders relaxed, and Zhou Yu recognized once again what part of Sun Ce made him an irresistible leader. It wasn't his skill, or his strategy, or any kind of compulsion. It was charisma. It was heart. It was unobstructed camaraderie.

"Well, as long as you can handle Lu Meng…" Sun Ce paused before opening his arms in a dramatic gesture of acceptance. "Welcome to the team!" Jiang Qin chuckled in relief. A tiny smile cracked the slate façade of Zhou Tai's expression. And Zhou Yu realized, one more time, why he was so fortunate to have stumbled into this destiny.

The reality of the situation suffused Sun Ce's countenance like a visual wave, and he whooped victoriously as he slung an arm around Zhou Yu's shoulders. "Hey! We did it!" he exclaimed proudly, eyes shining with the light of a clearing sky. "We conquered Niuqiao! Victory is ours!"

Zhou Yu watched the smoke trickling across the wind, and listened to the triumphant cries of the soldiers behind him in echo to their commander, and felt Sun Ce's skin where it pressed warm against his neck. And he couldn't help it. He laughed.

End Chapter 28

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Here we go into the Wu Territories saga… so it's mostly going to be battle stories for a little while. I'll do what I can to break them up with lighter parts – but the reality is that these people spent most of their time fighting. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter despite the very long wait, and please let me know what you thought.

A note for Celestine 1: My story has been gripped to your desk? I guess I'll assume that's a compliment. Glad to hear you like my main characters. I hope this chapter was as interesting for you as the last one.

A note for Ever Kitsune: You loved the whole thing, huh? Glad to hear it. Yes, Sun Quan is no good at strategy – but that doesn't stop him from trying. Actually, I'm doing Sun Quan a disservice. Historically, he is credited with a vital part of the plan that caused victory at Chi Bi. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

A note for Sage Serenity: Zhou Yu answered your question about the appropriateness of adultery. I guess it just seems unfair for their wives to be alone forever because of a bad marriage. And Sun Shang Xiang came back for a short while – not very long, admittedly. Your reviews are always appreciated.

A note for Jen: Glad you liked it. Sun Quan is slowly growing up, isn't he? And I finally got around to introducing Zhou Tai in this chapter. I'm also pleased that you like Da Qiao – she's the most different from the game, because I strongly dislike her character in DW5, and so it's good to hear that she's at least somewhat likeable. And as for Xiao Qiao's interest in Lu Meng… can you blame Sun Ce for being skeptical? The man's a complete sour grape. Thanks again for reviewing.

A note for Volt: How's that for an answer? I hope you liked his portrayal.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Glad you like it. I also see the story as an anime sometimes, but usually I try to stay consistent with the game's given images. And of course, thank you for taking the time to review.


	29. Chapter 29

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 28 

Chen Hao leaned back, free hand supporting his weight as Zhou Yu's story came to an end. He wasn't sure what to say. The battle had been heady, invigorating – every arrow of ambush came alive on Zhou Yu's tongue and each moment of conflict seemed to glow within the soldier's mind. But he was surprised by Zhou Tai, and the accompanying general Jiang Qin. In his imagination, every man of Sun Ce's army carried himself with dignity and poise – with the possible exception of their leader. Contemplation embroidered Chen Hao's face for a long moment before he shook it away, letting his gaze refocus on the quiet contours of Zhou Yu's expression. Maybe it didn't matter.

The general sighed to himself and closed his eyes, a time coarsely remembered slipping across his face. "After that, the Qiao sisters and Sun Quan requested permission to come north – Jiang Dong was a fair distance away, and I think they all missed those of us involved in the campaign. Sun Ce decided that Yangzhou would be safe enough for them, and Huang Gai was entrusted with their collection. About that time, Liu Yao – our primary opponent in the first few months – fled east to Lingnan." Zhou Yu's finger trailed icily across Chen Hao's palm, coming to rest beneath the ring finger. Chen Hao studied his small map, silently cursing the darkness that crossed his vision and threatened to swallow Zhou Yu's hand. It seemed that Lingnan was as far north as Yangzhou, but closer to his thumb. Chen Hao wondered idly how the general kept so much information memorized. Was it required for being a strategist?

Zhou Yu choked a little on his short breaths and Chen Hao's heart skipped, slamming painfully against his ribs as a soft sigh escaped the general's lips in exhale. Zhou Yu said nothing for a moment, but the weight of the night pressing down on them both finally forced his mouth open with the renewed explanation. "That was when Zhou Tai first met Sun Quan. I can't explain why the two took to each other as they did – perhaps Zhou Tai sensed that Sun Quan needed protecting, or perhaps they were both simply lonely… in either case, they became fast companions. Within weeks, Zhou Tai would not leave Sun Quan's side, and he chose to remain behind in Niuqiao rather than accompany our continued conquest." The general shook his head. "Some things never change, I suppose. They still behave in a similar manner. In all my life I've not known a closer set of friends."

Chen Hao shifted, dragging his cold feet across the wooden floor as a frown marred his features. He debated for a long moment the value of his question, but finally curiosity outweighed hesitance and he cleared his throat. Zhou Yu looked up, eyes dark and blank.

"Lord Sun Quan and Zhou Tai… are they…" The soldier felt his words stalling; he swallowed back the inhibitions and forced himself onward. "Are they… like you and Sun Ce…?"

Zhou Yu blinked, taken aback by the unexpected question. Chen Hao bit his lip and hoped the general wouldn't be angry. Normally, the thought wouldn't even have crossed his mind. Sun Quan had many wives – so many that Meicheng often remarked badly of the Wu lord's harem. But after sitting in the wagon for hours and listening to Zhou Yu's past… well… Chen Hao shook his head as Zhou Yu coughed faintly.

"Well, I – I certainly hope not." The general rubbed at his pale forehead and stared up into the covered stars, eyes contemplative but concerned. "The thought honestly never occurred to me." Chen Hao straightened, flushing a little at the awkward answer he had prompted. Zhou Yu shook his head. "You see, Zhou Tai had turned thirty-four earlier that same year, and Sun Quan was only fourteen. Twenty years is…" He frowned. "A bit of a difference."

Chen Hao nodded quickly, hiding his gaze in a loose observation of the general's borrowed jacket. The wind was frigid against his back, but it couldn't cool the blood rushing to his cheeks. Their ages hadn't even occurred to him. Although he had to admit surprise – he would never have imagined Zhou Tai to be so old. Older than Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, even.

Thought shone in Zhou Yu's dark eyes as he fiddled with one sleeve, and the strain of the story got lost under the weight of whatever consumed his mind. Chen Hao waited quietly, watching the general's stern face in the close darkness and silently revoking his question. Finally the fallen strategist shook his head and sighed, twisting the thick cloth between his free fingers. "And, besides… Hailing will be one of his wives. I'd rather believe him to be an attentive husband." Chen Hao frowned.

"Hailing?" Zhou Yu shot him a glance.

"Zhou Hailing. Xiao Qiao's daughter." The soldier's eyes widened.

"Your daughter is one of Lord Sun Quan's wives?" Zhou Yu scowled.

"She's not mine," he spat. Chen Hao sat back and swallowed, barely resisting the urge to slap a hand over his errant mouth at the sharp tone. He knew that. Zhou Hailing… she would be Lu Meng's daughter. But in all of Chen Hao's life, a woman's children had belonged to her husband – it was hard to adjust so suddenly. The general glared at him for a long moment before tossing his eyes up to the sky, breathing shallowly through closed teeth. "… But yes. She is betrothed to Sun Quan, to be married when she is quite a bit older. It was Xiao Qiao's wish."

Zhou Yu's face softened, and in his eyes Chen Hao could almost see the distance, the disconnect between the general and this illegitimate child. Had Hailing been raised to think of Zhou Yu as her father? Had she ever known of the complex string of relationships crossing the general's life? He couldn't imagine Zhou Yu as a parent – couldn't imagine the stiff, stern man putting up with a child's antics. He knew only too well how difficult it was to raise a son…

"She looks like her mother. Well… with Lu Meng's eyes." Zhou Yu chuckled to himself, a soft and transient sound that seeped into the wind without farewell. "My wife was lucky – none of her children really resemble their father. Sun Ce used to joke that…"

The general's mouth snapped closed, teeth meeting with an audible click. Chen Hao jumped at the sudden motion – and then he wondered, because Zhou Yu had been discussing Sun Ce openly all night. Why the sudden hesitation? But he couldn't ask – Zhou Yu coughed and shifted restlessly against the floor, signaling an abrupt change in subject.

"We need to keep going. Hailing wasn't born until 205, and we're still in high summer of—" Another cough dispelled the hurried words, and Zhou Yu paused to collect them before continuing. "As I was saying. Liu Yao relocated to Lingnan and stationed his army at the foot of the Shandong ridge to await our invasion. Only a month after conquering Yangzhou, Sun Ce moved east to attack Liu Yao's encampment, taking Huang Gai, Cheng Pu, and myself as commanding officers."

Silence interrupted Zhou Yu's words, and Chen Hao blinked a little at the pensive look on his general's face. Was Zhou Yu going to skip this part, too? It took a moment for the soldier to realize that Wu's strategist was pausing to choose a beginning, sorting through details and instants to find the center of the campaign.

"That battle was not extremely important in itself." The steady words cocked Chen Hao's head to one side, confusion written on his face. Zhou Yu closed his eyes. "Liu Yao was not any real challenge, and a simple stratagem of mine was enough to conquer Lingnan and the entire region of Qu'e – including the city of Xuancheng." Zhou Yu's finger slid down Chen Hao's palm almost automatically, stopping directly south of Lingnan and intercepting the line of the Yangzi. Chen Hao wondered if Xuancheng was really right beside the river, but there was no time to ask. "We made this city our base point in northern Wu, and after our conquest had been successful Sun Quan was moved to Xuancheng in order to act as regent…"

Zhou Yu shook himself, regaining control of his thoughts with a clear effort. "But the battle. As I said, the actual fight was not important – but this was a turning point in our campaign, because it was beneath the ridge of Shandong that Sun Ce first met one of our most trusted generals."

Chen Hao blinked, straightening from his chilled position and shifting in puzzlement. "Who did he meet?"

Zhou Yu sighed. "Taishi Ci. Master of the Wolf Mace – a loyal servant of Wu to this day. But that wasn't always the case. Like many of our officers, Taishi Ci began as an enemy. A powerful one. He may well have been the most challenging opponent Sun Ce ever faced." Chen Hao frowned.

"What about you?" The soldier could barely contain his shock when Zhou Yu let a thin laugh escape into the darkness.

"I wasn't willing to kill him."

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

"I said no."

A stubborn pout spread like wildfire across Sun Ce's face.

"Yu! Come on. Stop being so…" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. Sun Ce huffed. "So difficult!"

Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his armored chest, significantly unimpressed with his companion's whining. Sun Ce paced for a moment, returning to stand before his seated strategist with pleading hands outstretched. "It's so boring around here! I hate this part of battle. I want to go do something fun. Why won't you come with me?"

Zhou Yu sighed, one hand flickering to his temple as if to ward the impending headache away. "First of all, I have work to do." The swordsman gestured to the scrolls and papers strewn intimidatingly across his short desk. Reports, requests, suggestions… someday, they would have to hire someone else to deal with the paperwork that came from actually ruling a kingdom. Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"I've known you for eleven years. And you've always had work to do!" Sun Ce dropped to his knees on the other side of the squat table, reaching over to give his companion's shoulder a slight shake. "Everybody needs a break once in a while. We won't be gone that long. I just want to do some scouting, or maybe a raid. I'm sick of sitting around here waiting for tomorrow!"

Zhou Yu ignored the hand on his shoulder and continued. "Secondly, the battle lines have already been arrayed. Your force is attacking tomorrow morning at dawn, and I have to set off for Xuancheng as soon as dusk falls tonight. There is no point in rushing into a meaningless conflict. It's a waste of resources and personnel."

Sun Ce groaned and slumped forward, sprawling indiscriminately across the strategist's work. Zhou Yu scowled down at him. "It's not meaningless," the Sun lord insisted. "We strike them before they strike us. Isn't that the basis of strategy?" He shot Zhou Yu a pleading look through his scattered chestnut bangs. "Look, I'm not suggesting we storm the main camp or anything. Just… knock out some archers or something. For a little fun." Sun Ce tipped his head beseechingly to one side and Zhou Yu almost relented, but a crack of thunder from the darkened sky outside reminded him of the most important reason for refusing.

"And finally. A torrential storm is going to break out any minute, and I am completely uninterested in cavorting through enemy territory soaked to the skin." Sun Ce frowned. "If you enjoy that kind of experience, I won't stop you – but I intend to stay right here where it's dry." Zhou Yu's eyes held the young officer's gaze steadily and did not flicker. Sun Ce huffed and flopped backward, landing on the dirt floor with his arms outstretched. Zhou Yu watched him passively.

"Stupid stick-in-the-mud." Sun Ce's mutter littered the floor like gray pebbles, rocking between his fingers. "Why do you have to be so logical all the time?"

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath. "That's why you hired me, remember?" Sun Ce made a face, staring at the ceiling in heady irritation.

"Blah." With that eloquent retort, Sun Ce rolled over on his stomach, kicking his feet aimlessly back and forth. The young officer grabbed a small twig and began sketching in the soil. Zhou Yu studied his displeased form for another minute before rolling his eyes and sighing, setting his ink brush aside.

"Look," he began. Sun Ce sprang up as though stung and spun to face his swordsman with a hopeful expression. Zhou Yu blinked, finding it hard to continue with his intended statement when Sun Ce's eyes were shining like beacons at port. The strategist coughed and stared at his papers for a moment, forcefully reminding himself of all the reasons why he couldn't leave this makeshift desk. Work, risk, rain. Check. Zhou Yu nodded shortly before speaking again. "There's a temple near here… just at the top of the next ridge. It wouldn't be as interesting as a raid, but at least you could get out of the rain once it starts. Why don't you take Cheng Pu and…"

Sun Ce slumped, excitement draining out of his face. Zhou Yu eyed him curiously for a moment before finishing.

"It would provide the opportunity to get out of camp."

Sun Ce scowled, fidgeting with the papers before him. "Cheng Pu? Bah. He's no fun. He's old."

Zhou Yu rubbed his aching forehead. "I thought you were bored."

"I am!" Sun Ce sat up a little and grabbed his companion's hands, amber eyes whispering entreaty across the table. "But I want to go with you."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "Ce, how many times have you reminded me I'm no fun either?" Sun Ce pouted.

"Well, it's true. But you're leaving tomorrow." Zhou Yu blinked in mild confusion.

"I'm going to see you in a couple days – just as soon as I secure Xuancheng. After you eliminate Liu Yao here, you're coming south to meet me. Remember?" He felt a frown consuming his expression. "And I thought you hated having me around on campaigns anyway, because I never let you do what you want."

Sun Ce was silent for a moment, considering the strategist's words. Then he leaned back on his palms and laughed. "Do you remember everything I say?" His eyes sparkled in the faint light peering through the open doorway.

Zhou Yu shrugged. "Only if you're talking about me." Sun Ce smiled a moment longer before memory of their conversation caught up with him; then the expression darkened, souring beneath his unruly ponytail.

"And anyway, I think you take me too literally. I don't like you telling me not to lead the army into battle – that doesn't mean I don't want you around." Zhou Yu successfully swallowed a creeping smile and cleared his throat before retrieving his ink brush and scouring the next document.

"Nonetheless. I'm not going with you – end of story." Sun Ce sulked, stature slumping as he read the finality in Zhou Yu's words. "You'll have to find some other way to entertain yourself."

The Sun lord scowled and got slowly to his feet, brushing dirt and twigs from his armor and heading for the door. Zhou Yu kept his eyes down to avoid another confrontation, studying the scrolls before him with disinterest – but even his strong work ethic couldn't keep him from looking up when Sun Ce paused and knelt at the door's threshold, drawing determinedly in the hard soil. The strategist blinked and regarded his companion's back with shadowed curiosity until the young officer straightened, throwing his stick energetically out of the tent flap.

Sun Ce turned back long enough to stick his tongue out at the seated swordsman, and then he stomped outside and vanished. "Take Cheng Pu with you," Zhou Yu called half-heartedly, wondering if his words even reached the aggravated ears of their intended. It seemed doubtful that Sun Ce would listen – Zhou Yu had to admit that Cheng Pu wouldn't have been his first choice for an entertaining companion either. But Sun Ce disliked solo excursions almost as much as he hated down time… Zhou Yu shook his head. It wasn't worth worrying about. Sun Ce was just going to visit the temple – barely a mile away. He probably didn't need an escort for that.

Zhou Yu made a few marks on the scroll spread before him, but his eyes kept wandering to the tent flap. The swordsman couldn't help it – he was curious what Sun Ce had scrawled out as he left. After five minutes of distracted denial, Zhou Yu resigned himself to the reality of his interest and rose, stepping carefully over the papers Sun Ce had scattered to the floor. Six strides brought him to the doorway, and the strategist's dark gaze regarded the message for a long moment in silence. His eye twitched in slight annoyance.

"That's mature," he chided into the empty air. Scuffed out in the dirt, and followed by a glaring caricature face, ran the sentiment "Zhou Yu is an insensitive jerk."

Zhou Yu reached out an insensitive foot and erased the marks, trailing loose soil over Sun Ce's sloppy characters before retreating to his desk. His headache pounded beneath each temple, threatening to explode as he glanced down the stiff report. He needed to work. The sooner he finished, the sooner he could set out for Xuancheng. He sooner he left, the sooner they got the city under control. And then everyone could finally sleep in a place where rainstorms and enemy ambushes weren't a constant concern. Work was a necessary evil, regardless of what Sun Ce said.

Zhou Yu sighed. The thunder rolled. Then the strategist picked up his brush and continued to work, wondering where Sun Ce had gone and what trouble he'd gotten up to. The papers dragged on, taking time with them and stealing into the afternoon as the pile of waiting documents slowly lessened beneath Zhou Yu's reluctant fingertips.

The strategist lost track of how long he'd been working beneath the never ending stack of responsibility flitting over his table. Zhou Yu scowled. Sun Ce didn't have any idea how much desk work actually came with conquering and ruling a country. Tax reports, population statements, enlistment figures… not to mention that some lieutenant was always writing up another for this or that. The swordsman rubbed his forehead and stared blankly at the page in front of him. He tried reading it several times, but the words refused to register.

Everybody needs a break once in a while. Sun Ce's argument echoed irritatingly through his mind as the strategist stretched and stood. He hated it when Sun Ce was right. Zhou Yu strode to the door and exited into the cool, heavy atmosphere, wisps of hair trailing in his eyes as though protesting abandonment of duty. He ignored them. The air pressed down on his shoulders like a wet cloak, close and ripe with the prospect of rain.

Zhou Yu watched the clouds and frowned. Had Sun Ce gone to the temple as he'd suggested? Had he taken Cheng Pu? Would he be able to find shelter when the storm broke – any minute now, from the looks of things. Zhou Yu shook his head. Maybe it didn't matter. It was only a little rain. Sun Ce had survived worse – like being swept away in a flood the summer before. The memory closed Zhou Yu's dark eyes in reminiscent turmoil.

It was kind of amazing when he thought about it. How far he and Sun Ce had come. He could vaguely remember meeting the boy for the first time. Hadn't they gotten into a food fight – destroyed the kitchen in his family home and sworn eternal rivalry? Zhou Yu swallowed a laugh. And now they were embroiled in the conquest of Wu – the land of Sun Ce's ancestors. The name Huang Gai had suggested for his kingdom all those years ago. He had known Sun Ce eleven years. More than half of his life. Zhou Yu's eyes scoured and strangled the sky. Eleven years of…

The strategist smiled to himself under the gray light of a cluttered Heaven. It was funny, and a little ridiculous. Sun Ce was an absolute champion at causing him headaches – but for some reason, when thoughts of the young officer filled his absence, the headaches seemed to go away. The warning breeze caressed Zhou Yu's forehead like a steady hand, wiping the furrows of concentration from his pale brow. He sighed.

"Sun Ce…" A memory like sunlight poured into his eyes. Standing on a covered veranda, watching the rain come down in sheets, whispering an unintentional name into the wounded sky…

"Looking for him?" Zhou Yu spun to face the unexpected voice. Huang Gai was leaning against a nearby tree and picking his teeth, eyes locked on the strategist in clean curiosity. Zhou Yu wondered when the veteran warrior had managed to conceal himself in the leafy shadow – or had he been standing there all along? There was no point in asking. Huang Gai shrugged at the swordsman's silence and pointed over his shoulder. "He left several hours ago. Cheng Pu tagged along, with a few junior officers. He claimed to be looking for a temple of some sort, but…"

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. So Sun Ce had decided to follow his advice after all – or, at the very least, had chosen it as an appropriate cover story for some other idiotic exploit. He glanced the way Huang Gai was indicating and scowled. Whether he had been intending to visit the temple or not, Sun Ce would never get there – he had wandered off in the completely wrong direction. And the strategist recalled giving excellently clear instructions about the temple's location, too. But then again, Sun Ce's sense of direction had always been abysmal.

Zhou Yu nodded silently to Sun Jian's veteran and scanned the hills ahead. There didn't appear to be much in the direction Sun Ce had gone – a few scattered knolls blocking the horizon, minimal ground cover… Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed in confusion as a rider appeared at the crest of one sloping rise and rushed heedlessly toward their camp. A rider? One of theirs, perhaps? But other than Sun Ce's impromptu sightseeing party, no men had been deployed to that area of the battle field…

Zhou Yu felt his lips tighten into a grim line as the mounted soldier, still fairly distant, kicked his horse into a heady gallop and heaved forward. If there weren't any other troops to the northeast, then the man had to be a member of Sun Ce's group. And as he was riding like the shadows of hell itself chased his horse's hooves, the news could only be bad. A flutter threatened Zhou Yu's heartbeat as he took a step forward, eyes locked on the impending rider as the sky roared with thunder.

"Assemble the cavalry." He didn't need to see Huang Gai's nod – he could feel tension radiating from the veteran warrior just as it rushed through his own limbs. Huang Gai turned on heel and ran, his booming voice cascading through the camp in a string of orders. Horses whickered behind him, men jumped and clanged for their arms – Zhou Yu kept his eyes on the approaching soldier. He could see the man's face now, a mask of fear and urgency beneath his flagging hair. And the soldier could see him.

Zhou Yu raised a hand in beckoning wave and the man changed course, heading for the strategist as his horse careened through the tents and narrowly missed the streams of soldiers preparing to mount. The animal galloped closer and closer; Zhou Yu felt a breath stick in his throat but refused to flinch, even when the rider reined his horse at the last possible moment and two powerful hooves danced through the air. The panicked soldier fell from his saddle and hit the dirt hard, startling a frown onto Zhou Yu's face.

"My lord!" the man gasped between his desperate breaths. "Lord Sun Ce! Lord Sun Ce's been attacked!"

The beat of worry stitched into Zhou Yu's breathing again, but he fought it down and stepped up to mount the man's pawing horse. The saddle was warm and the reins coarse under his hands.

"I know." Zhou Yu kept his tone level through tremendous force of will, trying to calm the soldier with a steady voice. The man looked up in surprise. Zhou Yu watched him, looking for signs of what to expect up ahead. Had they been ambushed? Chased? Separated? The soldier's eyes held no answers. "The cavalry is preparing to ride. Tell me where they are, and what happened."

Staggered breaths heaved in and out of the man's lungs as he stumbled to his feet, eyes rolling with fear despite his commander's words. "What happened…" Zhou Yu resisted the urge to growl as the soldier shook his head, searching for order in his muddled mind.

"Huang Gai says you were heading for the temple," he prompted, hoping to stir some kind of sensical response. The man nodded once, then more firmly, reminiscence crossing his face like a faded bruise.

"The temple. Yes. We – we didn't find it. We were just riding along the ridge, when two riders appeared. A… an enemy general and his aide." Zhou Yu frowned.

"Only two?" Sun Ce had handled more than two by himself – and hadn't there been a dozen or so companions along on this venture? The soldier nodded again.

"At first. The general challenged Lord Sun Ce to a duel. Suddenly he turned and rode off, right in the middle of a pass – Sun Ce chased him and we followed as best we could. When we finally caught up they were fighting hand to hand on the ground…" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, trying not to strangle the leather reins in his hand as anxiety built up inside his ribs. Duels were dangerous – especially with a man skilled enough to feign retreat, as this general had apparently done. Had Sun Ce been stabbed? Slashed? Beheaded?

The soldier babbled on as Zhou Yu felt men beginning to mount behind him. They were almost ready… "But then right in the middle of the duel, Liu Yao's force rode up from beyond one of the ridges."

Zhou Yu felt his eyes shooting wide open. "What?" His shout made the soldier tremble and the horse neigh in protest.

"The others arrayed to fight and I ran to get help—" Zhou Yu didn't wait for the end of the explanation. He yanked the horse's head around and kicked it sharply, riding to the boundary of camp in one fluid motion. His heart pulsed unsteadily in his chest. Liu Yao's whole army? Twelve men against a fighting squadron? No – it couldn't be the enemy commander's entire troop. That many soldiers wouldn't have been able to surprise the small company… Zhou Yu slammed one hand against the saddle and clenched his teeth. This was bad – worse than he'd imagined. Against a tremendous force, Sun Ce's band couldn't hold out very long…

A shattering clatter of thunder rent the sky overhead, smashing the air into jaded shards of tension and drawing blood from the condensing clouds. Zhou Yu stared upward into the roiling gray as the rain began to fall drop by silver drop, stinging his face and hands with the long-awaited storm. The strategist scowled. Perhaps no one was listening in Heaven – but either way, he wanted them to know that this was supremely bad timing.

"Lord Zhou Yu! We're ready!" It didn't matter who had shouted. Zhou Yu kicked his horse and shot away across the open grass, aiming for the oncoming hills and listening to the steady beat of horsemen racing behind him. The horizon bobbed up and down and Zhou Yu gritted his teeth against the tempest waiting overhead – he could feel the open pressure setting in, hesitating just a moment before everything would come crashing down…

Zhou Yu's mount loped across the rising hill and ascended the crest, pausing in distaste before another merciless kick sent it hurtling down the other side. Zhou Yu squinted. The rain was beginning to fall faster – it blocked his vision and made the landscape around them muddy, but he could almost hear the sound of… yelling? Blood rollicked through his limbs as he ducked closer to the horse's neck, willing Sun Ce to be just beyond the next rise, or locked between the valleys, or—

There. Zhou Yu slammed his heels into his mount's flank and barely heard the animal's answering scream of indignation, feeling the pounding rhythm of motion slide from a canter into a high gallop. He could see them now – still a good distance away, a gathering of black shapes moving between the dips and crests of the hills. It was too far yet to tell what was happening – but it looked as though there were two distinct groups, standing apart from each other with weapons drawn. He could hear shouting – insults? Battle cries? Was it possible they hadn't yet begun to fight? Hope dragged on his heartbeat and pulled him back from the edge of alarm; the swordsman nodded curtly, leaning into the horse's stride with determination. There was still time. He could make it.

Almost as he thought this, both sides started to move. He could vaguely hear Sun Ce's voice, but the words were lost in a tremendous sigh from the heavens above – and then the rain began to pour, slopping across the strategist like a tidal wave, a typhoon between the haphazard hills. Zhou Yu's breath caught as the dark groups up ahead became one, merging into a black thunderstorm close above the ground. Weapons crashed. Voices flared. The swordsman swallowed. It still looked so far away…

"Sun Ce!" When had his body decided to speak? When had the name worked its way onto his tongue, taken possession of his vocal chords? Zhou Yu blinked against the rain that came down in sheets now, soaking his form in an instant. The horse pressed on, flanked by more riders as the cavalry caught up, lurching down the hill in his wake. Commotion broke out in the forces ahead. Each side reeled back, shocked out of battle by the strategist's shout. Zhou Yu could make out their faces now, and the differences in armor… Almost there. So close. "Sun Ce!" This time he poured all of his breath into the yell, sending it plunging across the hills faster than his cavalry. The larger group ahead pulled back, startled and worried by the approaching reinforcements – all but one man at the head of his army, locked in a test of strength with Sun Ce's relentless tonfa.

"Over here!" Sun Ce's shout was gravel as he struggled to push the fearless general's clubs away from his body. Zhou Yu's sword sprang into his hand and he rushed between the two segregated forces, aiming his flashing blade at the enemy general's stomach. The swordsman clenched his jaw and extended his sword in an open challenge – a challenge he found waiting for him in the man's hazel eyes. For a long moment, the general didn't move, stare matching Zhou Yu's through the driving rain. Only when the threat of the strategist's weapon became a serious consideration and the hooves of the horse cobbled in the mud mere inches away did the general pull back, charging into his army and disappearing among the ranks.

"This isn't over, Sun Ce!" Zhou Yu snarled at the general's retreating hail. "I'll be back to claim your head another day!"

Sun Ce laughed shortly. "What are you talking about? If these guys hadn't shown up, you'd be mincemeat!" His voice echoed between the disorderly enemy troop ahead as the lone rider streamed away from his army, disappearing over the nearby hills in the direction of Liu Yao's main camp.

Zhou Yu reined hard and came to a stop beside Sun Ce as his cavalry dashed into the valley, filtering around Sun Ce's small company with a great battle cry. Both armies regarded each other uncertainly for a long moment – Zhou Yu found himself searching the streaming faces of the enemy horsemen, marking each eye for fear or courage. The strategist considered. Even with these reinforcements, Sun Ce was still outnumbered – but Liu Yao was a coward, and the adversarial company looked ready to bolt.

The swordsman glanced at his drenched companion, relieved to see no stab wounds or missing limbs. Perhaps the morning's crisis had been averted without serious incident after all. "Are you hurt?" Sun Ce shook his head, letting a smile cross his face as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Not really. I smacked my head when I fell out of the saddle earlier… but I've had worse." The Sun lord raised an eyebrow, tonfa still held stiffly in a defensive position. "What do you think? Should we attack?"

As though overhearing his words, the enemy commander – whom Zhou Yu couldn't see, as he was buried deep between the advance troops – gave a quick shout. "Retreat!" A great movement began – each rider made to follow the earlier escape of their general, narrowly avoiding collisions as their mounts tried to run all different directions. The rain came down like an iron curtain and cut between the two forces, and Zhou Yu was glad that Liu Yao had withdrawn – he didn't want a fight in this weather.

"No." The cavalry shifted restlessly behind him, and Cheng Pu could be heard clearing his throat, but Zhou Yu continued unhindered. "Let them go. Leave it until the battle tomorrow. They'll just run away as it stands now."

A few enemy soldiers cast glances over their shoulders at his words – whether in anger or intimidation he couldn't tell – and the lilting bravado settled over the troops behind him like a calming wind. Sun Ce shivered and smiled, brushing damp bangs away from his amber eyes.

"Then let's get back to the main camp. I'm soaked!" Zhou Yu shot Sun Ce a look and opened his mouth, but it closed again wordlessly. The strategist nodded and yanked his reins southwest, drawing the reluctant animal through the stiff rain. Sun Ce kept pace with him and laughed as the cavalry filtered in behind them, deflated from the lack of conflict.

"Thanks for coming out here, everyone. And cheer up," he encouraged brightly over his shoulder. The red ribbon in his hair rested slick and cold against his neck, twitching with the motion of the rain. "We'll beat those no-good rapscallions down tomorrow."

A lively shout arose from the soldiers, echoed in chuckles and boastful voices. Zhou Yu sighed.

"I'm sorry." Sun Ce blinked, regarding his strategist in bewilderment.

"Sorry for what?" Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed in annoyance, but the emotion was directed toward himself.

"I told you to visit the temple. I put you in a dangerous situation." Sun Ce laughed, reaching out as though to touch Zhou Yu's arm despite the distance that separated them.

"Hey, don't worry about it." It was amazing how the young lord's eyes could retain warmth and hope even in this weather. "I put myself in dangerous situations all the time!"

The swordsman rolled his eyes. Sun Ce grinned until a tremor rocked his body; Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at the young officer's chattering laugh.

"It's cold out here. I hate the rain." Zhou Yu studied the drenched man and pressed his lips into a firm line. As they rode slowly back toward the encampment, the storm raged around them, pounding so hard it became difficult to breathe – but Sun Ce talked and laughed as usual, and Zhou Yu listened, swallowing the urge to say I told you so.

.x.

"And then I snatched the spear from his back and got him in the stomach with it – bam!" Sun Ce stabbed the end of a stolen ink brush into Zhou Yu's gut, and the strategist rolled his eyes at the dramatic reenaction. Sun Ce grinned. "He toppled over like a sack of rice, moaning and groaning and holding his stomach." A self-satisfied chuckle painted the Sun lord's lips. "I bet he'll have an enormous bruise there tomorrow."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow and glanced up at the young officer from where he was carefully bandaging his companion's leg. A long cut extending from knee to ankle gleamed and flickered like a reflection across Sun Ce's skin, almost dancing in the pale candlelight. Zhou Yu sighed to himself and wound the cloth tighter around Sun Ce's leg. "If you stabbed him in the stomach, why was he beating you when I got there?"

Sun Ce scoffed and crossed his arms. "He was not beating me. We were tied. But I had everything under control." Zhou Yu snorted softly, ignoring the light punch he received as punishment.

"I did!" The strategist didn't bother responding. "And anyway… when I hit him with the spear, I accidentally used the wrong end. So he didn't get stabbed at all." Sun Ce kicked his feet a little and Zhou Yu scowled, pressing the restless leather boots back to the ground. "But I still got him."

The swordsman tucked a last strand of cloth beneath the building bandages and looked up to find Sun Ce's amber eyes watching him expectantly. "But he matched you," Zhou Yu observed, prodding the covered injury with a gentle forefinger. Sun Ce laughed.

"Yeah… he was pretty good, actually. Almost beat me once or twice." Sun Ce leaned back on his hands and considered, wriggling his fingers into the folds of the blanket beneath him. "But he couldn't, of course. 'Cause I'm still the best soldier in all of China." His teasing grin lit up the tent like sunshine; the rain seemed to lessen its pounding as Zhou Yu studied the glowing countenance. Sun Ce cocked his head to the side and stared into the damp air. Zhou Yu sighed.

"What was his name?" The Sun lord brightened.

"Taishi Ci, of… somewhere. Didn't catch it." Sun Ce raised his knees and wrapped both arms around them, leaning forward until he was almost nose to nose with the quiet swordsman. "I think it's a weird name," he whispered conspiratorially. "Sounds like some kind of tropical fish."

Zhou Yu felt his brow furrow in distant amusement. "A fish?"

Sun Ce nodded. The grazed contact made Zhou Yu's nose tickle, but he forced reaction away and stared stoically into Sun Ce's eyes. "Yeah, a fish!" The young officer rubbed his chin in consideration. "Maybe a red one, or orange or something. A rainbow fish." Sun Ce puffed his cheeks out in imitation of the swimming creature and Zhou Yu snorted, stifling a chuckle only through intense effort. It was mildly amusing to compare the powerful, arrogant general to a mindless conglomerate of scales.

"A rainbow fish?" Sun Ce nodded, and Zhou Yu couldn't help chuckling. "Not a dumpling fish?"

Sun Ce laughed, forming his hands into the pantomime of clicking jaws. His fingers latched onto Zhou Yu's sleeve. "Do you think Quan would still be afraid of a dumpling fish?" The swordsman thought for a long moment – an image of Sun Quan giggling with Zhou Tai entered his mind, and he decided he didn't want to answer.

"Taishi Ci…" Zhou Yu traced a few characters in the dirt, almost seeing the man's hazel eyes flashing through his name. The strategist scowled. He hadn't really gotten the chance to meet Taishi Ci, but he was fairly sure he disliked the general – especially since he worked for Liu Yao. Sun Ce blinked at the rapid change in facial expression, reaching up to force Zhou Yu's lips into an unconvincing smile.

"Cheer up, Yu," he encouraged the mildly irritated swordsman. "Taishi Ci is a fish. You know what people do with fish?"

Zhou Yu knocked Sun Ce's fingers away from his mouth. "Eat them?" The young Sun lord rolled his eyes at the suggestion. Zhou Yu shrugged. It didn't seem like a bad idea, as long as they were speaking metaphorically. As much as Sun Ce might brag, it was clear Taishi Ci had been a clean match for him – and a man like that was dangerous. It would be best to eliminate Taishi Ci before he became any more of a threat to the young lord and his ambitions.

Sun Ce shook his head and slid forward, wrapping his arms around Zhou Yu's neck so he could glare at the strategist from as close as possible. "No, not eat them. You catch fish."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. They were too close together for the candlelight to enter Sun Ce's eyes – the bright amber gave way to shadow. It was a little unnerving, but he shook the feeling away. "People catch fish in order to eat them," he persisted, keeping his voice steady under the rhythm of the rain. Sun Ce smiled.

"Well, not us. We're going to catch him and keep him." Zhou Yu scoffed.

"You want to recruit him? After he tried to kill you?" Sun Ce shook his head again and tangled his fingers through Zhou Yu's hair.

"No, I want to recruit him because he tried to kill me." The swordsman blinked, and Sun Ce's expression twisted in thought. "Or… because he was strong enough to try. He'd be a great ally, Yu. Imagine how much stronger our army would be if we had someone like him around." Zhou Yu couldn't argue with that point. Even from the short portion of the battle he'd seen, Taishi Ci's skill was obvious. But nonetheless…

"Why would he join you, Ce?" Sun Ce frowned, and the strategist decided to rephrase his question before a squabble arose. "How are you going to make him loyal to you? He serves your enemy. How are you going to make him change sides?" Sun Ce's face cleared, streaming with its customary assurance and faith.

"It'll work itself out," he predicted with a smile. "These things always do." Zhou Yu scoffed.

"That's your plan?" Sun Ce punched him lightly.

"Plans are your department, not mine." A teasing light scattered through his shadowed eyes. "Remember? It's like Lu Guo said all those years ago. The ruler just has to demand solutions – it's up to his officers to actually solve the problems." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes with a slight huff. Sun Ce laughed and slid back until he could see the swordsman's face openly, hands barely tangled in the long hair. "And if worst comes to worst, I guess I'll just have to beat him into submission." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow.

"And what if he beats you into submission instead?" Sun Ce's expression soured indignantly.

"Hey!" The young officer sprung forward in a surprise tackle, knocking Zhou Yu cleanly onto his back over the hempen blankets. The strategist coughed as Sun Ce landed on his chest and stayed there, making each breath a small struggle. Sun Ce grinned. The wind railed against the sides of the tent like the demons of the underworld, dragging desperate souls through the grave of eternity. "I'm invincible, remember?" Zhou Yu couldn't answer. Sun Ce wagged a chastising finger in the air. "No one can beat me. Especially not some old fish."

Zhou Yu sighed and rolled his eyes. "He's not a fish—" Sun Ce's lips cut him off, silencing the argument without warning or intent. Zhou Yu blinked and then closed his eyes, wrapping both arms around Sun Ce's waist as though that could stop the rain, the wind, and the night from falling around them.

He should have been leaving. He could almost hear the moon creasing the horizon, reaching slender rays toward the soaked and dismal skin of the tent where it hung on exhausted frames. He needed to reach Xuancheng by daybreak – and the rain would make the ride even longer and more miserable. The sooner he left the ridges of Shandong, the sooner he could get out of the weather… but that meant pushing Sun Ce away. Standing up. Walking back out into the tempestual downpour that shivered over their heads. The young Sun lord pulled back and stared down at him, almost smiling under his darkened amber eyes.

"I don't want you to leave."

Zhou Yu shook his head, an echo of the same words in his own voice streaming back to him over the distance of tired years. A night when their diverging paths had glittered all too visibly before his angry eyes. He let Sun Ce's response possess his tongue.

"I don't want to leave either."

Maybe his companion heard the parallel jutting through his words – for a moment Zhou Yu thought his eyes widened in recognition before the simmering amber took over again. The young officer smiled and sat up, releasing the strategist from his hold.

"Yeah… well, I'll see you in a few days anyway." Zhou Yu nodded and leaned forward, kissing Sun Ce one more time before rising to his feet and shooing the wrinkles from his cloth armor. The Sun lord grinned up at him. "Good luck!"

Zhou Yu nodded and latched the sheathed sword to his belt, gathering his small bundle under one arm and reaching for the door. His hand hesitated on the cold flap, and the strategist glanced over one shoulder to where his commander sat sprawled over the floor. A thousand words ghosted from his eyes and shot across the tent beneath the rising moon – he wondered if his lord could hear any of them.

Sun Ce saluted. Zhou Yu smiled. Then he opened the flap and stepped into the torrent, soaked to the skin as soon as the tent melted away from his body. The swordsman stared into the raging storm overhead; dark, tight, broken. His eyes strayed to the moon ducking between fragments of clouds at the horizon, weaving its intoxicating light across the besieged sky.

Zhou Yu chuckled and began to walk, heading toward his horse and the voices of his arming squadron. So the storm was breaking after all.

End Chapter 29

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Origin of the fish joke: When my siblings and I were first getting into Dynasty Warriors, we couldn't pronounce anyone's name. We thought 'Taishi Ci' kind of sounded like 'Sushi,' so that became and has remained his official nickname. It seemed like something Sun Ce could capitalize on. Reviews are always welcome.

A note for Hiei Rules All: Lu Meng is indeed a brat. I'm glad you like him, though. He's going to be around pretty much for the rest of the story… kudos to Lu Meng, who finally managed to get a consistent part. Anyway, I hope you found this chapter entertaining as well.

A note for Jen: I'm glad you like reading the battle scenes – it's kind of lucky, since we're mostly in battle for the rest of the story. Not to say that there won't be in between chapters involving Xiao Qiao's children and so on… anyway, glad to hear you also like Lu Meng. Who knew the sour grape would be so popular? And I don't know – I just always imagined Jiang Qin as a bit overly dramatic. Your reviews are always enlightening and appreciated.

A note for Sage Serenity: Glad you liked the last chapter. I did try to shove a bit of humor in, if only because we're going to be kind of battle intensive for a while. Awkwardness is always a nice subtle way to do that. And as for Zhou Yu laughing at the end – actually, that was a repetition of the same line I used to end one of the really early chapters. The one where Zhou Yu and Sun Ce exchange 'I love you's for the first time. It seemed thematically appropriate. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter as well.


	30. Chapter 30

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 29 

"And that was the first time Sun Ce met Taishi Ci."

Chen Hao couldn't help frowning as the general's voice trailed into pause. His mind was brimming with questions – could Zhou Yu spare a few seconds for their answers? The man considered coughed harshly and closed his eyes against the pain spidering over his torso; Chen Hao cleared his throat cautiously, almost jumping when the vibrant dark eyes shot to his face. Quieting blood pushed at his veins as he took a breath to speak.

"So Sun Ce caught him?" Zhou Yu laughed, barely, and the sound sifted like a bell into the fading, powdery darkness. Chen Hao sat up a little straighter.

"Not that time. Our attack was a success, in one sense – we managed to conquer Lingnan and Xuancheng, as well as the Shandong region. But Liu Yao fled as soon as he heard of my attack in Qu'e – the region containing Xuancheng – and Taishi Ci escaped south of the Yangzi. It would be another three months until we fought with him again."

The soldier slumped, a little disappointed. He had been eager to see Sun Ce's wish fulfilled – to add Taishi Ci to the list of loyal officers building the Wu king's empire. Zhou Yu must have noticed Chen Hao's displeasure, because a faint smile ghosted over his lips and he shifted on the hard floor.

"Well…" Zhou Yu winced as a sudden bump in the road smacked his head against the wooden boards. His words choked and died for a moment before the stalwart general shook himself and continued. "We can probably skip the next few battles anyway." Chen Hao straightened, letting a smile fill his face until Zhou Yu's coughing chased it away. He was interested in hearing about Taishi Ci again – but more importantly, the more time they skipped over, the closer Zhou Yu was to the end. To rest. To—

"Our next important campaign centered on the region of Moling." Zhou Yu's finger slid south on Chen Hao's palm; his nail scraped frigidly against the dry skin as it crossed the line of the Yangzi. It came to a rest at equal height with the thumb, although significantly father west… Chen Hao frowned. If he were remembering names correctly, Moling and Izhou seemed to be in line east to west. He wondered why Sun Ce had taken such a circuitous route in conquering Wu.

Zhou Yu's thick cough broke the soldier's wandering train of thought cleanly and anxiously. The general swallowed and turned his head away, hiding a pained expression in the night's heavy shadows. Chen Hao bit his raw lip, drawing blood from the cracked skin. When Zhou Yu spoke again, the words were much softer, coated in lilting agony. "…Xue Li. He was the general in charge of Moling. We were able to take control of the main city fairly easily, because I had secured a traitor in their ranks – a man named Chen Wu."

Chen Hao blinked at the mention of his own last name, but he had little time to wonder – Zhou Yu continued on in his subdued tone with hardly a breath of pause. "Sun Ce did get shot, though. He was taunting the soldiers inside the fortress and one was quicker with his bow than Ce expected… the wound in his thigh wasn't serious, but it certainly taught Sun Ce a lesson about sieges. Not a lesson he particularly heeded, mind." Zhou Yu shook his head. "He always was an idiot."

Chen Hao settled back against the side of the wagon, cautious not to dislodge the finger resting on his palm. Perhaps it was true – but that didn't stop him from admiring the powerful officer in his commander's story. Chen Hao had not been born for the violence of war – even now, he would have preferred farming if there were fertile land to be had. But nonetheless, he was sure that he wouldn't have been able to resist following Sun Ce wherever he led. Maybe Sun Ce's army had felt the same way.

Zhou Yu fell silent – for a long moment, the soldier held his breath waiting for the next words. Finally a ragged cough broke the watching stillness; Zhou Yu squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head away, spitting toward the opposite wall. Chen Hao felt his heart stitch. Was it just the light, or had the general spit blood across the floor? Fear collected in his stomach where it hadn't been for hours. Zhou Yu's tongue had been bleeding earlier – much earlier. Too much earlier. What did that mean?

Zhou Yu wiped his free hand against stained lips and sighed, fighting down another bout of coughing with as much dignity as he could manage. Chen Hao looked on in silent anxiety. The general sighed through his teeth. "Is there… any more water?" The dark eyes rolled up to meet Chen Hao's stare. "My throat is… it's painful to…"

Chen Hao nodded, but concern crept beneath his lower lip and worried the expression. "There isn't much…" Zhou Yu lifted his hand in beckoning and the soldier slid forward, tipping the edge of the canteen slowly over his general's parched tongue. Zhou Yu coughed through the mouthful of water and swallowed hard. The silence resumed its unhindered course as a deep breath entered Zhou Yu's lungs – Chen Hao watched the borrowed jacket floating softly up and down. His eyes warned him of the general's voice a moment before it resumed, and he looked up to lock gazes with the stoic strategist.

"…In any case. We defeated Xue Li at Moling and moved southeast." His cold finger trailed toward Chen Hao's thumb, stopping a good distance below the middle finger. Chen Hao nodded to himself. So far, Sun Ce's route of conquest had made a downward arc. "This is Qingshan, a well-fortified city that also serves as an important market for trade. It was here that Taishi Ci had fled following the defeat of Liu Yao at Shandong, and he had made himself ruler of the city in those few months. No one dared oppose him."

Chen Hao didn't know when his tongue had developed a mind of its own, but the words sprang up without his volition. "Except Sun Ce." Zhou Yu studied his face and almost rolled his eyes.

"…You might say Sun Ce was good at taking risks no one else dared take." A flash of pain – whether real or remembered, the soldier couldn't tell – shot across Zhou Yu's expression and into the night. Chen Hao wondered what instance had traversed the general's solemn mind to bring that lonely spark into his dark eyes. The soldier wished he hadn't spoken, but it was too late to do anything – anything but sit silently and wait for reminiscence to release Zhou Yu's anguished countenance.

The commander coughed again, and silvery flecks of the vanishing stars seemed to get caught in the rhythm of his breathing. Chen Hao watched them spin, twisting and melting like liquid daggers through the cold wind that tore at his exposed flesh where the cloth armor came apart. Was it getting chillier as the moon made for the horizon? Or was that simply his imagination? Chen Hao shivered. Zhou Yu sighed.

"Qingshan." The syllables felt like an incantation or a prayer as they lifted away from his dry lips. "Sun Ce besieged the city and we held our position for three days, until he and I could devise a plan suitable for capturing Taishi Ci. We were fortunate, honestly – it being late summer, just a few weeks after Sun Ce's twenty-second birthday actually, a large caravan of traders was moving through this region on their way east and had stopped in Qingshan in time for our attack."

Chen Hao frowned, icy lines upsetting his still forehead. "Traders? Why was that fortunate?"

Zhou Yu's eyes positively gleamed, and Chen Hao was taken aback at the cool amusement radiating through his steeled expression like a kindling fire. Zhou Yu chuckled. "Merchants bring with them tents, cloth, and banners – tools of the trade and methods of advertising. This group, in particular, seemed to be fond of silk and hempen flags to drape around their wares."

The general coughed once more, but even the ragged breathing couldn't hide his smirk. "And who'd have guessed? Those things are all highly flammable."

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The moonlight played ethereal across the surface of the tent, displacing candlelight that pooled on the small table and the cold floor. Zhou Yu watched it move, sifting like music and dancing through the weave of the fabric above his head. Somewhere, a bird's cry sailed unnoticed past the tents of sleeping soldiers. Only the sentries stirred, exhausted but stalwart at their posts.

The strategist sighed. It was late, and by all rights he ought to be sleeping as well. The night air haunted him and called to succumb to dreams. But from the looks of things, sleep was a long way off yet.

"It's perfect!" Sun Ce punched both hands into the air, his victorious exclamation riding in herald throughout the darkened tent. Zhou Yu rubbed his forehead, weary annoyance littering the pale brow.

"What do you mean 'perfect'?" he demanded shortly. "It's the worst strategy I've ever heard."

Sun Ce stuck out his tongue, a smile lurking beneath the indignant reaction. "You're only saying that because you didn't come up with it." Zhou Yu scoffed, adjusting his position on the ground.

"No, I'm saying that because it's true. Thinking has never been your strong suit, Ce." Sun Ce glared and punched him in the shoulder, but Zhou Yu ignored his punishment and pressed on. "You want to waltz up to his castle gates and demand he surrender? Do you remember what happened the last time you tried talking to a besieged general?"

Sun Ce grimaced and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I got shot in the leg. So what? It healed. Besides, Taishi Ci isn't like that. I'm sure he's just been waiting for an invitation to join me!"

Sun Ce flashed a brilliant grin, but Zhou Yu wasn't buying it. He leaned back and crossed his arms, pausing only to flick errant strands of hair over his shoulder before continuing. "If that were the case, he would have surrendered as soon as we surrounded the city." The young lord huffed at this obvious string of logic. "We need to get Taishi Ci out of Qingshan – that's the first step. And I don't think he's going to respond to petty insults and campaign speeches."

Sun Ce shrugged. "Well, we won't know until we try it." The swordsman gave him a very flat look. Sun Ce rolled his eyes. "Come on, Yu! We've been stuck out here for three days doing nothing! Can't we at least give it a shot?"

Zhou Yu sighed. "Shot is exactly what you're going to get with a plan like this." Sun Ce groaned and flopped backward onto the hempen blanket beneath him, face slipping into shadow. His strategist stared at the map of the city laid out before him. Silence drifted between them, broken only by Sun Ce's gravel mumblings under his breath and the tap of Zhou Yu's brush against the table.

What a mess. The strategist frowned. It wasn't that taking the city presented much of a challenge – Qingshan was arranged no differently than any other city they had conquered, and the troops had already learned myriad ways to get inside the fortified walls. No, the real problem was Taishi Ci. How to get the general captured but unharmed? He had considered the many approaches, but nothing seemed to fit.

A full-out rush would involve too many casualties, and there was no guarantee that Sun Ce's soldiers would be able to catch Taishi Ci. But Zhou Yu was reluctant to send officers into the city either – Taishi Ci was a capable warrior, and when cornered he would no doubt become particularly vicious. They couldn't just hold out until the city's supplies ran short, because Sun Ce's own supply line was overextended and food was becoming scarce already. The swordsman rubbed one frustrated hand against his forehead. Things would be so much easier if they could just kill Taishi Ci in the process of conquering Qingshan.

As though sensing his thoughts, the Sun lord sat up and reached across the table to grab his shoulders. The young officer frowned sharply at him. "We have to catch him, Yu." Zhou Yu scoffed a little, and Sun Ce shook him. "Like a fish, remember?"

"Right…" The strategist's mutter seemed to split the air, spilling the night onto the ground as he watched candlelight flickering in Sun Ce's eyes. The young lord smiled.

"He's a good guy. Once we have him on our team, we'll be invincible! There's gotta be a way." Zhou Yu nodded noncommittally, slashing the map with idle brushstrokes. The Sun lord leaned back on his hands. "Catch him. That's the key."

"Like a fish." The swordsman sighed as he echoed his officer's words. It was ridiculous. Taishi Ci was a highly capable warrior – a true strength among the petty lords that covered the Wu territory in their ambitious cowardice. Comparing him to a fish was like…

Zhou Yu felt his brow furrowing as a thought slipped across his mind, softer than silk and hardly more than a whisper. Wait. Fish… how did people catch fish? The strategist hadn't done much fishing himself. In all the years he'd been alive, the activity had never appealed to him. There were fish merchants in the market – why waste a perfectly valuable afternoon, one that could be spent reading or studying, to drag the slimy creatures around on lengths of string?

Even Sun Ce had no patience for it – the swordsman remembered an afternoon when Sun Jian, well-meaning in his fatherly affection, had taken his children to a nearby river in order to experience fishing. Zhou Yu had been spared going along, but from all reports Sun Ce ended up in the river and Sun Quan cried every time they caught something.

Zhou Yu touched a thoughtful hand to his chin, shaking the memory off as he tried to hold on to this new approach. Maybe all he needed was to think about things in a different way. "Ce…"

The young lord looked up from where he'd been defaming the map with an extra ink brush. Zhou Yu scowled and yanked the valuable parchment away. Sun Ce made a face as the strategist cleared his throat. "Ce, what kind of fish does Taishi Ci remind you of?"

Sun Ce blinked, completely caught off guard by the contemplative question. Then he rubbed the back of his neck, puzzlement painting his face gray despite the candlelight. "I don't know. A big fish. A carp, maybe." The Sun lord wrinkled his nose. "But his name sounds more tropical than that."

Zhou Yu leaned forward, resting his chin on steepled fingers. The candle flickered in a small huff of wind. Carp. Carp could be caught with a bamboo pole… but if they were too strong, the line snapped. In a way, Sun Ce's taunts were like fishing with a pole. Taishi Ci had refused to bite – and even if he had taken the bait, there was no guarantee he could be pulled in and captured. Zhou Yu shook the metaphor away as it began to muddle his mind. Not a pole, then. How else could one catch a carp?

Sun Ce waved a hand in front of his face, countenance still baffled. "Yu? Why did you ask me that?" Zhou Yu swatted his hand away and glared a little at the Sun lord for interrupting his thoughts. Sun Ce ignored him. "You keep telling me he's not a fish, remember?"

Zhou Yu nodded, distraction already returning to his dusk eyes. "I've had an idea. Just… let me think about it for a minute." Sun Ce straightened.

"An idea? About how to catch him?" He cocked his head to one side, chestnut bangs infiltrating the amber eyes like sunlight. "What does that have to do with fish?"

Zhou Yu scowled. "Would you be quiet?" Sun Ce made a face but slumped back, waiting impatiently for the swordsman's epiphany.

Zhou Yu shook his head and tried to remember where his mind had been traveling. Carp… how to catch a carp, aside from using a bamboo pole. He had heard that larger carp were often caught with nets – but by besieging the city, they had essentially already caught Taishi Ci in a net; they just couldn't get him out of it. Zhou Yu rubbed a frustrated hand across his eyes. What other methods of catching fish…?

The strategist sat up straighter. A distant memory was scraping at the back of his mind like gentle claws, but he couldn't quite bring it into focus. A childhood fable… about the great Chinese hero, Fu Xi – a man alive long before dynastic government took hold in China. A legend – a god, even. Zhou Yu had never put much stock in the story, because he had no faith in the myths of the uneducated. But there was something about Fu Xi… what was it?

Zhou Yu slammed one hand against the table, bouncing the candle and startling Sun Ce from where he'd been resting one cheek against the wood. The young lord straightened, eyes bright with anticipation. "What is it? Did you think of something?" His strategist said nothing, mind still stalled. What did Fu Xi have to do with fishing?

Then he remembered. Zhou Yu felt his dark eyes widening as reminiscence made the answer so effortlessly clear. Fu Xi had introduced the fish trap to settlements living along the rivers. Rudimentary fish traps, but crudely effective – a hole at each end of the cage-like contraption, but one hole larger than the other. A fish could swim in but not out, because fish were unable to swim backwards and the narrow edges prevented turning around… Zhou Yu almost smiled.

"Yes. Yes, I did." Sun Ce grinned. The strategist felt his thoughts racing on ahead, already converting the metaphor into a battle strategy. If they attacked the city but left one gate open, allowing Taishi Ci an exit, then set up an ambush down the road… but how to get Taishi Ci to flee the city? A simple attack wasn't enough to drive the fearless man away. They would need something more potent – more immediate…

"Tell me! What are we going to do?" Sun Ce sat up and one knee banged into the table, setting the candle swinging and threatening to collapse onto the assorted papers. The flame wavered dangerously. Zhou Yu caught it just in time, wincing through his annoyance as hot wax sealed his fingers.

The strategist righted the candle and sent Sun Ce a sharp glare. "You idiot," he chastised, shaking the wax from his fingers. "Watch what you're doing. You could have set the whole tent on fire!"

Sun Ce glowered. "I wasn't trying to! It was an accident! I just wanted to hear what your great idea was…" The young lord trailed off when he noticed his swordsman's fixed stare. Zhou Yu studied the candle, feeling a new idea ignite and simmer in his mind even as his hand cooled from the stinging burn. Set the whole tent on fire…

Zhou Yu couldn't help it – a smirk broke through his calm expression and suffused his face, chasing the lines of frustration away in an instant. Sun Ce bounced a little with gnawing curiosity. "Come on! Tell me. Don't keep it to yourself!"

Sun Ce had never liked waiting, and his natural impatience lit up and flowed through his veins as Zhou Yu frowned at the candle. The strategist hesitated. If they burned the city, they could ensure which path of escape Taishi Ci chose – but could they catch him? Han Dang and Huang Gai could control the hidden troops… but how to make sure the powerful general didn't slip through their fingers? And if they caught him, could they really ensure he joined Sun Ce's forces? There had to be something—

"Yu!" Sun Ce leapt to his feet and raced around the desk, unable to stand the suspense any longer. The young officer fell to his knees beside Zhou Yu and shook his shoulders hard, staring into the contemplative eyes from a few short inches away. The swordsman blinked as his strategic thoughts were violently interrupted. Sun Ce glared. "Stop thinking! Tell me what your idea is!"

Zhou Yu shook his head vaguely, mind completely distracted. "I…" All thoughts came to rest as the final piece of the puzzle slipped into place. It was unpredictable and spastic and currently very irritated – Zhou Yu wondered how he could have forgotten the most important component of all. Sun Ce. He'd have to rely on Sun Ce to execute the most vital part of the plan.

"We'll burn the city." The single phrase proved potent enough to break Sun Ce's hold, and he sank back onto his heels, confusion no less prevalent on his firelit features. The young lord shook his head.

"Burn it? I thought you wanted to conquer Qingshan, not destroy it." Zhou Yu waved a dismissive hand.

"We won't burn much of it. Just enough."

Sun Ce scowled. "Enough for what?"

"Enough to catch a fish," the strategist muttered, gaze locked on the distorted map. Sun Ce rolled his eyes and leaned closer, posture almost menacing.

"Would you stop speaking in riddles? Just tell me what we're going to do!" Zhou Yu blinked and sighed, brushing his loose hair back to rest over quietly hidden shoulders. The night wind shuddered, wincing as though it already carried the sting of ashes along its wings. Sun Ce shook him again, more insistently. The swordsman smiled.

"You said you wanted Taishi Ci alive." The dark murmur flitted past his lips and made the candle flicker. "That's what I'm giving you. Now listen carefully."

.x.

Zhou Yu watched the full moon gliding high over the silent city walls, its trepidous light littering sleeping Qingshan like a deaf warning bell. The strategist's breath came slowly, but there was little calm in his waiting expression – only years of practice kept the swordsman from worrying his lip. Beside him, Sun Ce shifted, less anxious but more impatient. Their eyes scaled the fortified walls like thieves, waiting for movement.

Zhou Yu ran a hand through his hair, shifting from one foot to the other. The silence of the night was unnerving, especially when he was anticipating – hoping for – chaos and shouts to break out any minute. As he stood in the darkness, masked by shadows and starlight, the perfect plan suddenly seemed riddled with insecurity, with chance for failure. What would they do if this didn't work? Everything depended upon the success of the fire attack.

Sun Ce straightened and grabbed his swordsman's arm, tensing where they knelt beside a quarrel of bushes. Zhou Yu jumped at the sudden contact; Sun Ce pointed upward. "Look." His whisper barely scraped the ground, but Zhou Yu heard it anyway – his eyes strained and blinked as he finally found the tiny pinprick of light steadily climbing the far walls of Qingshan.

Sun Ce smiled. "There he goes." Zhou Yu swallowed hard. Chen Wu was a brave man – a trustworthy general. He had been chosen to go alone into the city, taking only a dagger between his teeth for protection. The tiny golden light would be the vital torch he carried; if that light disappeared, the mission could not continue. Chen Wu had to set Qingshan ablaze. And though the strategist had faith in the general, he still felt doubts pooling in the pit of his stomach. What if he were caught? What if the fire refused to catch? So many things could go wrong.

Sun Ce leaned back on his heels, excitement written over his face. "Time to get things started," he murmured, tossing Zhou Yu a quick grin. The swordsman did not return his hopeful expression. So far, everything was all right – Huang Gai and Han Dang had gotten the ambush into position under cover of twilight, and great nets had been laid out along the bed of the river so as to catch Taishi Ci's horse and stop his escape. But Zhou Yu hadn't even thought of the full moon – and for seemingly the first time in such a rainy season, not a cloud marred the deep silken sky. There was so much moonlight; surely Chen Wu could not pass the sentries unnoticed under such brilliant glare.

The tiny light disappeared. Zhou Yu's heart leapt into his throat and all breath died in his lungs, and then Sun Ce let out a quiet whoop, because they could see Chen Wu's silhouette standing squarely atop the distant wall. The strategist released a breath festering in his throat and almost smiled, caught up in Sun Ce's enthusiasm as the young lord threw an arm over his shoulders. "We did it!" he proclaimed a little too loudly. Zhou Yu slapped a hand over Sun Ce's mouth and gave him a sharp glare.

"It's not done yet. We won't know if he's succeeded until we see flames – and Taishi Ci may yet slip through our fingers." Sun Ce's muffled laugh lifted the swordsman's fingers away from his mouth, and Zhou Yu dropped his hand mildly back to the ground. The Sun lord shook his head.

"It'll work. Don't worry about it. When has one of your strategies ever backfired?" His confidence was vaguely inspiring, but Zhou Yu felt doubts lurking in his mind nonetheless. Sun Ce cracked his knuckles, oblivious to the swordsman's anxiety. "I can't wait to bring Taishi Ci into my army. It'll be great! I'll have a new sparring partner."

A strange shiver went down Zhou Yu's back at the words, and an uncomfortable feeling sunk between his ribs. The strategist frowned. It felt odd. What did that mean? What about Sun Ce's exclamation had stranded a lump of torn metal underneath his lungs?

Sun Ce didn't seem to realize his partner's discomfort, because he leaned over and grabbed Zhou Yu's shoulder in heady anticipation. "Won't that be great? Then I won't bother you when you're trying to work! And you won't get grumpy all the time."

Zhou Yu felt his eyes catching on Sun Ce's delighted countenance, studying the lilting expression that accompanied the words. The small lump in his stomach pulsed and rocked as Sun Ce bounced up and down in pleasure. The strategist swallowed, trying to dispel the strange pressure focused over his heart.

Something hurt. He wasn't sure why, or what – but it didn't matter. Zhou Yu shook his head and refocused his gaze on the high walls, ignoring the growing discomfort inside of him. Chen Wu would have reached the street by now – if he hadn't been apprehended. There were far more important things to be thinking about than Sun Ce's declarations. But despite such a string of logical thought, the uneasiness gathering in his veins had nothing to do with the strategy any longer.

"Yu! Yu, look!" Zhou Yu felt his eyes widening as Sun Ce clutched his arm, expression splashed with hope and excitement. The swordsman's gaze shot back and forth across the sky, checking and rechecking. There could be no doubt. Smoke littered the cloudless sky, bunching and grappling through the still night air. Zhou Yu could smell ashes, and the edges of Qingshan seemed to glow with internal light. The strategist's shoulders relaxed. Success.

"Now," he instructed. Sun Ce leapt to his feet and ran toward the fortified city, victory making him restless. Zhou Yu watched his sliding shadow with pleased anticipation. The young lord halted when he reached the barred gate of the city, lifting his hands to cup his mouth.

"Taishi Ci!" His shout sailed cleanly through the heavy air. The young lord bounced on the balls of his feet. "We've got you, Taishi Ci! Surrender and you won't be hurt!"

Zhou Yu smirked from his spot in the bushes. Sun Ce's taunt had been carefully planned ahead of time – they needed Taishi Ci to understand that Sun Ce's forces were arrayed on the western edge of the city, thereby encouraging him to escape east into the prepared ambush. A great uproar arose from within the city – Zhou Yu couldn't make out individual words or voices, but he knew the clamor meant Chen Wu's fire was quickly consuming the town.

The strategist leaned back on his heels as Sun Ce considered the walls and then ran back, ducking to his side under the bushes with an impatient edge. His breath came short and fast through a blinding grin. "How was that?"

Zhou Yu nodded, a satisfied smile almost worming over his lips. "Perfect." Sun Ce winked.

"I told you it would work. There was no reason to be negative after all!" Sun Ce flopped onto the ground beside his strategist and sighed. He scratched at the chestnut hair tickling his ear and considered the swordsman with a heady smile. "So now what do we do?"

Zhou Yu sighed, uncertainty creeping back down his spine. "Now we wait. We can't do anything until Huang Gai and Han Dang return, with Taishi Ci in custody." The swordsman rubbed his forehead. "And then… the most difficult part."

Sun Ce blinked. "The most difficult part? I thought setting the city on fire was gonna be the trickiest bit." Zhou Yu shook his head, hesitating over the words. He had spent all night searching for a proper strategy… but he just couldn't seem to put the last piece of the puzzle together. He'd have to trust Sun Ce to do that for him.

"Ce…" The Sun lord straightened at his serious tone. "When Taishi Ci is brought back here… I need you to do the most difficult thing of all." Sun Ce leaned forward expectantly.

"What's that?" Zhou Yu found his eyes and held them, dark gaze vaguely reluctant.

"I am unsure how, but…" Sun Ce brushed the hesitation from his shoulder. Zhou Yu shook his head. "I need you to win his trust, Ce. I've done my best to devise a method of procedure, but as of yet—"

A sharp, joyous laugh cut him off. Zhou Yu's eyes flickered in surprise at the shining grin dominating Sun Ce's face. The young lord patted his back. "Win his trust? That's the most difficult part? Don't be ridiculous! That's what I do best." He winked impishly and crossed his arms in anticipatory confidence. "Give me two minutes, and I'll have his loyalty. I promise."

Seeds of displeasure trickled along Zhou Yu's throat and stuck between his ribs – he shook his head to will them away, but they didn't move, dry and irritating. The strategist stood and turned back toward camp, hiding his expression in the shadow of the jilting moon. "I see." The words cut like deep metal as his steps flowed away, trailing over the broken ground. Zhou Yu tried to still the beating of his angry heart, quelling the unwelcome, uncomfortable feelings with each drawn breath.

A skittering followed him and Sun Ce caught his arm within mere moments, dragging him to a halt even as flames and smoke billowed up from the ruined city behind them. Sun Ce's face was a mask of confusion and reassurance. Zhou Yu studied his amber eyes with a scrutiny he couldn't identify. What was he looking for in Sun Ce's gaze? Why were his feet so insistent to move away?

Sun Ce tugged on his hand and twined their fingers together, pressing callused skin against Zhou Yu's palm. His eyes were openly baffled, but a smile persisted over his lips like the endless night around them. "I can do it, Yu. Trust me."

Zhou Yu's mouth opened and closed silently. Then a thin gesture of acquiescence worked across his lips, turning them slightly upward under the midnight moon. "I do." Sun Ce grinned, light catching on his confidence and reflecting back into the dark swordsman's eyes.

"Good!" The young lord squeezed his strategist's hand and proceeded back toward camp, puzzlement destroyed. "Then we wait. I'll take care of everything – nobody can resist my charm!"

Zhou Yu scoffed. "Nobody?" Sun Ce glanced back and winked at him.

"Well, you couldn't." The swordsman rolled his eyes and dropped his hand from Sun Ce's, moving toward the command tent at a quicker pace. The Sun lord laughed and followed him, snatching the straying arm as flames licked Qingshan's proud walls.

Zhou Yu reached the tent and hesitated. This had to work. Despite his uneasiness, despite his misgivings, Sun Ce wanted Taishi Ci alive – and the strategist would see it done, no matter the consequences that seemed to whisper at him beneath the falling stars.

.x.

"Lord Sun Ce! Lord Sun Ce!" Raucous shouts careening through the quiet camp woke Zhou Yu several hours later, stirring him from an unsettled nap in the folds of his hempen blanket. His dark eyes blinked at the tent's roof in confusion before awareness dawned. Taishi Ci, the ambush, the return of Huang Gai—

Zhou Yu sat up abruptly, pausing in a halfway seated position with his elbows pressed against the rough cloth. Sun Ce groaned and grumbled, lifting his weary head slowly from its previously comfortable position on the strategist's chest. The amber gaze asked a million questions of his companion's alert countenance, but Zhou Yu had no time to answer – Sun Ce slung himself to a staggering stance as the hails continued. "Lord Sun Ce! Emerge and greet your prisoner!"

Zhou Yu flung the blanket back, pushing himself upright as Sun Ce rubbed one hand over his forehead. The young officer laughed. "Man… wicked head rush." Zhou Yu quickly moved to his side, heart flitting anxiously between his ribs. This was the final step – if successful, Taishi Ci would join their ranks. If not…

The swordsman brushed his loose hair back across his shoulders, matching Sun Ce's steps as the young lord moved the flap aside and reentered the night. How could Sun Ce claim to win the ferocious general's loyalty so easily? Despite hours of planning, Zhou Yu had been left at a complete loss. The ground paced away beneath his tired boots as Sun Ce led him through rows of exhilarated soldiers. The strategist swallowed hard. He'd just have to trust Sun Ce's confidence and charisma – but would that be enough to garner the support of a man like Taishi Ci?

His thoughts ended abruptly as the last line of soldiers disintegrated, forming an open circle before them. At its center, Huang Gai and Han Dang stood mud-ridden and proud, their weary companies behind them. Each general rested one hand triumphantly on Taishi Ci's battle-worn armor. Zhou Yu's feet glided to a stop; a few steps ahead, Sun Ce did the same. The strategist's dark gaze swept across the captive in cold, clear scrutiny.

Taishi Ci had been caught like a fish. But no matter how Zhou Yu looked at it, the man himself held no resemblance to the slippery dinner component he'd been likened to. Taishi Ci's hazel eyes glared out from beneath his ornate helmet in furious calm – hands and feet bound, he stood starkly between the folded circle of soldiers without a wisp of uncertainty gracing his features. Taishi Ci was powerful – too powerful to struggle against the pathetic ropes holding him down. Han Dang and Hung Gai stepped back from their quarry, sinking into the crowd at the sight of their commanders.

Zhou Yu considered the general carefully. Cruel, calculating, prepared – there was nothing fishlike about the captured man. Taishi Ci was a wolf. Hungry. Proud. Strong. The strategist shifted, contemplation sifting through his mind. Wolves were nothing if not loyal. But the question remained: Had that loyalty already been given away, or could Sun Ce earn it for himself?

Sun Ce stepped forward. Taishi Ci snarled, lip curling as a kind of growl melted out of his mouth. A few soldiers in the crowd seemed to shrink back at the menacing noise, filtering between their comrades for anonymity, but Sun Ce was unimpressed.

The young lord crossed his arms over his chest and cocked his chin to the side, studying Taishi Ci intensely. Zhou Yu almost wished he could see the look in those brilliant amber eyes – he settled for examining the scarred and rough contours of Taishi Ci's face. Lines of battle experience marred the tan skin – there was no denying the man's history as a soldier.

Sun Ce's hands dropped to his hips – and even unable to see the young lord's face, Zhou Yu could sense the satisfied smirk painting his companion's lips. Sun Ce laughed shortly. "So… Taishi Ci. We meet again."

Taishi Ci threw his head back in a prideful snort. Even bound, his forceful skill seemed to permeate the gathering – men drew away and slunk between the shadowed tents as Taishi Ci's own gravel laugh echoed Sun Ce's. "So much the pity."

Zhou Yu stepped forward until he could see Sun Ce's cheerful grin out of the corner of his eye. The Sun lord shook his head cheekily. "You don't mean that." His voice, almost teasing in its lilt, set Zhou Yu's jaw oddly stiff and drew another growl from Taishi Ci. Sun Ce didn't appear to notice. "You said yourself that it wasn't over after our last fight. And now here we are."

Taishi Ci scoffed, an angry gleam collecting in his eyes. "I'm not finished. Whatever edge you think you have over me, I will not rest until I've taken your head!" His harsh tone echoed through the camp in waves. The troops moved uneasily and whispered around them, but Sun Ce didn't blink. His smile stayed fixed and genuine, spreading over his face like sunrise. Then he started to walk, coming to rest a short distance in front of the captured warrior.

A dagger leapt into Sun Ce's hand, drawn from a short sheath at his hip. Zhou Yu started as the silver blade flashed in dim torchlight, almost menacing in the experienced hand. Taishi Ci flinched as the weapon appeared, but his face remained stoic and unrepentant. Sun Ce grinned.

Two quick movements cut the ashen air – Sun Ce knelt quickly and then straightened, regaining a firm posture as the ropes slipped away from Taishi Ci's wrists and feet, falling limp and useless onto the caked earth. Zhou Yu's dark eyes widened, matching the wolfen general's own shock. Taishi Ci stared at his hands, gaze baffled and disconcerted as Sun Ce tossed his knife heedlessly away – the weapon landed softly at Zhou Yu's feet, bouncing a little on the hardened dirt.

Sun Ce stepped back, open and unarmed. Zhou Yu felt his heart leap into his throat as the full consequence of the young officer's actions assaulted his mind, echoed by the look in Taishi Ci's hazel eyes. Sun Ce was trying to win the general's trust. Zhou Yu felt his pulse quicken into a heedless race as the general's fingers curled into loose fists. The strategist bit his lip hard, letting blood pool onto his tongue in coppery warning. Sun Ce was completely vulnerable now – what if Taishi Ci decided to attack? Could they stop him from causing real harm to the trusting officer? Why hadn't Zhou Yu realized that his commander would do something so stupid!

Taishi Ci looked up from his wrists, meeting Sun Ce's amber glance with firm intensity. His voice was soft and confused. "You know I could kill you in an instant." Zhou Yu tensed. Sun Ce smiled.

"If you want my head, I guess now would be the time to take it." Confidence sparkled in his posture and his nonchalant tone. "But hear me out first. Deal?"

Taishi Ci crossed his arms over his chest, the heavy limbs resting against each other like tree branches. Zhou Yu felt tight breaths lodging painfully between his ribs. The captive general sighed. "I suppose it wouldn't kill me to let you prattle on for a few minutes. But you won't change my mind."

A lie. Zhou Yu felt his back stiffening in hesitant expectation as he noticed a slight edge to Taishi Ci's voice. The general's form had become taut, drawn together – he wasn't as confident as he sounded. Sun Ce's actions had impacted Taishi Ci in a way the general tried to hide – but since he had been so openly powerful before, the sudden loss of unaffected arrogance was obvious in his posture and the lines of his face. Zhou Yu bit down on his rushing heartbeat and watched the general silently, praying that spark of uncertainty would be enough to bring Taishi Ci to their side.

Sun Ce nodded. Conviction rolled off of him like a thunderstorm, countering the off-balance expression on Taishi Ci's face with a force befitting summer storms. The young lord laughed. "It won't take too long, I promise." Sun Ce gave a light grimace. A faint smile slipped over Taishi Ci's lips. Zhou Yu felt his muscles tensing. "I've never been one for speeches."

Taishi Ci huffed, a guttural sound that reverberated around them and melted into the sky. "Well, get on with it," he encouraged, tone scraping at the cold ground. But there was no denying the tick of curiosity that lurked under his carefully controlled tone. Zhou Yu felt hope oscillating inside of him. Could they convince Taishi Ci to join them? A larger question pressed at his mind: Did he want the powerful general to join them? The swordsman shook his concerned question away as Sun Ce began to speak.

"You're really strong." Sun Ce held his hands out in a gesture of pleading amusement. Taishi Ci's expression sparkled at the compliment; Zhou Yu felt his eyes narrowing. "I mean, it took us four days to get you out of the city. And you could match me in a duel. Hardly anybody can do that."

Taishi Ci scoffed under his breath, and Sun Ce laughed in answer before continuing. "I want you to join us. Come fight on my side, instead of against us." Taishi Ci's eyebrows rose, and Zhou Yu could feel his own doing the same. Was that supposed to be convincing?

"Why would I want to fight for you?" The general's irreverent tone drew a murmur of anger from the surrounding soldiers, but Sun Ce shrugged and the words rolled off of his shoulders like a simple breeze. The young officer scratched his neck.

"Well… first of all, we have a lot more fun than Liu Yao's army does." Taishi Ci seemed unimpressed. Sun Ce grinned. "We're like a big family, you know? We're all friends over here." The troops around them straightened in pride. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. He couldn't be sure – but if he had to guess, he might not have associated himself with Sun Ce's "big family." Sun Ce dropped a hand to his hip. "I'll bet you can't find anybody to challenge you in Qingshan – but over here, there are plenty of people strong enough to spar with you." The young officer laughed. "Me not least of all."

Taishi Ci couldn't help chuckling, but he bit it off with a sharp cough. Zhou Yu felt an unpleasant sensation trickling down his spine – but Sun Ce pressed on unhindered. "Plus, you can't possibly enjoy working for someone like Liu Yao. He doesn't deserve to have somebody of your talent in his army." A dark shadow crossed Taishi Ci's face, and Zhou Yu knew Sun Ce had hit a strong point – there was bad blood between Taishi Ci and his master, although what kind was unclear. The Sun lord seemed to sense his success, because he hurried forward and dropped a hand onto the general's shoulder.

Taishi Ci tensed. So did Zhou Yu.

Sun Ce smiled. "I'm going to conquer all of China – and I want you to help me, because I know you're super strong, and with you on my side nobody could stop us. Especially not an old coward like Liu Yao." The young officer tipped his chin to one side in askance. "So come on. Say you'll join me."

It was impossible. It was simply ridiculous for such few, inelegant words to carry any weight – for such an impromptu, self-centered speech to earn the attention and loyalty of a powerful man. But despite this, Zhou Yu felt himself being drawn forward almost physically – drawn into the words as though he were the one being recruited. He couldn't make Sun Ce's voice let go. In that moment, he would have followed the young officer anywhere, no questions asked. And he could see on Taishi Ci's face that the words had achieved a similar effect – the general stared down at his captor from a considerably greater height with astonishment painted all over his countenance.

Zhou Yu watched their prisoner and knew, somewhere in his heart, that no one had ever spoken to Taishi Ci like that before. Sun Ce smiled, and the sentiment tugged at the corners of Zhou Yu's lips like ghostly fingers. Despite the darkness and the flickering light, he could see that Taishi Ci's face had been suffused by a similarly restrained expression. The swordsman smirked.

Caught. Like a fish.

Taishi Ci lowered his head, hiding a quiet grin in the shadows of his helmet tassel. Then he straightened abruptly, squaring his shoulders and dropping to one knee in a single fluid motion. Zhou Yu watched their newest recruit as Taishi Ci's natural flair for the dramatic made a grand entrance.

"Lord Sun Ce!" The Wolf general's booming voice shattered the still night and cut between the ashes still littering the sky above. "I pledge myself into your service – as long as I live, may I dedicate myself solely to achieving your aims." A slight pause; with a faint chuckle under his tone, Taishi Ci shook his head and continued. "And should I ever betray you, may my head be chopped asunder and torn to pieces as punishment."

Sun Ce laughed – a delighted, open laugh that drew every soldier into a state of attention. The young officer rubbed his neck. "Okay, we'll call it a deal. But I'm not really into chopping people's heads off. And it's just Sun Ce – we're friends." A great cheer went up in the surrounding soldiers at his words; the face of every man held a promising smile.

Taishi Ci rose, and Zhou Yu felt a strange weight settling over his stomach as the warrior's sharp grin appeared in full force. Something didn't feel right. Not about the situation, not about their newest recruit – something inside. He didn't know what it was. But there was no time to wonder, because as soon as Taishi Ci regained his feet Sun Ce slung an arm through the general's elbow and dragged him forward.

"Yu!" His excited whoop reached the strategist only moments before the two men, who stumbled to a halt just in front of him. Sun Ce reached out and grabbed his hand, swinging it jubilantly. His amber gaze shone with mirth and victory. "I told you I could convince him!"

Zhou Yu ignored the awkward lump of metal lodged in the pit of his stomach and bowed shallowly to Taishi Ci, letting wisps of hair cross his eyes like star-cast shadows. "My name is Zhou Yu. I am pleased to welcome you to our army," he murmured, watching mindlessly as Taishi Ci returned the polite gesture.

"I guess it's for the best," Taishi Ci responded, shaking Sun Ce's hold away and crossing his arms staunchly. "There was little left for me in Qingshan anyway."

Zhou Yu didn't like the way Taishi Ci's words slipped from his mouth, but he ignored them long enough to smack Sun Ce on the side of the head. The Sun lord yelped and rubbed at his hair, glowering at the strategist in confusion.

"What was that for?" he demanded. Zhou Yu rolled his dark eyes heavenward.

"For cutting the ropes like that." His serious tone ruffled through the merrymaking soldiers who surrounded them. Sun Ce huffed at his lecture, but the swordsman pressed on undeterred. "You could have been killed. What were you thinking?"

"It worked, didn't it?" Zhou Yu stepped back a bit at the defiant response, turning to slip into the crowd. He didn't like it. He didn't like Taishi Ci – and even if he didn't have a good reason, there was no need to stand about conversing mere feet from him. Sun Ce apparently disagreed, however – an insistent hand latched onto Zhou Yu's arm and spun him back forward.

The young lord glared a little before a smile softened his features. Taishi Ci watched silently as his new commander shook the strategist's arm. "Sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith," Sun Ce explained simply. Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath, but he couldn't help the tiny smile struggling at his lips as Sun Ce winked. "These things work themselves out."

Zhou Yu shook his head slowly, letting Taishi Ci's presence fade into the background. "You little idiot." Sun Ce grinned at the common nickname.

A sudden laugh interrupted them, and both officers turned to see Han Dang standing beside them. The veteran general shrugged and pointed to the flaming walls of the ruined city. "Little conqueror is more like it. Qingshan is ours."

Sun Ce perked up, new light flooding his features. "Little Conqueror, huh? I like it!" He tapped Zhou Yu's arm with insistent enthusiasm. "That'll be my new title! Little Conqueror." A laugh broke over his lips and vanished between the milling soldiers.

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow in skeptical reply. "Call yourself whatever you like," he answered softly. "But I'm afraid you'll always be a fool to me."

It was amazing how bright Sun Ce's grin became at times. It was downright blinding as he squeezed Zhou Yu's arm and then released the strategist, turning back to grab Taishi Ci's shoulder and pressing forward into the crowds of soldiers. His raucously cheerful voice penetrated the dark encampment like the coming sun, spilling victory throughout the clumps of men and into the starry sky. "Come on, everybody! We need to celebrate! A feast!"

Taishi Ci scoffed. "It's the middle of the night." Sun Ce chuckled, and the sound caught on Zhou Yu's ribs as he led Taishi Ci toward the supply houses.

"It's never too late to have a party!" Zhou Yu watched them walk away with a feeling he couldn't identify scalding his stomach. It was almost familiar, like a childhood song or the poems of sages, but vaguely malevolent as it crawled along his sides. The strategist frowned. Perhaps he was becoming ill – they had been campaigning a long time without rest. Cold nights on thin blankets could only last so long before… Sun Ce's bright voice shattered his musings. "How old are you, Taishi Ci?"

Taishi Ci's heavy gravel tone spilled away as they stepped between the soldiers and faded. "Thirty-one, last spring." Zhou Yu felt his eyes widening even as Sun Ce's guffaw spiraled back to him through the thronging troops.

"Thirty-one? You're really old!" A loud, infectious laugh followed their disappearing backs as Zhou Yu lost sight of them finally, caught motionless in the maelstrom of activity. "I just turned twenty-two a month ago!"

Then they were gone. Zhou Yu let them go, standing uncertainly between uneven tents and the whispers of excited soldiers. Ahead, Qingshan burned – somewhere behind him, the conquered lands of the Wu Territory lay simple and dark under the star-soaked night.

What had changed? They had gathered a powerful new ally. They had secured another section of the stretching region of Wu. Zhou Yu himself had created and executed a brilliant plan to grant his lord a forceful prisoner. On the surface, it seemed that nothing extraordinary could possibly linger in this peaceful night. But something was different – Zhou Yu could feel it. The change rested under his ribs and made his breath heavy like thick snow. He didn't know what it was – but he didn't like it.

Trust me, Sun Ce had said. The strategy had worked, thanks to the Sun lord's charisma and mindless charm. But whether the victory had been worth its spoils would remain to be seen. Mind heavy, Zhou Yu turned and headed after the young officer through the crowded encampment.

There was nothing to do but wait and see what upheaval Taishi Ci would bring to Sun Ce's army. Zhou Yu watched the moon skimming the horizon and sighed to himself, brushing past giddy soldiers with long shadows hiding his face. Nothing to do but wait. He didn't like it. Not at all.

End Chapter 30

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Wow. It's been a few weeks since the last update. Sorry about that, but we had midterms at school and I had to put this on hold, unfortunately. Anyway, here it is – and the Little Conqueror title made it in at last. Reviews are always appreciated.

A note for Jen: Again, sorry for the wait. I also like Taishi Ci, although he's never been my favorite. Taishi Ci is such an interesting character… this chapter was mostly about catching him, but in the next he'll feature more prominently as a personality. Anyway, thank you for your review.

A note for Celestine 1: Glad you liked it. And Lu Meng is rather sour, isn't he? He adds some humor to otherwise serious situations, though. Thank you for reviewing.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Glad you thought so. At least, I hope 'interesting' is a good thing.

A note for Rachel Hunter: Thank you very much for your kind review. I'm glad you've enjoyed the story so far. The story has been taking a little longer than intended to finish, but I'm hoping to get it done by the time school gets out. As for Lu Xun: Unfortunately, he doesn't have too much of a part to play in this story because he didn't join Wu until after Sun Ce's death. Since Zhou Yu's story focuses on Sun Ce, the retelling will essentially end with that. However, Lu Xun will appear in the epilogue. Again, thank you for taking the time to read and review my story.


	31. Chapter 31

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 30 

Chen Hao shifted on the rough floor and slumped, leaning carefully back against the wagon's sides with his arm outstretched awkwardly. The wood felt cold and unforgiving through the folds of his shirt, patterning his back with the impressions of hewn strokes and sending the chill night air straight to his bones. The soldier shivered; so did his commander, and the involuntary action twisted his fingers across the icy palm they guided.

Zhou Yu blinked powerlessly as he lost the place his fingers had been holding – the lines of Chen Hao's hand seemed to vanish as he skirted worriedly across the frozen skin. A deep frown settled over the legendary strategist's face; he glanced up to the attentive soldier with a scowl. "Where…?"

Chen Hao bit back a smile and nodded, feeling fleeting pride stirring in his ribs as he replaced the general's finger in the relative spot of Qingshan. It wasn't much – but right now, it was all he could do for Zhou Yu. Chen Hao was just glad he'd been paying close attention to the contours of the miniature map. The soldier vowed he would remember it forever – every time he looked at his hands, gripping a sword or a plough or a sack of rice, he would think about how wide the world was. How far Zhou Yu had traveled, how many things he had done and seen.

Chen Hao almost wished he could journey to Wu and find the distant battle fields for himself – what would it be like to wield a weapon where legends had stood? The memory of his family whisked the idle thought away with a gentle drift of early morning wind. The soldier shook his head, watching breath move unsteadily in and out of Zhou Yu's tired chest. He had responsibilities here – there were too many things he could not leave behind.

A soft sigh slipped between Zhou Yu's lips as the general closed his eyes, shutting out the dark sky and the wavering roof above them. Chen Hao watched him quietly, mind brimming with sudden thought. What would happen once they reached Han Ni Castle? Surely no messenger had been sent on ahead – Sun Quan would not understand the soldier's presence. And what would be done about him? Would Chen Hao be sent back to battle with the wagon? Would he be allowed to go home? The soldier's heart leapt into his throat and hammered back down, pleading for rest in the arms of his family. But there was no guaranteeing that – Sun Quan could as easily assign him another job.

The general cleared his throat awkwardly and Chen Hao straightened, eyes leaving their perch halfway through the darkened sky to rest on Zhou Yu's face. When he spoke, the general's voice was softer and thinner than it had been before – the musical properties that had silted so cleanly for hours seemed to be whispering away. Chen Hao leaned forward, watching carefully as Zhou Yu dragged his finger back north and crossed the line of the Yangzi on his soldier's palm.

"With the possession of Qingshan and the surrounding area – as well as the addition of Taishi Ci to our forces – nearly half of the Wu Territory was now under Sun Ce's control. There were a few more minor skirmishes before we conquered all warring factions within the area…" Zhou Yu's finger turned in a cautious circle over his palm, encompassing each city the general had described. "One of those encounters involved Sun Quan's first battle, as I mentioned earlier."

Chen Hao blinked, still unable to string together the quiet, gentle child he had come to know with a suit of bamboo armor. Even harder still was relating that blissful young boy to the distant, dedicated, untouchable man in whose service Chen Hao fought. And suddenly his tongue had more questions than he could contain, and his voice burst forth like a firecracker.

"Lord Sun Quan…" Zhou Yu looked up at the unexpected interruption. Chen Hao shook his head, searching for the right words. "How did he become… why is he… so hard now? Why did he stop being carefree?" The soldier wasn't sure he'd put things correctly, but Zhou Yu seemed to understand – his dark eyes widened and then grew thoughtful, studying the silent sky beyond them.

"Sun Quan? I don't think he could avoid it." Chen Hao blinked at the general's sigh. "Sun Jian's death was very hard for Quan – he put up a brave face, but he cried for weeks after his father was killed. In a way, that was the beginning. War became a reality for Sun Quan on the day it stole someone he cared for." Chen Hao swallowed, ignoring the cold that seeped through him. Zhou Yu rubbed his forehead. "But Sun Ce was always there. He picked up where his father had left off – he was almost a parent for Sun Quan, in his own irresponsible way."

Chen Hao smiled, but the general shook his head and closed dark eyes against the fading night. "But then we lost Sun Ce, too. And not only was Sun Quan suddenly the head of his household, but he also became ruler of a sizable empire months before his eighteenth birthday. He was too young and too innocent to be handling such a vast responsibility, and the rest of us did what we could to assist him. But in truth, everything rested on his shoulders – the dreams of his brother, and his father as well." Silence coated Zhou Yu's lips for a hesitant moment before his eyes flickered open. "Shang Xiang and Lady Wu did their best to support him, and I ordered policies for him – but I'm afraid I was no substitute for Ce."

Chen Hao wanted to tell the general that he understood – that no one could have expected him to take over Sun Ce's position in the family after what he'd lost. Somehow, the soldier knew his commander would not appreciate words of consolation. He kept the inclination locked firmly behind his teeth, watching Zhou Yu's passively fading face in the muted light.

Sun Ce's death. It seemed surreal to Chen Hao – it hadn't come yet, of course, but even in its hinting whisper the simple truth seemed hard to believe. Sun Ce was so much a part of the story – although its events centered around Zhou Yu's life, Chen Hao knew that his general's life was dim and gray without the charismatic Wu king. It could not be a coincidence that the story had truly begun with Sun Ce's arrival in Shucheng – and surely, it would end with his death at twenty-five. Perhaps that was why Zhou Yu had whispered to Sun Ce's spirit that the story was told for his sake, all those long hours ago.

"But that aside." Chen Hao snapped back to attention as Zhou Yu pressed into the ream of the story, moving away from Qingshan as his finger relocated to the city of Xuancheng. "About the same time we truly gained control of this portion of Wu, winter began to set in. The weather had been particularly abysmal all year, in accordance with which winter came fast and cold. Sun Ce stationed Han Dang in Qingshan and returned to Xuancheng, where Sun Quan had been set up as regent. He was far too young to be directing a city, of course – but Zhou Tai and Lady Wu stayed beside him, and between the three of them we had peace in Shandong for nearly a year."

A frown marred the unnaturally pale skin of Zhou Yu's forehead as memory crept hesitantly through his eyes. "It was… a quiet winter. The Qiao sisters had remained in Niuqiao with Lu Meng and a few others – Huang Gai and Cheng Pu were both away guarding areas of conquest south of the Yangzi. In fact, the Sun family and I were nearly the only ones gathered for the winter months. Well, and Zhou Tai."

Chen Hao bit his lip. A necessary question gnawed at the back of his mind, but given the tone of the last story he was hesitant to ask. Still… "Was Lord Taishi Ci in Xuancheng with you as well?"

Zhou Yu stared hard at the soldier for a long moment before brushing solemn strands of hair away from his eyes and looking back to the sky overhead. "Yes, he was."

Chen Hao shrank back at the icy tone. "My apologies." Zhou Yu glanced quickly at the soldier and sighed, releasing a heavy breath into the still air.

"Your apologies are not necessary." The sodden voice drew Chen Hao's eyes back to his general. He blinked before scratching the back of his head, brushing the night air from his neck.

"But you hate Lord Taishi Ci," he hazarded softly. Zhou Yu laughed, a full laugh that split his lips into the rare ghost of a smile.

"Hate him? No. Taishi Ci and I learned to get along fairly quickly. When he first joined our ranks, I'll admit I found him… troublesome. But Taishi Ci is truly a great man –I harbor deep respect for him." Chen Hao blinked, taken aback by the praise. Zhou Yu shook his head, amusement still placating his expression. "Sun Ce and I had always been sparring partners, and I was a bit uncertain about releasing that claim on his time. However, it soon became clear that Taishi Ci was a far better opponent for him – not only were their weapons a logical match, but Sun Ce and I both needed new talent to help us improve."

Chen Hao felt puzzled surprise filling the contours of his face. "You spar with Lord Taishi Ci as well?" Zhou Yu nodded.

"I have. Not often, these past years." Darkness scattered the lingering light in the general's eyes, but it seemed to draw back together after a moment of silence. "Taishi Ci was a blessing for our army. He is reliable, intelligent, and very skilled. Besides which, he was a diversion for Sun Ce when I simply did not have time to engage him."

The shadows grew long through Zhou Yu's countenance and the silence returned, melting effortlessly over his still form. The general shook his head, silken hair swishing against the floor in a mock whisper. "I will not see Taishi Ci again before I die. He is far east of here, guarding Wu even now. I can only hope he realizes how greatly he has aided the affairs of our conquests, and that he has my gratitude."

A shiver rushed down Chen Hao's spine at the farewell words; he kept himself from leaning backward only through sheer force of will. He didn't want to think about death. Not Sun Jian's, not Sun Ce's, not the end that waited at Han Ni Castle's firm gates… he shook his head violently and coughed, breaking Zhou Yu's abstract reminiscence with the rough sound. The general blinked up at him, seeming to sense Chen Hao's distress in their briefly locked glances. Slowly, the strategist eased away from his thoughts and back into the thread of the story.

"Now that I consider… it was that very winter that Taishi Ci and I finally came to terms. I had found him intolerable for months, and I would hazard he did not enjoy my company any more than I his. Our personalities were… naturally repellant, I suppose." Zhou Yu shook his head, anticipating the prompt that tugged at Chen Hao's tongue. "In order to settle things, all Taishi Ci and I really needed was to draw a few lines."

Chen Hao frowned in confusion. "Lines? About what?"

A pale gleam of humor glinted in Zhou Yu's dark eyes. "Sun Ce. But as usual, he was our catalyst. Nothing ever seemed to get done without him ending up in the middle of it."

xxxxxxxxxxx

It was snowing. Deep, fuzzy flakes plummeted over the slumbering city of Xuancheng in deliberate drifts, hiding the entire landscape under a blanket of thick white. The moon, barely creasing the clouds just beyond the far garden wall, was draped and burdened with the winter confection and looked to Zhou Yu as though it might simply topple out of the sky. From his place at a tall desk overlooking the courtyard, the strategist could see servants hustling along the trodden paths with wood, sacks, scrolls in trembling hands, glancing over their backs at the stormy evening settling comfortably over Chua's proudest palace.

In fact, Zhou Yu hypothesized that the snow scattered around the fortified city's broad expanse was the only reason he hadn't thrown his hands up in disgust and escaped headlong into the frigid streets already. The papers scattered before him were losing their responsible pull as the swordsman's patience quickly evaporated into the chill air, leaving only a very annoyed man behind. Zhou Yu growled low in his throat and forced the brush back across one of his maps, trying to ignore the irritating and oblivious distraction leaning heavily on the end of his desk.

"So that's why I said we shouldn't have started a cooking competition in the first place, and I threw some rice at him—"

Zhou Yu doubted that Sun Ce had any idea how much he was reminding the sleep-deprived strategist of a nagging fly, circling around the room and landing on his shoulders every few seconds to drone mindlessly in his ear. The strategist gritted his teeth and rubbed a hand over his forehead, trying to force the map's inscriptions through his mind. He read the same sentence four times before giving up and shoving the pile of parchment away with as much frustration as he could fit between two hands.

"—and he chased after me, but I had a head start, you know? Only I tripped over this stupid table on my way and—"

Zhou Yu glared up at Sun Ce's preoccupied expression, molding his headache into physical annoyance and letting it course through his veins. The young officer was oblivious, however, a sparkling smile on his face and shining through his amber eyes. Zhou Yu glowered. He was in far too rotten a mood to be dealing with someone so… cheerful. Why did the Sun lord insist on bothering him, anyway? Couldn't Sun Ce see the stacks of reports and paperwork stacked precariously on the borrowed desk? Perhaps the young officer was blind as well as stupid – not to mention a complete chatterbox.

"—he didn't see me in time, so he fell, too. And then we rolled around on the kitchen floor, and I almost got him into a headlock—"

Zhou Yu threw his brush onto the flat wood and it clacked, causing Sun Ce to blink for a moment before he resumed his cheerful retelling of the afternoon's adventure. The strategist leaned back on his stool and crossed his arms, expression decidedly sour. Zhou Yu figured he could have given even Lu Meng a run for his money as far as tempers went this evening. And it irked him even more to admit that usually Sun Ce's company wasn't nearly this irritating.

"—but right then Quan came in, and he looked over the two of us for a minute. Then he turned around and went back outside without saying anything, and—"

No. Over the years, Zhou Yu had gotten used to his companion's endless chattering. It was almost endearing at times. Well, perhaps that was a stretch – but the strategist could remember nights like this one where he'd enjoyed Sun Ce's company as a welcome break from mountains of responsibility spilling over his desk. Zhou Yu didn't particularly feel like being brutally honest with himself at the moment – but if he had, the swordsman would've been forced to admit that the only reason this particular story was bothering him so much was because of its characters. Or rather, because of—

"—Taishi Ci just looked at me, and we both started laughing. Then I pushed him into the bucket for washing dishes, and he got really wet and angry. And that's why I need to hide in here, okay?"

Taishi Ci. The Wolf general was undeniably the reason Zhou Yu felt like shoving his hands over his ears or throwing Sun Ce out onto the back porch. From what he could see of the storm, it was getting worse – the snowflakes were starting to hurtle against the red cloud background with violent speed. Perhaps freezing to death outside would shut the Sun lord's mouth.

Zhou Yu leaned forward and rested his chin against one hand, dark eyes slipping shut in the blessed but temporary silence. Taishi Ci. One enormous headache as far as the strategist was concerned – but the warrior was Sun Ce's new favorite playmate, and hardly a day had gone by in the last six months without that name bombarding Zhou Yu's ears like so many cannons. The swordsman was sick to death of their fresh recruit, hardly even on account of the man's behavior. Sure, Taishi Ci was arrogant – but Zhou Yu had to admit he himself possessed a separatist streak, and couldn't really call a bad attitude rare in Sun Ce's forces. The strategist even had to concede – grudgingly – that Taishi Ci was a skilled and powerful man, more than worth his character faults for the success he brought their campaigns. It was just that Zhou Yu was fed up with hearing that name roll off of Sun Ce's lips every other minute.

It had been years since Zhou Yu felt jealous, and he was not enjoying the feeling.

Not that the young officer had any inkling of this. "So can I?" The impatient query opened Zhou Yu's eyes, and he looked up to meet the amber gaze with distaste. Sun Ce was bouncing on the balls of his feet and glancing over his shoulder as though expecting the pursuing general to burst through the study door at any minute – which wasn't so farfetched, considering.

What Zhou Yu really wanted to tell his relentless companion was to get out immediately, lock the door behind himself, and not set foot in the strategist's office until he'd gained a new vocabulary – preferably, one that didn't include the name of a certain Wolf general. He wanted to slam his hands down on the desk and demand peace and quiet, wanted to run the spastic youth through with a whole list of off-color curses and exasperated insults – but he had a feeling that would only cause trouble. As ripe as the swordsman was for an argument, there were still piles of work to be done, and he wouldn't get another word read if he and Sun Ce started tearing each other's throats out.

Zhou Yu straightened carefully and gave Sun Ce his very best death glare. "No," he answered, keeping his voice calm with heavy restraint. "I have work to do. Go away." The last words darted from his tongue a bit quicker than he had intended, but Sun Ce didn't seem to notice, slumping forward to lean his elbows on the desk.

"Yu, come on." The wheedling tone set Zhou Yu's teeth on edge, and he clenched his fist beneath the table. Sun Ce rolled his eyes. "You've been working all day. I went away and found someone else to play with, just like you said. It's evening already. Can't you give it a rest?"

Zhou Yu did not want to be reminded that the kitchen fiasco was his own idea. Not that he'd intended Sun Ce to play with Taishi Ci or anything – it seemed like the young officer ought to have had plenty of willing siblings lurking in the quiet palace. But according to reports, Zhou Tai and Sun Quan were reading in the sitting room and Shang Xiang had skipped off for a day of shopping before the snow set in. How Sun Ce had talked the usually stoic warrior into having a cooking competition was something Zhou Yu didn't want to know – but he suspected Taishi Ci was not very good at denying Sun Ce what he wanted in any case.

The thought drew a growl into Zhou Yu's throat, and he waved dismissively at the eager figure leaning over his desk, mind settling elsewhere. "Stay if you must. But be quiet, Ce. I need to get these finished."

Sun Ce smiled and slid around the desk, dropping to a crouch near Zhou Yu's feet. The strategist heard his companion sigh and lean back against the cold wood, hands flopping to his side. Zhou Yu glanced down over the chestnut crest of Sun Ce's head and then forced his gaze back to his papers, retrieving the discarded brush with weary movements.

The young officer shifted and grunted, bumping against his swordsman's foot as he tried to get comfortable on the hard, frigid floor. Zhou Yu turned his eyes upward, distracted by the fidgeting and restless noise. The ceiling greeted him blankly, staring back with disinterest. Zhou Yu scowled. Any normal day, Sun Ce's inability to stay still might have been slightly annoying. Tonight, only the strategist's steel restraint kept him from snapping at the Sun lord – and even that nearly failed when Sun Ce broke his promise moments later.

"Yu?" Only Zhou Yu's teeth pressed hard together kept him from yelling. The swordsman dropped his head closer to the papers and tried to focus, fearing to open his mouth in response lest he lose all shreds of disintegrating self-control. His brush drifted distractedly over the parchment as Sun Ce spoke again. "What are you working on? You've been in here for days."

Zhou Yu bit his tongue for a few moments before finally answering. "I haven't been in here for days."

The strategist could almost feel Sun Ce rolling his eyes. "Sure. You come out to sleep, and sometimes for dinner – but other than that, you've been cooped up in here ever since we got back. What are you doing?"

Zhou Yu wanted to snap that the paperwork at hand was what kept Sun Ce's vast empire from crumbling right out from under them – tax reports, records of raids and other disturbances, correspondence from outposts like Jiang Dong. Nothing good could come of it, though – Sun Ce had shown on many occasions that he was willing to help with anything concerning conquest of China, and his help was nothing short of disastrous where paperwork was concerned. So Zhou Yu clipped his tongue back and managed to mutter a single word through his teeth. "Reports."

The Sun lord sighed and tapped his companion's foot absently. The unfounded rhythm bothered Zhou Yu immensely as it pulsed through his body. "Reports, huh?" There was something about that flippant tone that made Zhou Yu tempted to strangle his nonchalant commander, but he didn't, pressing into the document at hand with forced vigor. "I hate reports. I'm glad I don't have to read very many of them."

Zhou Yu ground his teeth together and signed the parchment roughly, shoving it out of the way so carelessly that it slipped off the desk and skirted over the floor like a feather. The strategist watched it silently, feeling annoyance mounting within him. Sun Ce straightened on the floor.

"You lost one," he singsonged helpfully. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and crumpled a few sheets in his hand to relieve the frustration coursing through his fingers. He said nothing, and for a moment Sun Ce went silent, but the swordsman could just feel his companion's meaningless words building in preparation for another round of obnoxious questioning. The Sun lord never had learned to shut up.

"Hey, Yu?"

Zhou Yu whirled as well as he could and kicked the desk viciously. Sun Ce jumped. "Be quiet!" he barked menacingly. Sun Ce blinked up at his strategist in shock, but before any more words could pass between them a heavy knock sounded on the door. Zhou Yu spun back to face the front of his temporary office, dark eyes blazing as he prepared to rip the intruder to shreds. Without waiting for a confirmation, the person in the outside hallway began to push the door open. Zhou Yu snarled, all his irritation building and hurling itself at the unwanted visitor.

"I'm working!" he shouted, slamming both hands against the wood of his desk. His palms stung a little from the harsh contact, but it was almost worth it for the way Sun Ce flinched and the door paused in its course. Almost. Until the door was shoved roughly back and Zhou Yu found himself glaring into the face of the one man he wanted to see even less than Sun Ce.

Taishi Ci leaned casually against the doorway, seemingly unaffected by the strategist's obvious fury. Somewhat mockingly, the general dropped his head in a solemn bow. Zhou Yu snarled, feeling his lips curling back into a violent glower.

"Get out," the dark swordsman demanded, checking his tone just short of a full yell. Taishi Ci ignored the instructions and peered carefully around the candlelit room. Then he dipped his head again and turned his attention to the fuming strategist in front of him.

"Lord Zhou Yu," he began, voice polite but eyes challenging. "You haven't seen Sun Ce, have you? I'm afraid I need to exact revenge for a prank of his. Any idea where I could find him?"

If the speaker had been anyone else, Zhou Yu would have turned Sun Ce over to them out of sheer spite and annoyance. It was lucky for Sun Ce, he supposed with a suppressed growl, that Taishi Ci was even lower on his list of favored individuals than the obnoxious officer himself. Instead of a straight answer, Zhou Yu poured the heated emotion coursing through him into a bitter retort and spat the sharp words across his office.

"Why would I know where he is?" The strategist's voice was ragged and coarse like a basket of pottery shards. "Can't you see I'm trying to get something done? I demand that you leave immediately. Get out of my sight."

To Zhou Yu's very slight mollification, Taishi Ci looked taken aback at his accusing tone. The Wolf general even tipped his head in a reflexive bow before catching himself and straightening. The swordsman held his intruder's hazel stare evenly, daring the man to take another inward step. Zhou Yu was in a fine temper, and he knew it – he wasn't going to need anything more than the paintbrush for a weapon if either of the insufferable blockheads currently present pushed him. Taishi Ci must have read the sincere threat in his commander's onyx eyes, because he stepped back into the hallway and regarded Zhou Yu curiously from a distance.

The swordsman felt Sun Ce fidgeting at his feet, and he glared hard at Taishi Ci to encourage the man's further retreat. The Wolf general seemed to regain control of himself – he nodded shortly and turned away, hand on the door.

"Right. Well, if you see him… could you tell him I'd like a word with him?" The glinting edge of amusement in Taishi Ci's voice grated against Zhou Yu's ribs like a metal file, but he opened his mouth in tactful avoidance anyway.

"I can only hope I won't lay eyes on that moron for the rest of the night," he answered icily, turning pointedly back to his papers. There was a brief silence as Zhou Yu assumed his words were sinking into the undoubtedly thick skull – and then a soft swish as the door closed and heavy footsteps drew Sun Ce's opponent away.

Sun Ce leapt instantly from concealment, slinging his arms around Zhou Yu's annoyed neck in a gesture of victory. "Hurrah! Sun Ce wins again!" The strategist scowled at the chestnut hair trailing over his pale face.

"Get off," he ordered roughly. Sun Ce did as he was asked, but not before cuffing Zhou Yu on the back of the head. Zhou Yu felt his eyes widen as his neck snapped forward with the playful blow, irritation rising anew inside him. "What was that for?" he snapped, turning to glare at Sun Ce where he perched harmlessly against the desk. The Sun lord grinned cheekily.

"For calling me a moron," he explained, dropping his hands to each side and fiddling with the corner of the desk. Zhou Yu felt a growl in his throat and tried to suppress it, though with little success. Usually he and Sun Ce sparred back and forth without any real trouble on either side. But this just wasn't the night for it.

Sun Ce was oblivious, as always. As Zhou Yu ducked forward into his papers and began writing furiously, trying to bury the unwanted emotions amongst piles of work, the young officer regaled his unwilling companion with stories about his most recent adventures – and it seemed to Zhou Yu as though every single one of them involved Taishi Ci. The swordsman glowered. There was no escaping the Wolf general today.

Sun Ce and Taishi Ci sparring. Exploring. Playing tag. Teasing Quan. Getting in and out of trouble. No matter how hard he tried, Zhou Yu couldn't extinguish the jangling metal pulsing against his ribs and tearing through the walls of his stomach. The feeling grew more and more prominent as Sun Ce babbled senselessly on, until finally he felt that one more word would just destroy him.

"Can't you be quiet?" Zhou Yu's barking question stalled the tumble of explanations coming from his energetic companion, and Sun Ce blinked at the sudden interruption. The Sun lord tipped his head thoughtfully to one side, studying Zhou Yu as the candles flickered around the room.

Finally Sun Ce shrugged. "Sheesh. You're sure in a bad mood today. Even Taishi Ci wasn't this mad when I—"

It was as though all of the irritation and jealousy inside of him suddenly turned into an enormous whirlwind of fire and hissing gravel, rampaging through him faster than his fists clenched. Zhou Yu felt himself snapping half a second before his mouth opened to confirm the fact.

"TAISHI CI?" The shout echoed through the room like a challenge, bouncing off of the papered walls until it got lost in the snow outside.

Zhou Yu's arm shot out and shoved. All of the papers, brushes, scrolls and ink pots on the desk careened onto the floor with a tremendous crash, falling into a messy pile and littering the carpet in all directions. Sun Ce jumped and stepped back as Zhou Yu leapt to his feet, slamming both hands down onto the desk and turning to glare at his shocked commander with deep anger in his eyes.

"Yu?" The Sun lord took another step back from his outraged comrade. His eyes were wide and startled as more words leaked onto the swordsman's tongue.

"If you like Taishi Ci so much, why don't you go bother him!" Zhou Yu spat, grinding his knuckles into the table. "I have work to do, and I have not gotten a single thing done since you ran in here and disrupted me! I am sick of your endless chatter, Ce. Get out of my office this instant!"

Zhou Yu felt himself breathing hard as the words came to an end, glaring into Sun Ce's amber gaze over the emptied desk. Instead of affront or anger, Sun Ce's face was awash with shock and his jaw hung partly open. After a long moment of heavy tension, the young officer stepped back, raising his hands in placation.

"Okay. Okay, I'll leave." From his quiet voice and wide eyes, Zhou Yu assumed his companion was extremely surprised. That was just like Sun Ce – the swordsman had been practically steaming for an hour, and the oblivious fool only noticed once he yelled about it. Zhou Yu watched narrowly as Sun Ce turned and made for the door. The silence that now settled around them came in sharp contrast to the shouting only moments earlier, almost making Zhou Yu's teeth hurt with the sudden shift.

The door slipped open beneath Sun Ce's hand and the young lord hesitated on the threshold, turning to look over his shoulder just before exiting. Zhou Yu raised an infuriated eyebrow at his paused, annoying companion. Sun Ce rubbed the back of his head.

"But if you feel better later, I was going to—"

"Out!" Zhou Yu snapped, and Sun Ce rushed into the corridor, ducking as though afraid the irate strategist might throw something at him. The door slammed shut behind the slippered heels and Zhou Yu stared at it for a long moment, studying the decorated wood as his anger slowly dispersed. Then he slumped back into his seat and rested his head in both hands.

Brilliant.

Zhou Yu silently berated himself for losing his temper, glaring at the mass of materials scattered over his floor and the now-empty room. He rubbed a pale hand across his forehead, drawing a sigh with him as he rose and stepped carefully around the edge of the desk to stand over his papers in veiled displeasure. Everything appeared to be in one piece, but the ink had gone everywhere and his scrolls were splattered black.

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, irritation finding a new target in his own short fuse as he bent and began collecting the scattered documents. Sure, Sun Ce was noisy – but that wasn't new, and he ought to have learned by now that yelling never made things quieter. Not to mention he'd sent Sun Ce right back to Taishi Ci in a momentary manifestation of the lump between his ribs. Zhou Yu's annoyed fingers scraped the messy papers together and tapped them straight; he scowled at the blotches of ink marring their formerly pristine surfaces. And now here he was, just as irritated as he had been before – his outburst had accomplished nothing except a dismal mess.

The snow continued to fall as Zhou Yu returned the discarded objects to order, placing them carefully on his desk and scraping ink from them where he could. The room stayed silent, mimicking the muted storm outside while its solitary occupant knelt in the thick carpet, calming his thoughts as he regained order and control over the violent mess. By the time Zhou Yu finished sorting and organizing his files, the moon was high in the sky, almost breaching the porch roof above his outer door. The swordsman rose from the floor and stood a moment, looking over the clean expanse beneath his feet. Then he turned for the door, shutting it solidly behind him as he stepped into the corridor.

Zhou Yu sighed. Time to find Sun Ce.

He strode quietly down the hallway, watching the flickering candles and torches that lined the walls as they danced shadows over his feet and interrupted the solemnity in his dark eyes. His footsteps echoed in the overwhelming stillness, and Zhou Yu wondered where the castle's occupants had all gone to leave such silence. Perhaps Sun Ce and Taishi Ci had disappeared into the city on another adventure, no doubt liable to find immense amounts of trouble… a scowl slipped onto his face at the thought, but Zhou Yu shook it away. One hand brushed the dark hair from his eyes.

It was hardly his business whom Sun Ce spent time with anyway – provided they weren't dangerous or deceitful or bad influences, of course. And much though he might dislike the man, Taishi Ci was none of those things.

Zhou Yu felt his pace slowing as he neared the hall containing Sun Ce's quarters. It was possible that the young lord was gone, lurking in the castle or the city somewhere. But it was equally possible that he had stayed, and found Taishi Ci as encouraged, and that the two of them had retreated to the Sun lord's room. Zhou Yu's steps halted a good distance from the door as voices suddenly became audible – not the words, but he would recognize Sun Ce's exuberant tone anywhere.

The swordsman rubbed his temple and frowned, forcing himself forward over the wooden floor, steps soft as silk. It didn't matter what Sun Ce was doing. All Zhou Yu had come to do was set things right, and then he could retreat to his reorganized documents and bury himself under the endless paperwork. The interaction would be brief – surely he could handle Taishi Ci for that long.

Laughter. As Zhou Yu approached the heavy door, he could hear sounds of merriment filtering through its thick wood like a forgotten song. A tiny scowl brushed his face, but the swordsman willed it away, pausing just before the door. He ought to be glad that the two friends were enjoying themselves, but somehow cheerfulness was not coursing through him.

Just get this over with. Zhou Yu raised his hand to knock, but hesitated as a particularly jubilant exclamation escaped the room and found his ears. The strategist exhaled softly, letting the breath scatter between his teeth. Perhaps it wasn't worth interrupting – Sun Ce was obviously having a fine time, so the earlier incident was probably completely out of his thoughts. Was there really any reason for Zhou Yu to ruin a pleasant activity, whatever they were doing? Silently the swordsman's hand fell to his side, and he turned back toward the hallway, preparing for a departure to the world of political manuscripts.

"Hey! No fair! Give that back!"

The sudden exclamation in Sun Ce's amused voice – coupled by an unmistakable sound of collision – caught Zhou Yu before his feet could move, and the strategist felt his eyes widening. A deep bass chuckle echoed the statement, and then Sun Ce's laugh was back; it sounded through the hallway in reverberating waves and held Zhou Yu suspended, immobile in the shadows. There was something about that laugh that always made the strategist think of the early days, in Shucheng – training in the garden, exploring the family property, arguing and sparring and the first time he'd really noticed Sun Ce's smile… and suddenly he was so angry again that he could hardly breathe.

Zhou Yu turned and ripped the door open, slamming it back into the wall hard enough that the floor shook and the smash of impact echoed down the long corridor. The irate officer stormed through his commander's door and turned to the source of the crash, two dozen words already swarming over his tongue and waiting to be released… but they never had a chance, because Zhou Yu froze with his hand still on the door and his eyes became impossibly wide.

The room's occupants had gone stiff as well, turning their heads to the door as it flew open, and in their surprise no one could seem to find anything to say. Then Sun Ce got slowly up from his position sprawled across the floor and dusted himself off, watching Zhou Yu warily.

"Yu?" His eyes were guarded and uncertain. "Is… something wrong?"

Zhou Yu raised a startled hand and rushed it through his hair, still frozen in the doorway as his gaze tried to make sense of the scene before him. The strategist shook his head as if to clear it, focusing on Sun Ce's baffled face with effort.

"I… I heard a crash…" Sun Ce frowned a little, puzzlement ringing through his expression.

"All the way from your office?" A sheepish hand reached up to rub the back of his neck. "Were we being that loud?"

Zhou Yu shook his head absently. "No, I was…" He gave up and stared at the people before him, mind unable to form a logical explanation for the chaos in the room. "What is going on here?" he demanded finally, and Sun Ce laughed as he glanced back at his companions and the ruined table he'd been sitting in.

"Well… we were all playing Mahjongg," Sun Ce started, laughing a little at the disbelieving expression on his swordsman's face. Zhou Yu looked at Sun Quan and Zhou Tai sitting at awkward angles on Sun Ce's bed – the young boy was fidgeting, obviously worried by Zhou Yu's sudden, angry entrance. Zhou Tai was putting his ivory tiles back in order from where they appeared to have been kicked haphazardly all over the blankets. Shang Xiang was sprawled halfway off of the bed in Sun Ce's direction, bracing herself with her forearms on the carpet, the expression on her face halfway between scolding and amused. And, of course, the table – which was absolutely splintered and destroyed, explaining the crash he'd heard.

Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest; though a small part of him was pleased to see Taishi Ci conspicuously absent from the cheerful gathering, he was primarily interested in getting a satisfactory explanation.

"I have never ended up in such a state after a game of Mahjongg," he countered. Zhou Tai's low chuckle seemed to calm Sun Quan a little, and the youngest Sun child stopped squirming in his seat to look up at his brother's strategist.

"It's Brother's fault," he explained plainly. Sun Ce made a face and Shang Xiang rolled her eyes, but the boy continued unimpeded. "I was drawing a tile from the middle because I had a special combination, and Brother just wanted to make a normal triple – but he tried to take it from me anyway." Sun Quan looked highly miffed and gave his brother a short glare, but Sun Ce shrugged and remained steady.

"It was my turn, Quan," he insisted, hands on hips. Zhou Tai shook his head.

"It was your turn in terms of the circular direction. However, Master Quan was creating a higher tile pair and was farther along in the game – therefore, under those circumstances, it is no longer your turn. Right to draw is ceded to the player with a higher priority task."

Zhou Yu and his companions stared at the stoic general as he finished the explanation, though the man himself appeared unaffected by the outpouring clarification. Then Sun Ce darted forward with a cheeky grin to ruffle his brother's hair – Sun Quan yelped and pouted indignantly at the unwanted affection. "I think that's the most words Zhou Tai's ever said in his life," Sun Ce declared, catching the young boy in a headlock. "And all for your sake, too!"

"Stop it!" the youngest Sun child whined, flailing uselessly in Sun Ce's grip. Zhou Yu couldn't quite be sure, but it looked like Sun Quan was blushing.

Out of long-forgotten mercy, the strategist cleared his throat and drew Sun Ce's gaze back up. "That doesn't explain the table." The swordsman's words made the young officer blink for a moment in confusion. Shang Xiang sighed as her brother's face finally brightened in recognition – the lithe young woman rolled onto her back and stretched, twining her fingers between the thick fibers of the rug.

"Yeah, well – Quan's not as innocent in that as he'd like you to believe." Sun Quan's face was positively pink. "Ce tried to grab the tile anyway, so Quan pushed him. He toppled straight off the bed and turned a backward somersault – we were pretty impressed, honestly, until he broke the table." Shang Xiang sat up and smacked her elder brother over the head with the flat of her hand. "I tried to grab him as he went off, but you can see how well that worked."

Sun Ce frowned lightly. "Hey – it's not my fault the little one lost his temper." Shang Xiang scoffed under her breath, shooting Zhou Yu a meaningful look over her shoulder.

"Yes it is," Sun Quan sniffed, dislodging Sun Ce's arms from around his neck and pushing away from the officer. "And now my tiles are all out of order," he whined, gesturing to the fallen white wall beside his tucked feet. Sun Ce rolled his eyes and stepped off of the bed, sticking his tongue out at the boy before turning amber eyes to his silent swordsman.

"So that's how it happened. But I hate Mahjongg anyway, so I think it's a best case scenario, really." Zhou Yu raised a dark eyebrow.

"Why were you playing?" Sun Ce shrugged.

"Nothing else to do, I guess…" The offhand answer seemed to draw Zhou Yu's purpose back into the strategist's mind, and Sun Ce blinked as the memory of the earlier incident returned. The young officer seemed to study him for a moment before speaking again. "You, uh… still mad?" His eyes shot to the door, and Zhou Yu winced a little at the reminder of his forceful entry.

"…No." The faces of Sun Ce's playmates were awash with confusion – clearly, they'd heard nothing of Zhou Yu's earlier outburst. The strategist ran an absent hand through his long hair and shook it back, freeing his eyes from the dark strands as Sun Ce watched him curiously. "Actually… I intended to apologize."

Sun Ce's face brightened, lit by an unseen power as strong as the sun. "No harm done," he answered cheerfully, any lingering shadows fleeing his face under the overwhelming power of a blinding grin. Zhou Yu nodded a little, falling back into silence. It looked as though he shouldn't have interrupted, after all – Sun Ce was much better at shrugging insults away than Zhou Yu himself, even when the insults came from his own mouth.

The Sun lord met his gaze jovially, something Zhou Yu couldn't quite read holding his eyes steady. He seemed about to continue, but the unsaid words remained behind his lips. The swordsman wasn't sure what his companion was waiting for, but there was too much work still piled across his desk to stand here and exchange stares with Sun Ce. Zhou Yu ignored the curiosity coming from those guests arrayed on the bed and turned for the door.

"Well… I'll leave you to your game, then." The words were still and quiet, dripping with the snow outside as the strategist's feet carried him to the threshold. He made it two steps before a quick hand caught his wrist, holding it frozen against the door.

In a way he wasn't surprised – and he certainly didn't need to look back to identify those tan fingers, but Zhou Yu shot a glance over his shoulder and found the waiting amber anyway. Sun Ce shook his head and tugged, making the strategist turn back into the room despite the friction of his slippers against the carpet.

"No way. You've been working all day already – you're going to have to take a break." Zhou Yu deigned not to respond, giving Sun Ce a sharp look. The Sun lord appeared unfazed. "Besides – if you work too long, your brain will turn to mush and start coming out of your ears."

Zhou Yu felt furrows forming across his brow at the strange conclusion, but Sun Quan looked a little worried. "Does that… really happen?" the young boy wanted to know. Shang Xiang snorted and Zhou Tai hid a granite smile, but his brother laughed in response. Sun Ce slung an arm around his companion's shoulders and stepped forward into the room, dragging Zhou Yu with him against the swordsman's will.

"Sure does," he answered, lying through his teeth. Zhou Yu shot a slightly exasperated glance to the pale ceiling. If overworking could really turn one's brain into ill-contained soup, the strategist would have lost his mental capacities years ago.

The ceiling did not respond, despite Sun Ce's persistent yank on the captive strategist's sleeve. "Which is why Yu's going to take a break and spend some time with us. We don't want him melting."

Zhou Yu shook away Sun Ce's arm and looked down sternly into the laughing amber eyes. Teasing Sun Quan was all well and good – but in reality, the piles of paper on his desk weren't going to read and sign themselves. "I don't have time for a game of Mahjongg." A small scowl suffused his features. From all accounts, none of the assembled persons were particularly good at Mahjongg anyway – and the only thing longer than a normal game was a game against idiots. He made to leave again, but Sun Ce latched onto his waist with both arms and smiled unhurriedly.

"No problem," he assured his prisoner brightly. "We're not going to play Mahjongg anymore. I'm sick of games that make you think." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes – Sun Ce knew that wasn't what he'd meant. Sun Quan slumped back into the pillows at this declaration, a pout stealing over his features.

"But I had such a good hand!" he complained, looking to Zhou Tai for support. The stone general smiled a little, but he said nothing. Zhou Yu watched their interaction quietly, letting the heat from Sun Ce's arms soak through his silk robes. All these years, Sun Quan had never been short on playmates – considering his two siblings and Zhou Yu's wife, there had hardly been cause for loneliness. But there was a bond between Sun Quan and his protector, so strong it was almost visible – and after only six months. It made Zhou Yu wonder if what the boy really needed was someone to listen when he spoke, someone who heard him and sympathized no matter what he said.

Sun Ce laughing at his brother's complaint and shaking chestnut bangs away from his eyes brought Zhou Yu back from his thoughts. "Well, we're going to play another game now. I'm tired of sitting still – we've gotta move around for a while."

Shang Xiang blinked, stretching her legs out across the floor. "What do you want to play?"

"Commander!" Sun Ce shouted exuberantly, freeing one arm to form a charismatic fist. His sister rolled her eyes and Sun Quan looked around.

"Here?" he asked incredulously, the expression fitting a bit strangely over his childish features. "You want to run around and play tag in here?" Sun Ce shook his head.

"Of course not! I think one piece of broken furniture is enough for the night." The Sun lord grinned up at his strategist as Zhou Yu scoffed.

"You're not actually suggesting we all tromp around in the snow at this hour?" Sun Ce slapped him on the back, and Zhou Yu winced a little as his breath hitched.

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting!" he affirmed gleefully, running to the window and gazing out over the moonlight-frosted expanse. "The gardens here are huge. We have to take advantage of the storm before it blows off."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow as he scanned the clouds outside. Each roll of thick red froth in the sky above seemed to be threatening a long stay, and he doubted very much if the streets would even be passable in the next few days. But Sun Ce had never listened to reason, and the strategist didn't even bother to open his mouth. Why waste breath on a useless argument?

"What is Commander?" Zhou Tai asked gently, expression seeded with light confusion. Sun Quan shrugged.

"It's a tag game – one person is the commander, and they stand up in front with their back turned. Then everyone else has to try to run up and touch them – but they have to freeze when the commander turns around, otherwise he chases them. And if the commander catches you, then you take his place." Zhou Tai was nodding absently, lightning mind stringing the pieces together. Sun Quan looked up at him anxiously. "But you don't have to play if you don't want to," he reassured the stony warrior, cheeks fluttering crimson again.

Sun Ce turned back from the window and grabbed Zhou Tai's shoulder. "What? Of course he does, Quan – I think he'll be great at this game. We're all going to play."

Shang Xiang shifted and rubbed her bare arms. "Come on, Ce – it's got to be freezing outside. Can't this wait until morning?" But Sun Ce wasn't listening, already distracted by the lure of snow tag.

"Let's see… we've got five people. The more people the better – but I guess we'll just have to make do with what we've got." Shang Xiang frowned.

"What about the new guy – Taishi Ci? Would he want to play?" Zhou Yu felt his back stiffening at the Wolf general's name, and he turned to leave without a word. There was no way in hell he was going to traipse around the snowy garden with Taishi Ci in the middle of the night.

But in mere moments Sun Ce had locked his elbow through the departing swordsman's, pulling the most disagreeable member of his party back into the room. The Sun lord's face flickered a moment with confusion as he answered his sister.

"Nah, he's in a pretty bad mood. Told me he's never going to forgive me for my prank today." Sun Ce grinned. "He was a real loser in the cooking competition, and couldn't chase me at all without running into something."

Zhou Yu was fairly certain the ridiculing statement wasn't specifically intended for him, but he felt somewhat mollified nonetheless. Taishi Ci was strong, but he wasn't very graceful – and with his powerful body structure, it was easy to imagine how quickly the Wolf might lose his footing. He could almost picture Taishi Ci flailing and sliding along the corridors in his slippered feet – and Sun Ce laughing at him, of course. Because the young officer never could hold his tongue.

Sun Quan huffed and folded his arms across his chest. "Well, I'm not going. It'll be cold and wet and dark, and I don't like walking around in blizzards. And we'd have to get all our furs on, and—" But Sun Ce had decided his little brother was done whining, and he took hold of Sun Quan's shirt, pulling the boy ungracefully off of the bed.

"No way! Come on, guys – a little fresh air is good for you." And so saying he began dragging them down the hall, heading toward the main exit into the gardens and the cabinets stocked with furs. Zhou Yu growled low in his throat and tried not to think about how disagreeable the weather was being, or how much time he would lose when he could be filing and organizing his reports – but none of that stopped Sun Ce's purposeful stride over the wooden floor. He wasn't quite as opposed to the idea as he'd been a few minutes earlier – but he knew Taishi Ci's absence wasn't going to be a particularly warming thought once they were truly out in the storm.

"Well, I suppose there's no help for it," the Sun princess's voice piped up behind them; within moments, two sets of rustling and shuffling followed them into the corridor.

Zhou Yu could hear Shang Xiang and Zhou Tai trailing them quietly – and it almost sounded like the slate warrior was chuckling, but the echoes of their footfalls made it hard to tell. Zhou Yu rolled his dark eyes and glanced down to catch Sun Ce's amber gaze, overflowing with warmth and amusement as the group marched grudgingly forward. Sun Ce winked up at him, and the strategist almost had to admit that perhaps he'd done enough work for one day…

Until they came within sight of the garden entrance. Eddies of snow were licking the door and windows, chilling the hallway beneath their feet even from a fair distance. Zhou Yu felt, almost instantly, that he'd rather be poring over tedious documents than trudging through the blinding sallow storm. It hardly mattered – Sun Ce had not released his grip in the slightest. Today was one of those days when Zhou Yu wished that the young lord's charisma did not make his every wish an undeniable command – but there was nothing for it. They were going into the snow.

.x.

It was still snowing – snowing hard enough that the flakes licked at Zhou Yu's face like flames as they fell and obscured his dark hair under their ivory shower. The swordsman could hardly see his foggy breaths in between the cascade of crystals as he stood motionless, gazing over the garden beneath its blanket of winter and watching the storm's growing intensity. Pine trees scattered throughout the softly drowning landscape presented only a flash of color – even the palace's high painted walls and fair carvings were muted in the evening's red light.

Zhou Yu sighed to himself and brushed the snow away from where it had collected in the crease of his sleeve. The cold stung his numb fingers, and once again the strategist wondered what he was still doing outside after so long. Had autonomy rested in his hands, he would have returned to the palace's fires eons ago. Unfortunately for the strategist, his companions hadn't yet tired of the game – or, one hadn't, anyway.

"Gotcha, Quan!" The cheerful exclamation prompted a terrified shriek, and then Sun Quan tore across the obscured garden, booted feet slipping and catching on the covered brush. Zhou Yu watched Sun Ce as the young lord cackled and darted after his brother, far nimbler on the uneven surface than his prey. Shang Xiang laughed, and the strategist felt a flicker of amusement tugging at his mouth as Sun Ce tackled his quarry straight into a snow bank. Sun Quan screamed and flailed against the cold substance, shivering and laughing and crying while Sun Ce proceeded to tickle him pitilessly, driving his fingers into the fur-wrapped robes.

"Stop that, Brother! I'll get you back!" Zhou Yu could see a few servants poking their curious faces out of the castle windows as Sun Quan's helpless oath rattled the garden. He was sure the staff of Xuancheng had rarely seen a display of such childishness from grown warlords – but there was something about Sun Ce that unbound people's hands from the rigor of everyday maturity, sending them back to a carefree frame of mind. Sun Ce snorted.

"Oh yeah? You couldn't catch me in a million years!"

Zhou Yu shook his head. It was hard to imagine that the game could have progressed as anything but miserable, given the snowstorm still railing around them on all sides and covering the winter clothes with powder. It was true that the wind cut into the strategist at every pass, slipping through the folds of his long robes and settling in between his bones like a thin stream of welded silver. But somehow, despite the weather and the swordsman's established dislike for games such as this, Zhou Yu had to admit that there was enjoyment in watching his companions fall and twist in the beguiling snow.

Zhou Tai took a few hesitant steps toward the struggling pair, eyes guttering with intent to assist the overpowered child, but he did not go far. Zhou Yu watched him with a well-concealed smirk painting his lips – Zhou Tai didn't look it, but the warrior was actually very bad at keeping his balance on the uncertain terrain. He had fallen more than any of them so far, landing in the snow almost as soon as they'd left the covered walkway. Sun Quan was infinitely sympathetic and Shang Xiang cheerfully surprised, and Sun Ce just laughed.

"Come on, Quan – I'll help you up," Sun Ce chuckled, extending a hand to his tightly trapped brother. Sun Quan huffed and flapped his arms and couldn't help giggling as snowflakes alighted on his nose, sticking to the rosy skin no matter how hard he tried to shake them off. Sun Ce grabbed the boy's extended arm and pulled, drawing Sun Quan out of the snow before turning a little circle, pivoting on his heels and sticking his tongue out to catch the falling flakes.

"I love the snow!" he shouted, disturbing the tree branches with his voice and making Shang Xiang shake her pretty head.

"That's only because you can walk so well on it," his sister accused lightly. "What about the rest of us?"

Sun Ce shrugged and flashed her a grin. "All you need is practice."

Zhou Yu watched the young lord quietly, noting his deft movements despite the tricky ground. Sun Ce was more adept than any of his companions at staying upright in the drifts, but he collided with more things as well – primarily because, despite Zhou Yu's warnings, he insisted on running back and forth at every opportunity.

"Okay! Quan's turn! Everybody get in position!" Sun Ce hollered, a joyful smile swallowing his expression as Sun Quan trudged to the front of the group, turning his face to the outside wall with a small pout.

"I've been the Commander five times already," he complained. Sun Ce clicked his tongue.

"Well if you don't like it, stop getting caught!" His suggestion did not seem to please the boy, who crossed his arms in a huff and began counting.

Zhou Yu stepped carefully back, minding his footing as he put distance between himself and the center. Sun Ce looked so open and playful as he charged amok through the snow, throwing up handfuls and catching them in his mouth while he ran for a starting position – it reminded Zhou Yu that the year had been difficult, and that a completely honest smile was something he'd missed for a long time.

It wasn't that the young officer had been unhappy. Sun Ce's spirit was unquenchable, like phoenix flame, like sunlight… but the constant battles had taken their toll on him, as they had on everyone. Zhou Yu could remember nights spent watching the exhausted features lost in a restless dream and wishing there were a more permanent rest for all of them… even in Xuancheng, free from battle for the winter months, the strategist couldn't help dragging the weight of war with him. It clung to his steps like a shadow, following wherever he led, haunting the dwindling hours of midnight that he spent working long after the household had fallen asleep.

Somehow, all it took was a game like this for Sun Ce to shrug worries off his shoulders, dropping them like forgotten sand and stepping forward, eyes bright with a kind of ethereal glow the swordsman hadn't seen in months…

And so despite his freezing fingers and the strong inclination to return to his office, Zhou Yu stayed under the flickering crimson clouds and watched Sun Ce dashing through the thick snow, watched the mindless smile dominating his tan face – in the end, it seemed worth the storm.

"Nineteen… twenty!" The shout dragged Zhou Yu out of his thoughts like cannon fire, and he stopped moving abruptly as Sun Quan turned back to his playmates. The boy's eyes flooded with disappointment as he noticed everyone standing very still, and he dropped both hands onto his hips in a huff. Sun Ce laughed.

"You can't catch us on the first time, Quan," he called across the snowy expanse. "What would be the fun in that?" The youngest Sun seemed to disagree, and Zhou Yu watched the light of defiance flashing in his eyes as a particularly large snowflake landed on his nose. Sun Quan squinted and then brushed it away, turning for the palace without another word. Sun Ce blinked.

"Quan? Hey, where are you going?" Sun Quan stomped to the top of the steps and turned back to look at his companions, lower lip trembling in a pout.

"I'm going inside," he shot back snappily. "I'm cold and wet, and I don't want to play anymore!" This said, Sun Quan pivoted hard on his heel and stormed to the door, yanking it open in a burst of ferocity that surprised the strategist. Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"Quan…" he wheedled – but it was to no avail. Sun Quan slammed the door and disappeared, leaving only the lingering light of torches behind him in the doorway. Silence descended on the small group for a long moment before Shang Xiang and Zhou Tai exchanged a glance and also began moving toward the palace.

"Oh, come on." Sun Ce brushed his bangs back and frowned. "Not you guys, too."

Zhou Tai didn't answer, although Zhou Yu had a feeling the stoic warrior would have left much earlier had he been able to get away with it. Shang Xiang glanced over her shoulder and smiled a little.

"Sorry, Ce – but it's really awful out here. Let's play tomorrow, when the sun's shining, okay?" The Sun princess remained outside long enough to knock the snow from her boots, then she too disappeared into the warm hallway beyond the icicled doors.

Sun Ce huffed under his breath, and Zhou Yu's gaze retreated from the porch to watch his abandoned commander. The young lord crossed his arms over his chest, expression disdainful. "Hah. Just a bunch of wimps!" he accused to no one in particular. Sun Ce stomped in a circle as demonstration.

"It's not that cold out here." His insistence seemed less convincing as Zhou Yu watched the warm breath trailing between the words. The Sun lord waved his arms. "I could stay out here for hours. I could roll around in the snow! Sheesh. I knew Quan was a pansy, but I didn't think it was rubbing off on the rest of them."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at the passionate diatribe; his eyes shot to the rose-edged clouds above them, and the snow falling in droves on all sides, and the steam rising with each breath he exhaled. The strategist shook his head silently. Sun Ce was lying. It really was that cold. Zhou Yu was almost surprised that Sun Ce didn't want to join the others inside, given how fond the officer tended to be of low temperatures.

When he looked back to Sun Ce, a determined smile had replaced the aggravated expression and was seeping into the shadowed amber eyes like spring rain. Sun Ce laughed and took a few steps forward, crunching the thick snow mindlessly beneath his heels. "Oh well. We don't need those losers. We'll do just fine on our own!" He stuck his tongue out in the general direction of the palace, drawing a quiet scoff from Zhou Yu's lips.

"There are only two of us." Sun Ce shrugged.

"There are plenty of games you can play with two people." The Sun lord smiled, but Zhou Yu shook his head as though anticipating the first suggestion while it still hovered on his companion's tongue.

"I will not participate in a snowball fight." Sun Ce's shoulders slumped for a moment, but then a brilliant grin chased the shadows from his features as easily as wind sweeping the fallen leaves away.

"Fine by me." Zhou Yu felt a flicker of unease settling into his stomach. Anything Sun Ce wanted to do could only be unpleasant. A moment passed between them in waiting silence, and then Sun Ce dashed forward and slapped Zhou Yu's arm, darting away again just as quickly. The strategist stared after him in shock, caught completely off guard by the sudden blow.

"Tag! You're it!" Sun Ce shouted back over his shoulder, tearing across the snow-covered flowerbeds as his laughter rang between the palace pillars. Zhou Yu watched him run, undecided. He could turn and go back inside now, while Sun Ce was distracted and facing the other way…

"Yu! Come on!" Sun Ce had stopped beside the entrance to a frost-laden orchard, expression puzzled by his companion's lack of movement.

Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest. "Why should I play tag with you?" Another fair question might have been asking Sun Ce to name the last time his strategist had agreed to play tag – Zhou Yu couldn't remember ever having joined a game of his own accord. Not that the young man waiting ahead hadn't dragged him into more childish pastimes than he cared to recount…

The Sun lord regarded his unwilling playmate as a flurry of snow danced between them – then a teasing smile crossed his face and he raised both hands to his mouth, grin shining through the joined fingers.

Zhou Yu knew what was coming – he could see the spark of inspiration lighting his companion's eyes. He began to run even before the taunting words left the young officer's mouth – because when had he ever ignored a challenge from Sun Ce? He wasn't going to be outdone – not even at snow tag.

"You can go inside if you're afraid to lose!" Sun Ce's shout reached the strategist's ears as he leapt nimbly over a submerged line of bushes, landing carefully and keeping his feet with minimal effort. Sun Ce grinned at his pursuer and turned to run, ducking into the orchard with an exuberant laugh. "You'll never catch me anyway!" he yelled over his shoulder, dodging between the tree trunks with a speed belying the ice-laden ground.

"We'll see about that." Zhou Yu's calm response seemed to get lost in the falling snow as he chased Sun Ce's footsteps, but he knew the young lord had heard it by the answering laugh. The cold air stung in his chest as he breathed deeply, running and slipping after Sun Ce through the barren trees, but he couldn't find the inclination to mind. Somewhere deep within his ribs, his dignity tugged and prodded in disapproval, but it hardly seemed worth worrying about. Sun Ce was laughing. Really laughing. Really acting like the childish, idealistic fool that he was.

Zhou Yu grabbed a tree branch and used it to change his course, sliding sideways as Sun Ce nearly lost his footing after a sudden turn and waved his arms for balance. Running through the knee-deep snow wasn't exactly the swordsman's idea of an idyllic pastime, but there was something about it that almost felt…

"I'm the snow master!" Sun Ce shouted amiably, and Zhou Yu could hear him grinning even as the strategist drew closer to his escaping comrade, creating sallow shortcuts through the trees to move more quickly.

"I thought you were the tonfa master," Zhou Yu called, gripping the steadying arm of a nearby tree as he swung into a hairpin turn. One hand reached out and almost managed to snatch Sun Ce's robe, pale fingers just shy of the skimming furs. "Careful, or I'll catch you." A smirk turned the corners of his lips upward without volition, and Zhou Yu found himself nearly smiling despite the cold wind cutting into the contours of his face.

The Sun lord laughed and pivoted as he danced away, steps impossibly nimble over the treacherous ground. "Catch me? No way! I'm untouchable! I could run circles around you if I—ah!"

Zhou Yu's heart leapt into his throat in an instinctive burst of adrenaline as Sun Ce skidded, foot catching on an unseen root beneath the thick snow. The young officer yelped and flailed, arms swirling uselessly around him before he toppled backward to land in a particularly deep drift, momentum creating an instant pile of snow around him.

The strategist felt his breath catch as Sun Ce came to rest in a heap, limbs protruding from the snow bank and showing up starkly against the storm-bitten air. Zhou Yu instantly found himself at his snow-covered companion's side, eyes darting over the collapsed form in sharp anxiety as the Sun lord spluttered gracelessly, struggling against the weight of damp snow pressing around him.

"Ack! I'm stuck!" Sun Ce's hands waved helplessly through the wind, catching ivory flakes in between the frozen, crimson fingers. "I can't get up!"

Sun Ce seemed to be all right – nothing serious enough to shut him up, anyway. Zhou Yu felt a frown replacing the panicked expression on his thin lips and rolled his eyes. "You idiot," he scolded, yanking unceremoniously on the young lord's arm. "This is why I told you not to run."

Sun Ce sat up and shook himself, but the snow had gotten everywhere and stuck to his neck like a scraggled beard. He blew heavily on his cold hands and scowled at the swordsman, huffing under his breath. "You were running, too," he pointed out. Zhou Yu scoffed.

"But which one of us suffered for it?" Sun Ce gave him a light punch in the shoulder as indication that his rational answer was not appreciated. Then the Sun lord sat back, leaning on his hands and staring into the vast clouds above them. Zhou Yu bit back a smile as Sun Ce's tongue shot out of his mouth, trying in vain to catch the heavy snowflakes that littered the air around them.

A moment passed in silence – Zhou Yu watching his companion's childish game and Sun Ce licking the snowflakes from his chin. Then the young officer straightened and smiled, shivering as he moved to a kneeling position. Zhou Yu sat back on his heels.

"Okay… maybe it's a little colder out here than I thought." The open admission hardly matched Sun Ce's blue lips, and the strategist raised one eyebrow at the mild conclusion. Sun Ce blew warm air across his frozen hands. "But that's only because I ended up in the snow."

The swordsman took one of the deathly pale hands between his own, wincing at the jolt of cold seeping from the rigid fingers. "Ce, you idiot," he chided, accompanying the words with a thick glare. "You'll freeze to death. Why didn't you say anything?"

Sun Ce shrugged. "Because we were having a good time. You don't play with me that often, you know – gotta make the most of it. Besides, they're not that bad." He waved the flesh icicles as he spoke. "I can't even feel them anymore, so it doesn't bother me!"

Zhou Yu scowled and smacked the back of his companion's head with one palm, earning a cry of dismay in response. "It's when you stop feeling them that you should say something. This can be very dangerous."

Sun Ce rolled his amber eyes heavenward. "Nag, nag, nag. Don't you ever lighten up?"

Zhou Yu bit back the urge to glower and rose, holding out one hand as an irritated invitation. "Come on." Sun Ce grinned and grabbed his proffered arm, pulling himself to his feet and stumbling a little.

"Yeah, I guess we should probably go in, huh?" The young officer kicked a drift of snow aside and laughed. "I could go for some tea right about now. And I don't even like tea."

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath, leading the way back through the orchard. His steps crossed and recrossed their earlier playful footprints, already half hidden beneath the swiftly falling flakes. He could hear Sun Ce crunching along behind him, puffing each breath heavily onto his hands.

Somewhere above them, the moon was breaking through the crimson clouds and shining feebly through the garden. Its frail rays lit up the snow like a field of endless stars, highlighting the contours of the flakes tumbling through the air and dousing shadows beneath the clustered branches. Zhou Yu watched the brilliant sphere above and the light cascading down in waves, painting Xuancheng's palace in diamond radiance – but then the storm swept forward and swallowed the moon again.

Zhou Yu's eyes flickered back down to the trodden path before them, all soft lines where additional snow had muted the preliminary path. The ground looked like the moon had – feeble. Unsteady. Fleeting. Winter always seemed so transient – perhaps because it had been short in Jiang Dong. The strategist shook his head silently, brushing snowflakes from his dark hair. Even hundreds of miles from Sun Jian's palace, there was something familiar about the wind sifting past them.

As they reached the cold steps, Sun Ce paused and grabbed Zhou Yu's arm, halting his swordsman just shy of the porch. Zhou Yu turned and met the amber gaze with a curious stare. Hadn't the Sun lord been complaining about the cold just minutes ago? Why were they stopping in full range of the icy breeze and the storm's increasing snowfall?

Sun Ce shook his head. "Before we go in… there's just one more thing I have to do." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, and Sun Ce stepped forward until they were so close that the strategist could feel his companion's breath against his face. Then Sun Ce grinned.

One of the young officer's arms came down lightning fast against the collar of Zhou Yu's fur robe, and the strategist felt his eyes widening tremendously as Sun Ce shoved a thick handful of snow down his back. The swordsman straightened and reeled, clenching his teeth as the melting weapon slipped down his back, prickling like frozen needles—

Sun Ce cackled, dancing away from his victim. "Gotcha!" he shouted, turning and racing toward the door.

Zhou Yu stood stock still one more moment – and then his feet flew forward, chasing the young officer across the porch and into the torchlit hallway, an unmatchable glare in his dark eyes.

"Sun Ce!"

The Sun lord's laughter could be heard in every room of the palace, brightening each candle like the hidden moon beneath its veil of storm clouds.

.x.

"Okay! Okay! I'm sorry!" Sun Ce shouted, rubbing at the sore patch on the back of his head. "You didn't have to hit me – three times!"

Zhou Yu lowered his hand and gave the young officer a very stern glare. "Don't do that again." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue.

"Of course I'll do it again! I'll do it every time I get the chance. Just because you're stiff like a log and can't stand a little fun – ow! That was my ear!"

Zhou Yu huffed under his breath and turned away, leaning down to ascertain that a reluctant blaze had indeed caught in the fireplace. The Sun lord's room was growing steadily warmer – but even so, every blanket available was heaped across the young officer's form, which shivered occasionally despite the waves of heat. Sun Ce straightened from his slumped sitting position and kicked his feet, just brushing the carpet as his toes skimmed back and forth.

"Sheesh, it wasn't that big a deal. I was all snowy already – you only got some down your back. It's not gonna kill you." Zhou Yu gave him a stern look over one shoulder but decided not to comment, staring intently into the flames instead. The red and gold tongues leaped across the dark logs like snowflakes in the wind outside. The door rattled against the mounting storm, and Wu's dark swordsman wondered if anyone would even be able to leave the palace come morning.

Sun Ce snorted at his companion's silence and crossed his arms defiantly. "Loosen up, Yu. It was just a little snow!"

Zhou Yu turned back toward the bed and considered for a long moment before speaking. "It was cold." Sun Ce chuckled a little.

"Yeah, I know – I had to carry it halfway across the garden." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, somehow finding himself devoid of sympathy despite the Sun lord's shivers. Sun Ce flexed his fingers experimentally, an amused expression creeping over his face. "I still can't feel them."

Concerned furrows marred Zhou Yu's pale forehead at the words. They'd been inside for a while now – was it possible that Sun Ce had gotten frostbite? Pneumonia? Permanently destroyed the nerves in his hands? Without conscious decision, Zhou Yu found himself moving forward to sit beside the young lord. He reached automatically for Sun Ce's hands, a frown consuming his countenance.

"Let me see."

Sun Ce willingly dropped his freezing hands into Zhou Yu's outstretched palms, and the strategist felt breath stalling in his lungs. The Sun lord's fingers still felt as though they were encased in layers of crystal ice – coming inside hadn't warmed them at all. Zhou Yu held both of Sun Ce's hands between his and rubbed them slowly together, hoping that friction would assist the spread of heat through the frozen fingers.

"You fool."

Sun Ce smiled, pressing the flat of his palm against Zhou Yu's wrist. "You're really warm."

Zhou Yu let a thin sigh slip between his teeth and rolled his eyes. "You're really cold."

The Sun lord laughed. "Well, I guess we're just going to have to meet in the middle, huh?" The strategist said nothing, letting any possible answer flit above his tongue before dissolving. Still, he supposed Sun Ce could take his silence for an affirmative – the swordsman wasn't pulling away from the twining, icy fingers, despite the chills they sent down his spine.

Suddenly the young officer gasped, startling and yanking his hands away to curl them into his shirt with a hiss of discomfort. Zhou Yu blinked and stared at his companion, dark eyes wide at the unexpected action. "What…" The strategist trailed off, finding his mouth empty in the face of this odd behavior.

Sun Ce pulled back, hiding his hands beneath layers of clothing. "It stings! Like when my leg falls asleep and then I try to walk on it!"

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and ran exasperated fingers through his hair. "The blood is flowing back into your hands – that's what happens when they warm up. It'll pass in a minute." He reached for the young lord's hands again, but Sun Ce held them out of reach above his head.

"I changed my mind! They can just stay cold. I hate that feeling." Zhou Yu glared at his companion for a long moment before snatching the icy forearms, sliding his grip down to each wrist and pulling Sun Ce forward until he could grab the frozen hands. Sun Ce struggled and kicked him in the shin.

"Don't be an idiot," Zhou Yu chastised through gritted teeth, ignoring the pain beneath his knee and holding onto the Sun lord's hands tightly. "They have to warm up eventually."

"Not like this!" Sun Ce frowned and pulled at the grip around his wrists, but Zhou Yu could almost see the brief pain subsiding as warmth flowed back into Sun Ce's hands. The shadows disappeared from the young lord's eyes, but he stuck his tongue out anyway. "You're mean."

Zhou Yu rolled his dark eyes. "Whose idea was it play in the snow in the first place?"

"Mine," his lord asserted firmly. The swordsman was surprised to see a smile settling onto Sun Ce's slowly warming face. "And it was all in good fun, so you don't have to be bad-tempered about it." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow and Sun Ce squeezed the pale fingers surrounding his own. "Come on – admit it. You were having a good time, too."

The feeling of unbroken contentment Zhou Yu had discovered earlier leaked back into his stomach, running through his veins like liquid gold. Sun Ce freed his hands and looked up at the strategist, eyes waiting for the concession as he rubbed the lingering cold away from his wrists. The swordsman smirked.

"I'll concede that I enjoyed watching you get a face full of snow."

"Hey!" Sun Ce punched his shoulder, and Zhou Yu couldn't help the soft chuckle that slid across his tongue. The Sun lord frowned, but his swordsman could see mirth whispering through the forced displeasure. "Maybe I'll push you down into a snowdrift next time and see how you like it."

This time a laugh fell in crooked lines from Zhou Yu's reluctant lips. Sun Ce grinned in response, though his tone remained teasing. "Given how much you complained about one little snowball down the back—"

Zhou Yu snatched a pillow resting behind him and smacked Sun Ce full across the face, muffling the end of his taunt in soft fabric. The Sun lord fell back from the unexpected blow, spluttering on his unsaid words as he stared up at the swordsman's face. Zhou Yu had no mirror, but he could feel a full smile twisting his lips upward at the shock clear on his companion's countenance. Then an answering grin exploded onto the young lord's expression, and Sun Ce shot into a tackle.

"You jerk!"

His tan fingers took hold of Zhou Yu's robe, yanking the strategist sideways until he hit the mattress. With a single blur of motion the strategist found himself locked in a wrestling match, nearly rolling straight off the bed as Sun Ce laughed and fought him back.

"I'll get you for that!" The young officer's vow lost its potency beneath a cascading laugh, and Zhou Yu couldn't stop his mouth from quirking upward.

"Not with that pathetic effort," he goaded, shoving Sun Ce's hands down into the mattress. Dancing amber eyes looked up into his like twin flames, and for a moment Zhou Yu couldn't fathom how the Sun lord ever got cold, when the light of the blazing sun seemed to run in his veins…

Then Sun Ce stopped struggling, and Zhou Yu felt the young officer's lips pressing against his as two arms circled his neck. The strategist looked down into the waiting gaze and closed his eyes, letting his hands flicker through the disheveled ponytail and brush the tangled crimson ribbon.

Sun Ce broke away and flopped back onto the covers, that same shining grin swallowing his expression. Zhou Yu watched the fire's shadows playing dangerously across his face, eyes tracing the tan features like invisible fingers. Sun Ce laughed.

"Blow out the candle."

A single breath plunged the room into flickering darkness.

.x.

Bam bam bam.

Zhou Yu lifted his tired head from the pillows, eyes blinking rapidly at the influx of light. The strategist rubbed his forehead groggily, trying to piece together his surroundings with the banging that had interrupted his sleep. Sun Ce's room… the light of the unabated storm shone through the windows, painting the carpet in strokes like white marble, cold and unbreakable. The table was still in shattered fragments from the Mahjongg game, breaking the winter morning with deeply creased shadows.

Bam bam bam.

Zhou Yu shook himself, running an absent hand through his dark, disorderly hair. There it was again. Where was that sound coming from? The swordsman was tempted to roll over and ignore it, but there was no chance of sleeping with that infernal racket disrupting the quiet quarters. And Sun Ce, head stuffed between several pillows, didn't seem likely to emerge any time soon.

Zhou Yu bit back a yawn and rubbed one hand against his eyes, glaring around the room for the source of the noise. The weary strategist frowned and pulled the blankets closer against the prevailing chill, trying unsuccessfully to tear the covers out of Sun Ce's iron grip. He couldn't see anything likely to be responsible for the pounding…

Bam bam bam.

Zhou Yu blinked, gaze shifting to the door. Oh. The door. Knocking. Which probably meant someone wanted to come in.

The strategist scowled at the windows, trying to judge the time by the sunlight sneaking through the heavy clouds. It couldn't be late morning yet… who would bother the Sun lord at this time of day? His siblings, perhaps – Xiao Qiao, but she was in Niuqiao with Lu Meng. Servants weren't usually this persistent—

BAM BAM BAM.

The swordsman winced as the pounding increased in volume, resounding through the room like a diligent hammer. Sun Ce groaned and rolled over, burying his head beneath the monopolized covers. Zhou Yu glanced down at his sleeping companion and prodded the exhausted officer, earning himself another unhappy moan.

"…Wha'?" Sun Ce's muffled voice staggered out of the blankets barely short of inaudible. The strategist frowned at the obscured lump.

"Someone's knocking." Sun Ce mumbled and shifted again, making no effort to leave the cocoon of his covers. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and glared at the door. Couldn't the fool outside understand that he wasn't wanted? Why hadn't he given up yet?

BAM BAM BAM. BAM BAM BAM. BAM BAM—

Zhou Yu snarled under his breath and slammed one hand against the mattress, glaring daggers at the unopened door.

"Come in!" he snapped, patience sufficiently exhausted. If this visitor thought his business so important that he wouldn't leave until an audience had proved otherwise, then the strategist had no choice but to—

The door slid open roughly and then stopped dead, and Zhou Yu felt his eyes widening as his jaw dropped in silent shock. Sun Ce shuffled beneath the blanket and turned over, burrowing into the swordsman's side.

"Yu? … Wh' is't?" The young officer's drowsy question went unanswered as Zhou Yu stared into the equally surprised eyes of the man in the doorway, all traces of drowsiness completely destroyed.

Then the hazel glance flickered to the hidden lump beside the strategist, and amusement dashed across his rugged face. Zhou Yu felt his expression snapping into a fierce scowl as their visitor leaned against the doorjamb, fingers skirting the wood idly.

"Well." Taishi Ci's deep voice grated across the swordsman's ribs like unsharpened steel. "That explains a few things."

At the words, Sun Ce fumbled with the blankets and poked his unruly head up into the cool morning air, blinking harshly against the sunlight until he could focus on the Wolf general lounging in his doorway. The Sun lord's eyes widened in confusion.

"… Taishi Ci? What are you… what time is it?" Sun Ce asked groggily, flopping back into the pillows and draping one elbow across his face to block out the daylight. Taishi Ci snorted.

"Late enough that I expected you awake. You had asked to spar this morning… may I assume you've had a change of plans?"

Zhou Yu disliked the laughing edge that trickled along the warrior's words, but Sun Ce was too tired to notice. The young officer rolled onto his stomach and snuggled into the deep covers again.

"… Mm… yeah. Rain check?"

Taishi Ci chortled under his breath, hazel eyes shooting to Zhou Yu's dark glare. "Whatever you say."

The strategist fought back a small snarl at the expression swallowing Taishi Ci's rough features. He didn't like being laughed at – especially not by the arrogant general he'd spent the whole night before utterly detesting.

Taishi Ci stepped back into the corridor, but he paused with one hand lingering on the sliding door and studied Sun Ce's haphazard form for a long moment. Zhou Yu watched the Wolf warrior's smirk shift into a completely opposite expression – he couldn't quite identify the change, but somehow Taishi Ci's countenance became softer. And then an entirely new kind of fear leapt into Zhou Yu's stomach and clawed at his ribcage. Taishi Ci… what if he…

The Wolf general laughed shortly and turned to meet the strategist's uncertain eyes, a smile barely hinting at the corners of his mouth. "Looks like you have your hands full, Lord Zhou Yu."

Zhou Yu blinked at the strange depth swimming in Taishi Ci's hazel eyes. He must have interpreted the tone wrong – it wasn't possible that the Wolf general's words had actually carried an undertone of halting respect. The older warrior shook his head.

"Perhaps I'll see both of you in a few hours."

And then he was gone, sliding the door silently closed and vanishing behind the heavy wood. Zhou Yu stared at the exit for a confused moment before turning his eyes to the ashes heaped in the fireplace, contemplation heavy on his face. Taishi Ci…

Sun Ce sighed and rolled over, squinting up at Zhou Yu from his comfortable nest among the blankets. "Did he leave?"

Zhou Yu snatched a nearby pillow and smacked Sun Ce on the head, irritation showing plainly on his face. Damn the irresponsible officer for asking Taishi Ci to drop by this early! Who would want to spar on a morning like this, anyway?

Sun Ce yelped and curled in on himself, covering his face with both arms to ward off any more blows. "Hey! What was that for?" he demanded, glaring back at the strategist through his fingers. Zhou Yu crossed both arms over his pale chest and huffed.

"Idiot." Sun Ce groaned and yanked the covers over his head again.

"Why are you always so grumpy in the morning?" His complaint went unanswered as Zhou Yu flopped back into the blankets, glower still strong on his alabaster features. So much for a good day – awake ten minutes and any pleasant prospect was already spoiled.

But somehow, despite the morning's unfortunate interruption, Zhou Yu couldn't help the tiny seed of finality growing in his stomach. There hadn't been many words exchanged, but it seemed as though things had been settled with Taishi Ci. The Wolf's general's soft smile was proof enough of that, whatever it meant.

Looks like you have your hands full, Lord Zhou Yu. The strategist shook his head as Taishi Ci's words echoed back to him. He cast a sideways glance at the inanimate lump stealing the covers beside him. Taishi Ci was right – Sun Ce was a challenge. But he couldn't bring himself to want it any other way.

Sun Ce peeked cautiously out from beneath the covers, lethargic gaze considering the swordsman's neutral features as his glare faded into obscurity. The young lord inched forward and locked both arms around Zhou Yu's chest, head slipping onto the pale shoulder. Sun Ce yawned.

"Whatever you think I did, can we forget it? It's too early for this."

Zhou Yu looked down over the tousled chestnut hair and felt a smile tugging at his lips. The swordsman slipped one arm behind his companion's back and closed his eyes.

"… Fine."

Perhaps there was still a chance for a decent midmorning nap, after all.

End Chapter 31

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Well… it's been a long time since this got updated. Part of that was homework, part was writer's block, and part was that this chapter is just so bloody lengthy. Anyway, here it is – the next one shouldn't take nearly this long. As always, please let me know what you thought.

A note for Jen: Well, if your review was late, then my update was just abysmal. Sorry about that. I hope this chapter was as interesting as you'd imagined. And of course there aren't really many similarities between Taishi Ci and a fish – but everybody needs a nickname.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: As long as interesting is good. And I'm glad you liked Zhou Yu's plan. Your comments are always appreciated.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Yes, Zhou Yu was jealous. I always thought that might be a problem when Taishi Ci first showed up – because Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci are both fairly serious, and people who are similar often clash. You are certainly welcome to print the story out if you like – although I do occasionally update the early chapters with newer versions, and you wouldn't have those. Thank you for reviewing.

A note for Rachel Hunter: Zhou Yu's plans are always interesting for me, because I don't really have any background in military strategy. I'm glad you thought it was worthwhile. Indeed, rather than a fish, I always think of Taishi Ci as a wolf, which came into this chapter – partly because his weapons are called the "Wolf Slayers." Anyway, thank you for taking the time to review.


	32. Chapter 32

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 31 

Light wind seeping through the open back of the wagon rustled Zhou Yu's hair, and for an instant Chen Hao almost thought he could see the shadows of an absent hand brushing the general's cheek – but then it was gone, and the soldier had no choice but to assume his vision only a trick of the muted light. The moon was far away now, creeping toward the horizon ahead, and only faint starlight illuminated the dark corners as Zhou Yu cleared his throat.

"As I said… Taishi Ci and I learned to tolerate each other within half a year of his recruitment." Chen Hao shifted.

"Tolerate?"

Zhou Yu hesitated long enough to give the soldier a meaningful glare, and Chen Hao gritted his teeth as a reminder not to interrupt. "I will not say that we became great friends. You could probably guess that Taishi Ci and I were never going to particularly enjoy simply spending time together." Chen Hao nodded a little, eyes flickering across the dark contours of his general's face. Zhou Yu smirked. "But there were times when we found ourselves in alliance."

Chen Hao blinked, puzzled. "Alliance?" He was trying not to distract the general from his narrative, but this was too confusing to ignore. Hadn't Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci served Wu equally? Weren't they always allies?

A sparse chuckle escaped the general's dry lips, almost vanishing under the steady beat of the horses' hooves ahead. "Sun Ce enjoyed playing tricks on any hapless victim he could get his hands on. Taishi Ci and I were two of his favorite targets – Taishi Ci especially, because he always reacted to whatever Sun Ce had done. As time went on, we developed an unspoken agreement to warn each other of impending pranks whenever possible." Another short laugh. "We did our best to conceal the coalition from Sun Ce, of course."

The soldier sat up, tucking his knees underneath himself as delicately as he could manage for fear of upsetting Zhou Yu's position. He felt almost childish asking, but curiosity gnawed at his mind and begged another question.

"What kind of pranks?"

The general looked up at him with an emotion Chen Hao couldn't quite place, and for a moment the tired soldier felt ashamed at his query – but then the light shifted, and Zhou Yu blinked thoughtfully up at the ceiling.

"Small things. Hiding my ink brushes, spreading rumors about his siblings, braiding Taishi Ci's hair—"

Chen Hao started, each muscle tensing in surprise. "He braided Lord Taishi Ci's hair?" The thought of the imposing general with a long plait was so preposterous Chen Hao couldn't even picture it.

Zhou Yu almost smiled. "Only once. Taishi Ci had been out of Xuancheng late on a raid, and he fell asleep in the sitting room when he returned. Sun Ce got up early the next morning, and he… took advantage of the situation. But Taishi Ci was in such an awful temper that Ce swore he'd never do it again." The general shook his head. "That was about when Taishi Ci and I arranged our agreement, I believe. He needed to salvage his dignity, and he tried revenge – but Sun Ce just didn't particularly mind having his hair braided."

Perhaps it wasn't the knotting of every loose end. Surely Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci had still come to harsh words when the tension between their similar personalities simply demanded confrontation – an alliance of mutual respect was undoubtedly not enough to erase the friction between the two warriors. But nonetheless, the soldier was glad to know that Sun Ce's new recruit had not been permanently at odds with his strategist.

Then another thought occurred to him, and his tongue reacted before he could bite the words back. "How long is Lord Taishi Ci's hair?"

The look Zhou Yu gave him suggested that the general didn't consider this an important detail at all, but he closed his eyes for a moment in contemplation. "Now? About to his shoulders, I suppose. But he kept it longer back then."

Chen Hao sat back with a smile lighting his face, nodding at the uncomplicated answer. For a moment, under the rays of the fleeing moon, he could imagine a perfect winter – free of quarrel and warfare. Snow. Fire. Time almost holding still, leaning into comfortable afternoons. A brief calm between the waves of disorder that seemed to eternally disturb the surface of Wu's history.

It didn't last long. Zhou Yu swallowed hard against his dry throat, sliding his finger back to Qingshan beneath the line of the Yangzi. His cold nail scraped the skin of Chen Hao's palm and sent an uncomfortable shiver down the soldier's spine. The wind picked up without warning, circling them roughly and tearing the words away from Zhou Yu's lips almost before Chen Hao could hear them.

"Winter came quickly, but the thaw was early as well. The year 198 brought an unexpected spring – a full month before Lady Qiao's seventeenth birthday, the snow had completely disappeared. Sun Ce proposed we use the favorable weather to begin our assault on Yan Baihu, the last significant threat to our domination of Wu, and we set off as soon as the rivers began to run free."

Chen Hao sat up a little straighter; he could feel the wind tugging at his thin shirt, but paid it no more mind than the jostling of the wagon. He had heard of Yan Baihu – according to legend, he was a cowardly man who eluded capture for nearly seven months despite the many battles he fought against Sun Ce's forces.

Chen Hao had once heard an older sergeant recounting a skirmish where Yan Baihu abandoned his own brother and fled, leaving the younger warrior to be executed – but he wasn't entirely sure he believed that. Surely even the spineless held onto ties of kinship… Chen Hao shook his head and forced his thoughts back to the present as Zhou Yu slid his finger across the flaking palm toward the soldier's thumb. The icy nail rested far south of the saddle between Chen Hao's first and second finger, pale flesh sparking a deep contrast against its weathered background. Zhou Yu coughed quietly.

"Fengqiao. This is where we first encountered substantial resistance from Yan Baihu's troops. The city itself is well defended, but the surrounding country is a conglomerate of farmland and thin forest – we had little difficulty transporting a large force east from Qingshan."

Chen Hao studied his palm closely, squinting in the dismal light. Sun Ce's arc of conquest was beginning to resemble a twisting river, snaking across the Yangzi twice and curving like a bronze temple bell. The soldier smiled to himself. He had never known Sun Ce, of course – but somehow, with each of Zhou Yu's stories whispering in the air around him like incense smoke, Chen Hao felt that the Wu lord's random pattern of conquest matched him completely.

"When we first arrived, Fengqiao was under the command of Yan Yu, Yan Baihu's younger brother." Chen Hao felt his pulse jump at the mention of the man his sergeant had described. "Han Dang rode out to meet Yan Yu's challenge and beat him easily – which can't have been too hard, given that warriors in the Wu territory never seemed to be decent on horseback."

Chen Hao wanted to ask if this applied to Taishi Ci as well, but Zhou Yu didn't look like he would appreciate the question. Despite the disparaging statement, the soldier felt a faint flicker of pride at the thought of his own company commander setting the enemy to flight after a single contest. True, Han Dang was older now – twelve long years had passed since the battle for Wu. But Chen Hao wondered if that power and poise still lurked in the veteran warrior, guiding his stiff hand along its unfailingly loyal path even now.

"After his defeat, Yan Yu withdrew to his brother's stronghold in Suzhou rather than face his execution, and our army was able to overwhelm Fengqiao without further difficulty." Zhou Yu shook his head, closing dark eyes against the hidden sky. "Let that be a lesson to you – never accept a duel unless you are certain you can win." Chen Hao nodded softly. It seemed like a fair lesson.

Zhou Yu lifted a hand to rub vaguely at his forehead. "Suzhou is not far from Fengqiao. A day's ride… perhaps two. It wasn't long before we had surrounded Yan Baihu and laid siege of the fortified city. He refused to leave the walls for a decisive battle, so Sun Ce dispatched Huang Gai and Taishi Ci to conquer the nearby villages of Zajing and Wucheng."

The names swirled past Chen Hao's ears and disappeared, but he hardly had time to lose them before the general pressed on. Zhou Yu was going faster now, his words speeding up as the wagon trundled along the uneven road. "Within a week, Suzhou's supplies were running short – a famine worse than usual because the stores had been exhausted during the winter. Yan Baihu sent his brother as messenger to arrange terms for their surrender." A shadow of dismissed anger flitted across the general's expression, hardening the contour of his jaw into steel. "We received him civilly, but Yan Yu violated the laws of courtesy and had to be executed."

Chen Hao blinked at the sudden transition to formal language, leaning forward until he could see the tight line of Zhou Yu's mouth beneath his lingering hand. The soldier swallowed once before garnering the courage to ask another question.

"What… what did he do?" Chen Hao wasn't actually sure what 'laws of courtesy' were present at the arrangement of a peace treaty – but from the rapid flash of reminiscent agitation in Zhou Yu's eyes, he could assume Yan Yu was a man who deserved his end.

The general stiffened against the floor before a low sigh released his tense shoulders. "When discussing a proposal of amnesty, weapons are not allowed at the conference table for either side. Sun Ce refused to meet Yan Yu's terms for surrender, and the man drew a dagger from his boot…" The general trailed off, reining his raised voice back with a pained cough. A moment slid between them before Zhou Yu continued, more quietly this time. "A good soldier took that blow for Ce, and Huang Gai dealt with Yan Yu in a fitting manner… and there was no further discussion concerning peace treaties."

Chen Hao felt a shiver run down his back at the voice gone suddenly harsh like wind in the depth of winter. Rarely had he heard Zhou Yu sound so angry – not even the serpent-like Jia had earned such an abhorrent tone. Chen Hao's thoughts flashed to the soldier who had lost his life in that short exchange, and he felt an uncomfortable weight settling in his stomach. That was his place – the place of common men in a vast army. Had the soldier known Sun Ce? Had he acted on instinct? What had his family been told? His mind shot back to his small cottage, to Li and Meicheng… could he have taken the dagger for a commander he barely knew, conscious of everything he was risking? Chen Hao shook his head and decided not to think about it, crossing his arms more tightly to ward away the cold night air.

The thick silence that settled over them seemed too heavy to dislodge, and for a few moments Chen Hao let it rest unchallenged across his shivering armor. Then Zhou Yu sighed, brushing the stillness away from his eyes with the strands of dark hair and pushing forward despite his listener's preoccupation.

"After Yan Yu was killed, his brother fled northeast to Hanzhou." A tiny smile quirked Zhou Yu's lips upward as his fingers smoothed the wrinkled jacket clinging to his form. "Coincidence is an interesting facet of destiny. It so happened that, over the years, Hanzhou had come under the protection of a man Sun Ce and I knew well – the honorable Ling Cao, an aging warrior assisted by his ambitious son."

Chen Hao's eyes widened and he sat up straighter, caught off guard by this recurrence of Sun Jian's faithful general. Zhou Yu nodded at his astonishment.

"I assure you we were equally surprised to find allies in Hanzhou. Ling Cao had served Sun Jian faithfully until his death, but he had been forced out of Jiang Dong by the same nobles who attempted to overthrow Sun Ben as regent. I am unclear exactly how he came to reside in Wu, but it was an unforeseen blessing for our campaign."

Chen Hao felt a small flutter of excitement between the bars of his ribcage. "Did they join Sun Ce's army?" Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Ling Cao was well established in Hanzhou – and Tong was barely sixteen when we arrived in our pursuit of Yan Baihu. Neither was disposed for field work just then, but Ling Cao swore his allegiance to Sun Ce and Hanzhou became a valuable outpost in our conquest of Wu."

Chen Hao frowned, rubbing the cold away from his light sleeves as confusion crossed his face. "You and Sun Ce were sixteen in your first battle. Why was Lord Ling Tong not ready?" Zhou Yu shot the soldier a flat look, and a moment passed in silence before he seemed to find the proper response.

"Do you have any children, Chen Hao?" Chen Hao started, as surprised by the question as he was by the use of his name.

"Yes… I have a son." The boy's cheerful face flashed before his eyes. "Li."

Zhou Yu nodded slowly. "Heaven has smiled on your household." The traditional congratulatory words sounded slightly hollow, but Chen Hao shrugged them away as the general continued. "How old is he?"

The soldier swallowed. "Five years next spring."

Zhou Yu shook his head. "Then I warn you: When sons become men, they develop an unruly temper. And Ling Tong was the surliest young man I ever had the misfortune to meet – barring Lu Meng, perhaps."

Chen Hao raised a hand to brush his chin, thought stealing through his mind like flowing silk. It was hard to imagine Li as anything but the peaceful boy who assisted his mother with her planting – but somehow, Ling Tong as a cheeky teenager was a simple picture to construct. Even when Chen Hao had trained under the sharp-witted warrior, he had been surprised at the barbs that flew so easily from his mouth.

The general pressed on, apparently taking Chen Hao's silence as understanding. "Yan Baihu, after being repelled from Hanzhou, turned northeast and sought the aid of Wang Lang." The ivory nail skirted to a stop beneath Chen Hao's index finger, just south of the Yangzi that cut sharply through his palm. "Wang Lang welcomed our fleeing opponent, and for four months they disappeared behind the walls of Kuaiji—"

The wagon rocked abruptly to a halt, startling Zhou Yu and shattering the tail end of the sentence before Chen Hao could even collect his thoughts. The wood surrounding them creaked dauntingly before settling into a disconcerting silence. The general coughed, surprise stalling in his lungs and impeding breath as Chen Hao craned his neck toward the drivers' seat.

Why had they stopped? Could they have reached Han Ni Castle already? A moth of panic fluttered in the soldier's gut at this thought, but a quick glance out the wagon's open back reassured him of its impossibility. There were no statues, no milling infantrymen – no signs of life at all. This couldn't be the entrance to Sun Quan's great fortress. But then why had they stopped?

Uncertainly, Chen Hao pulled away from the silent general's hand and got to his knees, crawling stiffly across the floor until he could see the two soldiers' faces. They were talking amongst themselves in low voices, and the taller man gripped the reins in his white knuckles. Chen Hao blinked, then drew himself into a crouch, trying not to sound as confused as he felt.

"What's wrong?" His voice seemed hoarse in the dim light, and both drivers visibly jumped at the unexpected question. The man who had teased Chen Hao about the canteens earlier flicked a glance in his direction and put a finger to his lips.

"Quiet. You hear that?" the other soldier muttered, gesturing vaguely into the darkness. Chen Hao swallowed hard and focused on the silent night surrounding them. The moon was hovering uneasily near the horizon, almost shifting with the light wind as though it might suddenly dive beneath the distant hills. Its quiet light did nothing to aid the soldier's straining eyes as he peering anxiously into the darkness.

"What is it?" he hissed, fingers worrying the wooden floorboards. The driver bit his chapped lip.

"It sounded like wheels… might be bandits." Chen Hao felt his heart contract violently in his chest at the word, and his hands gripped the seat before him until his nails dug tiny trenches in the timber. Chen Hao had never fought bandits – but he wasn't afraid for himself. No self-respecting soldier would fear a ragtag group of marauders. But as he listened for echoing shouts and strained his ears against the darkness, he couldn't help thinking of Zhou Yu in the back of the wagon…

Zhou Yu had probably never feared a bandit, either. But Chen Hao was certain the general couldn't move at all anymore – and his breathing was getting slower and shallower. The soldier was also worried about the blood that kept creasing his thin lips before falling back into the dark mouth. If they were attacked by bandits, what could the fallen general possibly do? He didn't even have a sword…

"Chen Hao."

The rasping, insistent voice drew three sets of eyes back into the depths of the wagon, and the soldier in question straightened as he found Zhou Yu staring at him. Chen Hao turned around to meet the general's questioning gaze fully. The pale, damp brow was heavily furrowed in curious authority.

"What seems to be the trouble?" The soldiers exchanged glances at their commander's question, then Chen Hao cleared his throat. He and Zhou Yu had been speaking for hours – but somehow, now that the drivers were listening, he felt hesitation slipping back into his words.

"The sound of wheels… it might be bandits, my lord."

Zhou Yu blinked a little, and then an ironic smile slid across his face. "Bandits…" He laughed shortly, the sound harsh and close between the walls of the wagon. The drivers shifted anxiously at the ethereal sound and leaned closer together, staring helplessly at their passenger where he lay against the dark floorboards. Finally, the man with reins between his fingers managed to find a voice.

"We're… we're going to stop for a little while, my lord," he called irresolutely into the darkness. Chen Hao thought the statement sounded more like a question, as though the driver was waiting for contradiction and orders from their unmoving commander.

Zhou Yu sighed a little under his haggard breath. "Yes… that's wisest."

Chen Hao frowned, worry seeding his heartbeat like rice grains. "Are you certain we shouldn't press on, Lord Zhou Yu?" The soldiers stared at him, as though it had never crossed their minds that questioning the general's acquiescence was even a possibility. Chen Hao swallowed and ignored their gazes as best he could. "If we don't keep moving, we might not make it to Han Ni Castle before…" The soldier choked on the end of his sentence and banished the words from his mind. He couldn't say that – not even if it were true.

Zhou Yu raised a thin eyebrow. "If there are bandits on the road, Chen Hao, we must proceed with complete caution. I would rather die quietly in this wagon than have all four of us gutted in our haste to arrive." A short laugh sifted from dry lips as the general shook his head. "There is nothing at Han Ni to save me in any case."

Chen Hao felt a sharp breath stick in his throat, but from the blank expression of his fellow soldiers he knew the final words had reached only his ears. The drivers glanced at each other and then turned away, facing the weary horses with hard-set eyes. Chen Hao looked worriedly around at the forest once more, then pivoted and crawled back to the general's side, feet slithering over the floor in a quiet whisper.

Zhou Yu watched his approach silently, and waited to speak until Chen Hao had repositioned the general's index finger on his palm map. "As I was saying, Yan Baihu and Wang Lang found safety in Kuaiji…"

The soldier glanced out the back of the wagon, searching for any sign of movement along the dusty road and listening breathlessly for turning wheels. He couldn't help it – he didn't want to face a caravan of bandits. He had heard stories of the brutality thieves delivered to unsuspecting travelers – rumors of torches and flashing daggers and captivity…

"Are you frightened?"

Chen Hao spun back at Zhou Yu's question, half-expecting to see accusation in the general's expression. But the pale features showed only neutral curiosity. Chen Hao shook his head.

"No… but I don't want to die." The honest admission surprised him, and the soldier staggered for a moment before continuing. "I – I have things to live for…"

Zhou Yu studied him critically, eyes focused but not unkind. "Why are you a soldier?"

It was a question Chen Hao had almost been expecting, and he bowed his head in shame at the answer. "I own no land. My family must have money to eat." Chen Hao wished he had a courageous, valorous response to give instead – but something about the intense gaze suggested that lying would get him nowhere. Zhou Yu nodded softly.

"I thought as much. You were not born for a life of war."

Chen Hao looked down at his commander's face, and it seemed to him as though thousands of battles were skimming though the general's dark eyes, replaying in flashes of fire – but then they were gone, and he was left staring into the unadorned features of the fallen strategist. Zhou Yu cleared his throat and considered a moment in silence.

"Perhaps we will not return to battle just yet." Chen Hao blinked, puzzled by the words. Zhou Yu glanced up at the soldier and shook his head. "That spring, when the Yangzi became sufficiently fast with winter runoff, Sun Ce left Huang Gai in charge of his forces and decided to visit cities along the river. We had been busy conquering inland, and hadn't had the chance to survey villages bordering the Yangzi itself."

Chen Hao sat up a little. "Didn't you use the Yangzi to transport troops throughout the Wu Territory?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"No. We should have – but Sun Ce's understanding of procedure always was a little erratic." Chen Hao smiled at the slight insult. "Sun Quan had been regulating trade and tribute on the Yangzi from Xuancheng, and Sun Ce proposed we travel along the river while we had a fast current." The general stopped and shook his head. "That journey did not proceed exactly as we had planned."

Chen Hao blinked. "Were you attacked by pirates?" He had never done much sailing – only once had he traveled along the river, and then in a tiny fishing craft with hempen nets strung across the bow. But he was under the impression that pirates were the great misfortune to be encountered when journeying by boat.

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath. "I'm afraid that would have been a much simpler." The general brushed dark bangs away from his eyes and glared up at the ceiling, memory drowning his scowl. "The whole incident was Lu Meng's fault – which hardly seems fair, considering he was guarding Niuqiao and did not even accompany us. But he's always had a talent for turning things sour."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There was simply no denying that it was an unimaginably beautiful day.

From where Zhou Yu stood against the railing of the stern, the shadow of the high sail draped over him, the sky was an impenetrable expanse of cerulean – cloudless and serene above the rippling waters of the Yangzi. It curled along the sides of the sloping river valley and against the impossibly distant mountains that crushed into the rapidly swirling water, a mass of unbroken blue so deep it almost seemed painted onto the endless heavens.

The valley that rose up on each side of the boat was overflowing with lush greenery, interrupted only occasionally by sandy cliffs or slate rock faces. Birdsong echoed back and forth between the hillsides and across the rippling water, and each moment was creased with the tumble of the river against jutting rocks and the ship's rudder. The air was thin and clear, damp from skimming the Yangzi and cool despite the sun's unforgiving rays above. Zhou Yu closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the flap of the sail behind him and feeling the wind sifting through his dark hair.

The strategist had never much cared for travel by boat. There hadn't been many ships aside from the fishermen junks in Shucheng, and Sun Jian preferred to ride, and between the two influences water was not Zhou Yu's preferred mode of transportation. When Sun Ce had first suggested cruising the Yangzi in a survey venture, the swordsman had been unsure to say the least. But now, standing high above the water on the raised deck and gazing down into the silted river, it was hard to pretend that sailing disagreed with him.

Zhou Yu sighed softly under his breath and dropped an idle hand toward the water below, watching his fingers carelessly as they swung back and forth. Not that the trip would have been possible at all the way Sun Ce originally intended to take it. The Sun lord had been all for hijacking the nearest boat and rushing off with barely enough passengers to fill the cabins – an act of idiocy that would certainly have ended badly, given that the young officer knew no more than his strategist about sailing. Fortunately, Jiang Qin had jumped at the chance to show off his nautical skill, and had recruited his entire squad of former pirates to facilitate the journey – and, to his credit, the trip had been peaceful so far.

Zhou Yu lifted his dark eyes to watch a gathering of cranes along the shore. The birds were so far away that they only showed up as white blurs ducking their long necks in and out of the water, but every once in a while one flew overhead, and the swordsman would watch its graceful wings melting into the spring air, almost more of a caress than a stroke of momentum.

"Gotcha!" Zhou Yu jumped as a pair of arms suddenly clutched his elbow and a figure appeared beside him, grinning at the strategist's reaction. Sun Ce laughed, eyes shaded beneath the tremendous brim of his straw hat. "You were really out of it, weren't you? You're usually tough to sneak up on."

Zhou Yu didn't feel like acknowledging his distraction, and he turned back to gaze over the water in silence. Sun Ce released his arm and leaned forward to look down at the place where the river churned along the flat stern below them, turning white and teal in the unending tumble.

"Nice day," the young lord remarked, glancing up at his strategist cheerfully. Zhou Yu nodded, eyes flickering between the amber gaze of his companion and the tall flag waving at the deck's far corner. The red hempen fabric rose and fell in mimicking motion to the waves beneath them, sliding along the air currents as easily as silk. Sun Ce sighed and leaned back against the railing, crossing his arms over his chest with a smile.

"You know… I could really get used to this ship thing. Maybe I should think about changing my career." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow and Sun Ce chuckled. "Forget ruling China – I could be king of the pirates! Master of the four seas and all that. Lots of people have been emperor of China already." Zhou Yu snorted softly at his dramatic proclamation.

"I suppose you're just going to hand Wu back to Yan Baihu, then?" Sun Ce wrinkled his nose.

"No way! That old bat's got to go." Zhou Yu felt himself smiling a little at his lord's indignant expression. Sun Ce rubbed his chin thoughtfully, daydream schemes dancing through his jubilant eyes. "I know – we'll conquer all of China, then give it Quan. He can be emperor and I'll be king of the pirates. And since I'm his older brother and he practically serves me anyway, it'll really be like I'm ruling everything."

Zhou Yu scoffed and shook his head, brushing the hair back from his eyes as he turned to face the confident officer. His gaze swept over the center tower before them, watching in passing interest as Jiang Qin's men struggled with the sails. "You think you could handle that much responsibility?" Sun Ce gasped in mock horror, slapping a hand over his heart.

"Responsibility? No way, Yu – I'm leaving that squarely in your hands." He winked. "You can have all the responsibility and I'll have all the fun. Sound like a deal?"

A faint chuckle slipped between the swordsman's lips. "Sounds like the way we've been doing things for the past three years." Sun Ce punched him in the arm, but he couldn't hide the delighted grin swallowing his expression.

"Hey! It's not my fault you refuse to have a good time." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the endless blue sky.

"I do not refuse to have a good time." Sun Ce shrugged, locking both hands behind his head and bouncing lightly against the railing.

"You're antisocial and you're stiff as a log. It amounts to the same thing." Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath, but he had to fight to keep a small smile concealed. He and Sun Ce had always enjoyed banter like this – and it was a rare experience when they couldn't find a more serious topic to yell about. Sun Ce was right – being on the ship was a reality the strategist liked more each day. Everything seemed so free and flexible, in complete contrast to the endless crises that cropped up in their conquest.

The swordsman exhaled slowly and stared up into the sky, unable to find a point of focus in the azure heavens. The water around them matched the atmosphere's hue, and Zhou Yu almost felt as though he were floating between two expanses of the same incorporeal eternity. Then an idle thought slipped through his mind, and he frowned up at the sky.

"Why king of the pirates?" Zhou Yu asked after a moment of silence. Sun Ce shrugged.

"It's gotta be more exciting than king of the fish sellers, or king of the silk transport ships or something like that." The strategist nodded, sliding back into silent contemplation as his lord bounced against the railing, alternately watching the sailors work and studying the restless water.

Without warning, the wind picked up with a vengeance and swept past them, snapping the sails back and forth with a vicious rattle. Sun Ce clamped both hands firmly over his straw hat and held it down against the inclination for flight, chestnut hair blown back by the unexpected gust. Zhou Yu frowned as his shirt flickered in the breeze.

"Why are you still wearing that thing?" Sun Ce looked up at the question and grinned beneath the wide brim of his conical accessory, arms clasped awkwardly across it.

"Because it's cool! I'm going to keep it forever." The Sun lord patted his hat gleefully. "I can't believe that old fisherman gave it to me. And all because I got caught up in his nets, too!"

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and shifted, tucking both hands into his long sleeves. "I told you not to run along the shore like that." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue.

"You tell me not to do lots of things – usually because they're interesting or fun." Zhou Yu frowned.

"I tell you not to do dangerous things, Ce. You could have broken your ankle tripping through those fishing nets. It took an hour to get you untangled as it was—"

Sun Ce huffed. "Anything exciting always seems to be dangerous. And you're exaggerating – it didn't take that long. We just had to go slowly, because I didn't want to wreck his nets. I'll bet he worked for days to make those things. Besides, he was a nice guy – giving me his hat and all."

Zhou Yu was tempted to point out that the old fisherman had given Sun Ce his hat because the young officer shouted so intimidatingly while he struggled for freedom – not to mention the stereotypical pirate look many of Jiang Qin's crew embodied. It had probably helped, too, that Han Dang carried a sword on his person at all times and looked threatening enough without it. But the strategist bit his tongue and held the explanation back, settling for a simpler response instead.

"You look like a peasant." Sun Ce made a face at him, smiling despite himself.

"So? I don't mind being a peasant. It's a useful hat – keeps me from getting sunburned." Zhou Yu indicated the sail with a short toss of his head.

"That's why I'm standing in the shade." Sun Ce considered him for a long moment, gaze thoughtful.

"I don't think it's working. Your nose looks a little red." Zhou Yu frowned, raising a hand to his face at the words. It hardly seemed possible, since he'd been in the sail's shadow all day, but…

"Here! You can borrow this!" Sun Ce slapped the hat over Zhou Yu's head, smiling like a hero despite the stern glare he was getting. The young officer laughed. "I know you burn really bad since you're so pale. And it always makes you grouchy." The strategist glowered and tried to shove the hat away, but Sun Ce held it stubbornly in place, grinning cheekily under his bright eyes. A growl of annoyance slipped from Zhou Yu's lips as the rough twigs of hay snagged against his dark hair and pulled, tearing at his scalp.

"Ce—"

"Lord Ce! Lord Yu!" Before the swordsman could properly scold his companion, a lithe shout soared across the deck and caught their attention. Sun Ce broke away from his victim and ran to the ladder, peering down to the main deck excitedly.

"What is it, Da?" Zhou Yu wrenched the hat off and listened for Lady Qiao's answer, barely resisting the urge to throw the uncomfortable contraption into the river behind him.

"Come look at this!" The note of unprecedented excitement in the girl's voice caught the strategist's attention – he had never heard such lighthearted words from her before. Sun Ce scrambled down the ladder as fast as he could and jumped the last few rungs, edging a small stitch into Zhou Yu's heartbeat.

"What did you find?" Footsteps pounding across the deck announced that the young lord had reached the lower level safely; the swordsman swallowed back his instinctual panic and then made his way down the ladder, Sun Ce's hat clutched carefully in one hand.

Lady Qiao stood against the railing a short distance ahead, dignified posture resting delicately against the wood. She was pointing eagerly at the river, and Zhou Yu almost smiled at the expression coloring her bright eyes. The elder Qiao sister looked happier than he'd ever seen her, lips curved in carefree amusement.

"Hurry – before it leaves," she urged gently, glancing between her idling companions and the river below. Her twin braids hovered and danced in the wind as she leaned farther over the railing, clearly captivated by whatever she'd discovered.

Sun Ce laughed, running forward to sling an arm around his wife's shoulders and skidding on the sanded wood. His chestnut ponytail dipped and flickered to a halt across his back, matching the light of abandon in his amber eyes. "Okay! Let's see it!"

Zhou Yu paused in his progression and watched them, simple and clear-cut against the port railing. When Sun Ce had first suggested bringing the Qiao sisters along on their survey voyage, the swordsman had been in marked disagreement. The Yangzi was by no means safe – pirates and shipwreck were only a few of the possible dangers they might encounter. But standing beneath the ship's central tower now, observing the change in Lady Qiao wrought by the river's soft spray and the sunlight's sheen, he couldn't imagine leaving Sun Ce's wife in the shadowed halls of Niuqiao.

"Hey! Cool! What is it?" Sun Ce's exclamation broke through the strategist's musings. Lady Qiao shook her head.

"I thought you would know, Lord Ce." The young woman's expression became slightly perturbed, slight wrinkles creasing her forehead. The swordsman felt his curiosity rising as Sun Ce shrugged, gaze still locked on the river below them.

"They make a handsome couple, don't they?" Zhou Yu started and turned to see Han Dang standing at his side, veteran eyes trained on the couple ahead. The general smiled. "I wasn't sure Sun Ce would take to marriage when Sun Jian first suggested the idea, but he seems happy enough." Han Dang's weathered face was split in a soft, fatherly smile as he watched the Little Conqueror and his wife. Then his deep eyes turned back to Zhou Yu, almost laughing as he ran a hand through his coarse locks. "Of course, you'd be hard-pressed not to be happy with a woman that beautiful."

The strategist's gaze slid back to the pair at the railing, studying the liquid sun streaming over them with the palate blue sky as background. "Mm." Han Dang was right – they almost did make a handsome couple, except that Sun Ce's face was smudged and his hair stuck out at odd angles from the coarse straw hat. Zhou Yu wondered momentarily what his own hair must look like, between the wind and the brief encounter with his lord's ridiculous new headpiece.

"Let's ask Yu!" The next moment, the swordsman felt himself hauled forward by a pair of strong, insistent hands. Sun Ce squeezed his arm and dragged the strategist to the railing, gesturing emphatically at the water below them. "What is it?" he demanded curiously.

Zhou Yu blinked at his sudden change of location. He paused a moment to slap the straw hat back onto Sun Ce's head, knocking it down to hide the young officer's eyes before leaning forward and studying the water. The surface tripped and rushed against the sides of the boat, but the river looked perfectly normal to the strategist. "I don't see anything," he remarked mildly after a short silence, flicking an errant strand of hair out of his face. Sun Ce frowned down at the churning water.

"It was just there!" His protest rang along the hollow deck for a long moment, then the Sun lord straightened and pressed into the railing. "That! See that gray shadow under the water?"

Zhou Yu leaned forward, brow furrowed in concentration as his eyes struggled to focus on the constantly shifting shape. The dappled sunlight obscured its form beneath the writhing waves, and it slid through the water too quickly for him to catch its contour.

"A fish?" the strategist suggested. Sun Ce shook his head in bemusement.

"But it's huge! It must be almost as big as me!" Zhou Yu nodded, dark eyes flickering over the elusive object. It didn't exactly swim like a fish either, although the water made it difficult to be sure.

"Well," he began slowly, gaze never leaving the mysterious object. "River sturgeons can grow to be—"

The strategist broke off abruptly as a sudden silver flash shattered the Yangzi's surface, diving back beneath the water faster than he could blink. Lady Qiao gasped, hands flying to her mouth in surprise, and Sun Ce laughed as the creature lifted its head and began to chatter, nodding playfully up at them.

"It's a porpoise!" Sun Ce's shout resounded across the deck, reverberating on the water and against the wooden tower. Zhou Yu found himself staring straight into the clever black eyes of the animal as it flicked its head, keeping pace with the boat and watching them curiously. The young officer squeezed his swordsman's arm and glanced up, laughter spilling over his lips; Zhou Yu watched his glowing face and felt a tiny moth of some emotion he couldn't name begin fluttering in his stomach.

"Porpoises are common around here." Three sets of eyes turned to study their newest arrival, and Zhou Yu berated himself silently for being surprised by someone's entrance for the third time that morning. Jiang Qin nodded insightfully and tapped his nose. "They follow the boats – fishing junks mostly, but they'll trail larger ships, too. Looking for handouts."

As in everything he did, Jiang Qin shared his knowledge of porpoises with great vigor, and Zhou Yu could tell Sun Ce was trying to swallow a laugh at the warrior's overeager expression. The Sun lord managed to morph his amusement into a cough and stared out at the porpoise, amber eyes burning with fascination.

Zhou Yu glanced between Sun Ce and Lady Qiao's equally amazed expressions, obsidian gaze locked on the twin visages of delighted discovery. Lady Qiao's fingers were wrapped tightly through her sleeve, the silk heedlessly creased in her excitement. The strategist smiled. Sun Ce would never grow up, of course – but sometimes it was easy to forget that, beneath all her poise and grace, Sun Ce's wife was only seventeen.

Zhou Yu pushed the warm hair away from his neck and stared up into the sky, fighting a flicker of contentment threatening to consume his eyes. It truly was a beautiful day.

Jiang Qin smiled brightly, stepping back a few paces and bowing dramatically to the trio. "Actually, Lord Sun Ce, I came to inform you of our progress." Sun Ce blinked, turning away from the river with a puzzled expression.

"Progress?" Jiang Qin nodded forcefully.

"We're nearly to that town you wanted to visit – the port should be just around the next bend." The Sun lord straightened, attention effectively drawn away from the cackling porpoise.

"Really? That's great! We haven't seen a big market town for days." The young lord patted his stomach absently. "Definitely need to go shopping."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "There is still plenty of food, Ce." The Little Conqueror made a face.

"Plenty of fish – but I can't eat fish every day of the week. I'm not a porpoise, you know. I need something sweeter!" The strategist rolled his eyes, and Lady Qiao smiled at Jiang Qin's rough chuckle.

"Perhaps Lord Yu would disagree about that…" she murmured quietly, eyes scouring the valley's vibrant rim in passing interest. "But I would like to stop in the village as well, if it's not too much trouble. I need to buy ginseng and field mint."

Zhou Yu felt himself frowning, and Jiang Qin visibly started at the names of the common medicinal herbs. "Elder Lady Qiao! Are you ill? Perhaps you've been spending too much time in the sun!"

The young woman shook her head, fingers dancing idly along the railing as she smiled at the warrior's overreaction. "It's not for me. Xiao isn't feeling very well today." Sun Ce blinked, glancing around the deck almost as an afterthought.

"Oh yeah… where is Xiao, anyway?" Zhou Yu felt a little guilty at not noticing his wife's absence all the hours he'd been awake, and Sun Ce's sheepish expression seemed to convey a similar emotion. Lady Qiao sighed.

"Resting in our cabin, at present. But perhaps she'll be feeling well enough to go into town." Sun Ce's wife smiled a little sadly, eyes locked on the river once more. "It's a shame – she would have loved to see the porpoise."

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to ask about Xiao Qiao's illness, but a shout from the forecastle cut him off before the words could form.

"General Jiang! Port in sight, sir!" Jiang Qin straightened and looked up, raising a hand of acknowledgement to the sailor perched on the top of the center tower.

"Good! I'll tell the others to make ready for putting in." The warrior turned back to his young companions and bowed shallowly. "Sounds like we're almost there. I suggest you all prepare to disembark." With this final flourish, Jiang Qin strode away over the deck, chin held confidently high. Sun Ce sniggered into his hand, glancing up at Zhou Yu as soon as the warrior was out of earshot.

"We recruited him almost a year ago, and he still cracks me up. That's the mark of a good officer." The young lord laughed, slinging both arms behind his head. "Second best hire I ever made." His strategist raised a puzzled eyebrow.

"Second best?" Sun Ce winked. Lady Qiao laughed musically behind her hand.

"I'll see if Xiao is willing to come to town with us," she offered as she glided away from them, the silk of her robes flickering in the breeze. "Perhaps it would be good for her to get off of the ship for a while."

As she disappeared around the corner of the tower, Sun Ce threw his fist into the air and cheered. "Going into town!" he heralded brightly. "This'll be fun!" Zhou Yu nodded noncommittally, attention still focused on his missing wife. He made up his mind to ask Lady Qiao about her sister's illness at the next opportunity.

Suddenly Zhou Yu felt the whisper of another pair of lips against his, and looked down into the teasing amber eyes of his companion. Before the strategist could so much as blink, Sun Ce pulled back and turned, running away from him toward the bow. Zhou Yu raised a hand to his lips in mimic of the unexpected pressure.

Then all the thoughts flew back into the swordsman's mind, and his onyx eyes widened twofold. Sun Ce had kissed him – on the deck of the boat. What if one of the sailors had seen them? And what was the idea behind kissing him and then running away before the strategist could respond? Zhou Yu felt his eyes narrowing into a glare – then he took off, chasing the young officer across the open deck.

"Sun Ce!" His shout rebounded over the water and wood around them, startling Jiang Qin's men where they worked beneath the sail. Sun Ce laughed, glancing back to stick his tongue out at the irritated swordsman.

"Gotcha again!"

.x.

A short while and two vindictive blows later, Zhou Yu stood on the dock of the small town, the light wind writhing through his dark hair as obsidian eyes took in the scene before them. The bank just ahead sloped gently upward into the bustling village streets, busy with traders, merchants, and farmers calling out to passerby. A hurricane of noises swept across the strategist as the watched the vigorous activity – animals crying, children laughing, and the unmistakable sound of bargainers shaking their coin strings.

Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest and studied the thatched cottages and loose outer walls before him. The city was called Ban Bu – and according to Jiang Qin's sailors it was exactly halfway between Xuancheng and the delta where the Yangzi spilled into the ocean. The central market made an ideal stopping point for traders headed west, and thus the city had flourished; it was nowhere near the size of Niuqiao or Qingshan, but it was still the largest port city they'd seen on the voyage.

"Okay!" The strategist glanced over his shoulder at Sun Ce, who rushed down the gangplank and dropped both hands onto his hips, straw hat conspicuously missing. A delighted smile played across the young officer's expression as he bounced on the balls of his feet. "Let's have some fun!" Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath, reaching out to catch hold of his commander's sleeve before the energetic man could take off into the crowds.

"The Qiao sisters aren't ready yet." Sun Ce slumped, ponytail sagging at the disparaging news.

"How long are they going to take? We've been waiting forever! I already ran two laps around the whole ship to kill time." The young lord made a face, but a gentle laugh from the deck above them stalled his complaints.

"I'm very sorry, Lord Ce." Zhou Yu looked up to see both Qiaos at the top of the gangway, dressed in summer silk to keep the heat away. Lady Qiao shook her head. "I'm afraid we took a little longer than I anticipated."

Sun Ce muttered something that the strategist couldn't catch while their wives descended the ramp, being careful not to trip in their soft slippers. Xiao Qiao made a face at the young lord once she'd reached the ground.

"A little waiting's not going to kill you, Ce." Sun Ce shook his head.

"Sure it is. I'm starving, and that market smells really good… I thought I was going to go crazy waiting for you." He reached out and nudged Zhou Yu's wife in the ribs, earning a small squeak of disapproval from the pretty girl. "Slowpoke." Xiao Qiao stuck out her tongue.

"All right, you two – we'll never get anything done if you don't stop bickering," Lady Qiao reminded them gently, composure glowing in her brown eyes. She glanced around them, gaze flickering smoothly from one stand to another. "Did you have a specific destination in mind, Lord Ce?"

Sun Ce shrugged. "Somewhere with something good to eat." Xiao Qiao nodded energetically, and Zhou Yu watched her face silently, searching for signs of illness. His wife did look a bit pale, and there were dark circles beneath her eyes, but at least she seemed lively as usual. Lady Qiao smiled as her husband rubbed his hands together and spoke.

"Let's see… I vote we go left, because I can see a dumpling seller down that way." Xiao Qiao peered in the indicated direction and brightened.

"I hope he has seafood dumplings!" Sun Ce laughed.

"Of course he does, Xiao – this city's right on the water. But I don't want anything with fish in it. If I eat any more fish, I'll probably grow a fin or something." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes. Lady Qiao put a delicate hand to her chin and frowned.

"Hm… well, I'm afraid I need to go right." Sun Ce's wife shook her head and pointed to the side street. "I saw a man with bushels of herbs on his back go this way." Xiao Qiao pouted a little, freckled eyes slightly shaded.

"I guess we'll have to split up, then… but you can't go by yourself, Da," the younger woman insisted, biting her lip. "Somebody could kidnap you, and we'd never know where to look." Lady Qiao smiled a little at her sister, then Sun Ce snapped his fingers.

"That's okay – we'll play a game." The young lord reached out and slapped Zhou Yu's shoulder, grinning like an idiot. "Switch!" The strategist scowled.

"What the hell are you talking about, Ce?" Sun Ce pointed at the two Qiaos.

"We'll switch wives for the day. Xiao and I can go get some food, and you can take Da to find herbs or whatever. It'll be great." The swordsman merely raised an eyebrow. His lord shrugged. "I've always wondered what it would have been like if I were married to Xiao instead – haven't you?" Zhou Yu shook his head, earning an exasperated expression from the young officer. "Of course not."

"I think it could be fun," Xiao Qiao piped up, eyes burning with a bright smile. "Nobody here knows who we are. Isn't it funny to think of them watching us and not realizing we've switched?" Sun Ce laughed.

"Yeah – besides, it makes more sense this way. Xiao and I can be the happy couple and you guys can be the stiff, silent, unsmiling couple." Zhou Yu scoffed a little and Xiao Qiao giggled behind her hand. Lady Qiao seemed to consider a moment, then she nodded slowly, eyes caught in contemplation.

"I suppose that would be all right… but Lord Ce, please take care of Xiao, since she was sick this morning." Sun Ce ruffled the younger Qiao's wavy hair, dodging her infuriated fist with a chuckle.

"No problem, Da." Lady Qiao nodded at her husband's promise and stepped forward, holding her sister's face in her moonlight hands.

"Be gentle on your stomach. Don't eat too many dumplings." Xiao Qiao smiled.

"I won't!" Sun Ce ran a hand through his chestnut hair and bounced on the balls of his feet, glancing longingly toward the market and its enticing smells.

"We'd better get going, though – Jiang Qin said he wants to leave here in an hour, and we've wasted a lot of time already." The young lord drew himself up straight and lifted his chin righteously, barely keeping back a grin as he offered his elbow solemnly to the younger Qiao. "Shall we go, my wife?" he asked, voice dipping in what sounded like a bad imitation of Taishi Ci's. Xiao Qiao giggled, then bit back her smile and grabbed his arm, eyelashes flickering fantastically.

"We shall." An undercurrent of laughter lifted her tone in lilting amusement, and the sound drifted past Zhou Yu as the two began to walk very stiffly toward the market. The strategist shook his head, hearing his bemusement matched in Lady Qiao's sparkling laughter.

"Have a good time!" Sun Ce's wife called after the dramatically marching pair. Zhou Yu frowned slightly before adding his own farewell.

"And make sure you're back in time, Ce." Sun Ce raised a hand in acknowledgement, and then the two disappeared into the marketplace crowds with a final flutter of silk. Lady Qiao chuckled and the sound echoed along the pebbles at their feet like shattered music.

"Well… I suppose we ought to go, Lord Yu." Zhou Yu nodded, tearing his eyes away from the place where their companions had vanished and shaking his head.

"That fool," he murmured, tone devoid of malice. Lady Qiao hummed under her breath.

"He is a fool, I suppose – but there's something endearing about it." The strategist shook his head. She was right, after all. Even Sun Ce's playful antics were irresistible – if often annoying.

Zhou Yu brushed the hair away from his eyes and turned toward the street Lady Qiao had indicated, feeling her soft fingers on his sleeve. His thoughts flitted back to the pair somewhere behind them, and he glanced down at his companion's calm features as the crowds began to slip to each side of them like breaking water.

"You said Xiao Qiao was feeling ill…" Lady Qiao blinked and then looked up at him, a small frown marring her delicate features.

"It's the strangest thing," the young woman remarked, sepia eyes troubled. "Our father often sold his rice to merchants traveling along the river, and Xiao and I accompanied him sailing many times when we were younger. Xiao loved the ships – I was the only one who ever became seasick."

Her low voice broke off wistfully, and Zhou Yu watched thoughts darting across her face, chasing each other in circles before she spoke again. "But Xiao hasn't been feeling well for a week now – she was sick to her stomach all last night, and this morning she looked so pale that I was truly worried about her. She seems a little better now, but…" Lady Qiao shook her head again.

Zhou Yu felt furrows of puzzlement marring his forehead. "Could the food be disagreeing with her?" Sun Ce's wife looked up and smiled a little.

"I really don't know… but I'm hoping the herbs will help her stomach. Perhaps she's only caught a cold, after all." The strategist frowned, watching worry dab the young woman's expression gray. He tried hard to remember what his mother had given them for stomachaches in Shucheng – ginger, perhaps? Gypsum?

Before he could make up his mind, Lady Qiao came to a sudden halt. Zhou Yu snapped out of his memories and looked up, noticing with distaste the scraggled man sitting on a nearby doorstep, roots and leaves spread across his dust-encrusted lap. Lady Qiao took a few tentative steps toward the herb vendor and cleared her throat, pulling Zhou Yu softly along by the silk of his sleeve.

"Good afternoon," she began, smiling winsomely despite the man's unfavorable appearance. Zhou Yu slid one silent hand down to grasp the dagger at his belt. The herbalist looked dirty, not dangerous, but it was hard to be sure.

The man's head snapped up so suddenly that Zhou Yu flinched and Lady Qiao jumped back a pace, pretty expression tarnished with surprise. The strategist winced as her fingers dug into his forearm, but pressed his lips together and ignored the sharp nails as best he could. The lean, simple eyes of the vendor glanced up at them and fixed on Lady Qiao's face. "Whassat?" he asked unclearly, and Zhou Yu scowled a little at the sight of his utterly rotten teeth when he smiled. "Can I help ya?"

Sun Ce's wife did her best to smile back, giving the seated man a slight bow from her position on Zhou Yu's arm. "Good afternoon," she repeated, looking a little unsure about her choice of vendors but holding herself steady nevertheless. Lady Qiao ran a quick hand along her cheek and tucked a stray hair behind her ear, shifting in confusion at the man's prolonged stare. Then she drew herself up straighter and met his eyes solidly. "I need to buy ginseng and field mint. May I inquire as to whether you sell them?"

The vendor looked between his pair of customers for a long moment before rising to his feet, digging sordidly in his side pouch with a short, barking laugh. Lady Qiao flinched again at the discordant noise, but her eyes never wavered from the contents of the bag. Zhou Yu was watching her composed expression carefully, noting the single line of consternation on her brow hinting at the discomfort of the situation; he was startled when the man suddenly addressed him in a rasping chortle.

"Got a pretty wife, Gentleman." His voice was unnerving, even in casual conversation. The vendor bobbed his head in an unnatural nod, and Zhou Yu felt his eyes narrowing in dislike as the man turned around, dried herbs in hand. His half-toothed mouth opened wide in an unpleasant, grimacing smile and he tossed his chin to indicate Lady Qiao. "Like somethin' outta poetry. Wet peach blossoms." Sun Ce's wife looked decidedly uncomfortable at the compliment, but she held her head high nonetheless; Zhou Yu bit down on his tongue to hold back a growl. The herbalist didn't seem to notice. "Wouldn't mind having something that pretty to look at myself—"

"How much?" The coarse, short words wasped from the swordsman's mouth like dust in the wind, and the vendor blinked at his callous tone. Zhou Yu's dark eyes dared the man to avoid his question, flashing irately in the brilliant light. Silence settled over the group for a moment, broken only by the stamping of feet all around them and the cries of other merchants farther down the street. Lady Qiao stared evenly into the bitten eyes of the vendor, matching the strategist's glower. Then the man scratched a particularly grub-infested stump of his patchy hair and shrugged.

"Whatever you'll pay." Zhou Yu dug out a handful of wu shu coins and held them in one hand, receiving the herbs with the other. Then he turned on heel and stalked away, dragging Lady Qiao with him. Sun Ce's wife struggled to keep up with his much longer strides, gripping his arm and looking warily over her shoulder as they walked between crowds of market purveyors and their eager customers.

"Come again soon!" Even the voice sounded diseased, and Zhou Yu felt himself scowling as the customary salutation overtook them. Lady Qiao pulled her escort to one side of the road and increased pace, dragging him between carts and road stalls until backward glances showed that the vendor had disappeared in a whirlwind of commercial movement.

Lady Qiao sighed and leaned back against the wall of the alley, the shadow of a low roof scattering over her – and though a reflexive smile painted her lips, Zhou Yu thought she looked unusually pale. His mind flew back to Xiao Qiao's warning: Somebody could kidnap you, and we'd never know where to look. He hoped Sun Ce hadn't been foolish enough to let the younger Qiao out of his sight – Ban Bu seemed to have its share of distasteful individuals.

"Well… that was a bit ridiculous." Lady Qiao's gentle laugh broke through his concentration and drew Zhou Yu's eyes back to his charge. The young woman brushed a little dust from her face and shook her head, braids grazing her slim shoulders at the quietly embarrassed action. "I'm sure that man meant no harm, but I'm afraid he made me a bit uneasy. I ought not have run away like that." Zhou Yu scoffed.

"Believe me, Lady Qiao – I wanted away from him as much as you did." The swordsman rubbed his forehead to will away an impending headache and dropped the wilted herbs into his companion's milk-white hands. Lady Qiao chuckled.

"Perhaps we should find the others – I've had quite enough of the town already," she murmured, the words almost disappearing under her breath. Zhou Yu nodded and turned back into the street, feeling Lady Qiao's hands a take firm grip on his forearm as they began to push their way through the crowd.

As they walked, Zhou Yu could feel Lady Qiao's fingers drumming idly against his muscle, and her face was lost in thought. Finally, as they passed by a shouting blockprint vendor, she spoke up.

"May I ask what he was talking about?" Zhou Yu blinked down at the girl in confusion. Lady Qiao smiled. "I meant when he referenced peach blossoms in poetry." The strategist rolled his eyes.

"It is the duty of all imbeciles to ruin art," he muttered, dark eyes brimming with superior irritation. "In the poetry of previous eras, a beautiful woman is often likened to a pear blossom strewn with raindrops." Lady Qiao nodded, seemingly satisfied with this explanation. The swordsman proceeded forward unhindered, his mind lapsing among thoughts of poetics. It had always been his opinion that illiterates had no business butchering the work of classic masters – but perhaps that wasn't entirely fair. Lady Qiao couldn't read either, but Zhou Yu was sure her understanding of poetry would not be degrading. Sun Ce's wife hummed a little under her breath, eyes free from the last shadows of the encounter as the sun shone across her and highlighted each stitch of her elegant robes.

Within a few minutes, the strategist found his way back to the dock, using the slope of the valley as his compass. Zhou Yu wasn't sure how they'd managed to get away from the central side street – the way back seemed to take far longer than finding the vendor in the first place – but eventually the alley opened out into the port and the sounds of the market dropped to a dull rumble behind them, muted by the endless splash of waves brushing the harbor. Lady Qiao smiled to herself as the wind off the water crashed into their faces again, abrading the city's bustling chaos away with simple strokes.

"Ahoy! Master Zhou Yu!" Zhou Yu glanced up at the familiar voice to see Jiang Qin waving from the prow of the ship. Lady Qiao raised a hand in acknowledgement, but the rough warrior frowned and rubbed his chin. "Have you seen Lord Sun Ce, Master Strategist?"

Master Strategist. An unwelcome shiver sped down Zhou Yu's spine at the title. He wasn't sure why Jiang Qin had latched onto that particular honorary, but the words never failed to conjure the memory of the only other person to call him that, the relentless, burnished Tiger of Jiang Dong… Zhou Yu shook his head and focused on the question.

"Haven't they come back yet?" His voice ringing over the water deepened Jiang Qin's frown.

"They?" A furrow of concern disrupted the swordsman's forehead.

"Sun Ce and Xiao Qiao. They were going shopping together." Jiang Qin blinked a little at the statement and thumbed over his shoulder, customary bravado forgotten in his puzzlement.

"Your honorable wife came back some time ago… she's resting inside. Says she wasn't feeling well. But I haven't seen Lord Sun Ce. I was hoping he'd come on back soon – we're about ready to cast off again." Lady Qiao and her escort exchanged a look of shared concern.

"I'd better make sure Xiao is all right," the young woman reasoned. Zhou Yu's jaw stiffened.

"And I'll find Sun Ce." Lady Qiao nodded hurriedly and swept up the gangway, worry for her sister clouding her deep brown eyes as Zhou Yu turned away, facing the lively market with dismay written clearly across his face. How was he supposed to find Sun Ce in this ridiculous mess? He watched the ever-tumbling crowd, its perpetual movement similar to the rushing Yangzi behind him, and then moved forward until he could look down the central side street in each direction. Sun Ce and Xiao Qiao had gone left originally – but who knew where the young officer had gotten to by now? And why had the Sun lord split ways with Zhou Yu's wife in the first place?

The strategist took a brief moment to berate his spastic commander in his mind – had the young officer not been reminded specifically to return on time? But this annoyance was quickly superseded by the butterfly wings of concern in his stomach. What if Sun Ce had been kidnapped? It seemed unlikely, given the young lord's prowess as a warrior – but slave traders had been known to scour the Yangzi for unwitting victims, and Sun Ce's presence of mind was flighty at best. Or what if he'd run into a band of thieves and decided to take care of them by himself? Or to join them? Or—

"Yu!" Zhou Yu turned quickly on his heel and felt relief slam into his ribs like a physical force as Sun Ce appeared at the mouth of a nearby alley, breathing heavily and wiping sweat from his brow. The strategist stepped forward and met Sun Ce halfway out of the side street, reprieve hidden under a reproachful scowl.

"Where were you?" the swordsman demanded, his fading panic carefully disguised as irritation rose in his veins. "I told you not to—"

"I was looking for you!" Sun Ce panted, grabbing his strategist's arm for support. Zhou Yu frowned as the young officer made a vaguely grandiose gesture, dust reeling from his suddenly still form. "I ran all over this damn city – met some pirates back there, but whatever—"

"Pirates?" Zhou Yu interrupted, controlled concern swallowing his expression. He reached out and touched a large bruise forming on the young lord's cheek. "Where did you get this? Have you been fighting?" Sun Ce straightened and shook his head violently.

"It doesn't matter! Listen – there's something wrong with Xiao!" The strategist frowned in confusion.

"What are you talking about? Did she get sick again?" Jiang Qin had mentioned the girl not feeling well – but Zhou Yu assumed the young officer wouldn't have run all over town just for an upset stomach. Sun Ce shook his head again, ponytail flapping like mad with the violence of his movement.

"I don't know! And I don't know where she is! She just ran off while we were—"

Zhou Yu reached forward and grabbed the Sun lord's shoulders, shaking him a little to interrupt the flowing diatribe. "Calm down," the strategist commanded, staring hard into the flaming amber eyes. "I can't understand a word of what you're saying." Sun Ce started to protest, but the swordsman cut him off again. "Xiao's back at the ship. Lady Qiao's there now, and she has the herbs. But Jiang Qin wants to set sail again soon, so we need to get back to the boat. All right?"

Sun Ce blinked a few times to absorb the news, his breath slowly relaxing from its breakneck speed as Zhou Yu dropped his hands and moved back a step. Then the young lord scowled and punched his strategist in the arm.

"You jerk!" Zhou Yu blinked at the steady glare burning into his eyes. Sun Ce huffed. "You could have told me that sooner. I almost had a heart attack." Zhou Yu scowled back, his irritation returning.

"How was I supposed to know that's what you were screeching about?" he shot back, dashing dark bangs away from his eyes.

"I wasn't screeching! I just thought you might want to know what happened to your wife!" Sun Ce replied indignantly, the volume of his words rising in relation to his anger.

The swordsman's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "Could you have done it a little more quietly?"

The Sun lord shifted automatically into a fighter's stance and Zhou Yu braced for a blow, but was distracted from their conflict by a sudden awareness of the whispers and strange looks they were getting from assembled passerby. Sun Ce seemed to notice it, too, and he dropped his fists back to his side as his expression flickered hesitation.

The silk vendor, a tall and sinewy man standing cautiously behind his stall, finally found a voice to break the awkward silence that had settled through the marketplace. "If you good sirs wouldn't mind taking your conflict elsewhere…" His words cracked and broke uncertainly at the tail of his suggestion, but Zhou Yu couldn't have agreed more. The strategist reached out to snatch his companion's wrist and pivoted sharply, dragging the stubborn officer toward the dock.

"Hey!" Sun Ce pulled back against the grip on his arm, dragging his feet against the cobblestones. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"Come on, Ce. We have to get back there as soon as possible." The Sun lord opened his mouth to argue – probably, Zhou Yu decided, something along the lines of not wanting to be on the same continent with his strategist at the moment – but a thought seemed to stall the words at his lips and Sun Ce reconsidered. Then he increased pace to match the swordsman's steps, struggles ceasing as he looked up into the obsidian eyes with worry flickering across his face.

"Xiao was okay, wasn't she? She's fine?" Zhou Yu shook his head.

"I don't know. I haven't seen her. Lady Qiao went to tend to her sister and I went to find you." Sun Ce sighed, running his free hand through the unruly chestnut hair.

"Sheesh. I hope she's all right. I was really worried when she ran off." Zhou Yu frowned, slowing down and dropping Sun Ce's hand.

"Why did she leave?"

The young officer shrugged, a rueful expression bleeding the last annoyance out of him. "You've got me. We were eating our dumplings, and she was acting normal, you know? Bouncy. Chipper. I was shoving three at a time down my throat, and she was just starting on hers, but whatever." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"You're going to have a stomachache," he warned. Sun Ce grinned.

"Who, me? Nah – my stomach's as tough as the rest of me. But anyway – we were having fun, and then…" The young lord stopped and shook his head. "There was this woman at the next stall over. She was buying vegetables or something – I don't know. And she stared at us for a long time – at Xiao, really." Zhou Yu frowned.

"Did she say anything?" Sun Ce nodded, eyes narrowed in puzzlement.

"Yeah, but it was so weird… sounded like nonsense to me. She said something about a healthy lantern under the bed and a blue field, or seeds of jade or…" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at the seemingly ridiculous string of words, and his companion shrugged. "I don't really remember. Like I said, it didn't make any sense. But Xiao went all red in the face – like a freaking tomato, Yu. And then she burst into tears and ran off down some street and vanished!"

The strategist stopped walking altogether and turned to look at the young officer, incomprehension darkening his features. "What?" Sun Ce nodded emphatically, throwing his hands out helplessly.

"I know! It was crazy! And I tried to go after her, but that stupid lady kept getting in my way, babbling about something – and by the time I got away from her, I had no idea where Xiao got to. So then I was looking for her, and for you and Da…" The Sun lord sighed, tension slipping away from his shoulders. "I don't know what happened. She just… lost it all of a sudden."

Zhou Yu shook his head and resumed their journey toward the dock, steps slow and thoughtful. "I don't know, Ce." He couldn't find a clear insult in the insane ramblings Sun Ce had recounted, nor any other statement that might urge Xiao Qiao into escape. "Perhaps Lady Qiao will know what's wrong with her." Sun Ce sighed again.

"I think I'll check on her when we get back." Zhou Yu nodded in acknowledgement, eyes focusing on their boat where it waited impatiently up ahead. No doubt Jiang Qin was pacing a hole in the deck as he anticipated their return.

A soft laugh brought the dark gaze back to his companion, and Sun Ce smiled up at the strategist with renewed light illuminating his eyes. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow in question; the amused officer shook his head.

"I think that's the first time you've ever told me to calm down about something like this," he remarked casually, slinging an arm through the swordsman's elbow. Zhou Yu smirked, but his glance lingered on the unsightly blue mark just below Sun Ce's left eye, darkening the tan skin. The water rolled and rollicked as they reached the dock at last and Zhou Yu decided it was worth asking.

"So who hit you?" Sun Ce blinked, and then his warm laugh spilled into the air like pollen, rivaling the sunshine in its brilliance.

"Hey – if you think this is bad, you should see the other guys." The strategist frowned, concern seeping back into his stomach.

"There was more than one?" Sun Ce grinned.

"There were four! But they weren't a match for me anyway." Zhou Yu froze in his steps and turned sharply, staring down at the young lord's triumphant expression.

"Four!" Sun Ce blinked at the disapproving tone as his strategist wheeled to face him. "Ce, are you crazy? You weren't even armed!"

The Sun lord laughed. "Of course I was – why do you think we're born with two hands?" His victorious smile vanished a moment later when a harshly displeased palm smacked the back of his head. "Ow!" Zhou Yu glowered at him.

"Don't pick fights with superior numbers!" he chastised, distress riddling his ribcage in solid blows. "Especially not when you're weaponless. What if you'd been stabbed?" Sun Ce rubbed his scalp and made a face.

"Take it easy already! I'm a great hand-to-hand fighter. And plus, I didn't start anything – I was just looking for Xiao, and they knocked me over. They wanted my money." Zhou Yu withdrew his hand and sighed, rubbing at the tenfold headache building beneath his temples.

"Are you hurt anywhere else?" he asked finally, starting back toward the gangplank. Sun Ce laughed.

"Are you kidding? They couldn't get a hit on me after the first one – and that's only because I didn't see it coming." The swordsman felt a little of his worry draining away at the words, though irritation simmered in the back of his mind. All in all, the town had been wretched, and he vowed not to return if it could be helped. Sun Ce grabbed his arm and held onto it as they reached the ship's boarding ramp, the story of his adventures ringing through the crystal air and echoing on the water.

"So there I was, running around like crazy and looking for Xiao, when all of a sudden – wham! Flat on my back. And there are these four jokers with bells tied to their waists, going on about this guy called Gan Ning of the Ringing Terror—"

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath, and an answering grin lit his companion's face. "I know – it's a pretty stupid name. If I were a pirate master, I'd have a way cooler title."

The strategist raised an eyebrow, lips tilting in a small smile. "Oh?" One hand strayed to the railing as they reached the flat bow and stepped aboard. He could see Jiang Qin running their way, delighted relief clear on his countenance. "And what would you be called?"

The Sun lord rubbed his chin in thought. "I don't know. Maybe just Sun Ce the Conqueror. That's still loads better than what's-his-name of the Ringing Terror." The young officer rolled his eyes and Zhou Yu chuckled despite himself.

"And you'd call your coalition the Fleet of Wu, I suppose?" Sun Ce wrinkled his nose and laughed, the fold of an old memory skimming through his amber gaze.

"No way! It'd be called Sun Ce's Fleet – a very self-explanatory name." Zhou Yu smiled, the expression illumining his face like a beam of light through thick shade.

"Lord Sun Ce! Master Zhou Yu! You've returned at last!" Jiang Qin's forceful salutation cut through the space between them and Sun Ce turned away, waving in greeting to the elated warrior – for a long moment, Zhou Yu couldn't tear his eyes away from the profile of his companion's face, almost glowing with the radiance of the distant sun. Then the strategist shook his head and stepped fully onto the deck, making for the private cabins in the central tower ahead.

He needed to check on the Qiao sisters, and to compare Sun Ce's story with his wife's… but his mind lingered on the dazzling expression greeting Jiang Qin behind him.

A slight laugh slipped past the thin lips as Zhou Yu entered the ship's corridor; it bounced like a pebble against the wooden walls and came to rest at his feet. "Little idiot," the swordsman murmured to the darkness around him. But the insult had lost its malice years ago, and even the shadows seemed to brighten at the mention of the compelling officer sparkling in the sunshine.

.x.

"Like this?" Han Dang laughed.

"Not exactly. But you'll get the hang of it."

Zhou Yu stood in the shadow of the center tower to avoid the pounding afternoon sun, dark eyes filled with silent amusement. The wind twittered softly in the sail above his head, tugging harmlessly at the rigging and swinging free ropes back and forth as the ship made its way through the water. They had reached a gentler portion of the Yangzi after leaving Ban Bu, a stretch where the river widened and the waves loosened in their iron-stained rush. After a few hours of slowly slackening, the water was moving only in velvet ripples across the ship's flat prow, but the vessel's speed confirmed the presence of deep, fast currents under the deceptively soft surface.

And Han Dang, after much prodding from a certain insistent lord of Wu, had finally agreed to teach them how to fish.

"Aw, man!" The bright voice rolled in light disappointment as the hook emerged from the water, empty yet again. The young officer sighed. "I can't tell if I've got something or if it's just scraping on the rocks."

Han Dang chuckled again, giving his commander a sympathetic pat on the shoulder. "It takes a little time – be patient."

The Sun lord made a face. "I forgot how to do that years ago." The hook elicited a small splash as it dove beneath the surface of the water, vanishing into the silted river and lagging behind the movement of the boat. Han Dang nodded calmly.

"Believe me – when something bites, you'll know." The general's words brought an inaudible mumble, but no further comment.

The strategist crossed his arms over his chest, a smirk tugging at his lips. Zhou Yu had opted not to participate, but there was a good deal of entertainment to be gained just from watching – chiefly because Sun Ce had no idea what he was doing. The young lord gripped his pole tightly between both hands, knuckles almost white from anticipation as he prepared to yank the line up at the slightest indication of success. Sun Ce's tongue was poking out of the corner of his mouth, a sign of just how hard the officer was concentrating on learning this essential skill. Beneath the shadow of the straw hat, two amber eyes watched the unyielding river in a timeless game.

Zhou Yu sighed a little before stepping out of the shade, instantly feeling the sun warm against his dark hair. Three strides brought him to the edge of the railing where Sun Ce was sitting, legs hanging free over the water and kicking a little in expectation. The swordsman leaned forward until he could rest both forearms on the wooden edge, eyes locked on the swirling river beneath them.

"Catch anything yet?" Sun Ce stuck his tongue out at the sarcastic question.

"Shut up, Yu. You're not even trying." The strategist couldn't really see any point in wasting the afternoon trying to catch fish when the hold was well-stocked with them and Sun Ce hated eating fish anyway, but he kept his mouth shut. Han Dang smiled from his position on the Sun lord's other side and brushed at the stubble on his chin.

"Sun Ce's making great progress," he assured the skeptical swordsman. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, his expression inviting explanation. The veteran warrior tossed his head at the young lord's hands. "He's already learned the correct grip, and he's stopped pulling the line up so much." Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"They tell me I'm more likely to catch something if it's in the water, but I'm not so sure." His tone dripped sarcasm as he shook his head, ponytail flashing auburn in the strong sunlight. "I think I'd have the best luck if I just took it down to the galley and shoved a dead fish on the end."

Zhou Yu scoffed, glancing up at the grin on his companion's face and then back to the water. Han Dang nodded, amusement twisting his mouth in a smile.

"You might. But I doubt you'd get the same satisfaction out of it." The Sun lord rolled his stiff shoulders and leaned backward, maintaining his seat only by virtue of superior balance.

"Yeah, well – I don't know about satisfaction. All I've got so far is a sore back." Sun Ce laughed, the sound whipping through the air around them like a fisherman's cast. "I can't believe people do this for a living! Catching Taishi Ci was a piece of cake compared to this."

Han Dang blinked at the seemingly unrelated statement, but Zhou Yu smiled, straightening from his position at the railing to meet the officer's eyes. "But we weren't using a pole then, remember?" Sun Ce nodded.

"Yeah… maybe trap fishing's the way to go. You get to just leave it somewhere and come back later." The young lord yawned and Han Dang pursed his lips, a hint of concern darkening his eyes and washing the confusion away.

"We can stop if you like, Sun Ce. You don't have to do this." For the barest fraction of a second, Zhou Yu saw Sun Jian reflected in the veteran's accommodating expression – the same willingness to bend that the Tiger general had shown only to his children. Sun Ce shook his head, scattering the afternoon drowsiness as he kicked both feet against the side of the boat and tapped his hat back in place.

"No way! I refuse to give up. I'm going to catch six thousand fish." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Six thousand?" The Sun lord shrugged.

"Or six, maybe. Either way." A brief silence settled between them before Sun Ce chuckled. "Poor Taishi Ci. Stuck in Qingshan. He really wanted to come along, you know," the young officer added, addressing this last remark to his stoic strategist. "He told me he used to love sailing."

Zhou Yu made no comment, gaze lost in the churning cinnamon river. Taishi Ci wasn't exactly a sore spot for him anymore, but he wasn't particularly sorry the Wolf general had been left behind in Wu.

A flurry of quiet steps behind them drew the strategist's attention, and he turned to find Lady Qiao standing curiously beside the aft deck ladder, clever eyes locked on their activity. Sun Ce glanced over his shoulder and smiled, waving one hand to the lovely young woman with ink and parchment in her hands.

"Hey Da!" His wife bowed her head and came forward, studying them inquisitively over the bulk of her materials.

"Good afternoon, everyone. What are you doing, Lord Ce?" Sun Ce grinned.

"Fishing! Han Dang's teaching me." Lady Qiao blinked.

"Oh…" Her gaze swept cleanly across the deck and the empty barrel at their side. "Have you… caught anything yet?"

The young officer rolled his eyes. "Oh, sure. Buckets and buckets. We don't even know what we're going to do with them all." Lady Qiao's lips quirked up at her husband's sarcasm, but she gracefully swallowed the laugh Zhou Yu could see building behind her eyes.

"Well, in that case, I wouldn't dream of interrupting you," she offered by way of excusing herself. Then she headed back toward the raised deck, a crease of amusement marring her pale brow.

"You sure you don't want to try?" Sun Ce called after her, raising the pole as invitation. Lady Qiao's chuckle wound back to them between the cool fingers of the wind.

"I'm sure I'd only embarrass myself. I'll just paint, thank you." With this, she began climbing the ladder, carefully balancing the ink and scrolls against her chest. Han Dang tensed a little.

"Would you like a hand, Elder Lady Qiao?" But by the time his shout caught up, Sun Ce's wife had already reached the deck above her, nimble hands making short work of the rungs. The Sun lord laughed.

"Don't worry about Da. She's good at getting where she wants to go." Han Dang blinked at the confusing statement for a moment before a gleam of paternal pride slipped into his gaze. Zhou Yu couldn't help his ironic smile. He wasn't sure why the veteran warrior was so eager to see Sun Ce getting along with his wife – but it was interesting nonetheless what people could read into any situation when they tried.

Sun Ce began to hum tunelessly, shifting the pole from hand to hand and shaking his stiff fingers. Zhou Yu looked out across the river, scanning the patches of green coursing recklessly down the steep valley. The ridges had only grown taller around them as the boat continued on, and they sloped sharply into the water without reluctance. Only a thin bank separated the jagged, plummeting heights from the river, and the cliffs on all sides looked as though they might tumble all the way down with the proper provocation.

"I've got an idea," Sun Ce volunteered suddenly, startling his companions. Zhou Yu's gaze returned to the bright face as Han Dang cleared his throat.

"Oh? What's that?" The Sun lord tossed his head at the empty bucket waiting nearby, its warped wood soured from long years corralling fish and withstanding the elements. Han Dang lifted the barrel into his arms and waited for further instruction.

"You see that rope over there? The one tied to the mast, but not to anything else?" Zhou Yu took measured strides over to the object in question and prodded it with one disinterested foot. Sun Ce was right – the second end of the hemp rope coiled only around itself, holding the bundle together in a limp knot.

"What about it?" the strategist asked, dark eyes waiting for the moment of eureka. Sun Ce gestured him back with one hand, the other still loosely gripping the stubborn bamboo rod.

"Bring it over here, Yu." Zhou Yu did as he was asked, dragging the rope behind him as he made his way back to the railing. The warm fibers stung his fingers as though infused with the sun itself, and he felt each grainy strand searing into the flesh of his palm.

Once the swordsman had returned with his quarry, Sun Ce looked back to Han Dang. "Now tie the rope around that bucket." The faithful veteran blinked, completely at a loss, and Zhou Yu felt a similar blank expression settling over his face. Their lord smiled reassuringly. "I'm going to throw it into the river and drag it behind the boat. It'll be like trap fishing – fish'll get caught in there as the rope pulls it along. I think that ought to work."

Han Dang's brow was deeply furrowed as he and Zhou Yu exchanged glances. The swordsman just raised an eyebrow at the uncertain veteran, who bit his lip for a long moment before responding, eyes drowning in doubt. "Sun Ce…" he began gently, but the young officer waved him off.

"Trust me, Han Dang! It'll be fine. Besides – if it doesn't work, all we've lost is a bucket, right?"

"…All right, if you say so." But even after his acquiescence, Han Dang was at a loss, and Zhou Yu frowned as well. The bucket had no handle, no grip, not even a hole through the top edges.

"How are we supposed to get the rope to stay on?" The strategist's question prompted only a shrug.

"I don't know. You're the certified genius here – you figure something out." Zhou Yu scowled at the well-worn smile creasing his companion's face. Han Dang, glad to be free of the precarious project, dropped the bucket at the swordsman's feet and stood back as though physically detaching himself from the situation. Zhou Yu glared at the back of Sun Ce's straw-shaded head, then regarded the rope in his hand with vibrant skepticism.

"Ce…"

Suddenly Sun Ce straightened on the railing, his whole body becoming instantly rigid as though stung. The Sun lord let out a jubilant cry that cleanly interrupted his strategist's protest; two startled gazes shot to his struggling, delighted hands.

"I got something!" he shouted, laughing beneath his wide amber eyes. "I really got something!"

Han Dang was at his side in an instant, grabbing the young officer's shoulders to steady his straining form. "Well done, Sun Ce! Don't yank on it, now – take it slow!" The veteran spoke smoothly, but his voice danced with excitement under its rigid suggestion. Even Zhou Yu was quickly distracted; the rope, limp and forgotten, slipped from his hands.

Sun Ce frowned in exertion and tugged the bamboo pole hard, rivaling the furiously fighting line with brilliant exhilaration. Han Dang grabbed his arms and forced them still, chuckling despite himself as the pole snapped viciously back and forth.

"Take it easy!" the general instructed as Sun Ce struggled against his hold, accidentally smacking his head against the veteran's stubbled chin. "We must have something pretty big here. We're going to have to slow down a little." Sun Ce laughed, his gaze almost startling in its eager energy.

"Come on, come on – let's get it up here!"

Zhou Yu found himself motionless, completely captivated by the flurry of activity before him. Sun Ce's eyes were sparkling with excitement and challenge and the radiant sun above, crystallizing in amber shards that shone like midnight candles in his tan face. The young officer's laugh was infectious, complete – it surrounded them and floated across the deck, a paper kite in the clutches of strong wind. Han Dang's stern features were split nearly in two by the amusement he couldn't push down, the strong well of emotion building somewhere in his chest. The strategist felt a smile possessing his lips as Han Dang jerked sideways, holding his commander steady against the staggering line.

"Lure it in, Sun Ce – whoa! Watch that pole, kid!" The bamboo snapped threateningly between them, hissing through the air in open menace. Zhou Yu shook his head. Perhaps it was just that Sun Ce set people free – but one way or another, Han Dang had never looked younger, never more agile, never happier than he did clinging to the Sun lord's shoulders to keep his balance and lost in the desperate battle.

Sun Ce cackled and yanked his arms backward, nearly dislodging the veteran's guiding hands as he made another pass at dragging his prey out of the river. "Here we go, you stupid fish!" His shout tore across the open water like the white cranes passing overhead. "You won't get away from me!"

It happened so suddenly that Zhou Yu could only blink. One minute Sun Ce and Han Dang were at the railing, holding the fishing pole in four steel, determined hands – and the next, they weren't. The strategist stared at the spot where the two officers had been, unable for a long moment to comprehend the empty space ahead of him.

"Gah!"

Time seemed to stop as a tremendous splash melded the pieces together. Then Zhou Yu raced forward, tripping over the abandoned bucket and nearly careening overboard himself; his frantic hands grabbed the railing as wide, dark eyes found the spluttering forms beneath him in the water – water that was moving away all too quickly.

"Ce!" The shout fell from his lips in a tangle of panic; helplessness flooded his features and made his limbs stiff, unmoving. Sun Ce waved his arms and burbled and struggled to swim, clearly hindered by the weight of Han Dang dragging around his shoulders. The veteran general was adamantly refusing to let go despite the Sun lord's tumultuous motion, and his attempts to tread water only entangled their legs with each useless stroke.

The young officer finally managed to get his mouth open, eyes locked for an instant on his swordsman's shocked gaze, but any words he'd intended vanished in a thick mouthful of rust-colored water.

"Zhou Yu!" Han Dang's call was forceful but useless – and all the time the strategist could only watch them begin to drift away, pulled by the strong currents underneath the gentle surface of the river. "Don't worry, Zhou Yu! I've got him—" A surge of water drowned the general's sentence, additionally hindered by the young lord's flailing.

"Let go, will ya? I'm fine!" The sodden amber eyes burned up at the strategist against their background of murky red, and Zhou Yu felt his heart catching against his ribs. "Do something!" Sun Ce demanded, waving one heedless fist before Han Dang's well-meaning arm accidentally dunked him back underwater.

The rope. It flashed across Zhou Yu's mind in sudden blazing clarity, and two seconds had the hempen cord in his desperate hands. The swordsman flung it headlong into the river, watching his overwhelmed companions toil against the current.

"Han Dang!" The note of panic underlining his words intensified as the rope flew as far its length allowed. It splashed into the water just beside Han Dang's head, and in another moment the general had it trapped in two sturdy hands. He hung on with all his might as the cord pulled taut, one drenched arm still latched around Sun Ce's waist despite the young officer's thrashing.

"Master Zhou Yu! Any trouble?" Zhou Yu had never been more pleased to hear Jiang Qin's voice. Keeping one steadying hand on the rope, the strategist turned to meet the gallant warrior's eyes. A number of sailors on the upper decks of the tower were watching the commotion curiously, dark eyes uncertain about interfering. Zhou Yu's jaw went rigid.

"Sun Ce and Han Dang have gone off!" he shouted. "Help me pull them back up!"

Jiang Qin's eyes widened tremendously, and then his voice exploded like a new year's firecracker. "Man overboard!" Zhou Yu almost winced at the sheer blinding volume of the yell. Jiang Qin was waving his arms in all directions and gesturing furiously to where the strategist stood, his eyes alight in panic. "Our commander has fallen off the side! All hands on deck! Help Master Zhou Yu at once!"

The swordsman had to wonder, then, if all of Jiang Qin's sailors were as devoted to Sun Ce as the general himself, because fifteen men flung themselves from the center tower's railing immediately, barely keeping their feet as they landed with suitably grandiose crashes on the floor of the main deck. Before Zhou Yu could blink, as many sailors as could fit their work-stained hands onto the rope were stacked behind him, eyes furious with determination. Jiang Qin himself leapt from the upper deck and stood beside the startled strategist, hands gripping the rail in visible urgency.

"Pull!" Jiang Qin shouted, and Zhou Yu found himself nearly knocked backward at the force yanking on the rope. Then the swordsman braced his feet against the side of the ship and began to drag the waterlogged rope aboard as well. Zhou Yu winced and gritted his teeth as the coarse hemp rubbed raw against his palms, stinging his hands and cutting right through the calluses that swordplay had given him. "That's it, men! Put your backs into it!"

The weight on the other end of the rope suddenly increased drastically; and Zhou Yu could see that Han Dang was partly out of the water now, his soaking form hampering the sailors' straining muscles. Sun Ce was holding onto the rope somewhere below Han Dang's knees, glaring up at the veteran general as he coughed large quantities of river water out of his lungs.

After several minutes of struggling, Han Dang was close enough for Jiang Qin to grab, and the warrior yanked his comrade unceremoniously over the railing, dragging Sun Ce along with a final remarkable heave. Both officers fell to the wooden floor in sodden lumps, coming untangled at last and rolling onto their stomachs with a flurry of scattered droplets. Zhou Yu knelt at Sun Ce's side as the young officer groaned, hands pressed to his face.

"Ugh… I got water up my nose! I hate that!" Han Dang sat up slowly and leaned against the railing, pounding on his chest with one heavy fist to dislodge any remaining liquid from his lungs. Jiang Qin stood above the two dripping generals, his face a mask of the panic Zhou Yu felt slowly ebbing out of him now that both men were back on board.

"Are you hurt, Lord Sun Ce?" the warrior inquired hastily, hands nervously clenched at his side. Sun Ce shook his head viciously, ponytail flopping like a rag across his soaked shoulders.

"No, I'm – and I've got it in my ears, too!" The Sun lord began slamming one palm against the side of his head, grimacing up at the strategist who had placed a careful hand on his arm. "I can hear it moving! Man…" Jiang Qin shifted against the railing, mouth opening in another question, but Sun Ce cut the words off before they could begin. "Stupid fish! And it got away, too!"

Han Dang sighed and closed his eyes, energy clearly spent. "I'm sorry, Sun Ce. Perhaps we can try again some other time…"

The young lord laughed, but it came out as more of a choke when another cough racked his sopping form. "No thanks, Han Dang. I think I'll leave fishing to the professionals from now on." Zhou Yu exhaled softly, letting the last of his concern drain out of him and resisting the urge to brush Sun Ce's chestnut bangs away from his eyes. Yet another adventure to add to their list of mishaps – but at least no one had been hurt. Although, upon further reflection, there had been one casualty.

"You lost your hat." Sun Ce blinked up at him, then felt the top of his barren head with a frown. The young officer huffed.

"That just figures! Yep – definitely enough fishing for one lifetime. I liked that hat, too." Sun Ce got slowly to his feet, stripping the drenched shirt away from his torso and wringing it out over the deck with a heavy sigh. "At least it's warm today… that water was freezing!" Han Dang laughed and looked up as Zhou Yu rose, brushing a few strands of unruly hair from his steadily relaxing shoulders.

"I think I'll just sit here and air dry," the general mused, leaning heavily on the railing and closing his eyes. "A little too much excitement for an old man like me."

The lord of Wu shook his head again, his ponytail flinging water from side to side as it bounced. "Suit yourself. I'm going to go change, though." Sun Ce took his sandals off and laid them in the sail's shadow, wrinkling his nose at the drenched silk. "What a mess."

Zhou Yu watched as his wet footprints disappeared against the warm deck, vanishing almost as soon as they were formed. Sun Ce walked purposefully toward the center tower, only pausing on the tower corridor's threshold to glance back at his strategist.

"You know the worst part about it?" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow in soliciting question. Sun Ce huffed.

"I don't even like fish!" The swordsman smirked. Then Sun Ce was gone, swallowed by the shadowy doorway and the echoes of his footsteps down the hall.

Zhou Yu turned back to Han Dang, and a frown formed on his face at the sight of the general's completely drained features. The strategist walked back toward the railing and its exhausted associate, stopping when the veteran's beetle-black eyes shot open with instinctual wariness. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed.

"Are you all right?" Han Dang laughed softly at his question.

"I'm not going soft yet, Zhou Yu, don't worry." A thick hand rubbed through the general's hair and brushed the damp strands back from his forehead. "I've just never been a very strong swimmer to begin with." The swordsman felt his brow furrowing.

"I was under the impression that you came from a family of fishermen." Han Dang chuckled, fatigue fading a little as reminiscence relieved his expression.

"Now who told you that?" The veteran shook his head. "I did – but I was the youngest boy and afraid of the water, so I was allowed to join Sun Jian's army instead of taking up the family trade." Zhou Yu nodded slowly. He wanted to ask Han Dang if he'd ever considered, at the time of his enlistment, how great a commitment he was truly making to the Sun family – but before he could open his mouth, a yelp somewhere in the central tower shattered his thoughts.

"Yu!" Zhou Yu turned on heel as Sun Ce raced out of the tower, nearly colliding with his strategist when he latched onto the pale arm and leaned over, breathing heavily and still lacking a shirt. The chestnut hair dripped down his back and across his tan skin as the young officer looked up, amber eyes desperate. "Yu, you've got to help me!"

Zhou Yu frowned, worry creeping into his stomach again. "What's wrong, Ce? Are you all right? What happened?" Jiang Qin and his soldiers had all straightened with the Sun lord's reentrance, each man looking as though he were ready to leap to the rescue at any moment. Sun Ce shook his head.

"It's not me!" A thoughtful scowl furrowed the strategist's forehead as he did a quick role call. Han Dang at the railing, Jiang Qin and the sailors scattered over the deck, Lady Qiao painting behind them. Which meant—

"Xiao Qiao?" he asked, wondering what had gotten into the girl for the second time in one day. Sun Ce nodded vigorously, and the swordsman pressed his thin lips together. Perhaps she was feeling ill again? "What did she do?"

"Well first of all, she's in our room." Zhou Yu felt his frown increasing tenfold in surprise. The Qiao sisters had requested a joint cabin during the voyage, and neither had shown any interest in setting foot in their husbands' room – until now, apparently. Han Dang and the assembled sailors looked confused as to why this was important, but the young officer didn't spare them a glance, dashing his bangs away from worried eyes and tugging on Zhou Yu's arm. "I tried to go in there to change, and she started lobbing things at me!"

Now that he looked closer, the strategist could see a line of black splattered across Sun Ce's already ruined pants – probably compliments of a thrown inkwell. But it was so uncharacteristic for Xiao Qiao to have a bout of unsolicited violence that Zhou Yu couldn't help regarding his companion with skepticism.

"You just walked in, and she started throwing things at you? You didn't do anything?" Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"No! I didn't even get in the door, Yu! And she was screaming like a banshee, too. Come on – you've got to talk to her!"

Zhou Yu held fast against the grip on his arm as Sun Ce turned toward the tower. "Why me?" he wanted to know. "Get her sister – Lady Qiao can calm her down better than I can."

The Sun lord paused to glance over his shoulder. "She was yelling about _you_." Zhou Yu stopped pulling back and stared openly into the serious amber eyes.

"What?" Sun Ce shook his head.

"I don't know. I didn't catch all of it – I was kinda busy ducking the plates and things. But she was definitely screaming about you."

Every eye was focused on the strategist, each gaze privately wondering what he had done to make his wife so angry. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and frowned. What had gotten into Xiao Qiao recently? The younger Qiao sister was usually so cheerful and lively. It had been years since Xiao Qiao had thrown a childish temper tantrum like this – in fact, the last time she'd acted so odd was before they discovered her crush on Lu Meng. With a slow nod, the swordsman gave his acquiescence, and Sun Ce resumed his progression toward the tower, dragging the concerned strategist behind him.

As they entered the shadows, Zhou Yu spoke up again. "You're sure she was yelling about me?" The young lord's hair bobbed up and down as he confirmed his earlier statement, the chestnut strands nearly dry from the day's pure heat.

"Yeah… you and Lu Meng, but I didn't want to mention that in front of everybody."

This piece of information only deepened the strategist's frown. He and Lu Meng had never had much to do with each other – and especially in their relationships with Xiao Qiao, there was no real parallel. What mistake had he made to upset the ginger-locked girl? And why was she so mad at Lu Meng _now_, after two weeks on the river without him?

No obvious answers revealed themselves to his probing mind. After the trip into town, Xiao Qiao had settled down considerably, only spending the afternoon inside because she complained of the heat. Zhou Yu had believed her illness cured by Lady Qiao's herb formula – but perhaps they'd been wrong. Or was this something else entirely?

Before he could even imagine the solutions to these many possibilities, the door to his and Sun Ce's cabin stood before them, tightly shut and almost radiating bad temper. Sun Ce glanced up at him and Zhou Yu gave a curt nod, jaw set; the young officer raised a cautious hand and knocked.

"Xiao?" His hesitant voice wormed through the wood before them. "It's me. Look, can I—"

A sudden crash on the other side of the door startled both men, making Sun Ce jump before his tongue got away again.

"Sheesh, Xiao, would you cool it!? I just wanna talk to you!" The shout echoed through the corridor around them and up the nearby ladder, bouncing intensely against the ceiling. Zhou Yu braced himself as stamping footsteps approached the other side of the door.

"Well I don't want to talk to you!" The strategist had never heard his wife in such a temper – not even when Lu Meng's sour disposition occasionally wore her patience clean through. "You go away, Sun Ce – go away and don't come ba—"

The door wrenched open, and Xiao Qiao's words died in a sudden hiccup as she stared at the two officers outside. Sun Ce stepped back a pace, wary of the bowl in the girl's trembling hands, and Zhou Yu held himself steady only through force of will. Xiao Qiao opened and closed her mouth a few times before staggering backward, fingers rising to cover her lips as the flame of fury died in her hazel eyes.

"Zhou Yu…" The swordsman's wife hiccupped again, complete surprise clear on her features. "What… what are you…?"

Zhou Yu frowned. "This is my cabin. Why wouldn't I be here?" Xiao Qiao stepped back again, and the strategist followed her through the door, keeping his stern gaze fixed on her face despite the distracting mess that the room had become. Sun Ce trailed after him, just as shocked by Xiao Qiao's reaction as she was by her husband's presence.

Zhou Yu dropped both hands to his waist, watching the shying girl with stoic contemplation. "Sun Ce said you were yelling about me," he began flatly, noting the way his wife's eyes widened at the words. "Did you want to talk?"

Silence. The strategist waited calmly as Xiao Qiao bit her lip, eyes anxiously bright at the direct question. Sun Ce shifted uncomfortably behind him, clearly unnerved by the confrontation he'd gotten in the middle of. Then Xiao Qiao's eyes began to waver, though with what emotion her husband couldn't tell. Zhou Yu watched her composure slowly breaking, counting off in his mind until the words would burst out of her. Three… two… one…

Xiao Qiao exploded into tears, leaping forward and wrapping her arms tight around the swordsman's torso. Zhou Yu felt his eyes widening painfully, and Sun Ce choked audibly where he stood near the doorway. Whatever the strategist been expecting, it wasn't this. Xiao Qiao buried her face in his chest and sobbed, holding on so tightly that her husband could hardly breathe.

"Don't be angry!" Her piteous wail rang through the cabin like a steel bell. "Please don't be angry! I didn't mean to, but – but—"

Zhou Yu stared helplessly down at the ginger pigtails, hands immobile and useless at his side. In the four years he'd been married to Xiao Qiao, he had never encountered a situation like this before. After a long moment, broken only by the torturous sobs that racked Xiao Qiao's small form, Zhou Yu raised one uncertain hand to her head and patted it gently, gaze moving to Sun Ce in the doorway.

"Get Lady Qiao." Sun Ce was off like a shot, gone from the room almost before the words had left his lips. The strategist stared down at the silken bundle pressed into his arms and swallowed hard, every ounce of tact he did not have screaming through his mind to _do something!_

Awkwardly, Zhou Yu got his hands under Xiao Qiao's chin and brought her head up until he could look into the tear-soaked hazel eyes. The girl's lips were trembling and her face was beet red, flushed from all the crying and shouting she had done. The swordsman frowned, confusion clear across his face.

"Xiao Qiao… what are you talking about?" He tried to keep his voice level, but her words about him being angry had put the strategist on guard. His wife seemed to notice, cringing back from his fingers and shaking her head.

"I… I…" More tears fell like august rain and flooded her cheeks; her face crumpled as though it were burning paper and she shoved back into his shirt, hiding herself in the thick cloth. Zhou Yu sighed in concern and helplessness, running one abstract hand through his dark hair.

"Look. I can't help you if you won't tell me why you're upset." But the girl just kept crying.

Fortunately, Zhou Yu was saved by a rush of footsteps near the door. He turned just as Lady Qiao burst in from the corridor, her braids flying heedlessly around her shoulders. The young woman gasped at the sight before her, then hurried forward after catching the plea for deliverance in Zhou Yu's eyes.

"Xiao! Xiao, what's wrong?" At her sister's voice, the strategist's wife released his shirt and dove into Lady Qiao's arms instead, burying her face in the beautiful robes. Sun Ce followed his wife through the doorway and came to stand at Zhou Yu's side, his face a mask of concern and confusion.

Lady Qiao led her sister carefully to the sparse bed and sat down, letting the girl's head fall into her lap. Then she brushed the ginger bangs back and gave Zhou Yu a very stern glare, the likes of which he had never before seen glowing in her deep eyes. "What did you say?" The swordsman shook his head, surprised at the malicious frost ringing through the dignified woman's voice.

"Nothing. She just—" His explanation was cut off abruptly as Xiao Qiao raised her head and wiped one sleeve across her face, peering pleadingly up at her sister.

"It's not his fault," she supplied, hiccupping through her tears. "He didn't… I just…" Lady Qiao's eyes softened as she wrapped two warm arms around her sister's back and nodded a slight apology to the stony strategist.

"Then what is it, Xiao?" The girl sniffled at the gentle question. Lady Qiao sighed, holding her sister's face in both hands. "What's wrong today? Please tell me why you are upset. I want to help you." The soft, beseeching tone seemed to reach something in Xiao Qiao, and she sat up fully, rubbing the last of her tears away and looking out at the rest of them.

"Sun Ce…" The Sun lord jumped a little as she addressed him. Xiao Qiao bowed her head contritely. "I'm sorry I threw things at you." Sun Ce laughed unsurely, relief flooding his face.

"Hey, no big deal. I've had things thrown at me before." Xiao Qiao cleared her throat and cocked her head to the side.

"Could you… shut the door?" As Sun Ce moved to fulfill her request, the girl's eyes flitted to her husband, and for a moment Zhou Yu thought she was going to start sobbing again. Her lips quivered and her lashes trembled with tears, and the swordsman was left wondering just what he'd done to make her so miserable.

Then Xiao Qiao drew herself up straighter and the tears vanished, chased away by the strength burning in her eyes. "I…" Her voice cracked under the strain of sobbing and she broke off, hesitating as she looked between three expectant faces. Sun Ce came back to Zhou Yu's side and slid his arm through the strategist's, and their contact brought a tearful smile to Xiao Qiao's face. "You're going to be so mad at me," she mumbled, glancing up at her husband through soaked bangs. Lady Qiao frowned.

"No, he won't." The firm reply surprised her companions, Zhou Yu not least of all. The elder Qiao gave him a stern look and then turned back to her sister. Xiao Qiao laughed a little.

"It's okay, Da. He's got a right to be mad. But…" Her eyes came back up to meet the strategist's, fierce with decision. "But I'm not changing my mind. No matter what. I won't—"

"Xiao Qiao." Zhou Yu was surprised to find his own voice interrupting her. The girl blinked up at him as the swordsman felt his jaw set in preparation. "Just tell us what's wrong."

His wife sighed. "Nothing's wrong. Well, except… I don't know how to explain it!" Her pale fists lay like river stones in her lap, strong but helpless against the tide. Zhou Yu frowned.

"This has something to do with the woman in the market, doesn't it?" Xiao Qiao nodded, eyes melting to gold with agitated memory.

"I don't know how she knew. It's too—" The girl cut herself off, physically biting her tongue and holding it between pearl teeth. Sun Ce rolled his eyes, then let go of his strategist to walk into the far corner of the room. Three gazes followed him curiously as the Sun lord grabbed the square stool against the wall and dragged it forward, dropping it just behind Zhou Yu and crossing his arms.

"Okay. There we go." Xiao Qiao's lips came open in an unasked question, and Sun Ce frowned at her. "Now Yu can sit down on that. Da's on the bed already, so she can't go anywhere. And it wouldn't be the first time I've fallen over." A cheeky smile quirked his lips upward. "Just spit it out, Xiao. We're all ready – hit us with your best shot."

Xiao Qiao looked at her friend in appreciation, then took a deep breath and glanced round at them all again. "I…" Her words stalled behind her lips, and she paused for an infinite moment before gathering her courage and forcing the answer out at last.

"I'm pregnant!"

Zhou Yu stared. Lady Qiao's jaw dropped. Sun Ce's eyes became saucers. Xiao Qiao bit her lip.

Silence. Clear, endless silence.

"WHAT?!"

Sun Ce's shout echoed like a physical force around the compact cabin, slamming against the walls and fighting for freedom. Zhou Yu felt himself crashing backward onto the stool, and he barely managed to keep the whole thing from toppling over as he fell, gripping the wooden sides in white knuckled hands. He couldn't think. He couldn't breathe. He could only sit motionless and stare at his wife's rapidly blushing face.

Lady Qiao's hands flew to her mouth faster than sparrows, covering a gasp, or a scream, or – Zhou Yu had no idea what Sun Ce's wife was feeling. All he knew was the blood rushing and pounding in his veins, struggling through the heart beating fast enough to hurt as it crushed against his ribcage. She was – Xiao Qiao was—

"How can you be pregnant?!" Sun Ce demanded, staggering sideways until he could grab onto Zhou Yu's shoulders for support. Xiao Qiao was flushing as brightly as the scarlet silk of her robes, but she glared up at him nonetheless.

"Please tell me you don't actually want an answer to that!" she snapped, glancing warily at her husband's silent, shell-shocked expression.

Zhou Yu felt all the blood draining out of his face, and even Sun Ce seemed completely shaken as his grip tightened on the strategist's shoulders.

"God, Xiao…" The faltering exclamation seemed to exhaust Sun Ce's vocal resources, and Zhou Yu felt the Sun lord's gaze slip to the back of his head, waiting for a reaction. The swordsman dug his fingers tighter into the wooden stool; his nails bent under the force of the desperate grip.

Why? Why had this never occurred to him when he let Xiao Qiao pursue her own affair? Why hadn't he thought about the consequences of her relationship with Lu Meng? Why had he never considered that she might get – get—

"Xiao, are you…" Lady Qiao's voice broke in the middle and filtered tentatively between her fingers, brushing the pale skin like insect wings. She coughed and regained her tongue. "Are you sure?" Xiao Qiao nodded, her gaze never leaving Zhou Yu's ashen face.

"I thought I might be before, but then when I got sick this morning… and then the lady in the market…" Sun Ce leaned heavily against his swordsman's shoulders, swallowing so hard that Zhou Yu could hear it.

"What did she say, Xiao? It – it sounded like nonsense…" The girl rolled her eyes, furious blush growing yet darker.

"'A lantern under the bed' and 'sowing jade in a blue field' are both expressions for being pregnant, Ce." The strategist could almost feel the uncertainty in Sun Ce's amber eyes.

"Oh. I… I didn't know that."

The uneven silence hung suspended for a long moment before Xiao Qiao slumped back on the bed, the firm pout on her lips defying her rosy blush. "Don't look at me like that," she nipped, eyes flickering away from her husband's empty stare. "I'm going to be seventeen this fall – most girls are mothers so much earlier than that. Why can't I have a baby?" Zhou Yu choked, the first sound he'd made, and it cut through her tirade like a whetted knife. Xiao Qiao fell instantly silent, watching the swordsman cautiously.

"You… you want a baby?" Zhou Yu's voice cracked as it fell from his lips, saturated with the same shock that still coursed unhindered through him. Xiao Qiao drew herself up straighter, a small spatter of stubbornness becoming clear in her eyes.

"Yes, I do. Just because _you're_ never going to have children doesn't mean that _I_ don't want to!"

Zhou Yu felt himself growing yet paler at her words, and his breath stalled painfully in his ribs like a sharp crystal, hissing into the tense room as it broke. Xiao Qiao's eyes immediately became imploring, shining in her face like twin stars as she rose from the bed and came to stand beside her husband. Her gentle hand on his shoulder made the swordsman jump, but she pressed on despite the shadows swirling across his face.

"Please, Zhou Yu," she begged, fingers tightening into his shirt. "I want a family. Please let me have children." Zhou Yu felt his eyes hardening into black stones as his gaze finally snapped into focus, and he shot up from the stool so suddenly that Sun Ce and Xiao Qiao both fell away from him in surprise.

"What are you talking about, Xiao? This is a disaster!" His voice rebounded in a near shout as Xiao Qiao slumped back on her heels, tears collecting in her eyes again.

"Zhou Yu…" Her pitiful plea was shattered by movement from the bed as Lady Qiao finally rose from the silk coverlet. The dignified girl met Zhou Yu's shaded stare across the room, and her gaze was not kind.

"Why do you say that, Lord Yu?" Despite the graceful lilt in her tone, the strategist could see command glowing in her deep eyes, and her movements were stiff. Zhou Yu knew she was ready to tear into a deadly argument – her voice rippled with self-righteous anger. "My sister wants a baby. I don't see what's so disastrous about that."

Zhou Yu shoved an absent hand through his hair and scowled at her, worry fluttering in his gut with the wingspan of a white crane. "Are you mad?" The swordsman saw Xiao Qiao wince at the volume of his words; Sun Ce reached forward to grab his arm, but the strategist shook his hold away and glared straight back at the elder Qiao. "Adultery is punishable by hanging! If she has that child, she'll be killed!" The flurry of anxiety flustering in his chest burst through his voice and sent a surge of white-hot adrenaline up his spine until he almost couldn't see. It was ridiculous. Was Xiao Qiao out of her mind?

Then Lady Qiao laughed, and Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed. "I am not speaking lightly," he spat, dark eyes flashing at the graceful young woman with a finger pressed to her lips as though in a mocking gesture for silence. Lady Qiao raised a placating hand.

"And I am certainly taking you seriously," she assured him coolly. "But you're quite mistaken."

Zhou Yu blinked, and Sun Ce took advantage of the distraction to get both arms firmly around the strategist's waist as precaution against further outbursts. Then the young officer shook his head.

"What do you mean, Da?" Lady Qiao raised a delicate eyebrow and directed her gaze back at Zhou Yu's puzzled features.

"There's no reason for Xiao to be thought an adulteress," she informed them calmly. "After all, her child will be born in wedlock."

Zhou Yu's mouth went dry as he stared into her deep river eyes, and for a moment he couldn't answer. Then the words choked from his lips in a startled rush.

"But it's not mine."

Lady Qiao shrugged gracefully. "No one knows that." The group fell into silence for a moment as both Qiao sisters' eyes regarded the strategist, and Zhou Yu felt Sun Ce's arms tightening around him, though whether in restraint or reassurance he couldn't tell. The swordsman felt every muscle in his body tensing so tight they seemed ready to snap. Xiao Qiao was watching him warily, hazel eyes flickering between hope and fear as her husband shook his head.

"I…"

He didn't want it. Zhou Yu didn't want to be a parent. Not in name, not in truth, not in the eyes of the people around him. He didn't want Han Dang's smile. He didn't want Cheng Pu's pat on the back. He didn't want Jiang Qin's overbearing congratulations and Taishi Ci's knowing smirk and Lady Wu's cautious glance… and more than anything else, he didn't want any creature in existence to view him as its father.

Lady Qiao met his dark eyes firmly. "The only way Xiao Qiao is going to be exposed as an adulteress is if you drag her to the authorities. And Lord Yu, you will do that only over my shattered corpse." Zhou Yu was amazed at the amount of venom in her quiet statement. But it was ridiculous, and he could only shake his head, finding himself halfway speechless at the assertion.

"I didn't mean… I would never…"

"I know." Lady Qiao smiled at last, the expression breaking like a cloudburst over her firm features. "Try to calm down, Lord Yu." Her voice was like cooling water draining the sharp anxiety away, and the strategist felt his shoulders slumping in response. The deep brown eyes regarded him openly, free of their former threat as Lady Qiao nodded softly. "I understand this is unexpected for all of us. But Xiao and I will take care of the child – we certainly don't expect you to raise it. All I ask is that you give it your family name, and with that your protection."

Xiao Qiao jumped to her feet, unable to hold her emotions in check anymore. Her hands wrung the silk of her charming robes as she looked up encouragingly into her husband's face, eyes imploring and reassuring all at once.

"It'll be okay, Zhou Yu – I promise!" Her words rushed out at breakneck speed, as though they'd been pent up too long behind her lips and needed escape. "I'll take care of everything, and Meng—"

She broke off with a blush, and Zhou Yu felt a wave of near revulsion at the thought of what _Lu Meng_ would have to say about his impending fatherhood.

Xiao Qiao shook her head and straightened, blushing but resolute as she wrapped both hands around her husband's arm. "He'll help, too," she finished firmly. "You don't have to worry about anything. I can handle it."

Zhou Yu felt all his energy draining away, dragged in three directions. Xiao Qiao's fingers in his sleeve. Sun Ce's arms around his waist. Lady Qiao's elegant, understanding eyes meeting his across the small room. There didn't seem to be anything he could say anymore.

Sun Ce, who had wisely kept his mouth shut through the greater part of the argument, finally tired of the silence. "Come on, Yu – don't be a spoilsport," he jabbed, squeezing the swordsman as hard as he could. "First baby in the family! It's exciting." Zhou Yu glanced over his shoulder and found himself staring into two glittering amber eyes. Sun Ce smiled. "We can do this."

The strategist wondered if his confidence was unfounded, but he couldn't protest any more than he could refuse. Zhou Yu sighed, his eyes slipping closed in defeat. That was it, then.

"…I've said it before, Xiao Qiao." The girl blinked as her husband's eyes flickered over her waiting face. The swordsman shook his head slowly. "You can do what you want to."

Perhaps Lady Qiao noticed that there was something a bit off in his voice – her eyes narrowed in puzzlement as his acquiescence filled the room. But the moment was swept away as Xiao Qiao squealed, jumping forward to hug Zhou Yu so that he was sandwiched between two ecstatic forms.

"Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you!" she cried, nuzzling into his shirt. Sun Ce laughed and untangled himself from the swordsman, ruffling Xiao Qiao's ginger hair and winking at her.

"Congrats, Xiao! Let's hope it looks like you and not Lu Meng, huh?" The girl giggled and pounced on her companion.

"Don't be mean to Meng!" she insisted, shrieking with laughter as Sun Ce lifted her lithe form and spun her in a circle. The young officer snorted.

"Who, old Woeful? Nah, he likes it – gives him more to complain about." Xiao Qiao squeaked as she landed and stumbled back into her sister's arms, eyes bright with the infectious excitement buzzing around her. Lady Qiao laughed, her eyes completely free of their former severity as she hugged the girl tightly.

"I can hardly believe you're having a child, Little Bird." Xiao Qiao blinked at up at her sister.

"You haven't called me that in years!" Lady Qiao smiled.

"No. But I am unsure of the last time I've been this happy."

Zhou Yu looked away as Xiao Qiao flung her arms around her sister's neck, his dark eyes boring into the wall. Then he turned and left, quietly closing the door behind himself and pausing only a moment in the thin corridor before he headed back to the main deck. He wanted silence. He wanted isolation. He wanted away from the cheerful, jubilant cries that chased him like jeweled music down the hallway, cutting his feet and threatening the shadows in his eyes with unwelcome light.

.x.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Zhou Yu turned away from the water and glanced back into the burning amber eyes, gaze shifting slowly over the sunset-painted river and hesitating in the endless sky before finding his companion at last. Sun Ce sighed and frowned at him, walking forward until he could lay his hands beside the strategist's on the railing.

"Being grumpy again, huh?"

The swordsman had no inclination to answer. His gaze returned to the swirling water below them and the valley stretching crimson under the sun's vanishing rays. It was amazing how peaceful the scenery could look when everything else was upside down.

Sun Ce tried again. "You've been up here for hours. I'm guessing that brooding about it hasn't put you in a better mood." Zhou Yu pressed his lips together, watching the velvet ripples fading away from the stern. "Why don't you come down – Jiang Qin's ordered a feast. Who would've thought that guy'd get as excited about a baby as the rest of us?"

The strategist glanced over long enough to see that his companion was smiling before his eyes slipped back to the landscape. Sun Ce groaned.

"Would you give it a rest? Yeah, you don't want a kid – so what? These things happen, Yu." The swordsman scowled and jerked away from the mollifying hand on his arm.

"It's not your wife," he snapped, retort echoing over the quickening water. The Sun lord rolled his eyes.

"Not yet. It might be someday." Zhou Yu blinked; the thought of Lady Qiao having a child seemed utterly impossible. Sun Ce shook his head and wrapped encouraging fingers around his strategist's wrist. "Look – it's not yours, Yu. It isn't."

Zhou Yu glared out over the water. "No one knows that," he repeated, Lady Qiao's words ringing across the aft deck. Sun Ce laughed dryly.

"Sure they do. Everybody that matters." Zhou Yu blinked down into the bright amber eyes as Sun Ce began to tick their accomplices off on his fingers. "I know, and you know, Shang and Quan, my mother, Zhou Tai, Taishi Ci, Huang Gai… hell, even Ling Tong knows that Lu Meng's sleeping with your wife."

Zhou Yu frowned at the sharp words and turned away. It was true – but that didn't shake the displeased feeling in his stomach. All he could think about was Jiang Qin's expression when he'd bounded into the strategist's silence to congratulate him, face split in a brainless grin, spouting something about Heaven's blessing and the beauty of children. Zhou Yu growled low in his throat and clenched his hands around the railing. He was going to be getting that for the next year at least – if not the rest of his life.

"Ugh!" Sun Ce's annoyed cry startled the swordsman out of his thoughts, but not nearly as much as the subsequent yank on his arm. Zhou Yu spun on his heel and glared sharply into the Sun lord's unwavering expression, seething words already stinging his tongue.

"Ce—"

Warm lips cut him off. Zhou Yu's eyes widened as the familiar tan arms locked around his neck and the young officer's hands tangled into his hair, tightening to match his fierce gaze. When Sun Ce finally pulled away, breathing heavily and scowling, Zhou Yu could only stare at his companion for a long moment before he found his tongue.

"Sun Ce, you idiot! What are you doing?" he demanded in a furious hiss, trying unsuccessfully to pull away from the young lord's firm grip. "The sailors—"

"So what?" Sun Ce retorted, eyes flashing in challenge. "It doesn't matter what they think. It's never mattered."

Then he let go and took a few steps back, gaze locked on Zhou Yu's blank expression. "Why do you always have to worry so much about other people's opinions? People who don't even matter." The Sun lord watched his silent companion for another minute, then sighed and turned away, heading for the ladder without a backward glance.

Zhou Yu looked back over the water – but the sunset seemed to have lost its luster, and even the shining cranes painted red and gold as they flew were less captivating than the figure walking away behind him. The swordsman exhaled slowly. Somewhere inside him, the feeling of apocalypse was fading, banished by Sun Ce's words.

He wasn't going to like it. He couldn't. But perhaps Xiao Qiao's pregnancy wouldn't be the end of the world, after all.

Zhou Yu turned back toward the central tower and moved forward, pausing only an instant at the edge of the raised aft before he leapt down to the main deck, foregoing the ladder completely. Sun Ce looked back at the crash, one hand on the tower's doorway and eyes understandably wide. Zhou Yu staggered to keep his feet after the long jump, then straightened and brushed errant strands of dark hair away from his silken shoulders.

For a long moment, he didn't say anything. He didn't have to. The light in his dark eyes and the small smile on his lips were enough. The strategist shook his head slowly, fighting the warm feeling that spread along his ribs and out into his fingertips.

"I'm not letting you get away with that, Ce. Not twice in one day."

Sun Ce blinked. Then a blinding grin came over his features, more brilliant for the rose-colored sunbeams streaming around them. The young officer laughed.

"Well… I guess you're going to have to catch me, then," he teased. Zhou Yu scoffed.

"Again, you mean?" Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"The first time was a fluke. If that stupid sailor hadn't come out of the tower just then…" He trailed off and cast the swordsman a calculating glance. Then he turned and dashed into the corridor, footsteps pounding in his wake and laughter reverberating against the wooden walls. "Race you to the cabin!" he shouted over one shoulder, eyes burning impishly in the dark hallway.

And Zhou Yu followed, as he'd always done.

End Chapter 32

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This is officially the longest chapter ever to exist… I thought about cutting it off, but I wanted to get through the whole "Xiao Qiao is pregnant" thing without a break in the middle. And Gan Ning made a guest appearance… kind of. Anyway, let me know what you thought, as always.

A note for Ever Kitsune: I'm glad you liked the last chapter. And yes, when I get time do occasionally go back and rework the beginning chapters, because my writing style has changed so much since I started this story. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. Your comments are always welcome.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: I'm glad I made you laugh. Your reviews are generally very sedate, so it was with great pleasure that I received this particular comment about your enjoyment of the story. And I have to say… if life had a mute button, I might never turn the sound on again. Thank you for your review.

A note for Jen: I also like giving Zhou Yu the chance to be more carefree. It's a bit difficult, of course, as they were warlords… but nonetheless, I'm glad you enjoyed it. Taishi Ci is indeed far more of a friend to Sun Ce – and who can blame him, really? Anyway, thank you for your comments, and I hope to hear what you thought of this chapter as well.


	33. Chapter 33

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Minor violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: A story about Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 32 

The moon had set.

With the creak of wooden wheels and a sharp jerk, the wagon began to move again. Chen Hao started and slipped from his kneeling position, smacking his head against the wall behind him and wincing at the rough pain. Zhou Yu choked on a short breath and swallowed hard, the surprise painting his face almost white for a long moment before understanding filtered back into the dark eyes. The general exhaled slowly, and Chen Hao felt his heart rollicking to a slower beat as the familiar clop ahead of them began again, sifting through the wagon in consistent rhythm.

Chen Hao glanced out the wagon's open end and scoured the dark night with futile eyes. He couldn't see anything – and he could assume the drivers hadn't heard anything else, either, if they were willing to press on. But it was impossible to be sure of what the senses were saying in the murky morning coming slowly over them. Chen Hao shifted, one hand rubbing the back of his head to ease the bump already forming. The sky was no lighter than before – darker, even, now that the moon had gone – and the stars glared silently overhead just as they had before. But somehow, the soldier could feel dawn coming.

Zhou Yu cleared his throat but didn't speak, dark eyes watching the soldier almost in expectation. It took Chen Hao a long moment to realize that the general was waiting for his customary interruption – had he really begun to ask so many questions that Zhou Yu anticipated them in his storytelling? For once, the soldier had difficulty finding a path of inquiry. The silence between them stretched on, like the cord pulled too taut around a tightly fitted robe, until a stray thought crossed Chen Hao's weary mind.

"How old is Master Han Dang?" Zhou Yu blinked, clearly surprised by the infinitesimal detail. Then the general chuckled, the harsh sound softening like a burning candle wick as it left his lips.

"I am afraid, Chen Hao, that Han Dang's age is none of your business." Chen Hao slumped, shoulders falling despite the unbearably cold wind around them. He had been curious – it always seemed to Chen Hao as though Han Dang had simply sprung out of the battle field one day, but talk of his family reminded the weary foot soldier that no man stems from nothing. He wondered how many years had flashed in memorandum before those coal black eyes…

Zhou Yu's voice surprised him. "I am not certain myself. But if I were asked to guess… fifty-five, perhaps a bit older."

Chen Hao blinked in shock. He hadn't expected a real answer. But the general was watching him calmly, as though having decided to simply entertain the soldier's curiosities up front rather than letting them interrupt the progression of the story. Chen Hao swallowed and snatched another question from the lost corners of his mind.

"Lord Gan Ning of the Ringing Terror…"

Zhou Yu smirked. "Yes. Gan Ning was a pirate once – he terrorized the Yangzi valley for many years before joining our campaign. It wasn't until a few years ago, actually, that he came over to our side. Back then, each of his followers wore bells around their waist, which is where his title came from… Ling Tong is still prone to tease him about that. It is difficult to chastise him, honestly." The general shook his head, voice dropping to a murmur in reflective addition. "Ce was right – it is a rather ridiculous name."

The soldier straightened, tucking both feet underneath himself and shaking the cold from his unhindered hand. "Lord Ling Tong and Lord Gan Ning… why do they hate each other so much?" Having trained in the snappish officer's squad, it was impossible to miss the barbs thrown between the two men and the aura of hatred seeping from them. It seemed as though Wu's famous rivals must have a chronicle as well – and an interesting one at that. But Zhou Yu was shaking his head, dark eyes closed against the thick sky.

"That is a long story." His voice drifted into the shadows like a falling feather, and for a moment Chen Hao felt as though he could have reached out and physically caught the words – held them against the skin of his palm, in between the wrinkles and scars. "And it is not mine to tell."

"Oh." Disappointment settled into the soldier's stomach, a heavy weight crushing the butterfly of anticipation against his chilled spine. Zhou Yu's onyx eyes regarded him silently for a moment before the general shrugged, dark hair lapsing across the floor at the detached movement.

"But if you continue to end up in the right wagons at the right time… it may not be too long before you have heard their story as well." Chen Hao blinked. Had that been… a joke? He couldn't be sure – the general's eyes had slipped closed as he sighed into the thin air. "I wish them a happier ending than they are hurtling toward. Both have been good men and faithful officers in their service to Wu. If such a thing is possible, perhaps they will one day regard each other as comrades rather than enemies."

Chen Hao shivered. Another goodbye. He wondered if he should remind Zhou Yu that there were some people waiting for him at Han Ni Castle… that a few of these farewells could be delivered face to face. Or was the general planning to die right here in the cold, heartless wooden wagon rocking them ever closer to their destination? Did Zhou Yu feel something the soldier could not? Was he in pain?

"In any case, we need to move on." It was as though the general had sensed the sudden rush of concern in his companion, and the overflowing emotion had reminded him of his dwindling flame and Time's endless progression to a shadowed sunrise. Chen Hao bit his lip and scooted forward, studying Zhou Yu's face as best he could now that the moon had disappeared, dragging its fragile light uselessly behind the horizon.

"Are you… feeling all right, my lord?" The general blinked up at his subordinate for a long moment, then a slight smile claimed his lips. Zhou Yu chuckled but did not answer, merely shaking his head in a sardonic but gentle motion that left Chen Hao even more confused than he had been before. The soldier rocked back on his heels and felt his weathered brow melting into lines of frustration. Perhaps it was a ridiculous question – but he'd been asking about a change in the general's condition, not the overwhelming wound in his bandaged chest.

Zhou Yu swallowed his laughter, though whether at the expression it had sparked in his listener or simply from his draining mirth Chen Hao couldn't tell. The general's hair scratched and skidded against the cold wood as he shook his head again.

"We need to move on." The echoing words possessed the thin night surrounding them like wisps of dying smoke. Chen Hao nodded despite his interest in an honest answer, and he tried not to look too hard at the line of darkness settling between Zhou Yu's lips as the general coughed and closed his eyes. Was it blood? Shadow? Nothing at all? Surely Zhou Yu wouldn't be able to talk if his throat were actually bleeding raw… would he?

"As I mentioned earlier, Wang Lang and Yan Baihu had impounded themselves in Kuaiji, and for a few weeks we were unable to engage them in battle. However, a strategy involving surprise attack finally allowed us to take Kuaiji."

Chen Hao shifted, hope weighing heavily in his eyes. It wasn't that strategy particularly fascinated him – the soldier hardly understood most of the things Zhou Yu depicted and described. It wasn't even that he'd heard of the battle of Kuaiji, or believed it to be that fascinating a story. It was simply that Chen Hao, against his mind's clamoring inclination, couldn't help wanting to be part of the great enterprises that conquered Wu – even if only in borrowed memory. And so he spoke, letting the ivory-tinged words stand stark against the general's dark narrative.

"My lord?" Zhou Yu looked up and blinked, and for a moment Chen Hao thought he was more surprised by the honorary than by the interruption. The soldier stared into his fathomless night eyes and swallowed back his lingering hesitation. "Will you tell me about Kuaiji?"

Zhou Yu sighed at the question, raising a hand to rub at his temple. "I'm afraid there isn't time, Chen Hao."

Chen Hao knew he shouldn't beg – it was certainly not acceptable in this situation, or in his role as a soldier speaking to a revered commander, a softly breathing legend. But nonetheless…

"Just a short story?" The general frowned up at him, then exhaled slowly and waved a dismissive hand.

"…If you're truly that interested." Chen Hao felt himself nodding vigorously and moving closer, hesitation stilling his fingers against the wooden floor.

"I am interested in all of your story, my lord." Zhou Yu stared at him, confusion and surprise written across his blank face. The soldier swallowed. "I wish there were time to hear more of it." Because who knew how many pieces were falling through his fingers even now, like thin Mahjongg tiles from a broken wall…

The general sighed stiffly, a soft sound that barely broke the air around them. Then he smirked. "Ce always assured me that I am a terrible storyteller." Chen Hao wasn't sure the words were meant for him, but he grasped at them anyway and held them tightly like river reeds as Zhou Yu scowled a little in remembered annoyance. "Like a history book, he'd say. Too many facts, not enough anecdotes."

Chen Hao pressed his lips together to keep from responding to the introspection that circled his commander's face like a thin veil of rain. He wasn't sure the Wu king's assessment had been correct – but more than anything, like a hot needle in his chest, it made him wish he could hear the story from Sun Ce's perspective. He wondered if there had been a similar scenario – another wagon like this one, ten years earlier – and for an interminable instant his mind flashed across another soldier like himself, caught in the desperate grip of a dying man, listening intently to a tale that would never be heard again. Or perhaps Sun Ce wasn't the type to construct his life story at a moment's notice.

"But if you like… I will recount a short portion of the experience." Chen Hao was nodding before the general's words even registered, and Zhou Yu frowned as memory ran rampant across his eyes. Then he nodded, expression clearing with the fresh burst of wind that assaulted the wagon's sides and ceiling. "I have been called a brilliant strategist – but it is hard to imagine how many of my strategies would have occurred to me without Sun Ce's help." Chen Hao blinked in puzzlement, unsure of the conjecture's validity and even more unsure what it had to do with the battle for Kuaiji.

"Chi Bi?" he asked, voice morphing the statement into a question as it left his tongue. Zhou Yu's dark eyes flashed with a sudden spark.

"Chi Bi… is a different story entirely." The greatest naval battle Chen Hao had ever heard recounted splashed through the general's eyes in quiet fire, churning and tumbling as though to prove something Zhou Yu's words couldn't capture… then he shook his head, and the spell was broken. Chen Hao leaned back and his general continued slowly, as if thoughts of Chi Bi had left him inexplicably breathless.

"But in the campaign for Kuaiji, Sun Ce was indispensable in the creation of my strategy. And as usual, he inspired me through his insatiable, god-given idiocy."

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"You did what?!"

Sun Ce winced and ducked his head toward the tent floor, narrowly avoiding the punishing swipe headed his way. Zhou Yu scowled and rose quickly to his feet, almost stumbling as his legs struggled to regain the circulation they had lost hours ago. Sitting on a stool and laboring to construct plans of attack had the tendency to rob his limbs of their ability to move. But that was only a minor concern at the moment; he was far more interested in impaling some sense through Sun Ce's thick skull – with a sword, if necessary – than in the condition of his muscles.

The young lord shrugged in half-hearted apology and dodged backward in preemptive avoidance of another threatened strike, though Zhou Yu's hand remained clenched at his side. "Sheesh, cool it. It didn't work anyway." The strategist glared hard into his unhurried amber eyes.

"Whether it worked or not isn't my concern, Ce. How many times do I have to tell you not to get yourself killed today?" Sun Ce huffed, crossing both arms stubbornly over his chest.

"I didn't get killed! I didn't even get stabbed or anything." The flat look echoing in the swordsman's eyes said that he might not remain uninjured very long at this rate, but Sun Ce pressed on. "I just wanted to give it a shot, all right? And you demanded that I go away this morning, so I did what you suggested – I went out scouting. And I figured that if I could take out a few enemy soldiers, so much the better!"

Zhou Yu sighed and rubbed at his growing headache, struggling to keep his voice level against the worried irritation swimming through his stomach. "Sun Ce." The young officer straightened a little at his full name, blinking up at his swordsman expectantly. "When we woke up this morning, I asked you to leave me alone to work on a strategy. And what did you do? You went and shouted challenges at Kuaiji's gate – all by yourself."

A funny smile twisted over the Sun lord's lips, but he did his best to squash it back as the strategist's voice intensified and his tirade continued. "So when Huang Gai dragged you back here kicking and screaming, you ran rampant and made an utter mess of the tent—"

Sun Ce rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on. It wasn't that bad." Zhou Yu glared him into silence and pressed on.

"And so I requested that you find another activity and make yourself useful in camp—"

Sun Ce snorted, disrupting the narrative yet again. "There wasn't a lot of _requesting_, Yu. More like you threw things at me until I left." The swordsman raised a cool eyebrow and considered his answer carefully before opening his mouth again.

"… I didn't throw anything heavy."

The Sun lord shook his head, amusement riddling the tan features playfully despite the firm criticism he was receiving. "No – just a whole stack of papers and a few brushes." Zhou Yu nodded, the stoicism shadowing his jaw completely unaffected by his lord's jab.

"And I will do it again, if I must. But the point is, Ce, that your immediate response was to traipse off into the wilderness outside camp and get yourself _hopelessly lost_ for the better part of two hours, until you ran into one of Yan Baihu's outlying raid parties."

Sun Ce stuck out his tongue, expression severely disgruntled. "I was not hopelessly lost. I was just exploring." Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath and brushed stray hair away from his shoulders, dark eyes alight with undimmed consternation.

"And now you come back here in shambles – and yes, shambles is the correct word," he interrupted the Sun lord's intended argument, eyeing his companion's frayed robes and bird-nest ponytail, "and I still haven't gotten any work done! How do you expect me to conquer Kuaiji if I can't get a moment's peace?"

His energy gone, the strategist slumped back onto his stool, glaring down at the stacks of reorganized paper that littered his dark table as though they were personally responsible for the entire situation. And in a way, they were – if only the maps had yielded some sort of inspiration, any vague outline of a battle plan, he might have finished working hours ago. And then he could have put a stop to the Sun lord's ridiculous idea of a useful activity himself.

Sun Ce laughed, shaking his head at the glower darkening his companion's face. The bright amber eyes winked in an amusement Zhou Yu didn't share as the young officer knelt in front of the table, draping his arms lazily across the scrolls and ink stones.

"I don't expect you to conquer Kuaiji," he assured the swordsman casually. The tan cheek came to rest against one shoulder as Sun Ce shrugged, a grin teasing at his lips. "I just expect you to help me do it. And I'm not completely useless – I brought you a present."

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed in annoyed puzzlement. "What are you talking about?" Sun Ce smiled openly.

"Tada!" With a vibrant flourish, the young officer whipped a crumpled piece of parchment out of his belt and held it forward proudly, expression betraying his satisfaction. Zhou Yu reached for the paper and brought it close to his face, staring at the chaos of triangles and squares that littered the surface. The strategist raised an eyebrow, silently willing the muddled symbols to make sense.

"And this is…?" Sun Ce rolled his eyes, jolting to his feet and stepping around the table until he could flop down at his swordsman's side.

"This is a map," he explained flatly, wrapping both arms around Zhou Yu's torso and leaning over to study the unintelligible paper himself. The strategist glanced down at his unruly mop of chestnut hair and sighed.

"A map? It's an utter mess, Ce. How am I supposed to read this?" Sun Ce frowned and elbowed him in the gut, from which the strategist assumed the parchment was a product of his lord's own poor charting skills. The young officer huffed and moved forward, shifting until Zhou Yu's arm fell naturally along his back in a loose grip and he could get one hand up to his haphazard creation.

"It's not that bad! You're just picky, that's all." Zhou Yu rolled his dark eyes heavenward as the Sun lord nodded decisively. "See? Here's our camp – the big box – and here's the river that runs along the road. And this is Kuaiji." The swordsman poked one unimpressed finger into the crumpling paper.

"What is this other box – the one just north of here?" Sun Ce nodded vigorously.

"That's where I met the raid troop. They had a small camp there – from the looks of things, I'd guess Yan Baihu's been switching his scouts every few days." Zhou Yu frowned at his companion's suggestion.

"That's impossible – we've had guards at each of Kuaiji's gates all three weeks of the siege." The Sun lord shrugged, amber gaze sympathetic but stalwart.

"I know. But there definitely wasn't enough equipment there for more than three days, even for stellar soldiers – and I tell ya, the guys I fought were pretty pathetic." Sun Ce slumped into a more comfortable position, withdrawing his hand back to the tormented tabletop and fiddling with a loose brush scattered across the strategy hurricane. "They must have another way out of the city, I guess – a tunnel, maybe?" Zhou Yu shook his head.

"We've searched for a tunnel. But perhaps we should send a squad back to this camp – they might be able to find something." Sun Ce brightened, grinning victoriously up into his strategist's thoughtful gaze as the words echoed against the tent walls.

"See!" he proclaimed, nudging Zhou Yu in the ribs. "I was useful, after all." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"Maybe. But think how much _more_ useful you could have been if you'd stayed out of trouble." Sun Ce wrinkled his nose, a warm chuckle escaping as he squeezed his swordsman in a slight hug.

"And think how boring life would be if I actually took your lectures to heart!" Zhou Yu growled at the molten metal jab, but he felt the tension easing out of his shoulders as his eyes scanned the frenzied map before him and the Sun lord laughed under his breath. Perhaps Sun Ce's information would be useless. But it was a place to start – and somewhere to start was all he could ask right now.

"You don't listen to a word I say, do you?" Sun Ce shrugged.

"Some words. Depends on if I want to hear it or not." Before the strategist could properly punish his companion's lack of attentiveness, the door flap flew inward with sudden strength, followed shortly thereafter by a huffing man in heavy armor. Zhu Zhi glanced around and raised a furtive eyebrow at the proximity of his commanding officers, but his business apparently outweighed his curiosity and he cleared his throat without comment.

"Lord Sun Ce, Master Zhou Yu. Sorry to… interrupt, but I bring tactical information from the fifth squad." Zhou Yu shifted away from Sun Ce as best he could, but the young lord's arms were still gripping his robes in unforgiving tenacity, and he didn't seem interested in moving away on his own. The swordsman pushed down his customary feeling of apprehension as Sun Ce gestured to the floor, features lit with a smile that Zhu Zhi did not quite return.

"Have a seat! We were just looking over my brilliant map, so you're not really interrupting anything." Zhu Zhi's face cleared significantly, though Zhou Yu could see a lingering shadow lurking beneath his expression. The stalwart officer nodded and dropped to his knees, wincing a little as his joints cracked in veteran stiffness.

"Of course – thank you, sir. As I was saying… the fifth squad sent a runner into camp with urgent information." Zhou Yu watched the determined, focused look in Zhu Zhi's faithful eyes and pressed his lips into a thin line. Whatever news Yuan Shu's former officer carried, it was clearly important.

Zhu Zhi shifted and stared down at his lord's mystifying map, eyes narrowing in confusion as his fingers brushed at the military bun situated squarely on his head. "The fifth squad is… they're stationed at the ford, though I can't find that on your map, my lord…"

Zhou Yu smirked and Sun Ce elbowed him hard, amber eyes flashing in vague annoyance as he jabbed the designated place on the parchment. "It's right here! Sheesh, it's legible, guys. This squiggly line is the river, and the double lines are the ford." His fierce glance shot between their carefully blank faces, defending his work as both arms released the strategist and crossed over his chest. "See?"

Zhu Zhi coughed briskly into his hand – although Wu's swordsman thought it looked more like a conquered chuckle than anything else – and nodded at Sun Ce's disgruntled expression. "Of course, my lord… forgive my foolishness. I see that now. As I was saying – the fifth squad is usually stationed at the ford. However, I asked them to take additional scouting duties today – along this hillside." Zhou Yu watched the rough finger sliding south with the rise in terrain, indicated only by a mass of peaks and swirls on Sun Ce's diagram. The strategist shook his head. If any of this information was worth the trouble, it would have to be transferred to another map – reading the Sun lord's symbols was simply impossible.

"Why did you tell them to do that?" Sun Ce's question flickered like a candle flame, far more serious than his words only moments ago. The young officer's eyes had become the hard gemstones that always shone so intensely when conquest was being discussed. Zhu Zhi nodded in acknowledgement.

"I thought I'd sighted smoke in that direction last night – I was wondering if Yan Baihu could possibly have sent for reinforcements." Zhou Yu's heart seized softly in his chest. The army they'd amassed to capture Kuaiji wasn't all that large – too many soldiers were still holding villages around Fengqiao and the roads to Hanzhou in the south. If Yan Baihu succeeded in garnering more troops, the fight would go badly – especially as Sun Ce's forces would be trapped between two waves of enemy advance.

The strategist cleared his throat and straightened from his increasingly uncomfortable position, stern gaze melding with Zhu Zhi's dark expression. "Tell me your search parties brought good news." The veteran laughed softly.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure what kind of news it is, Master Zhou Yu. There weren't any reinforcements to be seen, if that's your question – but they did make another discovery." Zhou Yu felt his eyes narrowing as Zhu Zhi snatched a brush from the table, darkening a small box at the far southeastern corner of the map and shaking his head. "I don't know how we missed this – but there's another village over here. The fifth squad counted fourteen large buildings, all surrounded by a high wall."

Sun Ce straightened, sudden concentration marring his face. "A village? That doesn't make any sense. When we were traveling here, we must have gone right by that place – and there weren't roads or cottages or anything." Zhu Zhi shrugged helplessly.

"I don't know, Lord Sun Ce. I can't explain it. But I verified the squad's report myself – there's definitely another compound here." Zhou Yu felt a firm frown encasing his features as the veteran warrior tapped his brush emphatically, spattering small drops of ink across the already disordered map. Sun Ce was right – it didn't make any sense. The village was too far from Kuaiji to be under Wang Lang's control, but too close to be another entity altogether. The strategist shook his head.

"Are you sure it's a village?" Zhu Zhi started, caught off guard by the question. Then he tipped his head in consideration.

"How would I know, without closer examination?"

Zhou Yu bit back a sigh at the general's genuinely uncertain expression. "Did you see any houses? Farmland? Any sign of irrigation?" Zhu Zhi shook his head.

"No – only the buildings and the wall. Why?"

Zhou Yu frowned, forehead writhe with furrows of contemplation. It simply wasn't logical. A village under Kuaiji's jurisdiction would have to be close enough for trade, or far enough to provide ample farmland. But Zhu Zhi's discovered settlement didn't seem to be either. In fact, given it's odd location, there was really only one thing that made sense… the strategist straightened, trying not to get his hopes up before proof could verify his whispering thought. "Fourteen, you said?"

Zhu Zhi nodded squarely. "I counted twice, just to be certain. But why does the number—" The swordsman held up a hand, stopping Zhu Zhi's question halfway. His mind made a quick tally. Six granaries, two guard towers, four low storage buildings, one barrack, and a stable near the exit for quick transport—

Zhou Yu stood very abruptly, banging both knees against the underside of the table and drawing a yelp of surprise from Sun Ce at the sudden movement. Zhu Zhi started and leapt to his feet in surprise, hand moving automatically to his dagger as the strategist stared down toward the map, eyes lost in its unruly contours. Of course. Sun Ce had said the raid party was too well-stocked to be holdouts, and there'd been no motion for escape from inside Kuaiji in weeks. Another outpost would give the scout units a base of operation, just far enough from the city to avoid detection.

Zhou Yu shook his head, dark hair wisping across the silken shoulders. "It's not a village at all. It's a supply depot." Both officers gawked at him, jaws open in surprise at the sudden pronouncement. Then Sun Ce snapped his mouth shut, working to get his words straight.

"Are you kidding me? You mean we could have burnt that thing weeks ago and been done with this?" The swordsman shrugged, eyes still locked on the black mark as though it might simply disappear from the page, taking their chance for victory with it.

"I'm not sure. We haven't seen any supply trains coming to Kuaiji, so it's possible that they're still surviving on the city's stores alone. But that aside…" Zhu Zhi straightened and stepped forward, hand sliding away from his weapon as the strategist's conclusion sunk in.

"Of course, I should have realized… my lord!" Sun Ce jumped a little at the abrupt address. Zhu Zhi knelt again and laid one hand on the table, eyes shining with concealed eagerness. "Let me lead an attack party – we'll burn that depot to the ground! Give me a handful of men, and I swear I'll have it destroyed in no more than three days." Sun Ce held up both hands placatingly, face dusky with bafflement.

"Whoa – take it easy! I can't just order a raid like that – we need a battle plan first." Zhou Yu blinked and glanced down at the Sun lord, eyes softening a little as Zhu Zhi's shoulders lost their enthusiasm. He didn't look it, and most of the time he didn't act it either, but Sun Ce had gained a sense of battle. The swordsman could remember times when the positions had been exactly switched – when Sun Ce had been all for a direct charge and his generals had reined him back, the strategist not least of all. Zhou Yu felt a tiny smile tugging at his lips. It looked like years of war and conquest had given the Sun lord the only thing his determination left bare: genuine leadership sense.

Zhu Zhi exhaled heavily and rose again, stepping back a pace from the surprised officer seated before him. "Forgive my brashness, Lord Sun Ce. It's only that… I'm very fervent to finish this battle. We have all been locked in this interminable siege for weeks, and the soldiers are growing weary. I fear their enthusiasm begins to wane. I only want to fulfill their hopes as son as possible." Sun Ce chuckled, shaking his head in agreement.

"Hey – no worries. I'm all for charging straight in, too." Zhou Yu frowned, the sharp edge of annoyance grating against his ribcage. So much for battle sense. "It's just that this strategist of mine gets really moody when we do things like that." Sun Ce jabbed a casual thumb at Zhou Yu as he grinned, eyes twinkling with teasing mirth. "So let's see if he's got a better plan first. And if not… then we rush right at 'em."

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath and returned to his stool, giving Sun Ce a good glare as he sat down and pulling a cleaner, more official area map toward himself across the table. The swordsman's dark eyes filled with shallow consideration as he fingered Zhu Zhi's abandoned brush, tracing a careful box around the probable location of the supply depot. It was hard to be sure, of course – but given the contours of the land, the ford and a small valley would have to lie between Yan Baihu's supplies and the main city. A distance of several _li_ at least.

The swordsman's pen batted at the thinning parchment as he frowned, drawing light strokes around the depot from all angles of advance. The river would cross their path no matter which line of attack they ultimately chose, preventing any straight charge from Sun Ce's main camp with its twisting banks of waterlogged rush. And the valley was troublesome as well – troops stationed in the depot would surely spot the approach of a large body of troops across the crest of the rising slopes. But the largest problem was Kuaiji itself.

"We should move the whole army," Zhu Zhi suggested, kneeling in front of the table again in restless anticipation. "We could take the depot with fewer men, but it will go faster if there are more hands to help." Zhou Yu shook his head.

"We can't do that. It's a fair march to get there – and Yan Baihu's scouts in the city will surely notice as soon as we leave camp with a large force. If we bring the entire army and Yan Baihu strikes us from behind, we'll have no warning. The battle will go badly."

"But how will they know where we're heading?" The swordsman scoffed under his breath and rubbed his forehead, eyes closing against the headache that always wormed through his temples at times like this.

"As soon as we move out, they'll guess our destination. Besides – the area between here and the ford is clear of forest. They can track our march for quite some distance, and it won't be hard to see where we're headed from the city walls."

Sun Ce shifted closer and traced the lines of Kuaiji with an impatient finger. "Then just send a small group – you can keep the main army here, while Zhu Zhi and I go dismantle the depot. That way you can cover our backs, in case Yan Baihu decides to show his ugly face outside the safety of the city." Zhou Yu shot his companion a sharp look, the spastic commander's intention to accompany his raid unit not escaping his swordsman's attention. But Sun Ce's intentions were irrelevant – his plan was also flawed.

"We don't know how many troops Yan Baihu has gathered in Kuaiji. If part of the army sets off, those of us remaining may not be strong enough to win against him." The young officer frowned heavily, expression darkening with unwanted thought. Zhou Yu sighed. "We need to force Yan Baihu to pursue us with as few troops as possible – and we need to somehow give ourselves an advantage over his troops when they come."

Sun Ce huffed. "Well, throw us a bone here, Yu. What are you thinking?" The Sun lord propped his elbows on the table, accidentally knocking an inkwell sideways with his impatience. The ink splattered across the open map in thick lines, oozing shamelessly across the supply depot.

"Ce! Would you watch it?" Zhou Yu's jaw clenched as he returned the young officer's glare, snatching the fallen inkwell and slamming it back upright with more force than necessary. Zhu Zhi jumped at the tense _smash_ echoing around them. "I'm not certain, all right? I need time to think about it." The swordsman brushed a few strands of hair away from his eyes, quick and irritated fingers blotted black. "And stop making such a mess of my—"

Zhou Yu stopped, words withering in his mouth as his gaze caught on the slash of black ink marring his map. One thin line stretched across the small valley, cleanly separating the crest nearest the depot from Kuaiji's only road. The strategist stared. The area stained with ink was the deepest forest of the entire region – and situated along the rising slope of the incline, the visibility within the shadow of thick trees would be nearly negligible…

"That's it." The simple words in his own voice surprised the strategist as much as his companions, who shared a confused glance before Sun Ce reached out and dropped his hand onto the stern shoulder. The young lord's countenance burned with curiosity as Zhou Yu shook his head, absent and preoccupied.

"Yu? What's 'it'? What did you figure out?" The swordsman almost smiled, turning to meet his commander's restless gaze with self-satisfied eyes.

"An ambush. We'll set an ambush in the forest. The main army can attack the supply depot, and a small force will stay behind in the valley." Zhu Zhi started, surprised by the unexpected tactic his superior had chosen. His face flooded with bafflement as his words stammered into coherent order.

"But – but you just said we don't know how many soldiers Yan Baihu has gathered! How can a small ambush party defeat his troops if a larger portion of our forces could not? Why would you leave an ambush unit to fight off his entire army, rather than remaining in camp with most of our soldiers?" Zhu Zhi shook his head hopelessly, hands splayed in a confusion that the veteran general clearly found uncomfortable. "Master Zhou Yu, this is madness!"

Zhou Yu held up a hand to stop the impassioned diatribe, eyes acknowledging the frustration running rampant across Zhu Zhi's features as the general clenched his weather-worn fists, fingers curling like leaves of granite. The swordsman shook his head. "Calm down, Zhu Zhi. I do intend to explain myself." Sun Ce slumped back in his spot, fingers drumming against the pounded floor as a slight smile captured his lips.

"You'd better. 'Cause I'm all for an ambush, but I don't get it any more than he does." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes in mind exasperation.

"You're all for whatever will get you into the thickest battle, Ce – don't pretend you care which strategy I choose." Sun Ce laughed and slung both arms behind his head, eyes unworried despite the impatience rolling off of Zhu Zhi in almost visible waves.

"Guilty as charged. Now get on with it – let's hear your brilliant plan before Zhu Zhi explodes."

Zhou Yu shot the general in question a cursory glance, and the man tried to assume a serene expression, but the strategist could see riled argument tugging at the corners of his mouth. The swordsman hesitated only a moment before beginning, trying to find the simplest way to explain his complicated idea.

"It's all about mind games. As I've said, we can't be certain how many troops Yan Baihu has gathered – although he can't have too many more than we do, if even that, because he would no doubt have already tried a charge if we were vastly outnumbered." Sun Ce frowned slightly, one eye closed in thought.

"I don't know, Yu – Yan Baihu's a coward, through and through. He might not want to risk a charge, even with superior numbers." Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Yan Baihu is a coward, yes – but Wang Lang is not. And as the ruler of this district, Wang Lang has a lot more to lose by holding out in the city. I'm sure he would have tried something already if we were far overpowered." Zhu Zhi's face became yet more clouded, flickering with twice the confusion it had suffered before.

"Master Zhou Yu – if our forces are close to equal, why not send the whole army to take the depot? Or leave the main body here? We'll have more manpower if the largest number of troops confronts the enemy."

The swordsman bit his tongue to hold back a sigh. It wasn't Zhu Zhi's fault he had the intelligence of a common man and the training of a common soldier – he could hardly be expected to understand all of the strategic components that affected the odds for victory. Zhou Yu was relatively certain that the general wouldn't understand a discussion of terrain or camp structure any better than Sun Ce could draw an area map, and it hardly seemed worth the effort to explain things fully. The strategist glanced up and met Zhu Zhi's troubled gaze with his own steel eyes.

"The problem, Zhu Zhi, is that it gives Yan Baihu the advantage in both cases. In the first scenario, he would take us by surprise from behind – even if scouts were posted," he added quickly, anticipating the argument behind the general's open mouth. "And in the second, the discrepancy in numbers – coupled with two of our best generals being away – would give Yan Baihu the advantage of force."

"Okay, okay!" Sun Ce broke in, bouncing a little in his seat and throwing both hands up. "Stop telling us what _doesn't_ work! Get on to your idea already!"

Zhou Yu gave the impatient Sun lord a firm glare for his interruption, but he did as requested and pressed on. "The key to this battle is gaining the upper hand against Yan Baihu's troops. To do that, we must first lure them out of the castle, and then we must use the element of surprise. We will count on their powers of observation and mediocre intelligence. By using an ambush here in the valley while the main army continues on to take the supply depot, we can use all of our resources most effectively."

The swordsman paused to survey his audience. Sun Ce was nodding vaguely and largely incomprehensibly, but Zhu Zhi's bewilderment spurred another desperate question. "Master Zhou Yu, I'm sorry, but… I'm afraid I still don't understand." Zhou Yu swallowed a second sigh and decided to spell things out as clearly as he could.

"Listen carefully, Zhu Zhi. When we leave camp here, we should yell up at Kuaiji that we're giving up – that we're abandoning conquest in this region." The strategist moved a pale finger along the ford, indicating the path of travel across ink stains and small hills. "Then the entire army moves toward the supply depot, following this road until it disappears. Sun Ce and I will set the ambush here in the valley, while you lead the soldiers on."

Zhu Zhi's jaw flapped open again, but Zhou Yu held up a hand and stopped the perplexed general with the words still cotton in his mouth. "Let me tell you why this will work," the swordsman continued, tone as patient and calm as he could make it. Zhu Zhi settled slowly into a more relaxed position, eyes darting furiously across the map, scouring its parched surface for any speck of insight. "When we leave here, Yan Baihu will know that we're actually going to attack the supply depot – he'll have to, because he can't help seeing our army head that way rather than back toward Fengqiao. Knowing that we're going to attack the depot, he will at once decide to pursue us with as few troops as possible."

"Wait, hold up." The strategist paused at Sun Ce's interruption, irritation hovering beneath his breastbone. The young officer shook his head. "Why would he decide that? Why not use the chance to escape?" Zhou Yu hesitated.

"… There is some chance that Yan Baihu would choose to run farther east rather than pursue us," he admitted, voice low beneath the shadows. "That's the risk of this strategy – and I cannot guarantee it will not be the outcome. But Wang Lang is the only ally Yan Baihu has left – and he will not be particularly interested in losing Kuaiji's supply depot, I assure you. We must rest our plan on the assumption that, despite how cowardly Yan Baihu is, he will not risk Wang Lang's abandonment for his own safety."

Sun Ce settled back a little and nodded his head, apparently satisfied with the explanation. A moment passed before Zhu Zhi also ventured a question.

"Why will he bring a small number of troops, Master Zhou Yu?" The general's voice was slightly meeker than before, and the swordsman guessed he'd begun to understand the complexity of the strategy being outlined.

"In a pursuit, a smaller number of troops can move faster – it is often advantageous to bring only a few companies in place of an entire army." Zhou Yu tried to make the words as mild as possible, and he could see Zhu Zhi's features sharpening as though the veteran was stitching this advice into his memory. "A small number of troops also create a smaller disturbance, which means it will be harder for an enemy to locate you. And if your pursuit proceeds through difficult terrain, such as a forested valley, a few men can move more stealthily and precisely than a large force." Zhu Zhi watched his superior silently, questions effectively silenced. The strategist exhaled softly and continued.

"Since Yan Baihu knows that he should have the element of surprise upon catching up to our army, he will bring a small number of troops. And since he also knows that we should not be expecting his pursuit, he will make no effort to plan escape routes or arrange for reinforcements." Zhou Yu paused to glance up from the map, finding Sun Ce's amber gaze and nodding sharply. "He will be careless."

"And the ambush?" the young lord asked, shifting in his spot and raising an eyebrow.

Zhou Yu smirked. "Yan Baihu knows – or believes, at any rate – that a small number of troops engaged in pursuit will be to his advantage. However, since we know that he thinks this, we will place an ambush where we can reverse the element of surprise and use the terrain to our greater benefit. Knowing that Yan Baihu knows our intention to take the depot, we know how he will move, and we know how to counter that movement."

Sun Ce blinked – but he was apparently far less muddled than Zhu Zhi, who took a deep breath before trying to phrase his confusion and concern. The general wrung his hands as his words struggled into a weak order. "But Master Zhou Yu – if we know that Yan Baihu knows of our attack on the depot, how do you know that he doesn't know that you know he'll bring a small number of troops, and knowing that…"

The veteran trailed off, lost in a sea of his own baffling rhetoric. Sun Ce coughed loudly to cover a laugh at the priceless, mystified look suffusing Zhu Zhi's plain features, and Zhou Yu pressed his lips together to hide a thin smile.

"I suggest you not worry about it," he advised, glancing back to the map before them. "There are only so many steps ahead that a man can foresee, given the information he receives. We are one step ahead of Yan Baihu to begin with, so we can predict his actions more accurately than he can ours." Zhu Zhi still looked baffled, and Sun Ce laughed outright at his loyal follower's expression.

"Don't worry, Zhu Zhi – it'll be fine." The Sun lord's eyes were gleaming encouragingly despite the thick air of the tent around them, and he slapped both palms onto the table in energetic endorsement. "I've never met anybody who can play mind games like Yu."

Zhou Yu nodded to himself, rising carefully from his stool and moving around the table so he could meet the veteran eye to eye. "Zhu Zhi, spread the news of our plan through the camp. Get the soldiers ready to move, and choose a few squads to remain behind in the ambush." At the general's nod, Zhou Yu turned to find the eyes of his excited companion. "Ce, you're with me. We'll head to the valley now – we have to pick the best spot for an ambush."

"All right!" Sun Ce exclaimed, punching one arm into the air and stumbling up from the table. "Let's get to it! I'm ready for some action – we've been sitting around for weeks!" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"You've had a lot of action already today. Are you sure you can handle it?" Sun Ce snorted, making a face at the slight smirk coloring his swordsman's countenance.

"Handle it? I'll show you – I'll race you all the way to that valley. We'll see who's laughing at who when I leave you in the dust!" The strategist merely scoffed, choosing not to acknowledge his commander's challenge one way or the other. As Zhou Yu strapped his sheath to the sword belt at his waist and Sun Ce snatched his tonfa, Zhu Zhi shifted thoughtfully in the doorway.

"Master Zhou Yu? Can I ask a question?" The dark swordsman looked up from the buckles and straps of his weapon, brow knit in concentration.

"What is it?" He sincerely hoped he wasn't going to have to explain his plan again – Zhu Zhi might not be particularly intelligent, but few people were sincerely that dense. The veteran warrior tossed his head toward the messy strategy table and stained map sheltering its surface.

"How did you come up with that idea?" Zhou Yu paused, hands stilling over the hilt that rested solidly at his hip. Then he shook his head, eyes stalling on the brazen lines of black marring the yellow surface.

"The ink spill. It created a partition right across the valley." Zhu Zhi's eyebrows knitted as though he wasn't quite sure he understood, but Sun Ce let out a triumphant squawk and straightened from where he'd been fumbling with his leather boots.

"Aha! I knew I was useful. Take that!" The strategist rolled his eyes. As Zhu Zhi whisked out of the tent, curiosity satisfied and intention overflowing, Sun Ce stepped forward and slipped an arm through Zhou Yu's, cheeky smile decorating his lips like the red ribbon tangling through his chestnut hair.

"You know what that means, right?" The swordsman raised a primarily disinterested eyebrow at his companion. The Sun lord smirked. "Next time we're stuck in one of these god-awful sieges, I'm going to dump a whole thing of ink over your maps first thing. Maybe it'll inspire you." Zhou Yu's answering glower was as dark as the shallow lines of Sun Ce's liquid threat.

"Don't you dare."

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The wind whistled between them with bruising force, its ruthless fingers making Chen Hao shiver beneath this thin armor. Zhou Yu's eyes slipped closed and his words raced away in the clutching flow of cold night air, disappearing somewhere beyond the back of the wagon and pulsing into the star-speckled sky. The general sighed.

"Our ambush was a success. We managed to defeat Yan Baihu's forces, though the man himself escaped in the chaos – a fair example of his spineless conduct. Wang Lang also disappeared before our troops reached Kuaiji." Zhou Yu paused for an interminable moment, forehead riddled with confused furrows. "Now that I come to it, I am uncertain whether… whether anyone ever found Wang Lang and delivered his deserved end. It's possible that he has evaded us these long years." The general shook his head in fatigued disbelief. "For all I know, he may be lurking near Kuaiji to this day."

Chen Hao frowned, biting his ragged lip between uneven teeth. "How could he have gotten away, my lord? Wouldn't the search for him continue after Kuaiji fell?" The soldier couldn't help feeling that someone like Wang Lang would be conspicuous in his absence, but he was surprised by the preoccupied expression flitting over Zhou Yu's face.

"I'm afraid the months after our conquest of Kuaiji were… a little complicated." The dark eyes hardened like deep stones, barely brushed by a few wisping strands of his loose hair. "The year 198 was very busy for all of us." Chen Hao shifted, puzzlement grazing his countenance.

"But you did pursue Yan Baihu, didn't you? He was your greatest enemy in Wu." Zhou Yu nodded slowly.

"Yes, we did. But the man had a talent for disappearing without a trace, and after a few days we were forced to pull back to Fengqiao. Our search for Yan Baihu came to a dissatisfying end. Zhu Zhi was named prefect of Kuaiji, and he excelled there – only rarely were we called east to assist with the stability of that region." The veteran's name sparked another question, and Chen Hao rubbed his hands across both arms to ward of the wind as he spoke.

"If I may ask – who is Lord Zhu Zhi?"

Zhou Yu blinked, his features awash with sudden bewilderment. "Zhu Zhi? Haven't I mentioned him before?" The soldier shook his head, and Zhou Yu sighed deeply, drawing a breath of wind and stars between his dry lips.

"Then I have done him a great disservice. Zhu Zhi was one of Yuan Shu's officers, originally – Yuan Shu often asked him to assist Sun Ce and myself when we fought outlying enemies. He became great friends with Huang Gai during our stay in Izhou, and chose to accompany us upon our departure from Yuan Shu's service." The general almost laughed, a short, rueful sound that seemed to catch in his throat. "I am surprised that he has only now entered the narrative. Zhu Zhi was indispensable in the conquest of Wu… even if he did drag on my nerves a little. He was fiercely brave, and insatiably loyal to our cause."

Chen Hao couldn't stand it anymore – he was freezing. Even the requested answer wasn't enough to hold him still as a momentous shudder rocked his entire body. The soldier allowed Zhou Yu's finger to slip from his palm where it had been indicating Kuaiji; the pale hand fell heedlessly to the floor as Chen Hao wrapped both arms around his raised knees in a flurry of desperate motion, ducking his chin between the folds of chilled fabric in search of miserable warmth. He shivered hard, knees pitching together and clacking like two pieces of old wood. Chen Hao's eyes met his general's onyx gaze over the distance suddenly separating them, and Zhou Yu coughed low in his throat.

"Are you cold?" The words were rasping, harsh – the same way every direct question fell from the dying man's lips. But there was no denying that he had asked, even though the soldier knew he could not give an honest answer. Chen Hao shook his head and felt his short bun bobbing back and forth above his shoulders – he could sense the tendrils of inked hair coming undone, winding down over his neck from their military style and scratching at his skin.

Zhou Yu watched his struggling escort for a long moment, silence swimming in his calculating gaze. Then his pale fingers began to pick at the cloth of his borrowed coat, winding it away from his body until the fabric of his shoulder armor could be seen. Chen Hao's eyes widened, and he shook his head furiously as though the motion alone could stop his general's intentions. More locks of hair fell from his tightly bound bun and scattered against his back.

"No – I'm all right." Zhou Yu paused and glanced up at the anxious soldier, one eyebrow raised in flat disbelief. Chen Hao gritted his teeth and swallowed a shudder, trying to hold himself still and sturdy against his legs. "Leave that where it is. I don't want it."

Zhou Yu chuckled, surprising the soldier with the soft rhythm of true amusement. The general tapped his fingers against the floor in quiet concert. "Chen Hao… I didn't want this jacket, either. But that didn't stop you from giving it to me."

Chen Hao wasn't quite sure what his commander meant by the words – they sounded like a complicated riddle, a deep message that he couldn't grasp. But he did know that he couldn't let the general freeze, whatever his own state. The soldier shook his head again.

"But—"

"Chen Hao." Zhou Yu's voice was sharper now, almost jagged, like the shattered pieces of a crossbow or the edges of Meicheng's broken pottery. The general gave him a stern stare. "Be reasonable. What does it matter if I am warm or not?"

Reason had nothing to do with it. Chen Hao squeezed his eyes half-closed, fighting the moisture that dragged at his eyelids – tears from the cold, or from something else that he didn't want to consider. It wasn't fair. It just wasn't. The soldier slammed one fist against the floor, startling his commander with the dull echo that rocked the wooden boards beneath them and shook the lissome ceiling.

"Do you even want to reach Han Ni Castle?" Zhou Yu's eyes widened at the unexpected accusation. Chen Hao felt his words stalling on his tongue and shoved them forward with haste, trying in vain to bring his voice back to a painless volume. "Do you want to see Lord Sun Quan, and your wife, and the others waiting for you? Perhaps they could save you, Lord Zhou Yu! Don't you want to live?"

The long string of questions ended in cold, sudden silence. Chen Hao closed his eyes and took two deep, full breaths of chilling wind before opening them again, his glance creeping across the floor toward his general's still form. The soldier swallowed hard as the moment drew on and still his commander did not speak. Maybe he'd said too much – voiced thoughts that their situation had named taboo. Zhou Yu's eyes told him nothing, onyx black and hard as steel.

Finally the general sighed, a slip of sound that broke the wagon's tension cleanly in two. Chen Hao straightened instinctively, gaze never straying from the fallen legend's face.

"Want to live… no. Not particularly."

Chen Hao felt the wind harden to icicles and drive through his flesh, stopping breath in his lungs and opening his eyes painfully wide. Zhou Yu spared him only a cursory glance before his attention riveted to the faltering stars behind them.

"You needn't seem so surprised."

Chen Hao swallowed, forcing his mouth open to find another breath, and the coarse inhale seemed almost physically grating – he could feel it spidering down his ribcage, uncomfortable and unwelcome. Before he could even reach for the words buried somewhere in his throat, Zhou Yu was speaking again.

"I will not say that I have nothing left to live for. But the things that remain cannot outweigh what I have lost."

The soldier bit his lip, stiff fingers winding through the fabric of his pants and gripping them tightly – wishing and praying, despite his intentions, that he would never find himself in a position like the general's. He couldn't imagine, couldn't even begin to envision, what it felt like to live knowing that you had lost whatever you valued most, and that it would be unattainable for the rest of your days. It would be coming home to an empty house – finding Meicheng and Li gone without a trace, without warning, or worse yet… Chen Hao shook his head hard to will the picture from his mind.

It would never come to that. Never. He couldn't bear it.

Zhou Yu sighed quietly, his breath drifting through the wagon like a fading spell and destroying the staggering images that lingered before his soldier's eyes. Then the general smirked and shook his head, dark hair sweeping the floor in mimic to the wind trailing thoughtlessly above them.

"I will live…" Chen Hao's gaze darted to the pale, absorbed face as Zhou Yu nodded decisively. "I will live until I finish this story."

The soldier swallowed. He wanted to say something – to acknowledge the seemingly impossible pledge – but there was no time to speak before his jacket came hurtling across the distance between them, landing squarely across his bowed head. Chen Hao blinked between the tattered sleeves and straightened, eyes locked on the returned clothing as he took it in both hands – and despite intent, his fingers clutched into the fabric, soaking up the heat it had stolen from the injured officer lying before him.

Zhou Yu's arms were crossed stoically over his chest, obscuring the brilliant bandages and holding him still in spite of the shivers that instantly rocked his body. The general shook his head again.

"And speaking of that… we must continue." His voice rolled in a low murmur, ignoring the flustered and uncertain look on Chen Hao's face as the soldier regarded his jacket. Could he put it on? Should he reject the offer? What code of conduct could possibly apply to the situation that had developed in this withered, weather-beaten wagon – where did he and Zhou Yu stand now, after all these hours, after their last exchange?

The general appeared uninterested in his subordinate's dilemma, and his words pressed on into the stealthily unimpinging darkness without pause. "After our withdrawal to Fengqiao, as I mentioned, we were forced to abandon the search for Yan Baihu. For several months, we heard nothing more of him, and Sun Ce and I returned to Qingshan – Taishi Ci was struggling with internal affairs, and he requested our assistance, though not in so many words."

He had no choice. Slowly, reluctantly, Chen Hao lifted the sleeves of his jacket and slipped them across his arms, holding back a sigh of relief as the wind suddenly stopped tearing through his flesh. The soldier thought he saw a tiny flicker of approval in Zhou Yu's eyes as he drew the cloth over his frigid shoulders, but it vanished before he could be certain. There was a moment of silence as Chen Hao fidgeted with the welcome garment, still feeling frozen despite its softening folds, and then the general's gaze sparked back toward the sky.

"When we did hear of Yan Baihu again, it was not in a manner any of us had anticipated." Zhou Yu paused, and Chen Hao could almost see the thoughtful consideration darkening his slight frown. The soldier shifted, tucking his booted feet beneath the splayed jacket as well as he could, and the light scratching of his feet seemed to prompt Zhou Yu's words. "I suppose you could say that 198 was the year for reunions. Our final triumph over Yan Baihu came through the unexpected aid of an old comrade. And it was, I'll admit, the easiest battle we ever won."

xxxxxxxxx

It was summer once again. If nothing else, the rain falling in endless, sweeping curtains across Qingshan's emerald gardens and scattering the gravel from its quiet paths was proof enough of the middle season's return. Zhou Yu had never known the fourth month to come without a tidal wave of storms, and this year seemed to be no exception, if the torrential rain that had dominated the previous few days was any indication.

From where he stood beneath the pavilion's curving roof, a hand's breadth away from the misting drops that cascaded through the thin pillars and splashed the rough wooden benches surrounding him, the swordsman could feel the rush of saturated wind against his face, mingling with the long hair loose across his robes and dampening his pale skin in slow currents. Zhou Yu let his dark eyes slip closed against the consistent brush of the wind, feeling the tempest building and circling all around him – upsetting his sleeves with curious fingers, tugging on the fabric as it danced intuitively along the open, slippery floor.

There was so much energy in the damp air – Zhou Yu could feel it vibrating and slapping the stone steps that cascaded from his feet as he raised the bamboo flute to his lips, letting a slow string of notes fall from the quiet instrument and bounce between the folds of the rain.

It had been a long time since the strategist took the time to play, and he could not pretend that each note came easily and perfectly from his sliding, stumbling fingers. But there was a whole new element to the music that he had never experienced before – the way it interacted with the downpour, how it echoed between the flagstones under his boots and the unending curtains of rain surrounding him. The flute had never sounded so rich, so full… when he closed his eyes, he could almost believe that each pounding, tremulous pulse of the rain against the ground was a direct result of his playing, as though his graceless transitions could call tears from Heaven itself.

Not that he had intended to spend his morning in the pavilion, freeing simple notes that the bamboo had held too long. It had been an accident that the flute found its way into his hands at all. Zhou Yu had been spending his time in a manner no different than most mornings: working. The desk in his room was already thickly piled with maps and regional reports, nearly bursting from the sheer quantity of material crammed over its tempered wooden surface. Brushes, ink, headache… he had assembled everything for a standard session of sorting out Qingshan's horribly meddled internal affairs.

Taishi Ci had been doing his best to act as a successful regent, but his organization and preemptive planning skills left something to be desired, and many aspects of government had fallen nearly to pieces in the period since Sun Ce led his forces east to Fengqiao. In fact, Zhou Yu was uncertain how much of the trouble he could actually correct with only a matter of weeks – the Sun lord was clamoring to return to Kuaiji, interested as usual in being wherever the most fights were likely to crop up. Between the errant but prideful Wolf of Qingshan and the absolutely insufferable lord of Wu, Zhou Yu's temples had been roiling with constant tension. And when he'd first woken to the sound of rain pattering the roofed corridor outside, the strategist had only been in a worse mood for the continually unpleasant weather.

But somewhere between fishing for a misplaced document and searching fruitlessly for Qingshan's recent reports, Zhou Yu had stumbled across his flute tucked into one of the side drawers. The swordsman was not sure for the life of him how the instrument had come to be in Qingshan, of all places – and in his desk, no less. But as he'd fingered the well-worn bamboo, he couldn't help feeling an urge to put it to his lips. And so, abandoning his papers and his headache for a short while, the swordsman had headed for the pavilion that jutted from one of the palace's covered walkways.

Not that the pavilion had been his first choice, what with its conspicuous lack of walls and sheer vulnerability to the elements. But Sun Ce was still sleeping, lost in the tangled sheets of his companion's bed in a position that looked impossibly uncomfortable, and Zhou Yu couldn't quite bring himself to wake the exhausted officer. So he'd left as quietly as possible, closing the door gently after a final glance at the tousled, tangled ponytail littering his pillow, and let his feet carry him into the wind.

As the music sang out around him and got caught along the carved rafters, Zhou Yu lowered his flute and sighed. The breeze seemed to carry his breath away and soften the contour of his lips, and the strategist found himself almost smiling up at the clouds reigning unrepentantly overhead. There was something about the rain that made him feel… whole. Empty. Alone.

"Can I join you?"

Or not. Zhou Yu glanced over his shoulder to see Lady Qiao standing beneath the walkway's high roof, her skirts swirling and sweeping as the wind ducked around its newest visitor. Sun Ce's wife smiled softly and tipped her chin to the side, watching the strategist above the oval body of the lute she clutched in both arms. Zhou Yu turned the rest of the way around and regarded the dignified young woman silently, eyes flickering over the pear-shaped instrument and back to her deep gaze before he nodded.

"It's not my pavilion alone," the swordsman answered quietly as she stepped forward. Lady Qiao laughed.

"No, Lord Yu – but if you wanted your solitude, I wouldn't like to disturb you. It's only that I was in the sitting room, and I heard you playing so beautifully… I was wondering if you'd mind a little company." Zhou Yu chuckled under his breath and shook the long, dark hair from his eyes.

"Please – there's no need for compliment. I am aware that my skill has waned in the absence of practice." Which was an understatement, really – he found his previously dexterous fingers could hardly struggle between the holes in any consistent tempo. It was almost annoying how much ability he had lost, but there was nothing to be done – endless conquest left little time for musical pursuits, even if Sun Ce approved highly of his playing.

Lady Qiao smiled as she stepped forward and surveyed the wooden benches against each side of the pavilion, finally choosing the one nearest her entrance as a dry place to sit. "And I have never been considered a flatterer."

Zhou Yu wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that, but he was saved a struggle for words as the young woman plucked experimentally at the four taut strings, her fingernails trilling rhythmically as she tuned. The strategist rested his flute at his side and watched her. Lady Qiao had performed on the _pipa_ lute many times, but he had never ceased to be amazed by the immense concentration and energy such an instrument required.

After a long minute of aimless fluttering and soft humming, Lady Qiao's movements came to a rest, and she looked up at the strategist with an expectant, interested light in her eyes. The sienna gaze seemed to ricochet laughter as she shook her head, braids bouncing helplessly over her shoulders.

"When Xiao and I were much younger, our father asked us to study duet pieces – he claimed that any woman of high class must know how to entertain and perform, in case the need ever arose. Xiao chose to learn the zither, because it was more exciting… but I don't think she's played in years." Sun Ce's wife chuckled quietly, and the sound streamed away from them with the energy of her playing moments before. "I came to truly enjoy music – and when he had time, Father would play the flute along with me."

Zhou Yu started, a bit surprised by the anticipation lighting her features as she glanced up at him. "If it's not too much trouble, Lord Yu… would you be willing to play in duet with me?"

The strategist was fairly sure that he wouldn't be able to keep up with the girl's swift, effortless performance, and he almost said as much, but the hopeful sincerity in her eyes stopped the words just short of his lips. Zhou Yu swallowed a sigh and nodded slowly, unable to ignore the smile that suffused Lady Qiao's face at his acquiescence.

"I am willing to try. But I can't promise I'll be worth the accompaniment." His warning floated between them on the damp air currents and made Sun Ce's wife laugh.

"You do yourself an injustice, Lord Yu."

In her enthusiastic eyes, Zhou Yu could almost see a reflection of a young girl practicing the complicated fingerings for hours, nearly bowled over by the tremendous size of her chosen instrument. He wondered how sorry Qiao Xuan had been to lose his daughters – was the benefit of a good marriage really worth the emptiness that their absence must have left behind? There was no way of knowing. And now Lady Qiao was watching him closely, seriousness filtering back through her expression. "Do you know 'Magnolias of Lake Yi'?"

Zhou Yu frowned a little, coaxing the long-forgotten melody to drift through his mind. The rain pelted the ground all around them, falling harder as time slid slowly past the decorated pavilion and disappeared into the wind. The swordsman nodded vaguely. "I have heard it before, though I'm afraid I've never played it. But by all means, begin – perhaps I'll be able to find the harmony." Lady Qiao nodded, and her hands began to feather along the lute's neck, seeking out a starting place along the twelve bridges.

Almost without warning, the sound began – metallic, harsh, moving like the raindrops just beyond the pavilion's roof. The notes collided with pillars and the drenched stone steps and turned over, flipping in a slow tumble with far more speed and energy than he'd anticipated. Zhou Yu watched her hands slapping and twisting over the strings like spasming butterflies, plucking and pressing downward into the wooden base with a dull crash almost akin to melting temple bells. Lady Qiao leaned into the instrument, resting her flawless cheek against the long neck and pressing the body closer into her robes to bring her hands greater speed and control.

For a long moment, the swordsman could only listen, unable to find a pattern amidst the near cacophony of twinging notes that surrounded them and bounced sharply against the curtains of rain cascading past the pavilion's slanted roof. And then the melody came to him, slipping past the decorative sweep and throb of the incomprehensively sweet, bitter music filling his ears. Zhou Yu felt instantly as though he had indeed heard this song played many times before – his mother, perhaps? Or had Lady Wu depicted the lilting tune on her own zither? This wasn't truly the time to consider it. With the melody came a missing strand, a harmony he could fill in… notes and chords not quite complete, where he could imagine flute music settling without disturbing the lute's pattern.

He began to play. The breathy, open sound of the flute wove between Lady Qiao's song like a wooden sword through the rain around them, deflecting the drops of water without breaking them. Zhou Yu let his eyes close under the intense concentration his fingers demanded – he was not matching the speed of each note from Lady Qiao's tireless hands, but his inelegant motions slowly slipped into remembered rhythm, and he sensed the flute beginning to tremble against his palm, moving with the song as though it had performed this tune one thousand times before.

Lady Qiao started to sway in her seat, moving with the instrument as it rocked through a wavering waterfall of sharp notes and snapping strings. Though he had seen her play often, Zhou Yu had never noticed before how much physical artistry the lute required – at each massive beat, Lady Qiao's right hand flew from the base as though burned, flashing porcelain in the dim light despite her completely serene features. Her fingers that dashed against the high bridges moved starkly but smoothly, each finger fully extended as it reached for some position just beyond the nail. And each of the minute movements drew another sound from the lute – a sound that his own playing could hardly hope to equal in vibrant intensity.

For a moment Zhou Yu felt himself disappearing inside the storm – felt himself left behind in the pavilion as his consciousness seemed to ascend and vanish between the slats of rain. But gradually Lady Qiao's insatiable playing slowed to gentle tremors and single notes, and the flute came to silence in his hands moments before the last line of the song trailed hauntingly from the lute and swirled away on the wind. Lady Qiao's eyes came open and she smiled, memory of a simpler time standing clear in her solemn gaze.

Before Zhou Yu could utter a word, sudden exuberant clapping from the walkway startled them both. The strategist jumped and jammed his flute into one wrist unintentionally, countenance twisting in a brief wince as his dark eyes turned to survey their audience. Lady Qiao set her instrument aside and pivoted in her seat, bracing abruptly empty hands against a nearby pillar.

"Hey – don't stop on our account!" Sun Ce laughed as he raised both hands in surrender. Beside him, Xiao Qiao giggled in delight and bounced from foot to foot, her long robes nearly soaked through from the rain sloshing past them.

"Yeah! It sounded great. Sun Ce and I just wanted to listen for a while." The young girl dropped onto the bench at her sister's side and cradled the lute in fascinated hands, brushing the carved wood curiously. "I didn't know you were still playing this old thing, Da." Lady Qiao brushed a few bangs away from her face, surprised expression gradually fading.

"Well… it has been a useful skill, on occasion." Zhou Yu's wife plucked at the strings experimentally, and the strategist moved past them, stepping forward to regard his ponytailed companion through the creases of damp wind speeding by.

"I thought you were sleeping." At his voice, Sun Ce looked away from their quietly conversing wives and made a disgruntled face.

"I was. Until Taishi Ci came pounding in there and demanding to see me. Man, what _is_ it with him and mornings? I don't know what he's so upset about – I told him I never do business this early, so he was just wasting his time." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at his confident commander.

"And that made him leave?" It hardly seemed like enough effort to get rid of Taishi Ci, who tended to be infuriatingly stubborn when it came to getting what he wanted. Sun Ce shook his head and ran a quick hand through his muzzed hair.

"No, that just made him angry. But then I said I'd behead him if he didn't go away, and eventually he got the message." The Sun lord rubbed idly at his forehead in remembered discomfort. "Threw a scroll at my head first, though. Sourpuss."

Zhou Yu scoffed. "You should have been up anyway. You promised to help him organize the district layout of the city today." Sun Ce scowled and poked his strategist squarely in the chest.

"No, _you_ promised that I'd help him." The dark swordsman shrugged, watching idly as his wife picked out a loose melody on her sister's golden lute.

"It amounts to the same thing." The Sun lord shook his head, flippant smile chasing the _pipa_'s twanging notes away.

"Well, the joke's on him, anyway. I don't know a thing about districting." Before Zhou Yu could properly chastise his companion for this blatant admission, Sun Ce slipped forward and approached the Qiao sisters, a cheerful grin brightening his features despite the dim light. "Hey, Da! Do you take requests?"

Lady Qiao looked up at her husband and raised a delicate eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Sun Ce gestured to the motionless lute in her arms.

"Could you play something a little more… upbeat? You know, something you can dance to?" It looked to the strategist as though Lady Qiao was trying hard to swallow her smile.

"Who are you going to dance with, Lord Ce?"

The question seemed to spark a flurry of surprise in the young officer's eyes, and he glanced over his shoulder to where the stony strategist was leaning against a damp pillar. Zhou Yu shook his head immediately.

"No." There were a few things in life that the swordsman was proud to say he did not do – ever. And while that list seemed to be growing shorter and shorter the more years he spent with Sun Ce, dancing was still firmly anchored somewhere near the top. The Sun lord frowned.

"Aw, come on, Yu." The strategist cut his impending protest off with an abruptly raised hand, the flute clearly displayed between his fingers.

"I need to accompany Lady Qiao, remember?" Thank Heaven for small miracles. Zhou Yu had rarely been gladder for the instrument's presence. Much though Sun Ce obviously wanted to protest, there was little he could say to this irrefutable argument, and finally the young lord settled for sticking his tongue out in an extremely mature demonstration of his disapproval.

"Spoilsport!" Sun Ce crossed both arms over his windswept shirt and turned back to the women behind him, extending an arm as invitation. "I'll just dance with Xiao, then."

Xiao Qiao rolled her eyes in mock offense. "Nice to know I'm your second choice," she jabbed, rising carefully from the bench and taking the proffered hand. Lady Qiao bit her lip.

"Xiao… are you sure it's all right for you to be dancing? I an uncertain that you should even be out in this weather." Xiao Qiao blinked, then laughed brightly and placed a protective hand over her slightly swelled abdomen.

"It's okay, Da – don't worry. The baby's really warm, so it keeps me warm, too. I've been sleeping with the windows open, even in weather like this!" The girl winked at her sister and squeezed the Sun lord's hand. "Besides – I shouldn't have any trouble keeping up with Sun Ce. We all know he couldn't dance to save his life."

Sun Ce's jaw dropped a little at the insult, then twisted upward in a determined grin. "That sounds like a challenge," he warned, tapping one foot confidently against the stone floor. Xiao Qiao stuck out her tongue.

"It is a challenge. And not one you have a prayer of winning, either. Sure you don't want to back out while you have the chance?" Sun Ce laughed and pulled the strategist's wife closer, stepping back into the center of the pavilion's floor.

"You're on. Da, something fast, okay?" Zhou Yu felt his expression contorting in a concerned frown.

"Be careful, Ce. The floor's wet from the rain." Sun Ce waved him off, ponytail skipping lightly back and forth.

"You didn't want to dance, so you've forfeited your right to a say in the proceedings. Here we go!"

The melody sprang from Lady Qiao's lute almost as he spoke, and before Zhou Yu could even formulate another lecture, the two had begun to move. It seemed almost impossible to the strategist that they could keep up with the rapid-fire notes flying like dragonflies from Lady Qiao's talented fingers, but somehow each beat found an accompanying movement in the dancing figures at the pavilion's center. Zhou Yu watched concernedly for a long moment before Sun Ce's voice broke his reverie.

"Hey, Yu! Where's our flute music? Either play along or get over here!" The young lord's words were somewhat breathless, and Zhou Yu could already see furrows of concentration lining his brow as his feet fought to keep up with the fantastic speed of Xiao Qiao's flying slippers.

Hesitantly, the strategist raised his own instrument and began to play, opting for a slow, melting harmony so that he could keep his gaze focused on the hazardous activity proceeding before him. Lady Qiao's eyes were wide, too, and Zhou Yu noticed that her attention never left her sister's twisting form, letting each string of the melody fall naturally from her fingers without worrying over the exact form.

The rhythm pounded hard against the stone floor, accompanied by the rain around them and the steady slap of covered feet moving and spinning. Sun Ce laughed as he spun Xiao Qiao in a tight circle.

"Tired yet?" he teased, moving gawkishly but metrically in time with the music. The girl scoffed and flipped an errant pigtail from her shoulder.

"Who, me? You're the one who's gonna drop, Sun Ce. You're not even dancing in correct form!" The young lord shook his head.

"Dancing's not about form – it's just about movement. As long as you're into the music, you're doing fine! And by the way, you're all out of sync with the beats. Must be that extra weight you're carrying." Xiao Qiao's jaw dropped in surprise at the mild insult.

"Oh, you!" Zhou Yu's wife struck out and aimed for her partner's arm with a light punch, but the Sun lord dodged left and skidded out of the way, somehow keeping his steps in line with the music that circled harsh and fast around them, a concordance of metal harmonies skimming across the swordsman's hollow flute. Zhou Yu found himself missing a beat as Sun Ce's feet slid momentarily through a puddle, losing traction on the smooth stone.

"Xiao, Lord Ce, please be careful." Zhou Yu swallowed his words back and pressed his anxiety into the flute as Lady Qiao's voice echoed his nervousness. Sun Ce just laughed.

"We're fine, Da! Just keep going." The swordsman felt uncertainty rising in his stomach, pressing through the ribcage like a sheet of warped bamboo. The dancers were moving more quickly now, each trying to outdo the other with their speeding steps and stomping feet.

Perhaps it was a manifestation of her anxiety – but for whatever reason, Lady Qiao's rhythm began to increase tempo, going faster and faster with each string of difficult plucks and trills. Zhou Yu could see that all the serenity had vanished from her expression, replaced by a helpless worry as she watched her younger sister spinning and twirling over the treacherous floor. The strategist heard his own flute going harsh, each note becoming breathless and rushed as Sun Ce's feet slid faster and faster over the stone. It seemed impossible that either of the dancers would be able to stop without a crash.

"Xiao, please slow down." Xiao Qiao chose not to heed her sister's request, giggling as her partner swung faster and dragged her slight body in a tight circle.

"Da, I'm okay! We're just having fun!" Sun Ce chuckled.

"Yeah, seriously – what's with you two? Try to relax, guys. We can't stop until I've beaten Xiao into the ground!" The girl scoffed under her breath.

"Beat me? No way – you haven't got a chance, Sun Ce. You're already tired, and I'm just getting started." Lady Qiao's fingers played faster and faster, and the speed of the dance increased with them, though the strategist could tell that Sun Ce's wife certainly had no intention of continuing her wild tumult. It seemed almost as though the young woman's hands were caught in an anxious loop, unable to stop the pervasive, repeating rhythm from accelerating along four sharp strings even as her worry magnified.

Sun Ce stuck out his tongue and spun faster. "If I'm tired, you must be exhausted. How can you even move with that big rock in your stomach?" Xiao Qiao's mouth fell open in surprise at his jab, and she made to cuff him across the shoulder.

"Sun Ce! You be quiet! I'm a thousand times better at dancing than you are, and don't talk about my baby that—"

It happened so fast that Zhou Yu could hardly blink. Xiao Qiao pushed her partner as hard as she could – and Sun Ce, halfway over a puddle that skipped beneath his drenched leather boots, staggered backward in response. It only took an instant for the Sun lord to lose his footing. As Zhou Yu watched, utterly petrified, Sun Ce and Xiao Qiao shot in different directions, each out of control and moving far too fast over the slippery flagstones beneath them.

"Xiao!" Lady Qiao's desperate cry almost drowned out the strategist's racing heart as his last note caught and choked in his throat, filling the flute with empty breath. Zhou Yu gasped, nearly swallowing his instrument in the panic that raced lightning-fast through every vein in his body.

"Whoa!" Sun Ce's arms wheeled uselessly as he spun out, headed for the stairs and completely unable to stop himself. Xiao Qiao let out a terrified shriek as she stumbled straight toward the railing that served as the pavilion's only wall, hands outstretched but powerless to grab anything. Zhou Yu's feet began to move, darting forward as the flute hurtled heedlessly to the ground behind him.

Even as he ran, the strategist felt himself being torn in two, unable for one vital instant to decide which way to go. He could stop Sun Ce from falling down the stairs now, and risk Xiao Qiao tumbling over the railing, or go the other way and allow the Sun lord to topple helplessly down the slippery length of the stone walkway—

Sun Ce had been down the stairs before. Xiao Qiao had probably been over a railing before, too – and it wasn't much of a fall, even from this height. But Xiao Qiao's child had never so much as skinned its knees.

Priorities.

Zhou Yu felt his wife crashing into his chest moments before he himself hit the railing, one arm latching onto a nearby pillar for support as the other clenched around the wildly careening form of his target. The girl gasped at the sudden collision, hands instinctively clutching into her husband's robe as she came to a screeching halt, pillowed against the damp folds of cloth. Zhou Yu winced as his back was shoved heartlessly into the railing behind him – a force doubled a moment later when Lady Qiao, who had also been running to intercept her sister, clattered into the swordsman as well.

The carved banister slammed across his skin so hard that the strategist could almost feel bruises forming upon impact, and only his desperate grip on the pavilion's pillar kept all three of them from crumpling backward over the edge. Zhou Yu choked as the neck of Lady Qiao's tightly clutched lute smashed into his windpipe, the four metal strings burning against his flesh – but there was no time to consider it.

Shoving Xiao Qiao hurriedly into her sister's startled arms, the swordsman raced for the stairs, nearly slipping himself on a well-placed puddle. The rain pounded hard across his shoulders as the roof trailed away behind him, drenching him instantly and stinging the exposed skin with its forceful tirade as he leapt down the stone stairs three at a time. He could see Sun Ce lying face down in the mud at the base of the slope, and no matter how urgently his dark eyes scanned the fallen form, the strategist couldn't sense movement.

"Ce!"

_He's broken his neck. He's cracked his skull open. He's shattered every bone in his body._ An endless list of fatalities slid through Zhou Yu's mind as he nearly lost his footing, an uneven contour slowing his progress for a moment before he was off again. _I told him to be careful. I told him to watch his step because the ground was wet. What was I thinking? I shouldn't have let them—_

It was not a long slope, and the entire journey could not have taken more than a handful of seconds. But for Zhou Yu, the stairs went on forever, and he couldn't run fast enough. Finally his feet came to rest at Sun Ce's side – before even bothering to think, Zhou Yu was on his knees, rolling the young lord onto his back so he could survey the unnaturally pale face. A long, thin gash ran down the officer's cheek; the blood vanished almost as soon as the rain touched it, seeping down into the collar of his muddy robes and staining the silk a dull crimson.

For an endless moment, Zhou Yu watched his companion's lips, gaze dashing fearfully across the ashen features and closed eyes. _I shouldn't have let him fall – I should have been able to stop it. I shouldn't have let this happen at all._ His voice fought back against the soundless whirl of his thoughts.

"Ce! Sun Ce!" _This is my fault. I shouldn't have let them start. I shouldn't have let them go that fast. Why didn't I say something? Why didn't I—_

Breathing. Sun Ce was breathing.

The Sun lord groaned abruptly and his brow furrowed, eyes flickering madly beneath their lids. Zhou Yu choked on a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, letting the storm enter his mouth with a sharp inhale. Carefully, the strategist slipped his arm beneath Sun Ce's shoulders, pulling the injured officer further into himself and holding his head still. One pale hand came to rest above the chilled forehead, shielding fluttering amber eyes from the driving rain as much as possible.

Sun Ce moaned again and blinked blearily up at his frantic swordsman, gaze confused and uncomprehending. Zhou Yu swallowed. _Concussion. Amnesia. God, can he even speak?_

"Ce? Are you all right? Can you hear me?" He wondered if words had ever poured so rapidly from his lips before. His voice mixed with the storm careening all around them, a dim echo of Lady Qiao's lute in its tinny, frenetic quality. Sun Ce sputtered and coughed, taking a few deep breaths of the sodden air before he found an answer.

"What a… wicked headache."

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a grim line. "Ce?" The young lord nodded.

"Yeah… yeah, I'm fine, Yu." He didn't sound fine, though. His voice was patchy and dazed, and his eyes moved over the swordsman's face in a halting, tenuous arc. Zhou Yu shoved the loose strands of hair clinging to his face back over one shoulder, fighting to control the waves of concern still crashing against his ribcage. Sun Ce chuckled softly. "Wow. Here's hoping I never do that again."

The strategist bit his tongue to hold back the lecture threatening to simply overflow and drown them both. This wasn't the time. Not that Sun Ce wouldn't be getting a very scolding criticism when this was over. But right now the swordsman was more interested in the cut on his companion's face, and the unfocused light in his eyes, and anything else that might be less visible. Zhou Yu shook his head, willing the interminable rain to stop striking his face.

"Ce, talk to me. Hold still."

Sun Ce chose not to heed, bracing both hands on the uncertain ground with a slight laugh. "I'm okay, Yu, really – it's nothing. I've been down more staircases in my life than I could even count." The young lord started upward, pushing against the arms that held him as he tried to attain a sitting position, but his eyes widened in pain and he slumped back after only scant effort.

"Okay… maybe I'll just stay here for a minute…" Sun Ce turned his face away from the rain, ducking into the crook of Zhou Yu's elbow and closing his ashen eyes to the storm overhead. "Damn, that stings…"

Not exactly the outcome Zhou Yu had been hoping for. The swordsman brushed his companion's sopping chestnut hair away from the wound along his jaw, trying to examine the injury despite the downpour that clouded his vision and painted the lacerated skin almost white. It didn't look very deep – and from Sun Ce's demonstrated ability to talk, the bone itself couldn't be broken. But the anxious swordsman couldn't stop his heart from catching as the blood welled up over his fingertips, spilling down his hands to disappear under the rhythm of the rain.

It occurred to Zhou Yu suddenly that they had been in this position before – although the roles were reversed – during their first battle against Jia, years and years ago. He wondered if Sun Ce had felt as panicked watching his own unmoving form as the strategist felt now, unable to stop the flickering wings of terror from scraping his caged lungs with every breath.

Zhou Yu shook his head, fighting for clarity between the discordant strings of panic that filled his mind. He needed to see if Sun Ce had any other injuries, internal or only hidden from sight. The strategist let his fingers flicker through his companion's hair as the Sun lord took a deep, slow breath. "Where does it hurt?"

Sun Ce looked up at the soft, urgent question, and for a moment his eyes almost seemed amused. One hand rubbed slowly at his sallow, damp forehead. "You've never fallen down the stairs before, have you? It hurts everywhere." Zhou Yu resisted the inclination to sigh.

"Where specifically, Ce? You have a cut here on you jaw… but I want to know if you have any other significant injuries." Sun Ce chuckled, though it turned into a cough as the young lord pressed closer to his worried strategist and wrapped one arm around his soaked waist.

"Well, my ego took a real blow, I'll tell you that." Zhou Yu scowled into the rushing wind.

"Ce, I'm serious." The Sun lord sighed and rolled onto his back, blinking heavily against the rain that immediately pelted his face.

"I know." Amber eyes met the dark, solemn gaze through the intensifying downpour, and Sun Ce did his best to smile despite the wince shadowing his expression. "I'm okay, Yu – honestly. My head feels like somebody went to town with a rice mallet, but I'm all here. Just a few bumps and bruises."

The swordsman shook his head. This was not a bumps and bruises situation. And if the young lord's headache was truly that bad… it seemed like a concussion was the least he could hope for.

"Lord Yu! Lord Yu, is everything all right?"

Zhou Yu's eyes shot up at the sudden cry, and he glanced back to the pavilion some ways above them. Lady Qiao was standing a few steps down, silk robes plastered to her skin and both hands clasped worriedly before her. Even farther back, the strategist could see his wife waiting beneath the carved awning, her normally perky eyes absolutely drowning in apprehension. Before Zhou Yu could answer, Sun Ce raised his free arm in a slow wave.

"All okay down here," he called, voice muffled by the tumbling folds of his swordsman's robes. The sisters must have heard him, however, because Lady Qiao's hands fell back to her sides in relief and Xiao Qiao hopped weakly up and down, arms wrapped around a nearby pillar distraughtly.

"Oh, Sun Ce, I'm so sorry!" Zhou Yu's wife clapped her hands nervously and shifted from foot to foot. "I didn't mean to – I didn't think—"

The Sun lord's easygoing laugh cut her off, stilling the string of apologies trailing from her lips. Sun Ce shook his head. "Nah, don't worry about it Xiao – my fault, too. Shouldn't have been teasing you about that rock in your stomach."

Xiao Qiao said something else, her voice crying out through the cascade of raindrops around them, but Zhou Yu didn't catch it. His mind had wandered into grave contemplation, and a heavy frown settled over his face, transforming his panic into dull anxiety.

It had all happened so fast. Never had the swordsman considered how quickly a serious injury might come – without warning, without threat. Every time they prepared for battle, an accident like this one weighed in his mind. The possibility that they might not emerge unscathed was inescapable in that atmosphere. But here… it had been so sudden. What if Sun Ce had been critically wounded? More than the actual situation before him, the alternate implications of a fall like this one were what scared Zhou Yu the most.

"Hey…" The curious voice and a cool hand on his cheek brought the strategist back from his thoughts, and he blinked down into Sun Ce's inquisitive gaze. The Sun lord ran his fingers across the damp, pale skin beneath his swordsman's dark eyes, lifting them back to study the drops running down his palm. "Are you…?"

Zhou Yu frowned, unable to piece together exactly what his lord was asking. "Hm?"

Sun Ce let his hand fall back to his sodden chest, watching the strategist's face with wondering eyes. "Are you… you're not… crying, are you?" Zhou Yu blinked. Then comprehension settled over his features, and the swordsman pressed his lips together.

"…It's raining, Ce."

Sun Ce made a face, free hand fisting into his robe. "Damn – and here I thought I'd finally gotten you. That would have been a day for the record books." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at the soaked young man in his lap.

"You want me to cry?" Sun Ce shrugged.

"I just want to know what I'd have to do to get some tears flowing. I don't think I've ever seen you cry."

The strategist was fairly sure that wasn't an accurate statement, but he couldn't think of an event to contradict it. Sun Ce sighed and shifted into a more comfortable position, smiling up at his companion through the steadily increasing downpour.

"But I'm not gonna hold it against you. I'll just have to keep falling down stairs, and eventually I'll get a reaction out of you." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, fighting back the concern sprouting like a small seed in his stomach. Surely Sun Ce didn't actually mean…

"That's almost adorable. But perhaps the two of you could have picked a better day for this kind of interaction? You're going to die of pneumonia."

The tight, jabbing voice echoing somewhere above them brought the swordsman's eyes back to the pavilion, and he felt Sun Ce jerk to look up as well. Zhou Yu's expression soured into a thick scowl at the sight of Taishi Ci, standing safely out of the rain with his arms crossed and an arrogant smirk on his face. If there were one person the strategist was significantly disinterested in dealing with right now, it was the regent of Qingshan. Taishi Ci shook his head disdainfully and tapped out an impatient rhythm with his foot, hazel eyes depreciating as they passed up and down the soaked figures.

"If you're finished impeding progress for the day, there are some matters that could use your attention. But I guess it's really up to you."

All of the worry and anxiety swimming in Zhou Yu's veins wound itself into a thick stream of aggravation, and suddenly the strategist found his mouth full of irritated words ready to shoot from his lips like throwing darts. The swordsman drew himself up straighter despite the rain and glared hard at their smirking comrade, dark gaze thinning into cold steel beneath the steady pounding of the storm around him.

"Taishi Ci." The general blinked at the quiet, deadly voice slipping back to him beneath the folded clouds. Zhou Yu glowered unrepentantly up the stone steps and jerked his head to the figure resting beside him. "Get down here and help Sun Ce up the steps. And I swear – if one more unnecessary word comes out of your mouth, I will have no qualms about ending the problem at its source."

The Wolf general's jaw fell slack, and the Qiao sisters, standing a short way behind him, tried to swallow matching smiles as Sun Ce's newest recruit hurried down the stairs in response to the harsh words. As his steps faltered and slid on the puddle-ridden steps, Zhou Yu glanced back to his motionless commander.

"Does your head feel any better?" Sun Ce shrugged and gave the strategist a reassuring smile.

"Feels fine," he whispered conspiratorially, cupping one hand around his mouth to keep the sound from echoing. "But don't tell Taishi Ci – I'm gonna make him carry me."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at the deviously grinning young officer. The strategist was fairly certain that any assistance the brash warrior might be able to offer would be completely unpleasant, and couldn't fathom why Sun Ce was interested in such an experience. He had no time to ask, though, because Taishi Ci reached the bottom of the stairs and slowed to a halt in the thickening mud just ahead of them.

"I… I didn't realize he'd been injured." Zhou Yu blinked and gave the Wolf general a highly incredulous look through the rain that swirled past them. Sun Ce chuckled.

"Oh yeah, sure – when Yu and I are feeling romantic, we definitely pick the most uncomfortable spot we can get at. With an audience, too." Taishi Ci growled low in his throat and curled his visible hand into a fist, and the strategist tried to fight down a brief wave of mortification at his companion's words.

"I don't speculate about your private affairs, Sun Ce. Now get up – you've got some important-looking visitors dripping in your entrance hall, and I certainly don't want to deal with them." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue.

"You think I'd be lying here if I could get up? You'll have to help me." Taishi Ci blinked for a moment, and then snorted as he caught the young lord's meaning.

"Carry you? Like hell. I'm not doing the work for you, you lazy good-for-nothing. Use your own two feet." The Sun lord sulked and turned his face away from the growling visage of his general.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to lie here and die of pneumonia then." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, and his dark gaze slipped to Taishi Ci's impatient features as the Wolf warrior glared hard at their commander. The strategist could see an inescapable smirk fluttering at Sun Ce's lips, safely concealed as they both waited for the same thing.

If nothing else, the man was predictable.

"Fine, you useless sack! I'll drag you up the stairs kicking and screaming if that's what it takes to get your damn emissaries off my back." Sun Ce grinned up at his irritated general.

"That's what I like to hear. Now get to it – I've got more important things to do than lie around all day." Taishi Ci grunted in disagreement as he looped one of Sun Ce's arms over his shoulder, waiting anything but patiently as Zhou Yu did the same. The Wolf general began to walk, drawing the officers along and bearing most of the young lord's weight by virtue of his significantly greater height.

"That's certainly not the impression I got this morning. You were far more interested in shoving off to dreamland than getting any work done." Sun Ce laughed as both men dragged him carefully up the steps.

"Why would I work when I've got you around to do it for me?"

_Wham_.

"Ow! Damn it, Taishi Ci! My head's already splitting open – I didn't need that!"

"Need it? No. But you deserved it."

.x.

"Sheesh… and just when I was starting to feel better, too." Zhou Yu sighed softly and followed the young officer down the hall, staying one step closer than he normally did for fear of the Sun lord's possibly compromised balance. Sun Ce rubbed plaintively at the back of his head and pouted heavily into the corridor's shadowed torchlight, bringing a repressed frown to the strategist's face.

"You shouldn't have provoked him. You know Taishi Ci has a short temper."

The young officer stuck out his tongue at nothing in particular and stamped his feet, pace increasing to a steady march as water flew from his bobbing ponytail. "That's no excuse. We should dock his pay – maybe that'd teach him not to mess with me." The swordsman rolled his eyes.

"You do what you want to, Ce. Just don't drag me into it, all right? I have enough to do without dealing with him." Sun Ce huffed, slowing marginally as the door to the entrance hall loomed ahead of them; the young lord took both sopping sleeves in hand and rung them shamelessly over the expensive carpets, mumbling under his breath.

"I'll show that stupid fish. Taking advantage of me when I'm injured – he deserves what's coming to him. He's gonna wish he never crossed me when I pay him back for it…" The strategist rolled his eyes. It was easier to ignore Sun Ce when he was being quiet – but somehow, he was never quiet enough.

Zhou Yu paused just before the door and turned to his companion, surveying the Sun lord's scraggled appearance. Aside from the long cut on his face – which the swordsman would have to find time to bandage, just as soon as the no doubt anxious visitors were disposed of – mud had ruined the officer's clothes, and his hair was an utterly sodden rat's nest. Sun Ce blinked at the sharp scrutiny.

"Yu? Something wrong?" Zhou Yu sighed and stepped closer, running his fingers through the dripping ponytail and restoring order as best he could.

"Yes – you're a complete disaster. Hold still." If Taishi Ci hadn't been in such a soggy, insistent bad mood, the strategist would have recommended taking the time to find Sun Ce a drier set of clothing. But the Wolf general's characteristically unpleasant temper had reared its ugly head when the swordsman asked him to accompany both Qiaos back to their quarters, and Zhou Yu had decided that a more manageable appearance wasn't actually worth the earful he was going to get about another delay.

Sun Ce shifted his weight impatiently and hummed under his breath, making a half-hearted effort to restore order to his chaotic, muddied outfit as the strategist brushed his errant bangs away and cleared a view of the amber eyes. Zhou Yu fiddled absently with the red ribbon tangled through his lord's hair, regarding the limp strand disapprovingly.

Sun Ce bounced on the balls of his feet. "Come on! It doesn't matter what I look like – let's go already!" Zhou Yu sighed.

"All right, all right…" Sun Ce grabbed the swordsman's hand and raced the last few steps to the door, startling his captive companion when he skidded abruptly to a halt and wheeled around just before grabbing the handle.

"Wait!" Zhou Yu's mouth came open to ask what the trouble was, but he was soundly interrupted as the Sun lord flew forward and wrapped both arms around his waist, squeezing the strategist as hard as he could and pressing his forehead into the damp robes. Zhou Yu started and stared down at the figure suddenly occupying his arms as Sun Ce pulled back, grinning up at his swordsman and nodding firmly. "Okay. Now we're good to go."

Zhou Yu blinked as the Sun lord released him, turning back for the door as sharply as he had stopped his original progress. Then one pale hand shot out and snatched Sun Ce's wrist where it lingered near his sash, drawing the amber gaze back to him curiously.

"Ce…" The young officer smiled, shaking his head with a slight shrug.

"What was that for? I don't know. Just 'cause."

The strategist's brow furrowed. "Because what?" Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"Because I love you. Do I have to have a reason every time? Come on – let's get it over with so I can change out of this wreck." And without further comment, he wrung out his carefully arranged ponytail and flopped it unceremoniously back over one shoulder, dragging Zhou Yu behind him as he shoved the door open and dashed into Qingshan's entry hall.

Three sets of startled eyes shot to the Sun lord as he made his sudden, unexpected entrance, strategist in hand and a winsome smile on his face. Sun Ce hopped down the short flight of stairs, dripping tremendously all over the carpet and drawing another displeased sneer onto Taishi Ci's face. Zhou Yu wasn't exactly sure how the Wolf general had managed to reach the entrance hall before them – barring a complete boycott of instructions, which the swordsman wasn't ruling out – but he certainly seemed irritable about it.

"There you are! Decide to take a lap around the entire palace first?" Sun Ce made a face at his newest warrior.

"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. Quit being so grouchy – and try making yourself useful for a change. Don't you have district work to do?" Taishi Ci's face paled slightly, and Zhou Yu had to bite down hard on the smirk threatening to possess his lips. Sun Ce didn't bother to make the effort, letting his victorious grin seep out across the tan features unapologetically. The Wolf general grumbled under his breath for a moment before finding a proper response.

"Well, if I wasn't forced to entertain your honored guests on your behalf, perhaps I'd have gotten a little more done this morning." Sun Ce nodded in mock agreement.

"Yep – and I'm here now, so skedaddle. I doubt they wanted your company anyway." Taishi Ci huffed, bowing shallowly to the cloaked figures a short distance behind him before making for the door. The Wolf general paused halfway across the rug, throwing Sun Ce a backward glance and scoffing under his breath before addressing their visitors a final time.

"This is our Lord Sun Ce. And as you can see, he's a complete imbecile. I bid you good luck in your dealings with him."

"Hey!" Sun Ce's vindicated shout echoed across the room as predicted, chasing Taishi Ci's arrogant footsteps into the corridor. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the childish banter, but was surprised when the taller guest laughed and set his thick sack carefully on the ground. Even the Sun lord's gaze turned back to their visitors as the man stepped forward with slow, even paces.

"No need to worry, good warrior." His voice was so soft that the swordsman was sure Taishi Ci couldn't hear it – but then, it seemed as though the words weren't meant for his retreating ears in any case. The cloak shuddered with another pleasant laugh. "We've encountered Lord Sun Ce before. And he doesn't seem to have changed much in all these years – though he is a bit wetter than I remember."

Zhou Yu stepped forward, a demand for the men's identities already floating on his lips, but there was no need. Almost as one, both hoods slipped back to reveal square, tan countenances, battle worn and smiling. The strategist felt his mouth falling open at the sight of two aged but familiar faces staring back at him. Four eyes twinkled with shared amusement as Sun Ce spluttered over his words and finally got them out.

"Dong Xi! Cai Rui!"

Dong Xi chuckled, stroking his short beard thoughtfully. "Glad to see you remember us. I hope you're doing well?"

Zhou Yu found his gaze flashing between the faces of Sun Jian's loyal veterans, men who had been forced to leave the Sun family's service after the Tiger general's downfall. It had been impossible for either man to leave his land and home behind when Sun Ce journeyed to Izhou, and inevitably contact had fallen short. To see both warriors standing in their entrance hall now was like witnessing a mirage, a visit from spirits long deceased. The strategist had to fight a breath into his lungs, shock stalling and swimming across his countenance.

Sun Ce blinked, caught off guard by the simple pleasantries. "Yeah, sure – I mean, I'm great, but…" The young lord rubbed the back of his head, upsetting the saturated ponytail that dripped along his neck as his excitement mixed with puzzlement. "What are you guys doing here?"

Cai Rui threw his head back in a long laugh, weathered braid skipping across his shoulders at the rumbling, relentless sound. The general's bright eyes lifted to meet Sun Ce's gaze as his lighter voice flowed into the room.

"Isn't it obvious? We've come to join you." The Sun lord gaped at them openmouthed and Zhou Yu felt himself swallowing hard. When Taishi Ci had announced the sudden arrival of visitors, he'd never imagined the meeting might bring such a fortuitous event as the recruitment of Sun Jian's old comrades. It seemed impossible – the men whose loyalty he'd fought for so long ago, standing here in Wu with an offer of service.

Sun Ce struggled to put sentences together, largely unsuccessfully. "You… you mean you heard that I'd captured Qingshan, so…"

Cai Rui shook his head ruefully. "Not exactly. We've actually been looking for you for almost a year – ever since we learned you'd left Yuan Shu. But you never stayed in one place long enough for us to catch up to you—"

Dong Xi scratched his ear and winked. "Though to be fair, we did stop in Jiang Dong for a good long time last fall – right when the harvest was getting ripe. No city in the country can match Fu Chun in cider."

Cai Rui sighed heavily. "I wasn't in favor of stopping, of course – but when has Master Dong Xi ever heeded my advice? So I'm afraid we were delayed most of the winter a good distance west of here."

Sun Ce's mind was fighting to comprehend the situation before him – Zhou Yu could almost see the struggling thoughts playing in shadow across his face. At last the young officer found his voice – and his grin, which split the relative haze of his features like a startling sunbeam.

"You came to join me? Really? Awesome! We can definitely use you on our side!" The Sun lord laughed and rubbed thoughtlessly at his injured cheek, eyes sparkling with renewed excitement. "I'd never say no to a few more helping hands. We're so spread out right now that I had to make Quan the regent of Xuancheng!"

Dong Xi snorted and shook his head. "Little Sun Quan? You truly must be understaffed. But I suppose that stands to reason, given how swiftly you've been conquering Wu."

Sun Ce's countenance lit up with swelling pride, and the strategist could see his companion's ego inflating along with his deep breath. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes as his commander laughed gleefully, but he couldn't help the sharp tug of reminiscence on his ribcage as he surveyed the delighted expression suffusing the Sun lord's face. Even the swordsman could remember the very generals in front of them teasing a far younger Sun Ce about his ambitions of domination. Now here they all were – years older, far from the comfortable palace in Fu Chun. And looking at the same dream from the same side, with a little more reality behind the officer's confident words.

Sun Ce chuckled. "Hey, Quan's growing up. I don't think he's really ready for campaigns yet, but he's doing okay with the city." Dong Xi nodded.

"Well… we are at your service, Lord Sun Ce. Wherever you need us, however we may best assist you." The lord of Wu blinked a little as both generals bent to one knee, heads bowed respectfully toward the thick carpeting. Zhou Yu watched them quietly as Cai Rui raised his eyes and smiled, a slight sliver of remorse undermining the expression.

"Long ago, we swore allegiance to your father. And it would be an honor to stand at your side as we once stood at his."

Sun Ce swallowed. The strategist couldn't quite make out the emotion coloring his eyes a darker shade of burnt autumn, but those shadows vanished with the chuckle that poured from his lips after only a fleeting moment.

"Hey… come on, get up. There's no formality in my kingdom – it's against the rules." Dong Xi and Cai Rui rose carefully to their feet, faces set in the same amused lines. The young officer rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't go in for that fancy stuff."

Dong Xi nodded approvingly, but he shared a quick glance with Cai Rui and retrieved his sack from the carpet, stepping forward until only a few paces separated him from the Sun lord. Zhou Yu felt a frown creasing his forehead as the tall warrior swung the bag lightly back and forth.

"I'm a great advocate of familiarity myself. But if it's not too much trouble, we did bring you a present – just as a token of our esteem." Sun Ce's mildly preoccupied expression vanished instantly, and his amber eyes shot to the sack like twin bristling phoenixes.

"A present? You didn't have to do that, you know." Dong Xi laughed, and Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow – despite his words, it was impossible to miss the eager anticipation painting the young lord's face.

"Well, it hardly seemed proper to enter the court of a great lord without a gift of some kind." There was an undercurrent of amusement in the general's voice that the strategist couldn't place – almost as though a great secret lingered on his tongue and was threatening to spill over at any second. Sun Ce didn't seem to notice, bursting with energy and pride at the compliment and leaning closer to peer at the sack as though its contents would suddenly reveal themselves.

"What is it?" The young officer's fingers were twitching, and Zhou Yu was sure that Sun Ce would have torn the bag open in an instant if he weren't restraining himself so hard. The Sun lord had never been good at waiting – and surely, after the fortunate turn the morning was already taking, he was practically poised to explode from pure, jubilant curiosity.

Dong Xi pursed his lips to keep from laughing. "Oh, I think you'll like it, Sun Ce. We picked it out especially for you."

Cai Rui shook his head, tsking under his breath despite the serene expression on his face. "Stop teasing the boy, Dong Xi – just let him see it."

Sun Ce was positively bouncing now, rubbing his hands together in gleeful eagerness. Dong Xi glanced between his comrade and his commander before untying the sack slowly, fingers deliberately staggering over the simple ropes.

"If you insist…"

With one fluid motion, the general overturned the sack hard, letting its contents slump forcefully onto the floor. Zhou Yu jumped, and Sun Ce stepped back a pace, running straight into his strategist in sheer shock. The young lord's jaw fell slack, injury unnoticed in his disbelief – an emotion the swordsman echoed and advanced with every fiber of his being.

There, staining the carpet with its trailing locks and spattered skin, lay a human head.

Sun Ce sputtered and coughed, staring at the offering with very wide eyes. "What… what is that?!"

Dong Xi laughed heartily, his whole form shaking in amusement at the look on his new lord's face. Cai Rui was chuckling as well, holding his own waist as though to prevent himself from simply detonating. Dong Xi brushed tears of open mirth away from his eyes and found the strategist's mildly horrified gaze.

"Surprise." Zhou Yu swallowed hard against the unmistakable nausea settling in his stomach. He couldn't be sure how long the head had been detached from its previous master, but the eyes were limp in their sockets and only dried lines of crimson indicated where blood had once flowed. The swordsman had been in enough battles not to be startled by gore in its purest forms any longer, but there was something about the disembodied head resting so uneasily against Qingshan's thick, embroidered carpet that surpassed all the bloodiness he had experienced in years of war.

Sun Ce finally got hold of himself, words bursting like a hurricane as soon as he regained control of his voice. "You brought me a severed head?!" His shrill demand shook the walls and echoed through the gentler weave of his generals' laughter. Cai Rui waved a callously amused hand and smiled encouragingly at the Sun lord.

"Not just any severed head. This particular severed head used to belong to a very prominent troublemaker. I believe you've had a few encounters with Lord Yan Baihu?"

Any presence of mind Sun Ce had recovered immediately vanished, spluttering from his lips in a series of disbelieving nonsense. Zhou Yu froze, and he couldn't help staring at the generals' amused features even as his eyes shot back to the unusual gift darkening the floor.

"You must be joking." Dong Xi shook his head, turning his full attention to the strategist for the first time.

"Not at all, Master Zhou Yu. Good to see you well, by the way. As it happens, we were lucky enough to run into this unfortunate fellow just a few days ago." Sun Ce's gaze whipped back to the bearded man's face.

"You're kidding! You've got to be! Where? Where was he? Do you know how long we've been after this guy?!"

Dong Xi chortled warmly and nodded. "I said you'd like your gift, didn't I? Cai Rui and I were stopping for a drink in Fengqiao, actually – on our way here to join you. There's a nice establishment in that town – good local culture, too."

Cai Rui sighed between his teeth, though a smile still dominated his kind features. "What he means is that the girls are pretty. You'll have to excuse his excesses, I'm afraid. But he is quite right – we were stopping at a small bar, just for a short rest. And then quite out of the blue, a haggard-looking man staggered up to the table beside ours, half drunk already with his armor only partly fastened."

Sun Ce blinked rapidly, his eyes flying between the two jovial generals before him. "Fengqiao? No way – we were just there two weeks ago!" Dong Xi shook his head, obviously entertained by the young lord's flabbergasted expression.

"You just missed him, then. It looked like he was fairly new in town. Well, I knew any soldier worth his salt in that region would be loyal to you, and he looked a bit authoritarian, so I toasted him in your name – Cai Rui here offered him a drink from our own bottle."

The shorter warrior brushed the carefully combed braid back off of his shoulders. "Yan Baihu really was a fool, I suppose – he might've gotten away if he'd just played along. But he started spouting off curses about you and your 'infernal conquesting' stealing all of his land, and made quite a ruckus right there in broad daylight."

Dong Xi nodded solidly. "So I did the only sensible thing – I cut his head clean off."

Sun Ce gaped. "Right there in the shop? You just… lopped his head off?"

For the first time, Zhou Yu noted, the older general looked a little ashamed. "Perhaps it wasn't quite the proper procedure, but I didn't want him getting away. I knew he'd gotten past you a couple times already, and he did look like a slippery fellow…" Dong Xi trailed off and regarded the head in front of him thoughtfully. "… Still does, if you ask me. He deserved what he got."

Cai Rui rubbed his chin with a dry hand. "I hope you're pleased, Lord Sun Ce."

The Sun lord shook his head, a startled smile breaking over his face at last. "Pleased? Well, I'm…" Cloudburst. Somewhere, Zhou Yu was almost sure, the sun was shining –lured by the light possessing the young officer's features. "Hell yeah! I'm way more than pleased! I can't believe it! I thought we were never gonna get that old goat!"

Like a sudden sparking firecracker, Sun Ce's energy rebounded with a furious burst, and he turned on heel to grin at his strategist in unabashed delight. "You know what this means?"

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at the energetic, flowing question. He knew. But the words were mounting behind Sun Ce's lips already, and it only seemed fair for the young officer to say them himself.

Sun Ce punched both hands into the air, a shout of victory ringing through the hall and echoing down every corridor in Qingshan's expansive palace. "We did it! We conquered Wu! I finally did it!" An unstoppable laugh tore from his throat as he spun in a quick circle, enchanted eyes skipping over each of his comrades in turn. "I did it!"

Dong Xi chuckled, shaking his head gently. "Yes, you did, Sun Ce." In his oak gaze, Zhou Yu could almost see a faint glimmer of the Tiger general he had served so long ago – that same selfless pride, that same giving soul. Dong Xi reached out and ruffled the Sun lord's hair, upsetting the damp chestnut strands with a simple motion that meant so much. "And I suggest we properly celebrate."

Sun Ce laughed, nodding so vigorously that Zhou Yu worried momentarily whether his neck would snap. "Absolutely! A feast! We've gotta have a huge feast!" The young lord spun in a circle, grabbing the swordsman's forearm in two exhilarated hands. "What do you do with heads? Stick 'em on pikes, right? We need to find a pike! We'll put Yan Baihu's head up on display! Parade it around the city!"

Cai Rui chuckled, his gaze softening. "We're so glad we've finally found our way back into your service, Lord Sun Ce. And our congratulations – conquering Wu is no small feat. Surely domination of the land is just around the corner."

Zhou Yu's eyes caught on the flicker of reminiscent light sliding through the general's smile, as though Cai Rui could see Sun Ce's younger self standing there as well – as though he could remember each facet of the dream that had never faltered, a dream implanted in the young officer's heart seemingly from birth. As though nothing had changed, even through so many years and so much impossible strife. And suddenly the swordsman couldn't stop a smile from quirking his lips upward or a warm feeling of satisfaction from sliding through his veins. Everything they had worked for had paid off in the end.

They were one step closer to accomplishing Sun Ce's dream. A dream that had almost become Zhou Yu's own, stitched into his heart with countless tiny threads. What he wouldn't have given if he could have handed the Sun lord China at that very moment. Sun Ce's smile was shining like a beacon of hope and promise after only this much success – how much joy would that final achievement bring? How strong might his smile be then?

The strategist's musings were shattered abruptly as Sun Ce locked their arms together and began to spin, running circles around his companion and hauling the swordsman along with him in an unbalanced twirl. Zhou Yu tried to summon a frown to his face, but somehow the expression refused to heed.

"Ce—"

"We did it, Yu! We really did it!" Sun Ce's eyes were shining with phoenix flame, the light of eternal determination and endless aspiration. "Can you believe it? Yahoo!"

Zhou Yu's sentence fall deafly to the floor as the young lord's laughter spilled over him, lodging somewhere in his chest and halting his breath halfway. The strategist smiled and let his companion pull him into a tightly swirling curl, dragging his feet against the carpet only a little as raindrops shattered from them in all directions.

Dancing. Yet another thing Sun Ce had knocked from his list.

End Chapter 33

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Long wait on this chapter – I really hate schoolwork – but it was pretty lengthy, anyway. It's been a long time since I had a chapter like this one, split into two separate tracks… anyone who'd like to hear what a _pipa_ lute sounds like is welcome to check out this site: They have sound bytes and things. As always, please let me know what you thought.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: There's certainly nothing wrong with being sedate. It simply makes your excited reviews that much more meaningful. Good job figuring out Xiao Qiao was pregnant – I am not sure whether that was a conclusion generally reached by others. Thank you for your review.

A note for Jen: Unfortunately, Gan Ning doesn't come into this story too much more, since he joins Wu after Sun Ce's death. Still, I wanted to toss him in here – since all other Wu characters are making guest appearances. Lu Xun's turn is coming up fairly soon, actually, because I recently learned that he's actually the great nephew of Lu Kang, whom Sun Ce and Zhou Yu have already fought in this story. And somehow, I could just see Sun Ce as a pirate king – it seems like the kind of largely ineffective goal he might come up with.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Glad you liked it. Sorry for getting you in trouble with your mother, though – I certainly hope you weren't staying up too late on my behalf. In any case, I'm pleased that Xiao Qiao's pregnancy got a reaction out of you – I wasn't sure whether perhaps the secret was too obvious. Thank you for your comments.

A note for Shiy: I apologize if I offended you. It hadn't occurred to me to check in which order you prefer to pair Zhou Yu and Sun Ce, perhaps partly because their roles were not as obviously separated in your "First Kiss" story. I know I strongly dislike reading a story where I feel as though the pairing is backward, so I admire your ability to find anything positive in mine. All the same, thank you for your comments and for responding to my review.


	34. Chapter 34

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 33 

It was hard to know which way his expression was shifting – Chen Hao wasn't sure whether to smile or to close his eyes and let the hopelessness wash over him.

There was a piece of the general's story that stuck in his throat like hot dough, clogging his breath in a calming, contented way – something akin to the sparkle of memory slowly fading from Zhou Yu's eyes. Something touched by the long-echoing light of Sun Ce's determination. But there was another part twisting against his lungs, almost like a broken rib in the sharp, jagged tearing that elevated his pulse and raced under gradually warming flesh.

Because in his memories, in his recreated story, the general had recounted finally accepting Sun Ce's dream as his own. Finally beginning to believe that they would indeed conquer China – that the Wu Empire could actually triumph over its rivals for dominance. And though Chen Hao couldn't know whether Sun Quan – still locked in a struggle for power split three ways across the land and sending his forces throughout southern China even now – would ever be able to conquer the country or not, the soldier did know that Sun Ce would never live to see it. And Zhou Yu would never see that final, triumphant smile he had imagined.

Zhou Yu coughed and turned his head away from the sky, a brief flicker of pain brushing his pale face. Chen Hao watched him anxiously, fingers frozen into the folds of his jacket and lip worried between his teeth. The general closed his onyx eyes as though to blot out the darkness above them, one hand scratching listlessly at his bandages before his solemn, weakening voice split the night.

"… I need to rest for a moment."

The soldier started, feeling a short breath catch in his throat. Zhou Yu's response could only be a sign of his diminishing condition. How many times had Chen Hao asked his commander to rest? And the general had refused over and over – demanded to press on with the story… until now, when he stopped of his own volition. Chen Hao pressed his fingernails tighter into his pant leg, nearly tearing holes in the loose weave.

And again the night wind drove his uselessness in between the lines of his armor. There was nothing he could do anymore – nothing at all. Zhou Yu had rejected his jacket, and the water was long gone by now. But the soldier couldn't help the flutter of worry speeding in his chest. He couldn't bring himself to force the general's story forward – not if his commander were truly in pain. But was there time for a rest? What if Zhou Yu couldn't live out his promise to finish? What if they reached Han Ni Castle before the end? What if the sun rose before the lengthy tale could come to its rasping conclusion?

Chen Hao's forced his eyes away from the lightly panting figure on the floor before him, tearing his gaze unwillingly from sallow skin and the damp, furrowed forehead. The stars were still shining in full force, but for how much longer he had no idea. It was so impossible to tell time at night without watches being called – especially in the back of a moving wagon, pointed a direction he rarely looked, uncertain of the revolving celestial patterns that accompanied the movement of Heaven along time's path. The soldier sighed heavily and felt his warm breath leeching across his face before disappearing. Zhou Yu shifted quietly against the floor, one hand latched firmly into his armor. Chen Hao just watched the stars.

The constellations had changed now – time had moved them in the endless wheel, and new patterns greeted the soldier's unsettled eyes. The Willow was nearly out of view, and of the depictions Zhou Yu had mentioned only the Turtle still gripped the horizon behind them. Chen Hao exhaled softly and traced the lines of the constellation on the floor with a slow finger. He wondered if the Turtle still meant something to Sun Quan, wrapped up in the responsibilities of ruling an empire. He wondered if even a spark of that young boy still remained in the weathered heart of their seasoned emperor.

Falling stars. Chen Hao's eyes flashed wider as a million sparks of glowing white suddenly cascaded through the sky, cutting the diamond-studded heavens in half with brilliant energy. The soldier straightened and stared, losing himself in the tremendous display for a moment before turning urgently to his commander.

"Zhou Yu! Zhou Yu, look!"

It took Chen Hao a long moment to realize that he'd forgotten the honorary in his excitement – but it hardly mattered. The general raised his head and frowned thoughtfully at the back of the wagon, expression clearing under a flood of surprise as his eyes found the shooting dashes of ivory. Zhou Yu's jaw fell open just slightly, and his dark gaze seemed to lose its shadowed fatigue as the light reflected across his face. Chen Hao swallowed and turned back to the display himself, letting the startling vision wash all the anxiety away from his tired, tense shoulders.

For a fleeting eternity, the shooting stars collided through the fading night, interrupting constellations and contrasting the distant horizon. It seemed to Chen Hao that he could almost hear them – as though the stars themselves were singing through the wind at a pitch too high to understand. Then he wondered where the thought had come from, because the soldier knew there was not a poetic inclination in him. And at last he recognized the whisper floating around him – Zhou Yu's voice.

"The falling stars sing back to me in the voice of one I have lost…" Chen Hao turned to look at the general as his murmur came to an abrupt end, accompanied by a swift shake of his head. Zhou Yu almost chuckled. "It's been a long time since I've seen something that impressive."

Chen Hao swallowed against the cold filling his mouth. "You can hear the stars singing?" Zhou Yu cast him a flat glance before turning his eyes back to the sky beyond them.

"It's a poem, Chen Hao." The soldier shivered at the sound of his name, but pressed on anyway.

"Did you write it?"

Zhou Yu blinked at him, then dropped his head softly back from its raised position, letting the question stir through the air around them. Chen Hao wondered for a long moment if he were going to get an answer, but the general's voice interrupted his musings with a slight cough. "I am not much of a poet myself. I have no talent for putting my words in an aesthetically pleasing order. The poem is Lu Xun's work."

Chen Hao frowned a little. "Lu Xun? Is he a general as well?" Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Not yet. He will be, someday. At present, he serves as Sun Quan's clerk and personal assistant, but his mind is too clever to keep him there long." One pale hand brushed through the dark, errant hair and trailed to the floor. "Lu Xun is very young… last fall brought his twenty-seventh birthday. He is filled with hope and expectation for the future of Wu – at times I wonder whether he will lose that."

Chen Hao swallowed as his eyes drew back to the stars. He wanted to ask whether Sun Ce had not also been that way… whether Zhou Yu's uncertainty about the young clerk's enthusiasm was a reflection of an earlier tragedy. But he didn't. The stream of shooting stars was thicker now, and each pinprick flew faster and shorter than before. The soldier cleared his throat.

"Why did he write that poem, my lord?" The general shook his head slowly.

"I am unsure. I only found it scribbled across one of his reports by mistake. But Lu Xun is an orphan… he lived with his great-uncle Lu Kang in his youth, before joining our army some years ago."

Chen Hao's eyes widened. "Lu Kang? Not the Lu Kang you and Sun Ce fought against, when you were staying with Yuan Shu?" Zhou Yu laughed quietly.

"Yes, actually. But if he begrudges our actions, I have never seen an inclination of it – Lu Xun is a loyal, steadfast officer." The general peered thoughtfully up at the sky, watching the falling stars as they began to trickle into a narrower, tighter stream, losing their momentum against the weight of the night. "… I will not conjecture as to the origin of his poem, but I suppose that Lu Xun has suffered much sadness in his life, despite the infallible hopefulness he still possesses."

The soldier hugged his knees tighter and looked away from his commander's faltering voice, seeking out the heavens in respite. There was one more thing he wanted.

"I'd like to hear the poem… if you wouldn't mind reciting it, my lord."

Zhou Yu stared at him for a long moment, then turned back to the shadows and considered. Finally his voice broke through the soundless melody of the shooting stars in collated, twinging lines.

"_The falling stars sing back to me in the voice of one I have lost_

_Too long vanished to remember more than a shadowed face and touch_

_How many miles have I walked today, lost under Heaven's salted tears?_

_Looking back over the road brings me only fatigue_

_I the lonely traveler weave tapestry between my fingers_

_If I catch them, will the stars become diamonds for me?_

_How many masks might I create from a single ball of twine?_

_The way before me has never been clearer_

_The voice of one I have lost echoes in the shadows_

_Twilight stretches lingering arms above the horizon_

_The miles beyond my feet cannot be longer still_

_Than the length of road I have already walked today_

_I pray for sleep, for dreams—_

_In dreams I find you_

_In sleep I hold you_

_Forgetfulness never comes_

_Your song shall not be silent."_

The soldier glanced away from his general's cold, jaded eyes and looked back to the sky. Already the shooting stars were fading, growing less numerous in their tireless cascade. Chen Hao knew he would never remember the exact lines of the poem, but the feeling in its short contours would be with him for the rest of his life. His mind strayed to the poet he had never met – the man behind a desk in Sun Quan's palace of whom Zhou Yu expected great things. The young officer would be about the same age as the Qiao sisters… "Twenty-seven is older than I am."

It was the only thing he could think to say. And it was almost funny, how a person his age could grip sword and spear in battle when a prodigy like Lu Xun never had. Out of his peripheral vision, Chen Hao could see Zhou Yu blinking softly as a light cough tore from his throat. Then the general shrugged.

"Age means little on the battle field. When I say Lu Xun is young, I mean that his mind is not yet prepared for war. Sun Ce and I entered battle at seventeen." Zhou Yu stopped and considered his shivering subordinate quietly before shaking his head, dark eyes deep and mirthless. "But perhaps you are not prepared for war either, Chen Hao."

The soldier didn't know what to say to this. Before he could formulate an answer, Zhou Yu's face had resumed its stern, resolute lines, chasing the sheer exhaustion away from his pale flesh through force of will if nothing else. The general coughed harshly.

"Forgive me. There is no time to rest… I had forgotten how quickly we must progress." It was as though some of the shooting stars had gotten lodged in his eyes – Chen Hao could see a renewed spark in the obsidian gaze. Zhou Yu shook his head. "We must continue. There is too much left."

Chen Hao frowned, worry silting his tone and driving the unsure voice from his mouth. "My lord, if you are tired you should not push yourself. Please – there are only a few years remaining. Just take a moment to rest."

Oh, how the phrase cut into his tongue like piercing, burning needles – like salt spread across the expanse of his mouth and cutting physically into the flesh of his gums. How he wanted to shove the inevitable conclusion away forever – to prevent Sun Ce's eventual downfall. As though by not recounting it, the act itself might come undone – unlace the entire expanse of time, change history. The soldier wished he didn't have to beckon the end like this – even for the general's sake.

But it didn't matter, because Zhou Yu was shaking his head anyway. "Only a few years, yes – but there are so many things I must recount…" Another cough, this one colder and more complete. The general raised one hand to wipe at his spattered lips. "We need to go on. Please tell me where I was."

Chen Hao was torn completely in half. Part of him wanted to stop up the general's consuming words like a river dam, to hold them back and force Zhou Yu to pause. But the other part knew that the faster they continued, the more he could hear – that the sun was waiting somewhere beyond the horizon, and that it would not wait forever.

"… Summer of 198, my lord. After the unification of Wu."

Zhou Yu nodded soundly, regaining his sense of the story. "You can probably imagine that the next few weeks were a bit hectic. With Wu under our control, emissaries had to be sent to the acting imperial government for approval of regiment, and the entire territory from Fu Chun to Kuaiji had to be surveyed and allotted to one general or another. Sun Ce was very lucky that Cai Rui and Dong Xi arrived when they did – we were shorthanded even before Yan Baihu's downfall."

Chen Hao frowned, lost in the complex web of politics. "Why did you need more regents _after_ conquering Wu? Wouldn't it have helped to have them during the war instead?"

Zhou Yu shook his head. "During a conquest, counties that are not directly in line with a path of advance can be neglected. As long as we were chasing Yan Baihu, we ignored a few smaller portions of Wu – places that were primarily self-governing. After conquering the entire territory, however, Sun Ce needed a stable government throughout the region, which meant sending envoys to every part of the area. Along with that, each major city needed a protector – someone to oversee affairs and keep local ruffians from cropping up. There was a period of time, shortly after Yan Baihu's demise, during which we were stretched very thin across Wu."

Chen Hao sat back against the wagon's side, still confused but willing to be quiet about it. Zhou Yu waited a moment as though anticipating a second interruption; when it didn't come, the general pressed on, voice becoming harsh under the consistent flow of his words.

"The Qiao sisters returned to Niuqiao at that time, because it was a more stable county than Qingshan at that point – and it didn't hurt the decision that Lu Meng was stationed nearby. Sun Ce and I moved through the Wu Territory for the remainder of the summer, our main goal to eliminate various bandit and pirate groups."

The soldier frowned, rubbing his legs against the cold that somehow slipped beneath his returned jacket. "Why didn't Lord Sun Ce's generals deal with the bandits? Didn't he have things to take care of in his court?"

Chen Hao wasn't entirely sure what the rulers of vast kingdoms did all day in their capitals, but he had been told it took a great deal of time and energy. And it must, if Sun Quan was any indication – rarely had the soldier heard of their high lord leading troops into battle himself. But Zhou Yu was rolling his eyes, onyx sight stark against the pale sheen of his skin.

"Don't be ridiculous. The chances of getting Sun Ce to hold still long enough to take care of his political responsibilities were abysmal. He had to be constantly moving – always in the thick of the action. And if he wasn't, he only caused more trouble." The general paused, a softly reminiscent expression sliding over his face. "And in any case, Sun Ce did not believe in middlemen. I cannot even estimate the number of times he told me…"

Zhou Yu broke off halfway, but he didn't have to finish; Chen Hao could almost hear the tireless assertion floating through the relentless wind around them. _I'm going to conquer China, Yu, and I'm going to do it with my own two hands!_ Like his confidence were all he needed. Like those two hands would be enough to hold the entire country at its seams.

The general's voice resumed, softer than it had been before. "So we traveled through Wu… just the two of us most of the time, though Taishi Ci accompanied us for a short while during our inspection of Qingshan." Chen Hao felt surprise and worry flitting over his face, and Zhou Yu's dark gaze seemed to acknowledge those emotions as he shook his head. "It was not as dangerous as it sounds. With Wu under our control, there were few particularly intimidating enemies to challenge us. Sun Ce and I were more than capable of taking down a few rogues by ourselves."

Chen Hao shifted uncertainly, not entirely comfortable with the idea of the two legends isolated from their allies and loyal soldiers. What would they have done if a larger force of bandits confronted them, something they couldn't handle alone? But Zhou Yu had barely paused to answer his question, and the ream of the story stretched on between them after only a short breath.

"Perhaps two weeks before Sun Ce's twenty-third birthday, we were heading west near the Yangzi, surveying the outlying villages of Chua – the region where Xuancheng is located." Chen Hao's finger strayed automatically to the indicated location on his palm, contemplating the wrinkle of river absently as Zhou Yu swallowed against… pain? Hesitation? Memory? The general shook his head. "You will recall that Sun Quan and Zhou Tai were acting as regents of the city at that time, and that I told you we had peace in that province of Wu for a year after defeating Liu Yao."

Chen Hao nodded, his nail scraping the dry skin of his palm. Zhou Yu closed his eyes.

"Inevitably, that year came to an end."

xxxxxxxxxx

The shafts of jilted light slipping through the patchwork canopy of branches above hit the deciduous floor like shattered shards of the sun, glowing green and yellow across the thickly dewdropped groundcover. Everywhere, birdsong infiltrated the tiny hollows and glades and echoed back and forth, filling the new morning with a chorus of cheerful chirps. The trees stood close together, leaning into each other and whispering as the first tendrils of wind made their way through the forest, carrying the dust of a distant road into the uncultivated sanctuary.

Zhou Yu breathed deeply, letting the soft air fill his lungs as he stepped carefully across the crackling forest floor, twigs and tired leaves snapping under his purposeful strides. Except for the natural sounds of morning, the wood was completely silent – cut off from civilization of any kind by miles in each direction. The strategist pushed a few branches out of his way and continued, walking quietly in an instinctual echo of his surroundings. Shadows painted his light shirt blue-gray as he trailed through the trees, enjoying the cool breeze that lifted summer's eternal heat. Another beautiful morning – the climate of Chua left little to be desired.

The swordsman braced one hand against a spruce tree and moved carefully over a fallen trunk, the rough bark peppering his skin with delicate pressure marks. The region just north of the Yangzi had been pleasant as a whole, without a great deal of trouble to detract from its natural attractiveness, and much of the journey through Sun Quan's county was satisfying in visual complement – but there was no denying that here, in the cool, deciduous forests of valley slopes, every aspect of the landscape radiated a kind of calm energy that demanded renewal even of passing travelers. Rarely had Zhou Yu felt so open and unhindered in his surroundings. It was as if every moment spent in the forest lifted the invisible tinge of war and purpose away from him, assuaging the unseen blood on his hands. The strategist wasn't sure he'd ever been closer to peace.

Somewhere high above him, an oriole's cry sounded loose and free, scolding the swordsman for his walk through the serene atmosphere. Zhou Yu shook his head in slight amusement as the breeze filtered through his loose hair, mild thoughts straying to his absent companion. Of course, Sun Ce had no idea how striking the region he'd captured truly became in the early morning – the Little Conqueror was still in camp, soundly asleep beneath the coarse roof of canvas they had rigged as a tent the evening prior. The strategist was baffled how his lord could be completely dead to the world, when the birds around them had been making a melodic ruckus since dawn – but Sun Ce had always possessed the unique talent of surprising his swordsman at every turn, and apparently camping brought no exception.

They had been lucky so far in their survey campaign; in every village, heads of households and innkeepers alike had been overjoyed to share their services of lodging. One family even tried to marry its twin daughters to the passing officers, and only a bout of quick talking on Zhou Yu's part had gotten them out of the arrangement.

Of course, nothing came free of conflict, and a few rabble-rousing rogues had shown their unfortunate faces in a futile stand of rebellion. But on the whole, the people of Wu seemed happy to accept their new lord – perhaps because he was impossibly charismatic at every turn, blending into each local culture with a minimum of mishaps. A jubilant smile hadn't left the Sun lord's face since the start of their journey, not even in the few struggles they'd encountered against local tyrants. The young officer reveled in moving from village to village, meeting the inhabitants of his newly established kingdom and making an impression no matter where they went.

Zhou Yu had no idea how his lord could converse so freely with such a variety of people, but social interaction had always been a specialty of Sun Ce's. The strategist had rarely encountered someone immune to the young officer's passion and charm – even people like Lu Meng and Taishi Ci were helplessly dragged along with him wherever he led. And one could argue that Zhou Yu himself was the most helpless of all.

Underfoot, shrubs and small plants tugged at the swordsman's boots like gentle hands, beckoning him to slow down as his path took him back toward camp, close enough to hear the soft sound of their whinnying horses. Zhou Yu could see the two animals still tied securely to their tree stump, nibbling absently at the nearby groundcover and whickering to each other under the threads of birdsong. The camp materialized before him between the thin trees of the glade – it hardly even made a mark in the undaunted landscape, dull colors unable to stand out against the uniform background.

The strategist sighed. What with the hospitality of their hosts in every region, there had always been a bed available when night fell, along with a stable for the horses. But since they had delayed so long at the last town, there hadn't been any village for miles when it was inevitably time to stop the night before, and a camp in the middle of nowhere had been the only option.

And why had they been delayed so long in the final village of the previous day? Because the Sun lord had a birthday coming up, and he knew it. The swordsman couldn't even estimate how long they had wandered between the impressively overpriced shop stalls, the young officer's excitable gaze skimming across everything the meager trade economy had to offer. _I just want to see if they have anything interesting, Yu. Out of the way places like this – you never know what you could find. What's the hurry, anyway?_

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the memory and slowed his pace, approaching camp steadily but silently. He could see the ashes of their fire pit now, buried among the rubble of the forest floor, and the lopsided tent interrupting the emerald forest scenery like a ragged robe tossed heedlessly over the arm of an exquisite chair. The hurry was that they had a schedule to keep – a schedule that should have brought them to Xuancheng yesterday evening.

As appreciative as the strategist was for the chance to spend a clear morning in the beautiful forest, he was not at all pleased with the prospect of Sun Quan's forthcoming complaints concerning their lateness. The youngest Sun child had always reacted badly to circumstances outside of expectation, principally because of his well-developed tendency to whine, and messengers not three days prior had affirmed how eager Sun Quan was to receive his brother. Chua's adolescent regent would no doubt give them both a fair share of his thoughts on the delay as soon as they arrived. Fortunately, Xuancheng couldn't be much farther – half a day's ride, if not a little less.

Zhou Yu stopped at the open center of camp and glanced around, noting that everything had remained undisturbed during his short scouting venture. Sun Ce was apparently not awake yet, if the soft snores coming from their sparse accommodations were any indication. Not that the strategist had really expected him to have moved from the very spot where he'd been left an hour earlier – somewhere in the conquest of Wu, the young lord had lost his childhood implication for early rising. Nonetheless, there were a great number of things that needed to be done in the course of the day, and each one required the impulsive officer's waking presence.

Disinclined though he was to disturb their quiet forest surroundings, Zhou Yu stepped carefully over to the tent, kneeling before its opening and peering inside through the dim shadows of reluctant morning. And then he felt himself stalling, thoughts of Xuancheng drifting mindlessly away in an overwhelming rush of… something – a feeling he couldn't quite describe or place, or banish from the flickering space beneath his lungs.

Sun Ce was wrapped around the sparse hemp blanket, arms twined between the folds of the fabric and locked through each other in a complicated arrangement that looked highly uncomfortable. His tan face was half buried in his jacket, a meager pillow in the absence of his swordsman's shoulder, and Zhou Yu could see his mouth just slightly open with deep, dreaming sighs. A few strands of chestnut hair had made their way down over the peaceful forehead to tickle his nose; Sun Ce shook his head in unknowing irritation as each soft exhale made the locks dance against his skin. One leg protruded from the thin blanket, kicked heartily out against the supporting pines for no reason the strategist could fathom. The sound of his quiet breathing washed through the still morning and filled the small camp with ambient well-being, matching the sunlight and mirroring the gentle blue of the sky somewhere far above them.

Zhou Yu felt himself smiling. Only in the thick of sleep did Sun Ce look even half angelic – but it was a compelling image anyway.

The swordsman shot a glance toward the tree-curtained canopy over him and then around the sparse clearing, hesitant to carry through with his intended actions. If they wanted to make any kind of time to Xuancheng, they needed to leave soon – the weather was clear at present, but summers in Wu had always been wet, and an afternoon thunderstorm was likely if the previous week had been any indication. As an additional complication, their unexpected extra traveling day had left them a little short of supplies; the strategist had a feeling there would be more left over if Sun Ce wasn't so prone to snacking while they rode, but nonetheless the sacks were nearly empty. And as much as Zhou Yu himself wasn't starving, he knew the lord of Wu had a little trouble tolerating an empty stomach and keeping his mouth shut about it.

Birdsong swept past the swordsman in a soft twitter, ruffling the fringe strands of hair that toyed with his dark eyes and brushing the walls of the tent with its absent fingers. Zhou Yu looked back to his sleeping companion and pressed his lips together in slight regret. The wisest choice as probably to wake the young officer immediately and set off for Sun Quan's city. But Sun Ce looked so tranquil, so relaxed, tangled up in the thin blanket and dreaming obliviously.

Zhou Yu sighed and sat gingerly on the soft ground, regarding his companion silently with one hand supporting his chin. It wouldn't have been a hard choice, really, except that the young officer had been sleeping so badly as of late. The strategist could remember countless nights before the commencement of their surveying journey when Sun Ce, restless despite fatigue or inclination, had paced their quarters or tossed powerlessly beneath the warm blankets, caught up in concerns that would not give him peace. It was partly for the sake of relieving those burdens that Zhou Yu had agreed to a survey venture at all – there were a thousand more pressing things waiting in the capital, but as the dark circles beneath the Sun lord's eyes grew blacker with each dreamless night, his swordsman had become ready to accept almost any solution.

Sun Ce huffed and rolled over is his sleep, swatting irritably at the bangs that tickled his tan skin, and Zhou Yu extended one hand to sweep them away. His mouth settled into a thin line as he regarded the peacefully slumbering officer before him, lost to the world and oblivious of his comrade's thoughts. It almost seemed like the subjugation of Wu had made things more complicated for the Little Conqueror than they had been during the endless string of battles. Stability meant settling down – sitting still and focusing on the practical matters that accompanied dominance of any region. And stability was not something that came naturally to the restive inferno of the young officer's spirit.

Zhou Yu's hand slipped sideways to land beside his companion's cheek, brushed by the officer's rhythmic breaths as the strategist shook his head absently. It wasn't quite accurate to say that the Sun lord couldn't handle politics – that he had no business ruling a country. But there was no falsity in the simple fact that Sun Ce disliked many of the responsibilities that came with controlling a kingdom. The Sun lord's strength lay in conquering a territory, not in ruling one – he had no patience for the eternal stream of dignities and ceremonies that were required to keep so many subjects in line.

Zhou Yu knew this. Sun Ce knew it, too. And the knowledge of his inability to stay calmly in line with the necessary duties of an emperor kept the young officer up at night, dominating his conscience and driving him to distraction.

Perhaps that was why the swordsman had agreed immediately to Sun Ce's suggestion of a survey mission, despite the danger and the sheer necessity of their presence in Wu's capital – because anything had to be better than sitting helplessly by as the Sun lord struggled with the weight he had managed to drag down onto his own shoulders.

Sun Ce muttered to himself and flung one arm senselessly to the side, smacking the tent wall before his limb slunk back into the covers. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at his fidgeting companion, one hand fisting into the shirked jacket beneath the young officer's head and the other dodging across the ground beside him. The Sun lord had always been an astonishingly active sleeper – but he was sleeping, and for a long moment that was all that mattered.

The renewed horses' whickering and a vibrant cry from the oriole hopping between branches above him broke through the strategist's wavering thoughts, reminding him all too clearly of the journey ahead. Zhou Yu sighed, remorse slipping across his features and shadowing the dark gaze as it surveyed his still snoring companion. Tomorrow they'd be in Xuancheng, and then Sun Ce could sleep as late as he wanted to. But for now, there were things to be done.

"Ce, wake up."

The swordsman raised a reluctant hand in time with his voice and shook his lord's shoulder, disentangling the web of dreams woven around the sleeping figure with his unexpected disturbance. Sun Ce groaned and curled in on himself, one amber eye cracking open to blink up at the man waiting beside him. For a long moment, hazy recognition consumed his expression, mind struggling to grasp the sudden change of scenery. Then the Sun lord smiled sleepily at his waiting strategist and yawned, throwing both arms lazily over his head to block out the creeping sunlight.

"Five more minutes."

Zhou Yu felt remorse tugging at his ribcage, fueling an instant inclination to just let Sun Ce rest, but he shook his head softly and drew his hand back anyway. "I've let you sleep an hour longer than I should have. We need to leave soon if we're going to make it to Xuancheng at all today."

A slight exaggeration, perhaps, but the strategist had learned long ago that Sun Ce rarely considered the truth dire enough to warrant whatever action his swordsman suggested. In this case, the Sun lord's only response was to mumble incoherently and roll over, burying his face in the blanket and muffling his sleepy voice between its folds. Zhou Yu frowned slightly.

"Ce…" The young officer raised his head only high enough to meet the strategist's onyx eyes.

"I don't see why we've gotta get to Xuancheng so bad. Nothing there but Quan anyway. And he's no fun these days." Sun Ce yawned again and snuggled deeper into his jacket as the muttering rant continued. "Just holed up in the library with his books, studying all day. Blah."

Zhou Yu was tempted to point out that studying was a very worthwhile pastime, and that Sun Quan's intellectual pursuits should be continuously encouraged – but he pressed his lips together and kept the unhelpful words back. The swordsman sighed between his teeth and crossed both arms over his chest as irritation crept through him.

"And be that as it may, we told Sun Quan that we'd be arriving yesterday – he's probably frantic with worry by now." Sun Ce waved one hand dismissively.

"He's always frantic. Hardly makes a difference." Zhou Yu frowned.

"Ce, you were the one who wanted to go to Xuancheng in the first place." Not that the city had been along their intended route, of course – but Sun Ce had been adamant about reaching Chua's great establishment in time for his birthday. The strategist felt regret seeping out of him and transforming into mild annoyance as the young officer stretched languidly and yawned in response.

"Yeah, well – that was then. We're gonna run ourselves ragged if we just rush around all the time. Quan can wait a couple days – it won't kill him." His amber gaze met the dark, expectant eyes imploringly. "Let's go with my plan for once. How about you come back and lie down, and we'll both sleep in?"

Zhou Yu sighed silently, glancing away from the entreating expression. It was far too late for such a delay – already the morning sun had cleared the distant rises, slipping through the slats of the trees around them and coating the forest floor. As comfortable as the Sun lord looked wrapped tightly in his cocoon of bedclothes, there were truly other priorities that needed attendance. The swordsman shook his head.

"That's not an option, Ce. We have to get moving. Here – I'll help you up." The strategist rose smoothly to his feet, holding out one hand in simple invitation. Sun Ce snorted and ducked back into the covers, losing all interest in the outside world as soon as his proposal had been rejected.

"Fine – go by yourself, then. You can march off to see Quan if you want to, and get a real earful on my behalf. I'm taking the day off." A flurry of decisive movement flung the jacket over his head and obscured the muzzed chestnut ponytail, muffling any further muttering through the layers of thick cloth.

Zhou Yu felt a full frown capturing his lips, chasing the last remnants of sympathy from his dark eyes. The strategist leaned down and took hold of Sun Ce's coveted jacket, yanking the garment out of his reluctant companion's hands with one smooth motion.

The young officer yelped, two quick hands shielding his eyes from the merciless sunlight streaming around them as his sheltering pillow disappeared. "Hey! Give that back!" Zhou Yu straightened, draping the confiscated fabric over one arm.

"Get up, Ce. We're leaving if I have to drag you behind the horses." Without another word, the swordsman turned on heel and strode away, stolen jacket rippling in the soft morning breeze and a significantly less lenient expression coloring his features. Twelve determined steps brought him to the campfire pit; Zhou Yu rummaged half-heartedly through the supply sack, not exactly surprised to discover how meager their breakfast was going to be.

A small _thud_ at his feet brought the strategist's gaze up from his search for sustenance, and it focused momentarily on the pinecone near his boot before glancing back to the stumbling, scowling form making his haphazard way out of their tent. The swordsman raised an eyebrow as Sun Ce steadied himself against a neighboring tree and flung another pinecone in his direction.

"I hate you," Sun Ce asserted forcefully, sticking his tongue out. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"Good morning to you as well, Ce. Your eternally cheerful demeanor never fails to add sparkle to our interactions." The young officer groaned, staggering sleepily over to his strategist and plunking unceremoniously onto a fallen log at his side.

"You promised me no three syllable words before noon," the Sun lord complained, rubbing his forehead and shaking the unruly chestnut bangs out of his face. "I can't understand a thing you're saying."

Zhou Yu felt concern furrowing his forehead again as he rose from his kneeling position, turning back to study the deep circles under Sun Ce's amber eyes. The swordsman touched the black patches marring the tan skin and met the young officer's gaze soundly.

"Didn't you get any sleep last night?" Usually the young lord moved and twisted with insomnia, but Zhou Yu hadn't noticed any particular disturbances the night before. Sun Ce shook his head, grimacing up at the worried strategist beside him.

"No! There was this stupid owl that wouldn't shut up. And I kept thinking I heard something moving around…" Zhou Yu started.

"Moving? What was it?" Sun Ce shrugged.

"Never saw it. The light was pretty bad, since the trees are so thick here – the moon couldn't get through. It seemed pretty big, though." The swordsman frowned heavily, worry swallowing his features again as Sun Ce yawned through his recountance.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" The Sun lord laughed.

"It was probably just a deer or something. You don't have to panic." Zhou Yu opened his mouth to respond, but Sun Ce's brilliant smile, breaking through the lingering haze of sleep at last, cut him off. "Besides… you were out so fast last night. You looked like you were just exhausted. I didn't want to wake you up over nothing."

The swordsman's jaw hesitated just barely open, words of rebuke stalling on his tongue at the simple sentiment. Then Zhou Yu shook his head, a thin smile surmounting his troubled features. "I'd rather you woke me up for nothing, Ce, than let me sleep in a situation where I was needed."

Sun Ce rolled his eyes in exasperated teasing – but any harshness left from the struggle for agenda had faded from his amber gaze, and five tan fingers played absently with the loose end of his swordsman's sash as the Sun lord shrugged. "Well, I'll alert you if I'm ever in really dire straits. Like the next time Quan wants my help on his stupid strategy work."

Zhou Yu scoffed, brushing the dark bangs back from his eyes as he settled onto the log beside Sun Ce, his fingers skimming the rough, peeling bark in unconsidered rhythm. The chestnut-locked head came to rest instantly on his shoulder, matching the young lord's yawn and tired looping of both arms through the strategist's elbow. Zhou Yu closed his eyes, letting the sounds of the morning wood wash over him with the current of the wind before finding an answer. "You're sure it was nothing?"

Sun Ce laughed tiredly, and the swordsman felt his companion ducking closer to his side as though finding a replacement sleeping position for the one he'd left behind. "Yeah. Or at least, it didn't do anything. So it doesn't matter."

It was tempting to just sit there forever and let time drift away. Zhou Yu wondered how long Sun Ce would stay still against his arm if he just didn't move – how long they would be able to hold the spontaneous position before some motion shattered their tranquil moment. He didn't want to think about Xuancheng, or Wu, or anything else – he just wanted to exist right there for as long as possible. To pretend that there were no other concerns in the world than the warmth of Sun Ce along his side and the texture of their joined hands. The tan skin was rough and callused under his pale fingers, the color of faded tea in the lost sunlight.

But time never seemed willing to hold still, no matter what moment Zhou Yu wished he could maintain. Sun Quan was waiting – impatiently, no doubt – and there was a good deal of riding to be done before the strong walls of Xuancheng would finally come into view. The strategist exhaled softly and forced his dark eyes open, glancing once at his fatigued comrade before reluctantly untangling their arms and rising from the fallen log. Sun Ce's consternation showed clearly on his face as the suddenly empty arms wound into a thick knot over his chest.

"Time to get going again, huh?" His tone was rampant with disapproval, matched in condemning intensity only by his eyes. Zhou Yu sighed.

"Delaying doesn't settle anything. We need to head out." The strategist couldn't bring himself to look away from the deep amber gaze, thick with hope for a change of heart, and turned on heel instead, heading toward the horses as quickly as his feet would take him. Sun Ce huffed behind him, but Zhou Yu kept his dark eyes focused firmly on the waiting animals as his leather boots crunched the speckled ground.

It didn't matter that the forest was so peaceful right here, denying the day's forward motion with its unchanging lines. It didn't matter that the last thing he wanted was to drag himself stiffly into the saddle and set out again, following the road westward in their endless journey. And it certainly didn't matter that where he was sitting, Sun Ce had a patch of sunlight dancing back and forth across his nose, streaking over the tan cheeks as light wind moved their canopy in a gentle sway, and that the swordsman had been tempted to brush it away from the energetic features. There were things that had to be done, and they took precedence over the fleeting mirages of the morning, no matter how captivating those images might be.

Zhou Yu was halfway to the horses when a running stride suddenly catapulted after him and two bronzed arms caught his waist, halting his motion instantaneously with a soft _thud_. The strategist's breath stalled momentarily in his lungs, and then he stopped walking and looked back, glancing over one stoic shoulder at the tousled top of Sun Ce's head. Words of puzzlement spilled into his mouth, but answers were coming from the tenacious officer before he even needed to ask.

"I don't want to go to Xuancheng. I just want to stay out here." There was a light, fatigued pout ringing through the Sun lord's voice, and Zhou Yu felt his eyes rolling in well-worn annoyance. The swordsman turned until he could meet his companion's gaze, both arms dropping ineffectually to his side as Sun Ce's hold tightened. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Why not, Ce? Correct me if I am mistaken, but I recall _you_ suggesting we visit Sun Quan and Zhou Tai in the first place." Sun Ce scowled faintly.

"I did. But when I suggested it, I didn't have any idea how much fun it was going to be out here. Come on… can't I change my mind? Let's just forget it, okay? Let's skip Xuancheng altogether." The strategist shook his head softly, dark hair tumbling beyond his shoulder to brush the side of his face as his puzzlement only grew.

"Fun? All we've been doing is surveying – never staying in one place more than a day or two. We've hardly encountered any trouble, either – I thought you would be regretting such a dull survey loop. Why do you say it's been fun?"

The young lord squeezed him and shifted from one foot to the other. "Because I get to spend time with you, that's why."

Zhou Yu blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected response. Then confusion contorted his forehead, lining the smooth skin with bewildered ripples. "What are you talking about? When we're in the capital—"

"It's not the same!" The strategist felt his voice breaking off at the vigorous interruption. Sun Ce dislodged one hand from the crinkled shirt and waved abstractly around them. "When we're in Xuancheng, or Qingshan or whatever, you have things to do – you work all the time. I hardly get to see you when we're not talking about battle. And you get so stressed out, too." The young officer shook his head. "I hate that. I hate it when you're busy."

"Ce…" Zhou Yu stared down into the endless amber eyes and found himself unsure how to respond to the unexpected statement pouring through the light air before him. Sun Ce shook his head again, his messy ponytail skipping over his back at the simple motion.

"But when we're out here… you don't have anything to do, or anything to worry about. It's just you and me. It's so much easier to make you laugh when you're not carrying all those politics around with you." A smile broke through the earnest contours of his face. "You're not busy with other things – I get to spend all day with you, every day. And that's why I don't want to go back to stupid Xuancheng with its stupid dignitaries and strategy and stuff."

Zhou Yu fumbled with his words before forcing them into a rough order. The open, honest admission had taken him by surprise, and for a long moment his response didn't come, lost between Sun Ce's smile and the whispering echoes of his voice.

"I… there are things I have things to do, Ce. I'm sorry, but I cannot spend all of my time with you." The young lord's shoulders slumped a little, matching his sulky frown. Zhou Yu shook his head. "Every region has reports to review, and there is a great deal of planning to be done, and the imperial emissaries—"

Five tan fingers pressing against his lips stopped the explanation. Sun Ce chuckled, sighing under his breath. "I know, okay? It's been like that for years."

For a brief instant, the strategist thought he could see something flashing over his officer's face – reminiscence of fighting through a locked door, climbing through a window to break the barrier of responsibility the swordsman had created around himself.

Sun Ce found the dark gaze and held it firmly with his own, amber eyes just a shade lighter than imploring. "And that's why I don't want to go back. You've got all sorts of work waiting for you in Xuancheng, and then you'll get busy again."

Zhou Yu pressed his lips together and slipped one hand to the young officer's elbow, holding Sun Ce beside him with the pale fingers. The strategist shook his head. "It's only for a few days. Then we'll be traveling south to Moling." Sun Ce made a face, the serious intensity fading slowly from his expression.

"A few days too long. I swear it'll only take Quan half that to drive me up the wall, and you'll be back in the thick of things in no time at all." The Sun lord wrapped his arms tighter around his swordsman and sighed. "Come on, please? I miss you when you're all tied up in other things." The swordsman started a little at this statement. It hardly seemed possible for Sun Ce to miss him when they slept right next to each other. The young officer pressed on despite the unencouraging look on his comrade's face. "Let's just skip Xuancheng this round. I'm sure we'll be back here pretty soon anyway. What could it really hurt?"

Zhou Yu ran a quick hand through his hair, tossing back the locks streaming over his shoulders and growing very warm under the sunlight. "Ce… you know as well as I that we can't do that."

Sun Ce scowled, impatience finally overriding his serious attempt at persuasion. "Why not? Don't you like it out here?" The strategist rolled his eyes.

"This isn't about what I like. Skipping Xuancheng just isn't an option. For one thing, we're running out of supplies – we won't have any food left in a day or so." The Sun lord huffed, withdrawing his arms and crossing them over his chest in exasperation.

"So? We'll rough it. We can eat leaves and berries and things. Besides – another town's sure to come along eventually." The young officer nudged his strategist in the ribs. "I think it could be fun – to see if you'd make it out here."

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath and refused to take the bait, rubbing a thin line of dirt away from his companion's cheek. It looked as though Sun Ce's restless sleeping had led him to use the forest floor as a pillow for some portion of the night, though the dirt blended into his tan face almost perfectly. He ignored the teasing statement and continued.

"And secondly, we've already told Sun Quan that we're coming for a short visit. You and I both know he's going to be upset just on account of our lateness – can you imagine how insufferable he'd become if we ignored the promise completely?"

Sun Ce slumped, kicking the ground beneath his feet in an ineffectual show of displeasure. His amber gaze flashed with irritation as both hands fell to his hips. "So he'll throw a tantrum. Sheesh, it's not the first time – he's a temperamental kid anyway. He'd get over it."

Zhou Yu gave his lord a flat look, dark eyes boring into the young officer's own. "Ce." The Sun lord matched his intense stare for a long moment, frown refusing to yield. Then finally Sun Ce threw his hands in the air and wheeled away, stomping hard against the ground.

"Ugh! Fine! Fine, we'll go to stupid Xuancheng! But we're only staying a few days, got it? The absolute minimum!" The young officer tore their tent viciously to the ground, crumpling the canvas and tramping vigorously on the helpless fabric in his extreme disapproval. The strategist blinked. "We're getting out of there as soon as possible. And I'm not going to let you work all through the night, or sit behind that desk all day, either. Stupid politics…"

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow as the rant descended into unintelligible mumbling. A light sigh fell from the swordsman's thin lips as he walked the rest of the way to their horses, carefully lifting each piece of equipment and settling it softly over the short, coarse hair. The horses whickered and stamped, heads tossing unhappily at the return of their uncomfortable tack. Zhou Yu sighed silently as the second saddle slipped easily over his mount's back, his thoughts still locked on the irritated young officer behind him.

It was all a little ridiculous. Sun Ce didn't seem to understand that so much time spent in political venues was what kept his kingdom functioning – that there were responsibilities that came with conquest, and that they couldn't be ignored. It wasn't as though the strategist preferred the company of his scrolls and reports to spending time with the vibrant officer currently shoving their tent unceremoniously into a sack. Given the choice… Zhou Yu shook his head idly. And Sun Ce knew that. But there were so many things that had to be done.

A loud _thud_ from the horse beside him startled the swordsman, and he jumped before he noticed Sun Ce draping their few saddlebags over its back. The young lord glared righteously at him before pulling himself into the saddle, finding his balance as the horse stepped back and forth at the added weight. Zhou Yu blinked up at him and raised an eyebrow. The Sun lord dashed an impatient hand through his tangled chestnut hair, indicating the second horse with a toss of his head.

"Well, come on – let's get this over with. The faster we get there, the faster we can leave, right?" And without another word, Sun Ce delivered a sharp kick to the horse's flank, grabbing the reins in two unhappy fists. Zhou Yu jerked painfully as the halter was ripped out of his hands, his eyes staring after the animal as it cantered away, barely dodging the patch of trees directly ahead.

For a long moment, the swordsman could only watch the disappearing figures and listen to the tumble of harsh hoofbeats moving through the close wood. Then Zhou Yu scowled and rolled his eyes, a low growl echoing in his throat as he mounted his own charge and set off after the irritated Sun lord. The horse whickered as it chased the light prints and flowing sound of the rider ahead of them, and the strategist shook his head at Sun Ce's childish departure.

"Good morning," he muttered sarcastically, leaning into the horse's neck and pressing its pace. So much for a beautiful day.

.x.

"Ugh…"

Zhou Yu glanced carefully at his companion, peering through the haze of dust springing from the hooves of their sweating steeds and suffusing the thick air. Sun Ce was slumped forward over the front of the saddle, his arms locked around the animal's neck and a disgruntled expression marring his tan features. The strategist slowed his horse a little to keep stride with the other mount, eyes passing curiously over the young lord. The hot sun bore down across his back, making the dark hair hanging at his nape almost unbearably warm and adding an overheated sheen to Sun Ce's face.

"Ce?" The strategist hoped this wasn't the beginning of another series of complaints. After their haphazard departure from camp, it hadn't taken very long to catch up with the dissatisfied officer, although they continued to move very quickly for the next few hours. What had taken a long time was getting Sun Ce to stop griping about the next stop on their journey. It seemed as though he had only negative words for Xuancheng and its regent alike, and Zhou Yu had only managed to stop the tirade of grumblings by eventually comparing the lord of Wu to Lu Meng and his endlessly sour disposition.

Then Sun Ce's jaw had snapped shut with a vicious click, and he hadn't said another word the entire ride. His silence made the swordsman even more malcontent than his whining had, because the young lord was so rarely silent in the first place – but Zhou Yu was forced to call it an even sacrifice, and had taken the terse atmosphere as a necessary exchange for his peace of mind. They had been making steady progress, moving at a full canter along the rocky path that split the deciduous forest on each side like a thin blade – until now, when the Sun lord suddenly wilted over the neck of his mount in vague imitation of the baking greenery that lined the edge of the road.

Sun Ce groaned, making a face at the path beneath him, and Zhou Yu felt a slight jab of concern trickling through his veins. His voice held a note of worry as he repeated the implied question. "Ce, are you all right?"

The young lord's gaze was very flat as it found the troubled dark eyes. "No, I'm not all right. It's gotta be ten thousand degrees out here! I'm melting!"

Zhou Yu blinked, then glanced up to the brilliant blue sky, shading his face with one pale hand. It was true that the pleasant morning had turned into a remarkably warm afternoon. Not a breath of wind bothered the trees on either side of them, and the sun stared down unhindered from its throne high in the heavens. The only clouds marring the cerulean folds of the sky hovered west beyond the ridge just ahead of them, and those pooled like gray silk in a single patch of blue without any inclination to move. There was something odd about their shape, and the strategist wondered if perhaps they were indication of a fire in the distance – but regardless of their uniqueness, they provided no respite from the glaring sun.

Sun Ce groaned dramatically and shifted back into a full sitting position, imploring eyes turning fully to his swordsman. It looked as though his bad mood had evaporated in the heat, or at least changed focus – Zhou Yu noticed no lingering annoyance in the amber gaze as the Sun lord jerked his head toward the forest.

"Let's take a break – if I don't get out of this sun, I swear I'm gonna die. And I'll bet you're getting sunburned, too." The swordsman started, raising one hand to his face as though his fingers might sense discoloration of the pale skin. A slight frown slid across his lips as his dark eyes considered the road ahead of them, leading uphill to a slight rise and vanishing over the other side. Zhou Yu sighed.

"Xuancheng isn't very far from here, Ce. That farmer we passed a while ago said there should only be about ten miles left." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue.

"Ten miles? I can't wait that long. Besides, I don't want to hurry to Xuancheng." The rest of the assertion went unsaid as the young officer tipped his head to the side and yanked his reins back, stopping his horse completely and drawing Zhou Yu to a halt as well. Sun Ce smiled, the expression breaking like a dancing flame through the dust and discomfort littering his countenance. "You hear that? I think there's a stream over here…"

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to protest the delay, ready to cite every reason that they absolutely couldn't spend yet more time in the beckoning forest, but his companion had already kicked his horse and headed into the trees, disappearing beneath the shade with an audible sigh of relief. The strategist glanced between the road ahead of him, tendrils of mirage winding up from the rocky dirt under the irrepressible heat of the sun, and the glade when Sun Ce had vanished. Then he pulled his own reins toward the forest and pushed the steed back into motion.

What the hell. Sun Quan could wait.

It didn't take long to catch up to Sun Ce, who trotted his horse more slowly through the trees and past clumps of undergrowth, visibly enjoying the shade as patches of dappled sunlight flickered like dragonflies across his face. The young officer laughed.

"Man, it is just too hot out there!" Zhou Yu gave his companion a stern look.

"If we'd started earlier this morning, we wouldn't have been riding in the heat of the day." Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah – bite me. We're not in nearly as much of a hurry as you keep trying to pretend. If we just tell Quan we got ambushed by bandits, he'll get off our backs." The strategist scoffed under his breath, but the easygoing chuckle leaking from the Sun lord's lips cleansed any irritation his words might have earned. Zhou Yu shook his head, directing his gaze farther into the forest ahead of them.

"I'll leave that up to you, then." Sun Ce nodded, his eyes whisper bright under the influx of shade.

"Don't worry about it. Quan's a sucker for the kicked puppy look. I'm sure I can come up with a good story." The young officer screwed his face into a pleading expression and clasped both hands in front of him, leather reins cascading stiffly from his fingers. "Oh, Quan, I'm really sorry – but you wouldn't believe how many of them there were. We barely got away with our lives." Zhou Yu felt a short laugh slipping from his lips at the high, dramatic tone his lord had adopted. Sun Ce threw a casual wave over his shoulder, impish smile lingering on his face. "He'd buy it."

"Hm." It was somewhat mortifying, but the young officer was probably right. Sun Quan had never been good at separating truth from fiction, especially when it was his brother delivering the falsity.

Sun Ce laughed. "Or better yet, let's tell him we got attacked by Gan Ning of the Ringing Terror!" Zhou Yu raised a curious eyebrow.

"You mean that pirate king from the Yangzi?" The Sun lord nodded energetically.

"Sure thing – that would add some credibility to it, since Quan's heard his name before. And then we'd have a great exciting story, about how we fought off a band of pirates all by ourselves and brought Gan Ning to his knees, and made him beg for mercy and walk the plank—"

Zhou Yu snorted softly. "I'm sure Gan Ning wouldn't find that as funny as you do." Sun Ce rolled his amber eyes, clearly enjoying the light banter.

"Oh, come on – with a name like Gan Ning of the Ringing Terror, how tough could he be? Definitely a complete wimp. I wish we'd run into those guys again while we were sailing this spring – I think it could've been fun to duel with a pirate king."

Zhou Yu was personally rather glad that they hadn't encountered the infamous pirate gang while isolated on their single ship, but he didn't have time to say so. The trees ahead opened suddenly into a bright meadow, butterflies and sunbeams flitting over the thick grasses before them and dancing in the ripples of a rushing stream that gurgled and tumbled down the gently sloping clearing. All around, dense ash and pine trees muted the surrounding forest into a vague background of flickering shadow.

Sun Ce's eyes widened at the sight of the knee-deep water staggering over mossy rocks and cooling the thick air around them – then he let out a whoop and leapt from his saddle, hitting the ground at a run. Zhou Yu's heart stalled in his throat at the sudden motion, but it retreated slowly back into mild disbelief as Sun Ce jogged forward, stripping his warm shirt away and dropping it heedlessly into the grass.

"I knew I heard a stream over here!" The Sun lord vanished as he hit the water with a tremendous spray, diving under the turbulent surface and then surfacing to spin gleefully in the cooling liquid. "All right – this is the life!"

Zhou Yu sighed and shook his head, fighting back the tiny smile that threatened his expression as he dismounted far more slowly, grabbing the reins of Sun Ce's startled horse and heading for the stream. Both animals moved eagerly to the cooling water just downstream from their joyous rider, trailing their halters out of his hands and stepping forward into the flowing current to shed the day's heat. Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest as he reached the bank, and he watched his playful companion in silence for a long moment before speaking.

"Feeling better?" Sun Ce laughed and motioned him forward, resting on his knees against the sandy riverbed so that the water reached his waist.

"Come on in, Yu. It's great." Zhou Yu shook his head and sat carefully on the grass a short distance away, the thick branches of an isolated birch shielding him from the high sun that was lost somewhere between its heavy boughs.

"I'm not interested in getting soaked, Ce." The Sun lord splashed water at him, frowning a little.

"I can't believe you're not just diving in here – it's so hot out!" His chestnut ponytail skipped along the bare shoulders as the impulsive officer drummed his hands on the nearby shore. "You've gotta be dying, too. Come on, don't be a spoilsport."

Zhou Yu gave him a decidedly flat look. "I'm not spoiling anything. You can enjoy the water just fine without my presence." Sun Ce huffed.

"Can not. Come play with me." The swordsman rolled his eyes.

"I'd rather not, thank you. You're perfectly capable of playing by yourself."

"Yu!"

But Zhou Yu had decided to stop listening, and he let his posture slip until he was resting fully in the grass. The small plants pressed against his silk shirt in mild complaint at being squashed, but they were easy to ignore as well – bare whispers of feeling under the overwhelming sense of drowsiness brought on by the thick air and still meadow surrounding him. The strategist closed his dark eyes and let a soft sigh slip past his lips, pushing the chorused reminders of responsibility away from his mind and dropping his head soundly back onto the ground.

"Well, fine – be that way." Sun Ce's halfway disgruntled shout echoed around his swordsman like a memory, flicking his ears with restrained disapproval. Zhou Yu shrugged, eyes firmly closed against the sun and sky above him. The Sun lord's splashing resumed and floated through the forest in muted lines, almost cooling the air with its sound alone.

Zhou Yu exhaled slowly, letting the tension of riding slide out of his shoulders and disappear under the rhythm of the afternoon. In the end, Sun Ce was right – being in the capital could not hope to match the tranquility and relaxation of their journey through Wu. There were so many things that Xuancheng required of them – in attitude, in decorum, in schedule. Out here, there were no real demands. A soft breeze wound past the strategist and carried the lingering heat of the sun away from him, cool and calming with the moisture of the young lord's stream.

Out here, Sun Ce's smile was never restrained or canceled by the demands of the political aspect of ruling a country. Out here, Sun Ce was just Sun Ce again – not the lord of Wu, not the Little Conqueror. There was nothing to stop him from jumping straight into the brook before them, from laughing and running around like an imbecile and saying whatever was on his mind. Zhou Yu shifted and pillowed his head against folded arms, his eyes narrowing behind their lids as a memory of Sun Ce's troubled sleeping came back to him.

Sometimes, the swordsman missed the way everything had been years and years ago, when they were too young to understand what came along with ruling a country – when Sun Ce's dream was just that, and every moment had presented them with a completely open canvas. When the young officer never had to fake a dignified restraint he didn't have or be told to watch his tongue. But there was no going back; and without even having to ask, Zhou Yu knew Sun Ce wouldn't have gone back even given the opportunity, because this was his dream – his chosen legacy. And time had proved that nothing could shake that.

But nonetheless… the forest had its advantages.

The sounds of feet trudging through water opened Zhou Yu's eyes, and he glanced over to see Sun Ce striding purposefully out of the stream, dripping ferociously across the jeweled green undergrowth of the meadow. The strategist watched long enough to see the Sun lord retrieve his abandoned shirt, then let his eyes slip closed again, enjoying the soft afternoon sheen that scattered around the branches above his head and bordered his patch of shade. Another sigh slipped through his teeth and melted into the warm air. Zhou Yu wished, for the second time that day, that time could stop, just for a long moment – pause between the trees surrounding them instead of rushing so quickly past, let their afternoon drag on here in the forgotten glade. Let everything just stay like this, long enough to overlook the duties waiting for them down the road.

More splashing reached the swordsman's ears, and Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed, closed against his confusion. What was Sun Ce doing? Footsteps slowly approached his resting spot, and then the young lord stopped right beside him – the strategist could almost feel his companion's still form just to his left through the darkness shrouding his gaze.

"Hey, Yu?"

The swordsman cleared his throat softly. "Yes?"

_Splat!_

Zhou Yu's eyes shot open, and he launched into a full sitting position at the sudden mass of cold wetness that landed on his chest, startling a full gasp out of his mouth at the splattered projectile. Wide dark eyes stared in frozen shock at the lump of dripping silk on his stomach, saturating his clothing and seeping through to the skin beneath. It took a long moment to realize that the offending bundle must be the young officer's discarded shirt, and then Zhou Yu looked up to meet the amber gaze above him, jaw hanging open in complete astonishment.

Sun Ce tried to hold his glare, but it vanished in mere moments, sliding off to make way for a tremendously self-satisfied grin that glowed and radiated sunshine in all directions. The Sun lord crossed both arms over his chest and stuck out his tongue, eyes impossibly bright even where he stood in the shade.

"That's what you get."

Zhou Yu blinked, mind unable to formulate the proper response and still stunned by his companion's actions. Then his jaw snapped shut and his eyes flew into a furious glare, and the words came searing into his mouth.

"Ce! What the hell do you think you're—"

The strategist was on his feet before his voice even reached the young lord, but Sun Ce had anticipated that, and he tore off across the open meadow two steps ahead of his irate swordsman. Zhou Yu dashed after him in a flurry of adrenaline, his boots landing hard in the delicate grasses and pounding straight after the Sun lord, not even slowing as they rushed headlong into the river.

"Aha! Got you!" Sun Ce crowed as they hit the water, dancing on his feet and dodging the strategist's swiping hands. Zhou Yu scowled fiercely and glared daggers at the young officer.

"Sun Ce, I can't believe you—"

The Sun lord flung a harsh splash of water at him, cackling under his brilliant eyes. "You didn't even see it coming!" The swordsman's hands hurled droplets from his face; he dodged loose rocks and chased nimbly after as Sun Ce shot out of the water again, heading deeper into the forest and leaving the meadow behind him.

"Get back here!" Zhou Yu demanded, his voice harsh with order and annoyance as he leapt over buried roots and past the thick shrubs surrounding them. But Sun Ce refused to heed and kept running through patches of scraggled spruce, ducking uphill to avoid the snatching strategist pursuing him.

Zhou Yu shoved his loose hair back over his shoulder and ran faster, nearly catching the Sun lord as they approached the crown of the rise. Sun Ce escaped behind a sizeable tree, peering cheekily around the thick trunk and making a face at his follower. The swordsman stormed toward him, teeth clenched and jaw set in a stern line. Irritation burned in his veins as they circled the tree ineffectively for a long moment, then Zhou Yu growled low in his throat and dropped both hands to his hips.

"Ce, you—" Annoyance snapped his sentence in two, and the feeling intensified when Sun Ce laughed heedlessly. The swordsman felt his fingers tightening into fists as he regarded the soaked contours of his shirt. "You got me all wet! I told you I didn't want to go in the water!"

The young officer was in hysterics on his side of the trunk, hands clinging to the rough bark to keep him upright, but he straightened a little at the angry barrage. "Hey, I didn't get you _all_ wet," he protested weakly, a snicker still tugging at his expression and sucking any semblance of regret out of it. "I only got you a little wet. And you went into the stream all by yourself."

Zhou Yu scowled and glared down at his clothing, utterly drenched from his furious pursuit. He could feel water sloshing through his leather boots, and the splashing chase had managed to soak both shirt and pants all the way through. The strategist felt irritation tumbling and spinning through his ribcage, and he ground his fingernails into each palm to keep the wrathful emotions from spilling over.

"You are so – I can't—" Zhou Yu cut himself off and shoved the words back down his throat, throwing his hands up in frustration as he turned on heel and marched stormily back toward camp, a writhe sound of aggravation escaping and echoing through the folds of the trees around them. He could hear Sun Ce struggling desperately to get his laughter under control and failing miserably as the squishing trod of the swordsman's boots moved away from their tree barricade.

Zhou Yu's temper burned like a sullen ember as he made his way back down the slope, moving more slowly and inspecting his shirt in heavy irritation. Everything was dripping wet, and he could feel the water chilling his skin even under the thick air of an uncomfortably warm afternoon. His dark eyes flashed and challenged in irritation as he crunched broken twigs, the small snapping beneath his feet barely making a dent in the cacophony of displeasure rolling through him. Sun Ce – sometimes his nerve was just—

"Yu! Oh, come on, don't be like that!" A rushing thread of jogging footsteps began behind him. Zhou Yu was pulled to an abrupt halt as the Sun lord caught his arm, spinning the strategist back to meet his vivid amber eyes. "Yu—"

Zhou Yu smacked the young officer soundly across the back of the head, upsetting the cascading ponytail and drawing a slight yelp from his companion. Sun Ce rubbed at his punished scalp and frowned sulkily up into the annoyed features. "Ow!"

The strategist made to pull away, steps already turning back toward camp, but the tight grip on his forearm refused to ebb. Sun Ce swallowed back another laugh and nearly choked, but he managed to keep the irritated swordsman in place. "Come on, Yu. It's just water. It's not going to kill you."

Zhou Yu glared but did not answer, wringing the edge of his shirt viciously over the ground. The Sun lord opened his mouth to continue his pacification, but all that emerged was another uproarious snort. The young officer cackled and raised a hand to his mouth, as though that alone could hide the amusement that crinkled his amber eyes.

"Oh man – the look on your face—" Sun Ce sniggered into his palm and shook his head. Zhou Yu frowned and yanked his arm away from his chortling companion, pivoting in the direction of the river again and dodging the hand that reached after him.

"Glad one of us found it funny." The swordsman felt a black scowl marring his features. Sometimes his companion was absolutely insufferable.

"Yu!" The bitterness like shattered glass littering his tone caught the Sun lord's attention, and echoing steps caught up to him quickly. Sun Ce jogged forward until he could interrupt Zhou Yu's path, wrapping his bare arms around the strategist's soaked torso despite his inability to get his smile under control.

"Look, I'm so—" The half-hearted apology descended into a cascading chuckle before it could even finish. The young officer laughed and buried his face in the soaking shirt, tightening his hold as the swordsman immediately moved to escape his trembling hug. "No I'm not. That was so worth it. I've never seen you look so surprised."

Zhou Yu frowned and glared down at the mop of chestnut hair trickling over Sun Ce's back, breaking the tan skin with shadowed strokes. "Ce—"

The Sun lord reached up and slapped a hand over his mouth, stopping the irate words before they could get very far. Dark eyes narrowed in annoyance at the barrier to his tirade, and Zhou Yu jerked away from his comrade's fingers as Sun Ce laughed and looked up at him.

"Hey, come on. You're not melting or anything. And you'll dry out in a minute or two, I swear. We'll find you a nice patch of sun to sit in – that'll put you in a better mood." The young officer turned and headed back up the slope, linking one elbow through his swordsman's and dragging the unwilling man along with him. "I think the trees are thinner up here – it looked like the hill was leveling out. Maybe we'll be able to see Xuancheng, too."

Zhou Yu glared at the back of his head and moved slowly, resisting each step and the tug of his lord's jovial hand. Sun Ce glanced back over one shoulder and rolled his eyes.

"Sheesh. You're so uptight all the time – don't you worry you're going to sprain something?" The swordsman scoffed, but there was no amusement in the sound. He was never particularly interested in being teased, but being in a dark mood already made him even less receptive than usual to the painless jab.

Sun Ce stopped abruptly a short distance from the ridge's crown, turning back to drop his arms around the strategist's displeased waist. Two amber eyes regarded their onyx opposites with laughing exasperation.

"Yu… come on, I had to do it. You looked so comfortable lying there in the shade…" Zhou Yu's gaze narrowed in annoyance.

"I looked comfortable, so you had to bother me?" Sun Ce chuckled.

"No – you looked comfortable, so I couldn't resist pushing you. It's always fun to get a rise out of you." A small patch of sunlight flickered through the branches overhead and landed on the young lord's nose, wavering back and forth with the slight breeze almost like it had at camp earlier that morning. Sun Ce squeezed him and shrugged easily. "I try to pick a time when I'm not going to get a sword through the gut, though."

Zhou Yu sighed irritably, but a little of his annoyance was leaking through his fingers and vanishing into the warm air at the persistent glow of Sun Ce's smile. He could feel his soaked clothing slowly drying even without the sunshine that waited ahead, slatting between the thinning trees and hitting the ground like so many celestial spears.

The Sun lord laughed again, stepping back and grabbing his strategist's hand. "But I promised you sunlight. Let's go." This time Zhou Yu let himself be pulled without so much opposition, watching Sun Ce's bare skin dappled with the persistent rays of light scattering above them. The hard edge of aggravation slowly pulled away from his ribs, leaving clearer blood to run through his veins as the swordsman shook his head. Sun Ce was insufferable – but anger was losing its sharp sickle in his chest, drawing away and letting his fingers settle more naturally around their twined companions.

At least, it was drawing away until the young officer had to open his mouth again. Sun Ce sniggered and bent forward as they approached the hill's crest, throwing his strategist a calculating backward glance.

"But honestly – your eyes were so wide. You looked like a gaping fish."

In an instant, irritation severed Zhou Yu's contact with the young lord's hand, drawing an angry scowl back onto his face. "Ce!"

The Sun lord cackled and dodged his retribution, spattered footsteps carrying them up the remainder of the hill in a short chase. Zhou Yu huffed and snatched his companion's wrist, drawing them into a staggering halt just as they hit the top of the rise. Sunlight streamed over them like a flooding river, drenching both men with golden beams as the strategist glared hard into his lord's jubilant amber eyes, the infectious laughter echoing around them.

"Ce, you—"

And then he stopped. Before them, the hill descended into a long, gentle valley, its slope littered with sparse trees and stretches of rocky interruption to the wavering meadow grass. Nothing obscured their view – miles stretched in all directions like a spilling canvas, covered with forest and the richly varied landscape of the Yangzi's northern region.

It could only be a few miles to the imposing wall that stretched out in a powerful boundary, surrounding a vast city overflowing with cottages and brisk streets. Endless rhythm of motion flitted through the structures tiny with distance, the movements visible even from the top of the rise – interrupting each other and overriding the dominant images. Black tendrils of greasy smoke spiraled up from the city's array of structures, and a great feeling of noise and chaos pressed against the silence swallowing the rise where they stood.

Sun Ce stopped dead, and Zhou Yu found his hands clenching into instinctive fists as his eyes dashed across the city ahead of them. His jaw fell open in shock as orange flame became visible, licking a thousand walls and crunching the great capital in its clutches. The strategist took a sharp breath; it lodged like unsanded wood in his lungs, beating painfully in time with his elevated pulse.

Xuancheng was burning.

Sun Ce staggered, his balance upset by the unbelievable sight stretching before them. The generally unstoppable mouth moved silently for a long moment before a single syllable fell from his stunned lips.

"Quan…"

No.

Sun Ce shot from the rise at top speed, tearing down the hill before them and leaping over the brush that impeded his path. Zhou Yu blinked and stared after him for a moment before thought caught up with him, yanking him in two directions simultaneously. Sun Ce was careening down the slope ahead of him, in sight but making his headlong way toward the city not four miles distant, and the swordsman's gut reaction was to follow him. But their weapons were back with the horses…

"Ce! Sun Ce!"

The Sun lord did not so much as glance back, dashing through a thicket of trees and disappearing. Zhou Yu cursed loudly and turned on heel, running back through the forest as fast as his soaked feet could carry him. His heart thudded heavily against his ribs with each biting breath, drumming in time to his feet and squeezing his stomach in a panicked fist.

How. How could this happen.

Zhou Yu shook his head, clearing the useless wondering thoughts from his mind as the stream appeared before him. The strategist crashed through the water, startling the horses from their position nearby as he snatched Sun Ce's reins and swung himself into his own saddle in one swift motion. Then he slammed his heels into the animal's flank and jerked its head uphill, driving them into a breakneck pace that drew startled whinnies from both mounts.

The swordsman ducked a thin bough and leaned low against the horse's neck, demanding more speed even as the trees flashed by at an astonishing rate. The animals seemed to have sensed his panic; their hooves flew typhoon fast over the hard earth, scattering dead leaves and broken branches in a flurry of noise and heady motion. The crest of the rise came quickly, speeding past in a flash of level ground as shadow snapped into sunlight and they began the descent.

Zhou Yu forced himself to breathe and clenched his fingers into the leather reins, dark eyes scanning anxiously for Sun Ce as he lurched across the horse's back and watched the slope disappearing behind them. The young lord couldn't have gotten that far – not even at the speed horror had given his feet. His searching gaze landed once more on the smoking city, and his stomach reeled with fearful adrenaline at the sight of Wu's capital in flames.

What had happened? It didn't make any sense. Sun Ce had no great enemies now – Duke Cao seemed to be a growing threat and relations with Yuan Shu were strained, but word from Xuancheng only three days ago had given no indication of a forthcoming attack. What adversary could have marshaled significant troops and invaded the city in such short time? Had Sun Quan resisted? Were the soldiers posted in the capital insufficient to repel an attack – or had they simply been caught off guard? How—

There. Zhou Yu yanked hard on the reins and pulled both horses left toward the figure racing ahead of him, clearly aiming for the ribbon of dry road that sliced the forest landscape. The strategist kicked his mount harder and swallowed, finding a voice against the anxiety drying his mouth and the wind assaulting his face.

"Ce! Sun Ce!"

Sun Ce looked back, stammering to a halt as the rider and horses bore down on him. Zhou Yu snapped the reins tightly in his hand and pulled both creatures to a stop, drawing frantic cries of distress from his charge at the abrupt change of momentum. Sun Ce hurtled into his saddle, barely giving Zhou Yu time to release the second horse's halter before he had leapt into motion again, moving much faster now over the coarse grass. The swordsman followed, eyes torn between his companion's serious face and the pillars of smoke rising ahead of them.

They hit the road like a hurricane, churning the dust into thick clouds with their sheer velocity and driving pebbles like hailstones before the eight racing hooves. Zhou Yu snapped the reins tightly and kicked harder, trailing Sun Ce's horse by a scant few inches and keeping his eyes eternally locked on their target ahead. He could see things more clearly now – level ground had changed the distant flames into an oncoming wall of fire, and the currents of motion were the fleeing forms of Xuancheng's citizens, dotting the landscape outside the wall and disappearing into the surrounding forest.

Had there been an ambush? A mutiny? Could Wang Lang have marshaled an army again, marched on Wu's capital to take back his territory? How had the flames spread so fast – or had the city been burning for days and days, locked in the tongues of fire while he and Sun Ce made their gradual way west?

The strategist bit down hard on his tongue, willing the useless questions to stop. It hardly mattered how this had happened – all that was important now was stopping the damage and getting the situation under control. And finding Sun Quan. A surge of panic flooded through Zhou Yu's heart at the thought of the youngest Sun child lost somewhere in his collapsing palace, but he pushed it back and forced himself to focus forward, sliding in the saddle as the pace increased and the road flew away behind them.

The ride to the city gates seemed to simultaneously last forever and be over in the length of a heartbeat. Suddenly the broken wall rose up before them, wreathed in flame and scattering ash in all directions. Sun Ce's horse broke step and shied back, its ears flat in terror at the raging inferno ahead. The Sun lord struggled with his fighting reins for a long moment and then threw himself to the ground, pausing only to snatch his tonfa from the saddlebags before racing toward the flames. Zhou Yu's eyes widened yet farther.

"Ce! What are you—"

No time. Sun Ce was already gone, leaping through the breaking entrance without so much as a shirt to keep the heat away from his body. Zhou Yu grabbed his own sword and jumped down as well, hitting the ground hard and immediately feeling the warm ground hissing at his wet boots. The strategist hurtled after his vanished companion, gritting his teeth as adrenaline flew through his veins and pushed him through the fiery gateway.

The city was just as chaotic as it had appeared from above. Peasant citizens ran in all directions in a haze of screams and smoke, carrying bushels and children and dragging each other toward Xuancheng's outer wall. The nearest cottages had been reduced to piles of flickering twigs, boughs of blackened pitch barely holding their previous structures, and Zhou Yu could tell that this area had been the first hit by the fire. Up ahead, it seemed as though the air cleared a little – perhaps the fire hadn't made it very far inside yet? The great palace at Xuancheng's center, raised a little above the surrounding hovels, did not appear to be in flames.

Sun Ce. Zhou Yu barely caught the flicker of his ponytail disappearing down a side street, making for the palace in a haphazard, rollicking path. The swordsman shot after him, weapon tucked under one arm for greater speed and eyes focused on the burning landscape all around. Blazing cottages flashed past him in a whirlwind of flame as he ran, trailing the disappearing footsteps of the desperate Sun lord.

It was impossible to mark time or distance against the haze of disbelief crowding his mind and the perpetual commotion of shrieks and movement all around him – Zhou Yu ran heedlessly, letting his pace scream over the heated ground and following the shadow of his racing companion without question. They were moving toward the palace, and that was all he knew, lost in the tumbling billows of smoke and snapping timbers.

A crackling overhead startled the strategist as he rounded the side of the next hovel, and Zhou Yu jumped back just as a tremendous beam crashed to the ground, thick with flame and spitting embers at him. His heart leapt into his throat at the near miss and for a moment his feet froze, dark eyes unable to leave the smoldering obstacle. _So close_ – it had been such a startlingly close call. The wood burned and crackled imposingly at him, its radiative heat reminding him of the scorches and burns that might have destroyed his flesh.

_Sun Ce._ The swordsman shook himself and dashed off again, hesitating half a second before catching sight of the young officer again. His pace snapped into a dead sprint instantly, breaking through the flows of smoke all around as he chased his fleeting comrade. His heart hammered like a crossbow in his chest, both at the falling cottages on all sides and increased worry. Their armor was back with the horses, impossibly out of reach now. Sun Ce didn't even have a shirt on. What would they do if they actually found any enemies? Could they hold off a pack of invaders with so little preparation?

He couldn't tell how long it took, or how far he had come – but gradually the heat pouring toward him from all sides began to lessen, and fewer columns of smoke slid like drawn curtains across his field of vision until at last he couldn't see fire anywhere in his periphery. Zhou Yu noticed the main road some distance ahead – the path that led to the palace and cut the rest of the city away from its rulers. Sun Ce had come to a stop, breathing heavily and staring down the road in both directions; the strategist gritted his teeth and ran faster, determined to catch his lord before the frantic young man escaped again.

He needn't have worried. As Zhou Yu's pounding steps separated themselves from the screams of crackling fire behind them, Sun Ce spun on heel and raced a few paces back, trembling with adrenaline and his eyes tumbling with flickered flame. The young lord shook his head viciously, expressing his entire rush of overwhelming emotions in the single action.

"Which way should we go? Main entrance or back entrance?" Zhou Yu swallowed against his parched throat and looked down the road as well, mind spinning. The main entrance would be closer, but the fire was far from here, whereas the servants' gate at the rear of the palace would soon be engulfed…

"Back entrance. They'll probably be trying to avoid any conflict with…" Sun Ce nodded and shot off again, dragging his voice to a halt as the strategist leapt after him, keeping pace with the dashing feet of his companion as best his could. Zhou Yu's eyes latched onto the bouncing strands of the Sun lord's ponytail as thought shuddered in his mind. Sun Quan and Zhou Tai. Were they all right? Had the silent warrior managed to protect his young charge from the encroaching danger? Or had they been taken out before the city was burnt? The flames drew closer, still some distance away but spitting copious smoke into the cerulean sky and obscuring the unforgiving sun.

Suddenly Sun Ce slammed to a halt, and the racing swordsman nearly smashed right into him. Zhou Yu staggered and sidestepped the frozen officer, glance flitting to the expression on his comrade's face in confusion at their abrupt change of pace. Then his eyes snapped back forward, and Sun Ce's reason for stopping became obvious.

"What have we got here?" The riling smirk wound from the rogue's mouth like the cascading flames ahead. A torch in one hand and a dagger in the other, the ragtag man looked them up and down. "A pair of desperate vigilantes bent on saving innocent souls? Or are you just here to loot and pillage like the rest of us?"

A chorus of unpleasant laughter around them shot Zhou Yu into a fighter's stance, and he spun quickly until he was back to back with Sun Ce, sword stiffly threatening the circle of ruffians that had begun forming around them. The strategist could feel his lord's pulse through their well-practiced formation, the young officer's shoulders heaving with anger and adrenaline as more bandits slipped into view, rampaging treasure clutched in dirty hands. Zhou Yu glared hard at the men on his side of the circle, but not one of them so much as batted an eyelash.

"Listen up, mincemeat!" Sun Ce's voice broke through the assembled opponents like a shattering bell, ripe with rage and anxiety. "I'm giving you one chance to get out of my way, and then I'm not taking responsibility for how many heads I take off. So beat it before I lose my temper!"

Zhou Yu could hear his patience snapping and disintegrating, as wild and unrestrainable as the flames burning his vast city. The bandit leader just laughed.

"I haven't got anything to fear from you. We're taking possession of this city, and nobody's going to stop us from getting what we want. Right, boys?" A murmur of amused agreement ran through the circle like a licking candle, melting and seeping into the vagrant eyes of every face Zhou Yu could see. Twenty… thirty… how had they stumbled right into the thick of the ringleader's private guard?

Sun Ce's snarl was clear even without seeing his expression. "You did this, huh? I guess I've got a debt to settle with you, then – and whether I have to drag you out of my city in one piece or in two hundred, I'll be happy to do it. But I've got more important things to do than rip your ugly face in half right now, so I'll tell you again – get out of my way!"

Zhou Yu straightened, stepping farther back as the bandits before him inched closer and snickered unrepentantly. The leader's thick chortle spilled like molding gruel through the smoke-ridden air, and the strategist could almost hear him holding himself upright, one lanky ragged arm wrapped around his middle.

"Your city? You, the Little Conqueror? Don't make me laugh." Sun Ce tensed at the taunt, and Zhou Yu had to force himself not to turn and put a restraining hand on the young officer's shoulder. The rogue pressed on, his voice coarse and disparaging somewhere beyond the swordsman's periphery. "Lord Sun wouldn't run around half-dressed like an idiot in the middle of his burning city. We have nothing to fear from the likes of _you_."

Zhou Yu could see his companion's arm shooting into an angry motion of defiance and impatience as the blazing voice rang out again. Sun Ce shook his head – the soft tendrils of drying chestnut hair flickering with the smoky currents around them tickled his strategist's neck.

"Look, pal – I don't know who the hell you think you are, but you can consider your welcome officially worn out. Sorry I haven't got an escort on hand to vouch for me, but I promise I'm more than enough to handle you and your whole band of ragtag followers. So why don't you just bring it on, and we'll see what you've got."

Zhou Yu swallowed against the dry air. "Ce…" His baritone voice spilled around them in a helplessly calm warning. "Don't let him get to you."

Sun Ce laughed, a short and harsh cacophony that rebounded against the rogues encircling them and seemed to embody the entire disaster. "Don't worry, Yu. He got to me long ago – about the time he set my city on fire."

A sudden sharp crack rent the avenues around them, and every man in the circle visibly jumped, weapons trembling with surprise. Zhou Yu's gaze flew west, eyes widening tremendously at the sight of an enormous chunk of the palace's roof toppling into smoldering wreckage. The back gate was completely engulfed in fire now, and a thick column of greasy ash rose into the air as though in triumphant victory over the gorgeous architecture. Sun Ce drew a sharp breath and took an involuntary step forward, his skin losing its contact with the strategist's silk shirt.

"Quan…"

Zhou Yu heard the rogue leader shifting uncertainly before he found his voice again. "You see, Little Conqueror? I'm taking your city to the ground – and your empire with it." The Sun lord snarled and twirled his tonfa menacingly, rage redoubled with his rising anxiety.

"I'm gonna count to three. And then I'm going through here whether you're in my way or not!" The strategist tensed and gripped his sword tighter, feeling the hilt dig into the wrinkles of his palm as he prepared for a confrontation. The expressions of the bandits nearest him seemed unimpressed even now, though the breathtaking destruction of their handiwork clearly weighed on a few more sedate faces. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth as their ringleader laughed.

"Worried about the baby regent, huh? Don't waste your time trying to rescue him. My men went on ahead to make sure no one escaped – his carcass is nothing but embers by now—"

"That is it!"

The sickening crack of wood on flesh met Zhou Yu's ears simultaneously with Sun Ce's cry of lost fury and the shouts of the bandits behind him. The strategist leapt into motion as his heart lodged instantly in his throat, torn between the burning palace, his furious companion, and the gleaming knives of the men before him. Dark eyes swept across the ragged faces of adversaries as Zhou Yu's muscles snapped into patterned movements.

_Here we go._

Three sword slices brought the closest enemies to a staggering heap, but immediately more took their places, holding back far enough to make a full strike dangerous and bunching together like cotton seeds. Zhou Yu bit back a growl and stepped left, keeping away from the encroaching adversaries as best he could. There were too many weapons, coming in from too many angles – he had to get out of the circle. But Sun Ce – what would Sun Ce do without someone at his back?

"Okay, you bastards! Bring it on!"

Zhou Yu risked a glance over his shoulder, eyes flitting over the twisting form of the young officer who had more than lost his temper. His lord bashed a few nearby bandits in the face and spun, wheeling his tonfa in all directions in an open assault. The swordsman pressed his lips into a thin line, barely returning his attention to his own opponents in time – another dagger slice just missed his shoulder. Zhou Yu cursed under his breath and parried with lithe steps, dragging a few persistent foes under the sharpened blade as he moved closer to Sun Ce and tried to keep their position consistent. Just one enemy getting between them could be disastrous—

"Yu! Go right!"

He instinctively did as instructed, diving into a roll and coming up with a slash that sent a few more limbs to the loose ground. The strategist's eyes narrowed, scrutinizing the group of enemies before him in search of a weak point. Two trembling hands on a thin dagger – the young bandit hit the ground in a flurry of speckled crimson almost before his comrades had even registered the swordsman's change in location. His final cry tore in a high screech from the unprepared throat, startling those closest to him with its ferocity.

Zhou Yu swept through the crowd in a stunning dash, knocking the weapons from several sets of surprised fingers before turning back at the edge of the road to keep his blind spot perpetually in motion. His dark eyes stalled momentarily on the wealth of angered rogues ahead of him, but they were hardly his greatest concern. Sun Ce was a fair distance away now, moving deeper into the thick folds of enemies and heedless of the men gathering behind him. Zhou Yu cursed and shot after him, sword barely parrying the lightning strikes that staggered after him in every direction.

"Is that all you've got? Come on!" The strategist brought his blade down hard just in time as one braver man leapt into the air, aiming squarely for the Sun lord's head. His carcass tumbled into the dust-ridden streets under the cold steel as Zhou Yu came to a staggered halt, sword held at stiff guard in front of him. Sun Ce glanced quickly over his shoulder, and his amber eyes met their onyx opposites in a small acknowledging smile. Zhou Yu sighed hard and spun, feeling his back bump against the young officer's open skin in a relieving return to their previous position. Sun Ce laughed harshly.

"Glad you could join me." The strategist rolled his eyes, free hand flicking the dark bangs out of his way.

"Where's their leader?" Another biting chuckle.

"I got him. I don't think he'll be getting up again anytime soon." Zhou Yu's gaze shot momentarily to the crushed and bleeding figure lying some distance away beneath a wavering cottage wall, its silently screaming mouth the only recognizable landmark in an utterly destroyed face. The swordsman snorted softly.

"Slightly overkill, perhaps?" Sun Ce huffed, his tonfa wheeling menacingly in the periphery.

"Speak for yourself. If we had time, I'd have given him a lot worse than that." Zhou Yu almost smirked, but his countenance faded back into seriousness as the remaining bandits circled them again, regaining their breaths and waving their weapons threateningly. The strategist scowled. He knew he'd killed at least a handful of the damning opponents already – why didn't the rogues seem to be any fewer in number? Sun Ce tsked under his breath and stepped back, connecting more securely with his strategist's shirt.

"They're pretty persistent, aren't they?" Zhou Yu shook his head, hair whispering across their united muscles as he straightened.

"I'm afraid they're no match for you in that respect."

As though summoned by his words, a man somewhere to the strategist's right stepped forward, two torches flickering brightly in his scarred hands – Zhou Yu wondered if he were their second-in-command or just a courageous opportunist. His challenge boomed forth in an impossibly potent shout as the rogues reassembled behind him.

"Little Conqueror! Surrender now, and we'll spare your life!" Sun Ce just laughed.

"I'm not really feeling outmatched here. Looks like _you're_ the one who should be surrendering, if you want anybody alive when I'm done." One tonfa gestured vaguely to the heap of corpses scattered across the road's surface, and Zhou Yu's eyes passed over the light massacre before shooting back to the new leader, who was cracking his knuckles imposingly. The swordsman swallowed, his gaze flitting over the tight circle surrounding them. It was true that they'd come out all right so far – but there were so many opponents remaining, and they'd lost any element of surprise that might have carried the first few successful strikes. Time for a plan.

Zhou Yu's glance flickered over the infuriated expressions of his adversaries before sliding to the complex of cottages some distance up the road – away from the fire crackling and dashing ever closer as it consumed Xuancheng's great palace room by room. The strategist could see the entire back of the residence smoking and crumbling now – none of the servants' quarters would still be standing. He hoped he'd been wrong about the way Zhou Tai and Sun Quan would have chosen as escape, and that the bandit leader had been lying about his advance troops – but it was a lot to hope.

"You're awfully smug, Lord of Wu." The slippery tone seethed between them from the lips of the prominent rogue as he waved both torches a little. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth. They had to get to the palace – and out of this circle first of all. How to get away from the enraged opponents they'd stumbled into? The leader laughed again, his confidence jutting into the strategist's thoughts. "But that will not save you. We have fire on our side, remember? Your city's already in flames. There's nothing you can do to stop us from dominating Xuancheng – and killing everyone in it."

The swordsman could hear his lord's grip tightening on the tonfa handles. Sun Ce's leather boots tangled through the dust of the bloodied road as he shifted into a charging stance, eyes undoubtedly pinned on their most talkative adversary as his snapped patience gave a little farther.

"Are you _trying_ to tick me off? Look you pompous—"

"Ce." The Sun lord straightened at his companion's voice, glancing back to meet the obsidian gaze as the sense of imminent movement hovering around him deflated a little. Zhou Yu held his voice as calm as possible, eyes studying the waiting rogues ahead. If he moved with significant speed, there was a chance an opening might be created just long enough…

"Yeah?" The swordsman shook himself, forcing his mind back to the moment as their chief enemy moved forward two steps and the circle tightened around them.

"Remember that garden where we celebrated Sun Quan's fifteenth birthday?" He could see the small walled courtyard a short distance ahead, further from the flames than their current position and nestled amongst a cluster of untouched cottages. The spot had been incredibly beautiful in winter, frost-tangled branches hanging overhead and the thick gates separating them from the bustling road…

Zhou Yu could feel the confusion rolling off of his companion in waves as Sun Ce turned back, face surprised and puzzled under the oppressive light of the smoke-encrusted sun. "…What?" The strategist gritted his teeth.

"Do you remember where it is?" His sharp question brought a series of cautious looks to the faces of the rogues surrounding them. Sun Ce blinked under his furrowed brow.

"Yeah, I guess. But—"

"I'll meet you there." Zhou Yu returned his full attention to the crowd of vicious enemies circling them as their chief stamped his foot commandingly and waved the torches.

"Don't give them time to escape!" His gruff shout rang between the walls of the nearest cottages and soaked into the chemical sky above. "Don't let them get away, men – we'll have their heads for our wall! We'll string them up on a wire!" A heavy cheer melted into the thickening air, churning with ash as the fire drew closer and biting winds sent the embers of the great city into Zhou Yu's mouth. Sun Ce shifted, both tonfa waiting defensively in front of him.

"Whatever you say. But are you sure—"

"Now, men! Kill them!"

Two flaming specks being drawn back caught Zhou Yu's attention, and he snapped to face right as the chief flung both torches headlong at the officers trapped between his rough followers. The swordsman's tongue reacted as fast as his feet.

"Run, Ce!"

The strategist barely dodged the incoming missiles, flinging himself left and landing amidst the raised daggers of the charging bandits. He hardly had time to see Sun Ce leaping aside as well – a cry of surprise falling from his lips and painting his expression in startled lines – before the enemies were so thick around him that he was breathing steel and adrenaline.

Zhou Yu snapped his blade back and forth heedlessly, connecting once or twice as he shot out the other side of the circle and came into open road. One hand clutched the weathered hilt as tightly as death as he began to run – not toward the garden, his final objective, but into the maze of alleys ducking between hovels all around. There had to be enough obstacles in the cluster of houses to put some distance between himself and his hollering adversaries – if he used them correctly. They had to get to the palace, and dragging a whole train of bandits along in their desperate search for Sun Quan was only a recipe for disaster.

"After them! I want those men dead!"

So Sun Ce had gotten away as well. Zhou Yu shoved all other thoughts out of his mind and raced into the nearest huddle of cottages reeling under the smoky sky, their thatched roofs almost smoking with the intense heat brimming nearby. The swordsman ducked into a side street and paused just long enough to look behind him, dark eyes watching the fire as it darted through the city at incredible speed. Was it just the wind spreading the flames, or were more of the bandits feeding the firestorm as well? A pang of concern ran through him at the realization that little, if anything, would remain of Xuancheng when the damage was complete.

"There he is! Don't lose track of him!"

Damn it. Zhou Yu startled and began to run again, cursing the distraction that had destroyed his head start. The strategist broke away from the rough wall and kicked a small stool viciously behind him, darting between the hovels in anxious strides; he listened with distant approval to the sound of some enemy colliding with the obstacle and smashing to the ground. It wasn't the style of fighting he normally chose – but for now, a haphazard retreat might be the only option. The swordsman banked a hairpin turn at the next corner, gripping the warm cottage wall and racing down the street as pebbles scattered like imitation raindrops before his feet.

The deserted alleyway flashed by him, and soon Zhou Yu lost track of himself amidst the close faces of the hovels, darting in and out of open courtyards and creating impediments with every opportunity. A standing board, a basket of laundry, a small chair – each crashed to the ground behind him and drew startled yells from the pursuing bandits. Zhou Yu shoved his trailing hair back over his shoulder and tucked his sword under one arm, holding the blade backward to give himself greater speed. The rough ground flew away beneath his leather boots as he turned and recalculated the position of the intended garden, making a sharp turn right as Xuancheng's great roof began to sag. He could see the carved eaves drooping under the encroaching heat, their rich paints dripping like wax from the woodwork and splattering to the ground out of sight.

And then, without warning, there was nowhere to go. Zhou Yu stopped abruptly as he came to a dead end, dark eyes widening at the sight of the tall bamboo lattice before him. Wilting beanstalks pressed against the wooden structure, tying it fast to the ground and separating this street from the market road. The strategist cursed under his breath as the footsteps of the pursuers grew louder behind him, stumbling over the coarse, matted earth in their feverish pursuit – then he dove into a nearby doorway, blinking rapidly as the smoky sunlight turned utterly black and the darkness stole his vision. Zhou Yu coughed at the pungent, rotting smell permeating the dwelling, and then rushed for the covered window, hearing the bandits draw to a halt outside. His feet moved whisper softly across the dirt floor, completely blind in the darkness.

_Crack._ Zhou Yu froze as his boots came down hard on something solid, drawing a painful snap from whatever it was. The strategist stared in vain at the floor beneath him, unable to discern anything more than a vague series of lumps littering the ground.

"Where is he? Don't tell me you've lost him already!"

The swordsman pressed his lips together, anxiety spinning in his stomach. It wouldn't take the bandits long to check inside the hovels – or to simply burn them, leaving the concealed strategist behind in the throes of the flames. The only escape option was the window, but there was no time to pry its shade back carefully from the opening—

"Well, find him, you good-for-nothing sloth! Find him!"

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth as a flurry of displeased footsteps sounded through the street outside. It was going to be loud – but sometimes, there was only one option. The sword flashed brightly in his hand, scattering the influx of sunlight as the window shade crashed into small pieces, his blade destroying the light structure in one blow and creating an opportunity for evasion.

"You hear that? Where was it?" The sharp baritone barked his questions like cannonballs. "Find him! Check the houses!"

Zhou Yu heard a hand pressing on the cottage door, leaning forward to wrench the obstacle open and rush into the dank interior, dagger at the ready – but despite the exit he had created, he didn't move. His eyes were caught on the snapped limb beneath his foot – a limb leading to a still, prostrate body, to open eyes, to unnaturally crimson lips. To the corpses scattered around his feet, huddled close to one another as though in a last plea for mercy. To the glazed, empty eyes of the beautiful girl whose delicate forearm had cracked so easily under his boot, her other hand wrapped helplessly around a very ample stomach.

The door burst open. Zhou Yu looked up into the faces of the rogues startled in the entryway – but any thought of escape had vanished with the sight of Xuancheng's vulnerable citizens lying slaughtered in their own home, staining the family's comforting plot with the rancid scent of murder. The bandits staggered to a halt, their eyes searching the strategist's neutral expression uneasily.

"We… we found him, sir!" one man ventured, but his partner backed away and disappeared from sight. Some scuffling brought another ragtag lieutenant into the doorway, his face set in unpleasantly satisfied lines.

"Ha! Thought you could run from us, did you? Thought we'd let you loose if you just hid long enough?"

Zhou Yu's eyes slid back to the girl under his feet, and he stepped away carefully until he was standing only on bare floor. She was very young, by the looks of it – thin, small, with wrinkles around her mouth where a smile might have shone and reedy, callused fingers. Fingers clutching the cloth over her abdomen in a desperate struggle to protect her most precious association.

"What's the matter – give up? Did you decide to just beg for a quick death? Well, you're not going to get one – we'll have a lot of fun dragging it out after the trouble you've caused."

The overblown confidence slipped right past the strategist's ears and flitted out the window as his dark eyes studied the slaughtered family again. Two older figures – parents, perhaps. A young man with half of his face charred and deformed. A small boy curled around his knees. And the girl. Somehow, she was the worst one of all. Zhou Yu felt his gaze flickering back over her still form as the bandits shifted uncertainly in the doorway, confused by his lack of response.

She was probably about as far along as Xiao Qiao – or had been, anyway. The strategist could almost picture his wife in the same pose: terrified, mercilessly destroyed. Maybe the child wasn't even dead yet. Would it have to wait for slow starvation, or had the shock to her system destroyed it already? Zhou Yu's eyes returned slowly to meet the gazes of the rogues ahead of him, and his fingers tightened around the hilt of the sword held so lightly under his silent fingers.

Citizens of Xuancheng. The same people who had welcomed Sun Ce's conquest with flowers and open arms. People who had lived out their lives peacefully for a year under the Sun lord's rule, under Sun Quan's gentle hand – spattered on the floor. Cut down without purpose or offense. For greed – for ambition. For flippant inclination.

Zhou Yu shifted, straightening from his place beside the mirror and brushing wisps of sunlight out of his hair. The bandit leader backed up a pace, finally noticing the ice burning behind the dark eyes of their cornered quarry. The sword flashed easily at his side as its swordsman shook his head, light breaking over him from behind and glowing in the folds of his silk shirt.

"This is the work of your men."

The rogues exchanged glances before their leader found his headstrong voice, shouting his challenging answer into the cottage.

"And we won't stop until every one of your loyal followers lies dead the same way!" Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed, the fury in their steel depths growing more potent and shirking its coat of sunlight.

"They were not soldiers. They were unarmed."

The leader laughed harshly. "No one here was worth keeping alive. They're all too old or too young to be of any use to us – and there's no fun to be had from a pregnant woman."

Zhou Yu's breath pushed out against his ribcage in a tremendous, slow acceleration, stretching the flesh painfully over his lungs. The ensuing exhale barely whispered over his lips, just escaping his mouth to filter into the tight, rotting air around them.

Then he snapped.

Zhou Yu shot forward, dodging the corpses with light feet and slamming his blade into the lieutenant's jugular. Blood shot in all directions as the man's head snapped backward, losing connection with his shoulders and releasing a torrent of crimson across the ground – but the swordsman was already gone, flashing through the cluster of rogues like a hurricane of spinning steel. Few had time to scream before the sword splintered their flesh and muscle, sending fresh carcasses in all directions and painting the doorway of the tiny hovel with the brilliant red of a new year's celebration. Daggers fell as uselessly as words from the grips of the assembled adversaries, hitting the dirt in time with their masters and sparkling in the obscured sun only once before their polished silver edges invariably became scarlet.

Almost within moments, only one living man stood at the entrance to the cottage, face burning with silent anger and blood scattered across his clothes from all angles. Zhou Yu stepped away from his opponents and set off into the street, his dark eyes writhing with retribution. Behind him, twenty bodies altogether began to seep into the ground, the last remnants of life trickling away under the merciless wounds – some deserved, and some a product of ceaseless warfare.

Zhou Yu let his pace slip into a light jog, hurrying past the abandoned cottages as the ashes began to fall around him, circulated by the wind currents and deposited across the city even as it continued to burn. He wondered if these houses also contained the bodies of the forsaken – had many of the citizens managed to escape at all, or had the entire affair been an unforgiving bloodbath? The strategist shook his head, forcing the gripping thoughts away. He had to meet Sun Ce – had to make sure the young officer had indeed gotten away in the chaos following their separation. And then they needed to rescue Sun Quan, and secure Xuancheng… but some part of his mind remained fixed on the hovel behind him, and the chaos of death leaking from it.

As he rounded a corner and headed back toward the palace, watching its smoldering progression to rubble with worried eyes, the swordsman suddenly felt a sharp pain in his side – sharp enough to send him reeling into a nearby wall, clutching the thick siding for balance. Zhou Yu swallowed a small gasp at the sensation and glanced down at his shirt, unable to locate the injury under the sheer amount of blood coating his clothing. It didn't take his fingers long to find the tender flesh even with his vision impeded, however, and the strategist winced as he pulled the slashed silk away to reveal a glancing stab wound at his waist.

The injury didn't look very deep, but it stung badly and was gushing freely. Zhou Yu glowered at his wounded side and leaned his sword momentarily against the wall, shirking his shirt and tearing it into a long strip with impatient hands. The dark hair fell severely against his bare skin as the swordsman wound the ripped fabric around his stomach, pulling it tighter with each rotation and ignoring the spasm of pain that accompanied his movements.

It had to have been an incidental blow – some enemy's dagger waiting at just the wrong place. The strategist shook his head, sweat trickling down his neck under the hot sun and the flame's encroaching heat. He shouldn't have lost his temper. He should have escaped out the window without pause, as he'd originally planned. But somehow, even the crimson strips circling his waist and the sharp pain in his side couldn't convince him that leaving the bodies without vengeance would have been the right choice.

Good enough. Zhou Yu grabbed his sword and set off, moving quickly down the alley and ignoring the pulsing injury in his stomach. Somehow knowing the wound was there made it worse, and as the walled garden came into view at last the swordsman felt as though he might not have been able to run any farther without coming apart at the middle. Wu's straining strategist gritted his teeth and tumbled through the half-open gate, landing in a crouch among the bushes and snapping his gaze back and forth in search of enemies.

"Yu!" The dark swordsman jumped as his lord appeared out of the brush and grabbed his arm. A heavy exhale escaped Zhou Yu's lips at the sight of the familiar features; he turned to face his companion, eyes quickly scanning the young officer's form for injuries.

"Ce – did you make it here all right?" His gaze moved over the tan flesh, identifying a few bruises and accidental cuts, along with a bad burn covering one arm. Sun Ce laughed softly as the pale fingers reached out and touched the red inflammation.

"Fine. I got a little too close to the fire, that's all." The Sun lord cast him a quizzical glance. "Where'd all the blood come from? And why's your shirt around your waist?"

Zhou Yu swallowed and shook his head, gaze roaming the garden around them to avoid the puzzled amber eyes. "The blood isn't mine." Most of it wasn't. "And the shirt was getting in my way." Sun Ce's expression only became more confused, but the strategist pressed on before he could ask too many questions. "Did you get away from them?"

The Sun lord shook his head. "You wouldn't believe it. We ran into another huge pack, so I think they're all after me now. They just went east, but they'll probably be back in a few minutes."

Zhou Yu cursed under his breath, ducking lower beneath the foliage as pounding footsteps somewhere nearby confirmed his companion's words. Running seemed to have only made things worse – now he was injured, and Sun Ce had managed to double the number of opponents they were dealing with. His side throbbed at the thought, and the swordsman bit back a wince only with great effort. How could they get to the palace now?

A tremendous crash caused both Wu officers to jump, and twin glances shot to Xuancheng's palace as an enormous section of the roof toppled to the ground, crushing portions of the extensive garden beneath it. Sun Ce's breath hissed sharply, amber gaze locked on the crumbling structure.

"Damn it! We have to get in there!" Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line as the Sun lord turned to look at him, determination blazing in his eyes. "We'll have to make a run for it. If we can get past these guys, maybe we can make it to the front entrance." The swordsman shook his head.

"They'd follow us, Ce – we'd only be making more trouble for anyone still inside." Sun Ce slammed his fist into the dirt, features whirling with anxiety.

"It's the best chance we've got, Yu! There's not much left of the palace at all! If we don't get in there soon—" His words broke abruptly as heavy steps thundered past the walls, accompanying a chorus of questions that shot between the bandits in their search. Zhou Yu stared into his companion's burning amber eyes for a long moment before looking away, forcing himself to think despite the nearness of their enemies and the desperation and smoke pushing down on his shoulders.

Sun Ce was right that they had to do something – there wasn't much time left until any hope of finding Sun Quan would be crushed beneath the ruined palace. But the strategist knew he couldn't run that far without difficulty – even now, sitting still behind the brush and evading the dashing eyes of their enemies, his side was aching and burning beneath the blood-soaked shirt. The rogues would simply follow them if they attempted escape, and Zhou Yu wasn't sure he could outrun them – all in all, a heedless dash only ended up with one or both Wu officers killed. The swordsman exhaled softly and glanced at his companion, judging the concern and anger on Sun Ce's features before voicing his idea.

"There is… another way." The Sun lord straightened, chestnut ponytail bobbing impatiently over his neck.

"What do you mean?" Zhou Yu shook his head.

"You get past them – get to the palace. You have to find Quan. I'll stay here and keep them occupied, and then I'll meet up with you." Sun Ce's eyes widened enormously, and his grip tightened on the strategist's forearm.

"What?! Yu, are you crazy? You can't take them all by yourself—" Zhou Yu reached forward and grabbed his lord's shoulder, forcing the words to a halt with five fingers across the startled lips.

"Ce, listen to me. You have to get to your brother. He can't handle a bandit attack on his own – and if he's been isolated, he's going to be killed." The dark eyes maintained complete stoicism even as Sun Ce's answering stare dashed back and forth over his pale face. "I'll be fine. I'm not going to fight them – I'll just keep them busy until you get away. I'm coming right after you."

It was a lie. Even without trying, Zhou Yu knew he couldn't run all the way to Xuancheng's palace – he would have to destroy the bandits if he wanted to survive. But the Little Conqueror didn't need to know that. The strategist shook his head again, glance darting to the street outside as their pursuers rushed past in a haphazard hunt. "Get to the palace as fast as you can, and I'll meet you there."

Sun Ce swallowed hard, indecision tearing at his countenance. "Yu…" Zhou Yu gave his shoulder a light shove, feeling the skin slip away under the force of his suggestion. His tone became harsh with command, and he let the extra edge propel him forward into a ready crouch.

"Quit wasting time, Ce. I'll be fine. Now get out of here." And without another word, the strategist rose abruptly to his feet, stepping out of the protective walls and into the street before his lord could protest.

It took only seconds for a bandit's cry of detection to ring out, echoing through the alley and rebounding against the thick clouds swirling overhead. "You! Where – where did you come from?" The surprised voice matched its master's expression as Zhou Yu drove his sword hilt into the man's unsuspecting stomach, sending his shocked opponent to the ground with barely enough breath to continue squawking.

The strategist heard more enemies clattering around a nearby corner, and their faces shone with pursuit as he took off down a side street, not waiting to see if Sun Ce would take the opportunity to run for the palace. There was no time for an argument now – Sun Quan's rescue had to proceed this way or not at all. Footsteps thundered after the swordsman as he winced, biting his tongue against the pain in his side and dodging across a small courtyard, one hand latched against his aching flesh.

"Found him! This way! Don't lose sight of him again!"

"Up ahead! He's gone left!"

The communicative chorus rang out from seemingly all sides, and Zhou Yu felt himself being circled as the voices came closer, cutting off exits in every direction. He cursed under his short, painful breaths. How many rogues had Sun Ce drawn to their meeting place? Could he even evade adversaries this numerous long enough for the Sun lord to get into Xuancheng's smoldering palace? Doorways and windows flashed senselessly by as he ran, striving to make his movements unpredictable even as the bandits drew inescapably closer.

The unmistakable scattering of gravel under rushing feet stopped the strategist abruptly, widening his eyes as a handful of opponents poured out of the next cluster of cottages and blocked his way, weapons poised. Zhou Yu glanced around as his breath lurched awkwardly in and out of his lungs, stomach throbbing under the incidental injury that tangled his flesh in one enormous spider web of pain. On every side of him, sharp smiles and excited eyes studied his wilting stance, feet almost begging to leap into attack.

Surrounded.

The swordsman threw a quick look behind him, rapidly judging the distance he had managed to travel before being trapped. It wasn't as far as he'd intended to go prior to facing the rogues, but perhaps it was far enough that Sun Ce could escape unnoticed – far enough that the young officer wouldn't hear the sounds of fighting and decide to investigate. That would have to be good enough. Zhou Yu straightened and shook himself, dark hair trailing softly over the pale shoulders. It looked as though he wouldn't be running after all.

The strategist dropped carefully into a defensive position, swallowing a wince at the flaring pain in his side. Hitching breath wove through his teeth and stalled uncomfortably on his ribcage, and he bit his cheek against a wave of momentary dizziness. _Distract them. Stall them. Take as much time as possible._ Zhou Yu cleared his throat cautiously, eyes still flashing around the circle in search of an indication as to which rogue had the shortest patience.

"I see I've been outmatched again."

Meaningless flattery – an important battle tactic. No doubt the easiest way to keep the sharp daggers squarely in their wielders' hands and not his own body was to let them talk about themselves. Never had the swordsman met a minion who could completely dismiss a compliment.

His baited admission rolled through the small courtyard in flat lines, tripping over the well and drawing a few chuckles from the assembled adversaries. One man stepped forward, a short blade resting over his weathered jerkin. "Pretty stupid to think you could beat us in the first place."

Zhou Yu resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Amateurs, obviously – there was no wisdom in taunting an adversary until you had his head squarely disconnected from his shoulders. Even a caged creature would fight back when pushed, and cornered men were the most dangerous of all, because they were willing to try anything. How many times had Sun Ce come close to receiving a generous sword through the gut for his inability to hold his tongue? The strategist shifted smoothly, letting his eyes roam the area for any sign of an alternate escape as his mouth continued to engage the enemies' dismal intelligence.

"I'm afraid I never caught your name. This group of bandits… surely I must have heard of you before, as you possess the skills to take Xuancheng." The rogues drew themselves up tightly, ugly faces shining with pompous pride. Zhou Yu's dark gaze slid critically along the roofs and down the doorframes of the nearby hovels. Bucket, table, broom… what could he use to get out of the situation at hand?

Another ruffian spoke up now, his deep voice slithering between the holes where his teeth should have been. "Bet you wouldn't even have put up a fight if you'd'a known who we are. Nobody does." Was it even possible to consume sustenance through the gapped ensemble filling the new speaker's mouth? The swordsman pressed his lips into a thin line and forced his hand away from the injury at his waist, hiding the wound and blood-stained shirt as well as he could with the shadow of his limb. The last thing he needed was a weak point – or rather, a weak point his opponents noticed. His gaze scanned the area with greater speed, passing over cottages twice and three times in growing apprehension. Wasn't there anything useful in this part of the city?

"We're the Black Fist Gang, terrors of Wu!" Zhou Yu directed his attention momentarily back to the speaker, forcing his expression to melt into surprise at the absolutely unfamiliar name. What was it with rogues in this territory and ridiculous titles? The Ringing Terror, the Pirates of Jiangnan, the Black Fist Gang… the swordsman shook his head, betraying his exasperation as hopelessness.

"The Black Fist Gang… of course. I should have guessed. Your reputation precedes you." The man looked exceptionally pleased to be addressed directly, and Zhou Yu took the opportunity of his distraction to turn slowly in a full circle, surveying the features of the rogues behind him and searching simultaneously for a method of escape. "You are all its finest members, I suppose?"

The coal eyes in the faces of those adversaries behind him were just as dull and flattered as their companions. The strategist let his gaze sift along the rooftops, feeling despair crawling like a nest of maggots in his stomach as nothing new presented itself. Xuancheng was uniform even in its details – small clusters of cottages with a minimum of household items on each doorstep, tiny courtyards with wells and benches for conversation…

"You can't find a finer bunch of men than us. We're the top of the top! Our boss never saw it – treated us like regular dogs. But he's dead now, ain't he?" The others chuckled under their breaths and whittled the daggers against the flats of their palms. One rogue stepped forward in front of the strategist and rubbed his hands together, a discomforting grin leaking onto his face. "I guess we've got your buddy to thank for that, at least."

Zhou Yu sighed as his gaze passed uselessly over the cottages behind this speaker's head, still unable to find anything to alleviate his situation. "My companion is impulsive. I'm afraid your leader was baiting him very badly." The dust stirred around his feet as the swordsman shifted, searching in vain for a way out. If he couldn't find something quickly, he was going to have to take his chances in an open fight. No doubt the Black Fist members wouldn't hold off much longer—

"Hey – you don't see us crying for him, do ya? Real smug bastard – got what was coming to him."

Wait. Zhou Yu's eyes widened so suddenly he was sure his opponents must have noticed, and he forced his features under control before the rogues could suspect anything. Three or four streets west, leaning against one of the tallest roofs… was that a ladder? The strategist straightened abruptly, his thoughts wheeling and spinning into a vague battle plan. If he could get up on the roof, it should be easy to evade the bandits for a while – or it would at least buy him some time. But how to get out of the circle?

"Can I ask why such talented gentlemen as yourselves served this man?" Zhou Yu's glance shot across the portion of enemies blocking his direct route to the ladder. Six, seven perhaps… it was too much of a stretch to catch them all off guard. He'd need a surprise tactic first. The ruffians shifted suspiciously.

"You trying to recruit us, pretty boy?" The swordsman bit back a growl of annoyance and shook his head, ignoring the barb as best he could. It might be possible to get six in two strikes, provided he could get them running toward his blade – but how to bring them in at just the right angle? Zhou Yu scoffed stridently and brushed the dark hair away from his shoulders, adding a little extra force to his next words.

"Certainly not. I was actually wondering if you're interested in recruits." The rogues looked startled to a man, their contorted faces blank at the implied request. The speaker stuttered for a moment before finding his voice.

"You? You'd want to join our gang?" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, quietly ignoring the question. The nearest man shook his mangy head and gestured vaguely behind him to the blazing palace. "Don't you serve Sun Ce?"

Sun Ce would probably find the idea of his stoic strategist joining a bandit gang very funny. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the thought of the Sun lord's bright laughter, scouring the path of escape one last time. Three streets – he could hold himself together that long. His side throbbed as though intrinsically aware of his painful plan, but the swordsman ignored that as well and shrugged unaffectedly.

"Sometimes it's necessary to have a change in leadership – agreed?" The speaker drew himself up proudly, as though the swordsman had suggested he specifically become the new chief of the Black Fist Gang. Zhou Yu tensed in his defensive position, breath sifting shallowly over his thin lips as he readied himself for a breakaway. The man patted the spot above his heart, gaze distracted from their cornered quarry by the looks of murderous independence glowing on his comrades' faces.

"That certainly seems to be the truth—"

Now.

Zhou Yu shot out of his stance, sprinting directly away from the ladder and slashing his sword through three stomachs before the bandits even had time to react. A great cry of anguish and anger rose up on all sides, and the strategist pivoted quickly, racing back across the courtyard toward his intended escape route.

As anticipated, the circle had immediately collapsed inward – the men blocking his way to the nearest side street were tumbling toward him in a furious rush. They ran headlong, barely even stopping to gasp as his steady sword split their flesh open and sent them careening to the broken ground. Zhou Yu ducked a dagger strike aiming for his neck and felt another weapon graze his arm – but then he was free, flying through the street and dodging the household rubble as the bandits crashed into each other at the center of their circle, cursing and yelling after him as they struggled to untangle themselves from the web of limbs and corpses.

The strategist pushed himself as fast as he could go, fighting back the searing pain in his side and ducking down the maze of alleys to lose his opponents. The injury writhed and throbbed in his flesh, shortening breath and begging his feet to stop their haphazard progression – Zhou Yu bit his tongue hard and rushed on, finding the foot of the ladder in a haze of crackling adrenaline. One hand grabbed the wooden frame and steadied the dark officer's staggering body as the cries of the chasing rabble drew closer.

Afterward, Zhou Yu could never remember how he managed to climb the ladder with a sword in one hand and the screaming pain in his stomach – but within moments, he found himself clutching the thatch of the cottage roof, gliding over the peak of the structure and sliding down to rest on the opposite side. He pressed himself flat against the surface and closed his eyes to the vision of pursuers appearing in the street below him, their torches and daggers flashing in the dimmed sunlight. The dark strategist choked his breath to a halt despite the rushing pulse in his veins, waiting anxiously for any indication he'd been noticed.

"He went that way! Don't lose him!"

"I don't see him! Left? Did he go left?"

The swordsman breathed a silent sigh of relief as the footsteps pounded past his chosen cottage, spreading out into the neighboring streets without pausing beneath him. Zhou Yu rolled carefully onto his back, eyes drawn to the smoke-ridden sky above as trembling fingers examined his injuries. The slight cut across his arm was hardly worth noticing – another slip of the dagger blade that barely marred the pale limb. But his side…

The strategist hissed softly, covering the tender flesh with one hand as the cries of angry confusion reigned unchallenged through the alleys below him. The wound pulsed and spat blood at him as he touched it, unraveling the soaked shirt to get a better glimpse of the laceration. The skin around his injury swelled a furious violet, contrasting almost sickeningly with the white flesh exposed to the air for the first time. Streaks of caked red flecked along his waist, leading out from the wound in an accidental spiral.

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and studied the crimson still spilling over his pale fingers. Had the injury been this bad to begin with? The ongoing struggle to escape had no doubt made it significantly worse. He could feel the flesh pulsing and shuddering under his hand, denying any ability to keep moving even as adrenaline roared through him. The swordsman directed his gaze idly back to the sky, watching the smoke crushing the mass of cerulean back as it captured the city and trying not to think about the gushing slice that dominated his flesh.

Time slipped past him in slow strokes, losing all its value amidst the homogenous landscape of running adversaries somewhere beneath him and greasy fire crackling in the distance. Zhou Yu wondered absently what he must look like now – covered in spatters of scarlet, a gaping hole marring his side, hair loose and tangled in the thatch beneath him. No doubt it was the blood loss clouding his mind at the moment – had it made him even more pale than usual? At this point, he probably matched the rotting dead scattered around the city. His steadfast sword glittered dully in the hidden sunlight, thick with crusting crimson from the many men who had met their final fate beneath the blade already that afternoon.

"The first man to find him cuts his throat open! No waiting this time!"

Zhou Yu smiled darkly to himself, eyes roving the contours of the unnaturally red sky above him. He'd lost any chance of deceiving the bandits, but that hadn't been a viable solution for much longer in any case. All he had left was this hiding place – and his weapon, if it came to a fight. Thought slid away from him as the bandits ran amok in the dirty streets, his mind wandering across distracted memory under a sky nearly as bloody as his discarded bandage.

He imagined Sun Ce running, his ponytail flopping over sunburnt shoulders as he headed for the palace – or would he have arrived by now? Would he find Sun Quan there? Was it too late to help Xuancheng's regent escape his burning palace? What if the youngest Sun child had already fled his city? How would his brother know to abandon the search? A thread of panic ran down Zhou Yu's spine at the image of Sun Ce searching frantically through empty rooms, scouring the forsaken residence even as pieces of the ceiling fell heedlessly around him – but despite the sudden dread pooling beneath his injury, the swordsman couldn't summon energy to move, or even inspiration to contemplate a solution. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth as he rolled gently to the side, forcing his expression away from lines of agony. There was nothing to do anymore but pray for the Sun lord's safety – to hope he'd leave the smoldering palace when the danger became too great. That he'd leave before—

A sudden cascade of overwhelming crashes echoed and trembled through the streets – they shook the cottage beneath him and the walls of the neighboring building. Zhou Yu's eyes shot open from their half-closed position, and he rolled onto his knees, clutching the threads of the roof for stability as the wound pulsed vibrantly in his stomach. Dark eyes flew like swallows in all directions, seeking the source of the noise. Had the rogues done something? Had someone activated the catapults? How far had the fire advanced—

The swordsman's jaw dropped as his startled gaze found the cause of the tremendous sound, though it took a moment for him to apprehend the pile of debris staring limply back at him. A sharp breath stuck in his throat like the blades of his enemies, stabbing the struggling lungs.

Xuancheng's great palace, seat of the empire and capital of Wu, was no more than a heap of rubble – the last pillars had collapsed, sending the remains of the roof careening into the structure itself and crushing the beautiful architecture underneath it. Not a facet of the enormous building remained standing upright – the entire thing had been utterly demolished by the flickering flames crawling over the heavy woodwork.

Zhou Yu felt every muscle in his body snap into tension, and he froze in his upright position on the thatch roof, one hand braced against the rough slope for stability. The palace… Sun Quan. Sun Ce. Where was Sun Ce.

"There he is! On the roof!"

The strategist leapt fully to his feet and spun, feeling his steel adrenaline increase tenfold as the bandits jumbled to a conglomerate beneath the cottage, pointing up at him with accusing dirty fingers and shouting to one another. Zhou Yu grabbed his blade and held it stiffly, forcing his mind to work and ignoring the plea of his injury. Without waiting for absolute necessity, he kicked the ladder away from the roof – it shattered down on the heads of the rogues with a momentarily satisfying crash and scattered a few of them to the ground, gaining a cry of anguished fury from its victims.

"Get that ladder up! Climb the walls!"

The swordsman felt himself being torn in two directions – the palace crackled and blazed behind him, and his feet longed to race toward the collapsed building, to search its embers for the Sun children… a dagger imbedding itself in the thatch beside his leather boots alerted the strategist that his attention was unfortunately needed right here. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and forced himself into a defensive stance, doing his best to disregard the wound tearing its claws into his lungs and forcing heavy breaths down his throat.

"Somebody get him down! We've got a fight to finish!"

It took only moments for the rogues to surround his cottage completely, waving their weapons in taunt and screeching about their captured bird. The strategist growled to himself and ducked a throwing knife, eyes straying to the ruined palace far away. Standing on this roof and avoiding the bandits was so excruciatingly useless – the feeling dug into his ribs and made his hands restless, driving five nails into the hilt of his sword. Even if he couldn't get to the palace, he had to get out of the noose closing around him. It was only a matter of time until he had company – but how could he get down without landing right amidst the rabble?

"Hey, pretty boy! You like fire?"

Zhou Yu's eyes snapped wide – but there was no need to answer. Before he could so much as blink, half a dozen torches were thrust into the walls of the cottage and thrown across its roof, landing in heaps of scorching flame that caught all too quickly in the dry air. The strategist felt his breath stalling in his lungs and expanding against the tight barrier of his ribcage, and he hurtled backward to get away from the nearest blaze as it sputtered and popped.

As he watched, mind frozen and eyes locked on the building flames, the fire spread until it was licking every edge and rising to amazing heights, compromising the stability of the roof under his feet and rushing closer. The strategist gritted his teeth and surveyed the ground beneath him, searching for the best of disintegrating alternatives. The thatch crackled and hissed with flame each second he waited, threatening to consume his boots as he wheeled to face the small courtyard behind him.

There was no time to bandage his side again. There wasn't even time to close his eyes. Without a final thought, Zhou Yu jumped through the nearest ascending flame and found thin air.

He hit the ground with a bone shattering crash, dropping into a roll to lessen the pressure on his feet and coming up awkwardly some distance beyond the circle of enemies with sore legs and shaking limbs. His side ached and screamed in agony, but there wasn't even an instant to spare on the pain – Zhou Yu spun and shoved his blade hard into a rising block, barely stopping the first weapon as it came crashing for his head. The throbbing of his injury disappeared under a fog of rushing heartbeats and racing urgency filling his veins and lungs with each tremulous breath. The strategist lost his ability to think – only instinct and desperation moved his hands and weapon through the smoke-darkened air, echoed by a voice somewhere in the back of his head shouting soundless instructions.

_Hurry. The sword is slipping—_

The man before him grunted as a sharp kick knocked him backward, and Zhou Yu wheeled to stab his sword through the nearest encroaching enemy. A cry of bloodthirsty anguish rang from the man's severed throat and the strategist turned again, fighting to keep his blade blocking every strike that came at unforeseen angles around him. The bandits rushed and tumbled on all sides like a stormy sea, jostling to get their daggers forward and screaming into his burning ears.

_On the left – watch that one—_

The second corpse hit the ground with a strike through the back. Zhou Yu grabbed one opponent's arm and swung him down to the dirt, letting the man fall on his own knife and narrowly avoiding a third strike to his neck. His breath panted heavily out of his dry mouth, struggling even harder in the parched air issuing from the quickly spreading flame around them. The whole cluster of cottages had caught fire now – the swordsman shoved a startled rogue into the flames and listened to his screams as his foot slipped sideways, exhausted but shakily holding its stance.

_Just a little longer. If I can get through this group of—_

The fifth man shrieked as the strategist's sword slipped easily into his gut, coming out in a flurry of blood and just meeting his next comrade's slashing blow. Zhou Yu turned his face away from the shatter of crimson drops that hit his face as he blocked, the blade trembling with the force of the strike and threatening to give way under the strong weapon. The swordsman threw all of his weight into the deadlock and shoved his opponent backward, stumbling forward a little as he lost his balance.

_Wide open. Turn around—_

A vicious hilt came down hard on his spine, and Zhou Yu bit back an admission of pain as he staggered toward the burning cottages, control momentarily destroyed. The dark eyes widened at the sight of the approaching flame – he dove sideways into a roll, sword tucked loosely under one arm, and came up in time to hack the unprepared head off of another adversary. The staring features regarded him in frozen vulnerability as they careened heedlessly to the ground, abandoning their carcass to the muddied road and landing amongst comrades in death. The strategist found his muscles collapsing and cramping as he tried to regain a full stance, the injury in his side cringing at the influx of ashes the smoldering hovels spit into the close air.

Zhou Yu flinched at the blood dripping down his side and the smoke clogging his breath, and then another crashing blade tore the sword clean out of his hand, forcing the fatigued fingers to release their last defense under a heavy strike and throwing the faithful blade helplessly into the dirt. The swordsman looked up into feral coal-black eyes and felt himself completely open from every angle, utterly unable to stop a blow regardless of which man decided to finish him.

_No._

The flat of a short sword swept across his chest, and despite expectations Zhou Yu found himself leaping backward, smashing headlong into the wall of an unburned cottage and slamming his head hard against the unforgiving material. The strategist felt himself gasp at the line of lightning fire racing over his chest, and his skull throbbed from the battering blow as the bandit before him stumbled, fighting to stay balanced after the powerful swing.

He'd lost his sword. Zhou Yu's fingers curled uselessly into fists as he stared unprotected into the gathering adversaries before him, gaze flickering down to meet the thin slice of striking red so brilliant against his pale chest. The enemy blade must have grazed him in its descent, leaving only a whispering hint of its intentions behind in the unguarded flesh. The swordsman drew a staggeringly deep breath, fighting to bring air back into his mouth against the aching of his ribs. The men before him straightened and stepped forward almost as one, watching their target with careful eyes and readying each dagger for the last attack. Zhou Yu struggled to breathe out, arms helplessly flat against the wall behind him.

_Not yet._

It was almost comical. There had been so many times in his life, even in this very day, when Zhou Yu had wished that time would just stop – hold its course for only a moment, just long enough to remember how beautiful everything around him seemed in that instant. Times when Sun Ce had drifted off under the warmth of the garden sun, his breath flickering in his bangs and teasing the blades of grass. Times when Sun Quan had been giggling and limp, locked in his siblings' tickling embrace, pushing childishly against the bonds that held him and shining with innocent delight.

Times when something had made Lady Qiao laugh so hard that her smile simply exploded in sparkling sunlight, brightening the entire room and spilling over her younger sister like a blessing from Heaven. Sun Ce holding onto his arm so tightly as they walked along the riverbank in Fu Chun, grinning fiercely enough that the swordsman couldn't help smiling with him. When the rain and the wind blew just right, and for a moment it was almost like forever was standing right in front of him, a tangible mirage.

He would not have picked this moment – the moment before his death, when his chest heaved and thrashed just to pull enough air out of the smoke surrounding him, when his hands were useless and weak at his side, when his whole body throbbed and ached with agonizing pain. When his sword, spattered in dust, ash and blood, had been thrown from his hands to lie dishonored on the ground. When the laceration on his chest leaked crimson and slipped softly over his pale skin, looking for a moment as though it might just spill his heart out onto the earthen street. When this rabble of enemies was poised to destroy him – poised to steal one last breath from his throat and send him to oblivion with his own victims. But despite his wishes, time froze for an aching eternity; nothing moved, and his impending annihilation hovered in the sky above him as though to show him one last time what was going to be taken from him.

Zhou Yu's mind flitted ten thousand different directions, touching everything it could seep into. He thought about his wife, and her baby, and her sister. He thought about the Sun children and their mother, and the father they'd lost many years ago now. The loyal officers of Wu flickered one by one across his mind – his family slipped into the red heavens, so distant already that he could hardly make out their faces. But more than anything else, he thought about Sun Ce, as the weapon of his closest murderer slipped forward excruciatingly slowly. He wondered what would happen to those brilliant amber eyes if the only thing waiting for the young officer when the battle finally came to a close was a bloody corpse. Sun Ce… would he cry?

_Would you cry for me if I…?_

In that interminable instant, Zhou Yu knew he didn't want to die. And then he summoned every ounce of determination he didn't have and pushed himself back into the present, drawing his hands into a defensive posture for one last suicide stand.

The first man hit the wall behind him with a sickening crunch, his forehead less lucky than the swordsman in its collision. Zhou Yu shot away from the hovel and grabbed the closest opponent with senseless hands, driving his elbow hard into the soft stomach and snapping his head sideways with a resounding crack. The remaining bandits staggered back at his sudden violent movement as their second companion tumbled into a heap on the ground. The strategist wasted no time thinking – his body raced forward of its own accord, snatching one rogue's arm and slamming him back toward the gathering flames with a strength his muscles could no longer summon.

"Get – get back! I'll—"

The stuttering warning meant nothing to his careening mind – the swordsman smashed a tight fist into the surprised bandit's face, sending him to the ground with a broken nose. A discarded dagger flickered past his cheek and drew a thin line of blood, but Zhou Yu hardly noticed it before his next adversary hit the ground, struggling to breathe under a sharp kick to the ribs. The final men standing backed away, watching their moaning comrades and the irrational strategist apprehensively. Zhou Yu shoved the long strands of hair back over one discolored shoulder and leapt forward, grabbing the nearest man by the wrists and fighting to tear the dagger out of his frightened fingers.

The rogue let out a panicked yell, thrashing madly in the swordsman's grip and waving the weapon indiscriminately before him. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed as the flashing steel reflected the dying sunlight above them and the fire growing ever nearer behind, but he didn't let go – daggers had lost all cautionary fear. He spun with the man and shoved the flailing weapon through an unsuspecting stomach, sending another ruffian into the dust with a severe stab wound. The newest victim whimpered as two sets of booted feet stumbled over him, and then Zhou Yu found himself on the ground as well, clutching the dagger's hilt as tightly as he could and pushing up against the considerable weight of his opponent.

The terrified coal eyes hovering above him pushed more adrenaline into their rough hands, and the blade inched closer to the swordsman's neck, slicing the smoky air as it battled in a slow descent. Zhou Yu grappled with the man as well as he could, feet braced against the tussled ground as each second brought the dagger nearer to his flesh. Now every instant stung like a shimmering insect, all too bright and clear in his vision. The knife slid and slipped over his exhausted hands, faltering in the rogue's fingers – pushing down, shooting up—

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, forcing his hands steady despite the fatigue shaking them and threatening to drop his guard. He had decided not to die – that had to be enough. Enough to push the dagger farther away – to keep that rough blade from meeting the soft skin at his neck.

Enough to—

_Crack_.

And suddenly all of the pressure was gone, and the strategist found himself hurtling upward as the weight disappeared above him. Zhou Yu blinked and stared up into the empty sky where the bandit's horrified face had been, the weapon they'd been fighting over clenched in one hand and glittering in the firelight as it waited patiently for command. The swordsman stared at the dagger, his mind stalled. Where had his adversary gone?

The answer became clear moments later when a body tumbled into the dust beside him, face skewed in deadly contortion and blistering blood all across the ground. Zhou Yu shot into a full sitting position, staring at the destroyed opponent who had been forcing a blade to his neck only seconds before. His dark eyes shot around the courtyard, searching for a solution to the mystifying salvation through the haze of the billowing, greasy smoke.

Leather boots. Twin tonfa. A long chestnut ponytail dancing lithely over tan skin, tangling with a bright red ribbon as two amber eyes flashed him a smile over one distracted shoulder. Sun Ce grinned, spinning back to smash his weapons into the faces of the remaining rogues and releasing his swordsman's shocked gaze.

"Hey! You okay?" Zhou Yu staggered to his feet, eyes locked on the brimming officer for a long, disbelieving moment before a true smile eclipsed his features.

Sun Ce. He was all right.

The strategist threw the dagger to one side while bending to grab his sword, pulling himself back into a fighter's stance as soon as the blade returned to his hand. He glanced quickly around the street, studying the many corpses and shoving his weapon through a few of the closest throats to ensure their true demise.

A breath he didn't know he'd been holding slid through Zhou Yu's lips, parting the warm air around him with the light sigh. It was a miracle that he'd actually survived the fight. A miracle in the form of one dashing, twisting conqueror with brilliant light streaming from his face as he chased their enduring opponents down the road to obliteration.

"Come on, you pansies! Get back here! Face me like a real man!"

Zhou Yu let his feet come to a halt at last, dark eyes following the movements of his companion as the final rogue fell still under the skilled tonfa. The overcast crimson of the sky shone almost like a sunset behind Sun Ce as he stopped just short of the next side street, brandishing his wooden weapons at the broken figures on the ground beside him.

"That'll teach you to stay out of my city! Come back and try it again – I dare ya!"

And that was it. The swordsman inhaled slowly, feeling the full weight of his bruised body and spasming muscles finally wash over him. Everything ached at once, drawing a wince onto his face even as Sun Ce turned around, his amber gaze sweeping back to find its onyx opposite.

"Well, that takes care of that, I gue—oh my god!" The young lord's eyes became impossibly wide as he got his first good look at the strategist behind him, coated in scarlet and bleeding in half a dozen places. His tonfa dropped carelessly to the ground, and one hand flew to the Sun lord's mouth in unabashed astonishment. "Yu! What happened?!" Zhou Yu shook his head, coaxing the dry voice out of his throat against a sandpaper tongue covered with dull ash.

"I'm fine, Ce."

As he said it, the strategist tumbled to his knees, dropping his sword to the earth and barely managing to hold himself up on trembling arms. Zhou Yu felt his legs hit the ground like an open slap, bracing so feebly against the street that he wasn't sure how long he'd be able to stay even partly upright. The wound in his side threatened to simply implode from the rush of agony staggering across his flesh and darkening the pale skin around the injury even more than its swelled purple allowed.

"Yu!"

Two sturdy hands grabbed the swordsman's shoulders as Sun Ce plunged into the dust beside him, kneeling in front of his strategist while his worried amber eyes swept over the hunched figure. Zhou Yu met his companion's stunned gaze evenly.

"I'm fine."

The Sun lord gawked, a note of panic ringing through his words. "Like hell you are! Is this a stab wound?" The swordsman shook his head.

"It's not as bad as it looks." Sun Ce scoffed, forehead furrowed in open concern.

"You never believe me when I tell you that, and I'm doing the same this time. Yu, are you – I mean, can you walk? Do you need help? I can… we'll put your arm around my shoulders and…"

Zhou Yu felt a smile threatening to consume his lips as he watched fearful emotions chase each other across the Little Conqueror's face. The swordsman chuckled under his breath, keeping his gaze pinned on his companion's startled features even as his vision became slightly hazy. Was it the smoke? The fire must have consumed most of the city by now. His voice seemed a little rougher than usual as it spilled into the thick air swirling around them.

"I'm glad you're safe, Ce. When the palace fell in…"

Sun Ce shook his head, pulling the strategist closer until he could support the taller man's weight against his shoulder. Zhou Yu let the tan arms wrap around his back, almost desperate in their tight grip over the marred pale flesh.

"Answer my question, would ya… but I wasn't anywhere near it. I found this servant up the road, and he told me where Quan had gotten to." The strategist started, sitting up straighter despite the anxious hold encircling him and resisting his motion.

"Quan – he's all right?" The regent of Xuancheng safe… it was almost more than he'd dared hope for in the moment the palace collapsed under a wave of flame. Sun Ce sighed.

"Quan's fine, but… I don't know if Zhou Tai's gonna pull through." Zhou Yu sat up fully, pulling out of the firm embrace and staring into the clouded amber eyes before him.

"What?" It had never even occurred to the strategist to worry about Zhou Tai. The stoic warrior in danger of losing his life…

The Sun lord shook his head. "I guess that bandit leader wasn't lying when he told us he'd sent guys on ahead. Quan said they got attacked in the palace before the fires even started – no warning or anything. Zhou Tai… he got Quan out of there, but he's cut up really badly. I don't know, Yu. He…"

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, worry churning in his stomach as his mind struggled for a solution. Sun Quan would be absolutely inconsolable if his bodyguard was to die… and Sun Ce's empire couldn't afford the loss of such a talented officer. Not to mention the attachments Zhou Tai had established even in his short service to their army. Was there anyone in range who might…?

The swordsman's eyes widened a little as a snowy-bearded man ran across his thoughts – a doctor they had encountered years prior, after a particularly difficult battle with Lu Kang. Didn't he live in this region of Wu? They had even visited his cottage once the previous season during their survey of Xuancheng – Zhou Yu grabbed his companion's arm in lurching inspiration as the man's name returned to him.

"Hua Tuo. That surgeon who helped Lu Meng after the battle at Bei Xi. He lives just north of the city – not a day's ride. Perhaps he can save Zhou Tai." Sun Ce's eyes shot wide in surprise at the sudden suggestion, then he gave a short laugh of obvious relief.

"Wow – what a coincidence. Do you think he'll really be able to help?"

Zhou Yu shook his head. "I'm not sure. But we have to try." Two pale hands pushed against the ground, but his limbs refused to respond, utterly exhausted and trembling under his weight. The strategist pressed his lips into a thin line, gaze shooting back to meet his lord's as his low voice echoed through the tight smoke. "Help me stand. We should hurry."

Instead of rising, Sun Ce pressed a halting hand against his swordsman's shoulder, drawing the obsidian gaze back from its contemplation of shaking fingers. The Sun lord frowned, his face serious under unhappy amber eyes.

"You lied to me." Zhou Yu blinked, caught off guard by the accusation spilling from the young officer's lips. Sun Ce shook his head, chestnut ponytail whispering around the base of his neck. "You weren't coming after me at all. You meant to stay here and fight all along."

The anger shining in his gaze made the strategist pause, mouth partway open with prepared denial. Zhou Yu stopped, a light breath escaping into the close air as he looked intently into the sincere amber eyes. Then he sighed.

"I wanted to protect you."

Sun Ce scowled, the intensity of his displeasure clear across his features. Dark eyes flickered closed against the reproving expression, unable to apologize and unwilling to argue. The Sun lord didn't need protecting. He knew that. He'd always known it. But there was a part of him that never learned, a part that ached to take every blow aimed the young officer's direction…

Two warm arms slipped around his neck, and Zhou Yu's eyes blinked open to see their amber opposites much closer than before. Sun Ce sighed into a loose smile, twining his fingers through the tangled hair spread across his strategist's back.

"You're just lucky you made it out. You know how mad I would have been if you died? Don't ever do this again, okay?"

Zhou Yu smiled just a little as impulsive lips met his own in a long kiss. Despite the throbbing pain in his side, despite the fire crackling ever closer to them, despite the bodies littering the ground in all directions and the blood caking the dirt around him… this was another of those moments he would have held for eternity.

End Chapter 34

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This chapter took a ridiculously long time. It is, by correlation, ridiculously long. I kind of think I ought to have split it in half, but there was no convenient division point. As an aside, that poem is not actually Lu Xun's. As always, your comments and concerns are appreciated.

A note for Celestine R: I'm glad you enjoy the descriptions. I think I went a little overboard with that in the beginning of this chapter, however – would you agree? Thank you for the encouragement.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Conquering Wu was a large landmark in the progression of this story – I am also glad that we finally accomplished that. I'm pleased as well that Sun Ce makes you smile. The scene in the pavilion was enjoyable for me, if only because I liked giving Da Qiao a hobby – music seems like something she would enjoy. Your comments are always appreciated.

A note for Jen: I'm fond of the severed head as a present myself. I'm also pleased that Taishi Ci amuses you – he's an interesting character, and I try to make his dialogue and actions different from anyone else since he was such a brutally unique personality. School work is fortunately over now, but thank you for the good wishes.

A note for Shiy: I'm afraid I missed the pairing order on "First Kiss," perhaps because it wasn't explicit. I must say I admire your ability to read reverse-pairing stories, because honestly they drive me up the wall… I have so much trouble seeing a character I've grown to interpret in a certain way portrayed very differently. And of course, I'm sure your interpretation of Sun Ce's character is just as valid as mine, if not more. Unfortunately, Lu Xun's marriage to Sun Ce's daughter doesn't come into the scope of this story, as it happened after Zhou Yu's death, but Lu Xun himself will get a little time at the end, and maybe in the middle as well if coincidence serves. Again, thank you for your review.


	35. Chapter 35

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 34 

The stars were fading.

Chen Hao noticed this with a start just as Zhou Yu's story came to a gradual end, and then he wondered why he hadn't noticed it sooner. To be sure, the shift was not openly dramatic – a number of bright sparks still glittered in the deep folds of the coalstruck sky, outshining their dim comrades as they had all night. But now he could see patches where there were no stars at all; places where the webs of constellations had begun to disintegrate, their ivory specks sinking into the darkness and vanishing. A sharp breath stuck in the soldier's lungs as he searched the heavens helplessly, eyes rushing between every unbroken strain of the sky as though his will could drag the stars back into their places. But there was no help for it – and his pulse quickened, because he knew what the fading stars meant.

The general did not seem to realize the changing celestial landscape above them, and he pressed on with only the slightest suspension. Chen Hao returned his gaze to his faltering commander as the rough, parched words began to tumble from his lips again.

"It took nearly two weeks to regain complete control of Xuancheng and coax its citizens back – and constructing another palace there was a job not completed for years. Sun Ce and I halted our survey mission, due to the necessity of reassuring foreign emissaries and sending messengers to our other cities, warning them about the Black Fist Gang. Sun Ce hated being stuck in Xuancheng, but there were no other options – and Sun Quan needed his brother's presence badly at that time, as well."

Chen Hao started, concern for Wu's granite warrior reigniting in his chest. "Zhou Tai… was the doctor able to help him?"

Zhou Yu shook his head softly. "He lived. Hua Tuo is a master of unmatched skill in the art of surgery – he saved Zhou Tai's life despite the infections that quickly festered in his wounds. But the scars have never gone away, and his left eye is almost blind even now." The general paused for a moment, dark gaze becoming thoughtful. "I am not sure Sun Quan has ever forgiven himself for putting Zhou Tai in danger all those years ago. He's always had a terrible habit of begrudging himself tragedy far longer than is appropriate."

The soldier bit his lip, wringing his arms through the folds of his jacket despite how cold the fabric had gotten, the night wind leeching any remaining warmth away and carrying it uselessly into the fading sky. A question had just occurred to him, but part of him screamed that it was far too personal to ask his wounded commander, even after the hours of storytelling woven between them. The inquiry tickled his ribcage for a moment as Zhou Yu slipped into contemplative silence, the silhouette of Sun Quan's lost childhood shining in his eyes. Finally Chen Hao took a deep breath and gathered his courage, fingers tightening into the weave of his frigid clothing.

"My lord? Can I… can I ask you something?"

The general sighed softly, the thin exhale sweeping over his face like a breath of churning water. Then he smirked into the shadows. "I'm sure I cannot stop you from doing so." Chen Hao shook his head.

"No. I mean… there's something I'd like to know, but… I'm not certain you'll want to answer." Zhou Yu blinked at that, onyx eyes ricocheting from the ceiling to find his hesitant subordinate's face. The general raised a smooth eyebrow.

"…What sort of question is this?" The soldier couldn't stand his lord's strong stare anymore – he turned back to the fading stars, burying his gaze in the undercurrent of the wind. It didn't do any good to simply sit and wonder; softly the words slipped from his mouth and fluttered back to the dark general's waiting ears.

"Do you blame yourself for Lord Sun Ce's death?"

The sharp intake of breath behind him sent a short shiver of fear down Chen Hao's spine, chilling him far worse than the breeze lurking around them. Instantly he wished he hadn't said anything – and then he reversed that wish, and at last he simply couldn't decide. But he had spoken, and there was nothing to do but wait for any answer the general might chose to give him. The night swirled through the wagon's open back and out the other side, passing the rigs that held the ceiling still above them and brushing the general's long hair faintly over the ragged floor boards.

Zhou Yu laughed – just a gentle chuckle, full of so many emotions that Chen Hao couldn't name them all even as he turned back to look into the obsidian eyes. The fallen legend shook his weary head softly, hands still as marble against his bandaged chest. The soldier blinked at the deepening darkness in his commander's eyes, their fathomless gravity overflowing with a feeling Chen Hao was almost sure he'd never felt – heartbreak.

"Not anymore."

Zhou Yu turned his head to gaze up at the hidden sky, pale lips trembling with the words that begged to be released – words he'd probably been holding back for ten years. Chen Hao pulled his knees closer, holding himself together as though the received outpouring of a complicated answer might tear him apart.

"I used to… there are so many ways in which I am at fault. I could have switched missions with him – when I journeyed to Baqiu, I left him knowing that he would advance into danger…" He broke off and closed his eyes, holding back the senseless words as though they could stop the pain Chen Hao saw physically sweeping over his complex features. "And in so many ways it's easier to focus on the things I did wrong – what I might have done differently. It's… it's so much easier to despise myself than to face the spread of destiny, to contend with chance and fate and…" A choking cough tore out of his throat, darkening like blood against his lips. "But it doesn't change anything. Whether it is my fault or the fault of another, the end result is the same. I…"

Zhou Yu snapped his jaw shut and turned his face away, hiding his expression between the folds of the night in a flat refusal to finish his statement. But it didn't matter – Chen Hao could hear the endless sentiment echoing through the rollicking wagon like a shower of thunder. _I have lost him either way._ The soldier put his forehead down against his raised knees and struggled to breathe, forcing his lungs into the simple action of expanding. Silence filtered around them like a soothing cloak – and for a long moment, silence was all either of them could tolerate.

Chen Hao stared into the black lines of his jacket and bit his lip hard, wondering why the general's words made him feel so empty, like his heart had been quietly lifted out of his chest and taken away in the arms of the wind. Perhaps it was because the whole story had centered on their interactions, or because it was the Wu king's reflected light that carried his forsaken strategist on through the cold night – but Chen Hao could not imagine Zhou Yu without Sun Ce any longer.

He couldn't comprehend what would fill the general's waking hours without his glimmering companion, or who would drag him away from the relentless hand of political responsibility that sometimes seemed ready to crush him. Perhaps the truth was that nothing filled those holes anymore – half of Zhou Yu's soul had been mercilessly wrenched out of his body, and he had been incomplete since its destruction. The thought made Chen Hao want to never open his eyes again – to keep his face buried in the stark cloth of his coat and never raise his head to see the world continuing unhindered along its path. And then he wondered how much more potently Zhou Yu must feel that same way, and how the legendary strategist had lived on for ten years with that feeling choking him.

"I have responsibilities…" The whisper threaded through the thin air almost in answer to the soldier's unvoiced, despairing questions. Zhou Yu swallowed hard against the dryness in his throat and shook his head. "I have had a promise to keep. Sun Ce requested that I guide his brother…"

It wasn't something he truly wanted to think about – but Chen Hao was forced to consider whether the general had survived, had stayed behind and let the years slip over him in an interminable flood, because of that lone promise. And then he wondered if he could have done the same, given that obligation.

A sharp cough shattered from the general's throat, and it ruptured the meditative silence so suddenly that Chen Hao jumped a little and nearly grabbed for his sword. Zhou Yu raised one hand to his lips to brush the stinging sound away, and as his limb retreated the soldier got another surprise – the pale skin was darkened with a thin line of blood, swept calmly across the partitions between his fingers and interrupting the invisible wrinkles of his palm in one merciless stroke. Chen Hao stared and choked on his stalling breath, only finding his words after a moment of stunned speechlessness.

"Lord Zhou Yu! You're bleeding—"

The pale hand stopped him, raised softly in a gesture of quiet request. Chen Hao bit his cheek to stop his voice from pouring out unhindered, but he couldn't keep his eyes from pinning the bloody streak to his commander's flesh. Zhou Yu shook his head.

"I've bitten my tongue," he murmured, the words streaming in echo between them. But this time he was lying, and Chen Hao knew it. Unfortunately, that was all he knew – how long had the general been bleeding? And what could possibly be done to help him? The questions spun uselessly around him, flitting like scattered butterflies without a place to land or the right to voice themselves.

Zhou Yu shifted and sighed, dark hair sliding solemnly in stark contrast to his skin. "Please ignore that. We must continue." The soldier couldn't bring himself to nod, but his commander wasn't waiting for an affirmative, and the words spilled forth before any answer at all could be given. "There is a great deal left to recount, and not a great deal of time left in which to do so."

Chen Hao bit his lip hard and forced his thoughts to silence, focusing his attention on the sallow features before him, twin dark eyes reflecting even the minimal starlight as brightly as mirrors. Zhou Yu cleared his throat carefully, wincing absently as though the action brought great pain, and his soldier wondered whether his mouth had gone completely ragged from the long strand of reminiscence it had been forced to create.

"After the attack on Xuancheng, as I mentioned, Sun Ce and I remained in Chua for a few weeks before continuing our survey mission. Ultimately, we were unable to finish – a month later, Liu Xun attacked us from his outpost at Wan, and the peace of Wu was thus threatened. Liu Xun was a local regent in the land south of the Wu Territory and an old ally of Wang Lang's; although we did not finish our dealings with him until considerably later, he did force Sun Ce and I back to Qingshan to strengthen defenses. Taishi Ci was deployed to the front lines south of Liyang, and he held the border until we eventually trapped and annihilated Liu Xun in the spring of 200." His dark eyes shone for a moment with passing thought, and then the general shook his head. "The campaign against Liu Xun… in a way I wish it might have been more spectacular."

Chen Hao frowned, confusion settling across his face like thick paint on an ink canvas. "Why, my lord?" Zhou Yu sighed softly, his fingers picking idly at the worn floorboards as though seeking splinters.

"The conquest of Wan was Sun Ce's last great victory."

The soldier felt any further questions instantly freezing to icicles in his mouth, jabbing at his tongue in a remorseful surprise that matched the frigid wind sweeping his shoulders. Chen Hao tucked his chin more firmly into the layers of his jacket and forced his eyes to remain fixed on the general's pale face; he fought the echoes of loss in those words as they tore at his exposed flesh as viciously as the breeze. Zhou Yu swallowed and coughed shortly, visibly forcing himself to focus.

"…I've gotten ahead of myself again. I meant to talk about autumn of 198." The onyx gaze latched onto Chen Hao's countenance, judging his attention and emotion in a single burning glance. "While Sun Ce and I were in Qingshan, we received urgent word from Sun Quan concerning an imperial messenger he was entertaining in the capital. Grand Duke Cao had sent the emperor a memorandum requesting that Sun Ce receive a rank of honor for his achievements – a passing attempt at peace from the growing Wei Empire."

Chen Hao leaned into his raised knees and found his voice somewhere beneath the cold hands of the wind. "Why would Grand Duke Cao want to make peace?" Zhou Yu snorted softly.

"He didn't – not sincerely, in any case. But Duke Cao is not a fool, and at that time he was heavily embroiled in conflict with Yuan Shao; he knew better than to begin a war on two fronts. Peace with Sun Ce would have given Duke Cao a buffer to the south – an area of the vast empire capable of being ignored for some years. As it happened, he did not attack us even when Sun Ce declined the honorary title, because his armies were already stretched so thinly across the northern wastes."

The soldier started a little. "Lord Sun Ce declined?" It hadn't occurred to Chen Hao that the Wu king might reject a title from the emperor, when he had been fighting so long to gain the ultimate title himself. "Why would he do that, my lord?"

Zhou Yu's eyes became pensive and calm, onyx depths overflowing with contemplation. The general shook his head softly, a tiny smile playing at his lips. "I am unsure. We had all assumed that Sun Ce would be delighted at the imperial recognition, but he was uninterested. When I asked him about his rejection… he only told me that he didn't want it. I can't be sure whether it was a larger belief for him – whether conquering Wu had nothing to do with recognition and the offer had insulted him – or whether it was simply an instantaneous decision like most of his choices." Zhou Yu laughed very quietly under his strained breathing. "Sun Ce was just like that. No one could tell what he'd decide from one moment to the next – and his decision rarely had anything to do with his best interests."

More confused than he had been before, Chen Hao sat back against the wagon wall, Wu's founder flickering through his mind. Sun Ce was an enigma – a charismatic, shining enigma. The soldier wondered what his troops had thought of their haphazard leader and his spur-of-the-moment decisions; and then he realized that he knew, because even in memory he would have followed Sun Ce wherever he led. There was something so inescapable about the wild young chief in Zhou Yu's stories – something that made Chen Hao proud of his loyalty to Sun Quan and Wu. Something that made him want to grip his sword hilt tighter, to fight more fiercely, to bow more deeply. That was the sparkle that had carried so many men behind Sun Ce's unstoppable banner – the sparkle that had brought Zhou Yu's eyes so much light, and robbed them of the same.

The general exhaled softly, shaking the clinging memory away from his stoic features. "After our visit from the imperial messenger, Sun Ce and I received word that we were needed in Niuqiao. I was strongly opposed to leaving Qingshan, but Sun Ce disagreed with me and in the end we spent all winter in the northern region of Wu." Chen Hao blinked. A disagreement over policy didn't seem to be a problem between Sun Ce and his strategist very often – the soldier wondered what had prompted their dissent.

"You were opposed to leaving… because of Liu Xun?" Zhou Yu scoffed lightly and raised a hand to rub his furrowed forehead.

"No. I was opposed to leaving because I wanted nothing to do with the activities to which we were being summoned." Chen Hao could only stare, utterly baffled at what could make the general so hesitant to visit Niuqiao. His commander sighed heavily and pressed two fingers to his ashen temple, as though in memory of a distant headache. "When Sun Ce wanted to go, I proposed staying in Qingshan and holding the city myself during his absence, but he wouldn't hear of it."

Chen Hao bit his lip, reining his puzzlement into clear words with considerable effort. "Why didn't you want to go to Niuqiao, my lord?"

Zhou Yu looked up at him and blinked, onyx eyes narrowed in slight surprise. "Isn't it obvious? I didn't want to see my wife." The soldier just shook his head, perplexity streaming over his face in the faint starlight. The general hadn't given any indication of an argument with the younger Lady Qiao – why would he be reluctant to see her, when relations between them were so smooth?

"Your wife?" His commander sighed again, running a hand through his scattered dark hair.

"It was time for Xiao Qiao to have her child."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Twenty three years was not a short stretch of time. Seasons and climate could shift significantly over the course of that lifetime – and Zhou Yu had certainly seen his share of unique conditions during the conquest of Wu alone. The difference between the weather in Shucheng and Jiang Dong had been large enough to cover the extremes of the widespread region's variant patterns; each city in the Wu Territory brought its own exclusive hazards. Many times now, the swordsman had witnessed conditions dismal enough to dampen even Sun Ce's indomitable spirit, each seemingly more awful than the last.

But without hesitating an instant, the strategist could pinpoint this as the coldest, wettest, most miserable late autumn he'd ever had the displeasure of suffering through.

Dreadful weather was not characteristic of northern Wu in fall, which usually harbored a mildly damp climate – but the law of averages and expectation did nothing to lessen the brunt of the storm that had been swirling over the terraces and walkways of the unbridled garden for days now, soaking the grounds and turning roads inside and outside the fortress to incorporeal mush. The rain and wind rattled against the heavy walls of the drab office in an endless cacophony, hammering the autumn air into Niuqiao's generous palace as though intent to break it down and leave not a shred of siding intact.

Every open crevice beneath a door or window seeped with water, cracking the wood and sending drafty currents down each corridor – soft breaths of the frigid breeze chased the inhabitants' slippered feet like senseless hounds. Even the candle interrupting the sturdy wood of his desk, surrounded on all sides by heaps of unread scrolls, flickered madly under the invisible hand of the tempest, and his papers were damp with the wealth of water saturating the very air around them.

Zhou Yu liked the rain. Often he liked the wind as well. Today, he did not like anything – and the weather was the last straw.

With a howl akin to a pack of racing wolves, the tempest battered the strategist's covered windows, threatening to sweep right through the heavy fabric tacked up as its opposition and destroy the room on the other side. Zhou Yu glared fiercely at the hidden torrent for a long moment before tossing his brush down on the desk with a gesture of defeat, dropping his head into two ice-cold hands and rubbing weakly at his headache. No, he had not accomplished anything in the last few hours. No, the screaming storm was not the only issue at hand. And no, come hell or high water, the swordsman _was not_ reentering the party of well-wishers congregating in the great hall.

Zhou Yu sighed as his icy fingertips massaged the skin over his temples, dark eyes closed in heavy irritation. The rain pounding against the roof over his head echoed through the room like the whispers of the twisting, slithering courtiers gathered around trays of refreshment and pots of warm tea, spreading their insidious voices easily across their congregation. The strategist gritted his teeth at the renewed burst of annoyance rushing through him, tearing its claws into the flesh over his heart, and he clutched the abandoned paintbrush in one unforgiving fist as the only outlet for his spattering emotions.

Why so many people had decided to wait around in Niuqiao's palace for the birth of his wife's first child wasn't something the swordsman actually wanted to consider. He had a feeling a great deal of them were simply trying to brandish their faces in front of the Sun lord in hopes of winning his favor, or were perhaps attempting to win promotion through their gracious treatment of the strategist himself. But whatever the reason, they didn't appear interested in leaving any time soon, and they had clogged the great hall with their endless prattering and long-winded speeches for days now. Zhou Yu tried to spend as much time away from the reception as possible, because the only thing more frustrating than his impending parenthood was being reminded of it every few seconds.

The dark swordsman sighed heavily, running a hand through his hair and gazing again at the covered window, almost picturing the slatting lines of the storm on the other side of the thick fabric. Parenthood – being unavoidably burdened with the weight and responsibility of a helpless child. And it was heading straight for him like a train of wild horses – because despite their assurances of raising the child themselves and keeping it out of his life, the Qiao sisters had approached him several weeks earlier with matching serious expressions, only days after his and Sun Ce's arrival in Niuqiao.

"_Zhou Yu?"_

_The swordsman barely glanced up from the piles of paperwork spread across his desk before returning to the task, dark eyes slipping away from the pretty hazel in the doorway._

"_I'm working, Xiao Qiao."_

_Working. There was certainly no end to the reports and assorted documents that needed interpretation. It seemed like every region had its share of important messages to relay, Xuancheng not least of all. And the chances of getting Sun Ce to do this kind of work…_

_He could hear the tiny slippers shifting hesitantly on the entrance rug, and five nails rapped against the doorframe as his wife drummed her fingers quietly._

"_I know. But this won't take long – can we talk to you for a moment?"_

_Zhou Yu's gaze lifted slowly, unnerved by the solemn and polite tenor of her voice. It was then that he noticed Lady Qiao standing behind her sister in the doorway, graceful features marred with the slightest frown and both porcelain hands supporting the younger girl's shoulders._

"…_What is it"?" Xiao Qiao rested her gentle fingers against the top of her stomach, so large now that it seemed almost bigger than the petite girl herself. His wife slid into the room and came to stand in front of the desk, slender hands wrung together thoughtfully. Lady Qiao shut the door behind them and moved to stand beside her sister, one elbow slipping loosely through the girl's silken sleeve._

"_It's about the baby."_

_Zhou Yu coughed a little and breath stalled in his throat, cutting into him in serrated lines. The baby… nothing about the baby should have anything to do with him any longer. What did the Qiao sisters need to speak with him for, so late in the pregnancy? Xiao Qiao noticed his hesitation but pressed on, crossing both arms loosely over her thick robe._

"_Listen… I promise I don't expect you to raise it, or anything, and you won't have to look after it…"_

_Xiao Qiao broke off abruptly, biting her pretty lip between pearl teeth as though sensing how unnerving her speech had become for her husband. Zhou Yu sat up a little straighter, unsure about the way this conversation was going already. His onyx gaze darted to Lady Qiao for reassurance that there hadn't been an important change of plans regarding the child's care, but her sepia eyes did not hold the assertion he'd been searching for._

_Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, glance flitting between the matching uncertain faces. With expressions like that, the two young women could only be harboring bad news. "What are you telling me?" he ground out, tone harsh with creeping disapproval. Xiao Qiao flinched slightly, but her sister glared back at him and pursed her petal lips._

"_Please listen civilly before getting angry, Lord Yu." Her request was almost more of a lecture, and Zhou Yu was tempted to snap back at her, but Xiao Qiao's tentative cough cut him off._

"_Look – it's not that big a deal, really. It's just that… when I have this child… I'm going to raise it to think of you as its father."_

_Zhou Yu choked hard, dark eyes shooting wide at the firm admission. One fist pounded breath back into his lungs as his glance flashed between both Qiaos, disbelieving and growing more annoyed by the second._

"_What?" Xiao Qiao pouted delicately and brushed honey bangs away from her forehead._

"_I have to, Zhou Yu! It's not that I don't want to tell my baby about Meng…" Lady Qiao stepped forward slightly and took control of the explanation. _

"_But if the child ever identified Master Meng as its father, there would be quite a bit of trouble – Xiao and the baby could both be in danger of exile. Teaching the child to view you as its father is the only way to be sure of its safety."_

_Zhou Yu found his feet quickly, leaning forward on the desk with severe irritation written across his features. Xiao Qiao jumped at the sudden motion, but her sister hardly blinked._

"_You told me I wouldn't have to do anything more with this child than give it my name." The strategist's angry voice slipped across the piles of paperwork, low in volume but shaking with severity. "You told me I wouldn't have to raise it."_

_Lady Qiao lifted a delicate eyebrow. "That is still true. You have our full permission to be a completely neglectful father, as you see fit – but in name, you must be the child's father nonetheless." Zhou Yu growled lightly under his breath, but Lady Qiao cut the quarrel off before it could even begin. "It's far too late to be arguing about this," she informed him quietly, tone riddled with intense honesty. "Your role in the child's life has changed in title only. There is no need to be upset."_

_He disagreed so strongly that the words almost shot out of his mouth, but he held them back somehow despite the rush of irritation flooding his veins. Xiao Qiao smiled encouragingly and dropped her soft hand onto her husband's where it pressed tensely against the desk, clearly oblivious to his internal tempest. "It's okay, Zhou Yu. I'll just tell my baby you're really busy, and that's why you never spend time with it."_

_Something about that stung, but Zhou Yu pushed the feeling aside and forced himself slowly back into his chair, willing his pounding headache away with irate fingers. Lady Qiao's face told him that the matter was already decided, and that his opinion on the subject counted for nothing, so he pushed the useless protest away and raised one hand to rub the bridge of his nose._

"_I can't stop you from doing what you must." Xiao Qiao straightened and rested both hands under her stomach, cradling the unborn child tenderly as her hazel eyes shot curiously over Zhou Yu's pale countenance. The strategist looked between both visitors sternly before retrieving the brush and returning to his papers. "But I want you to know that I am very unhappy with this decision."_

_Xiao Qiao's mouth came open for a moment as though searching to reassure and placate her husband, but her sister grabbed the slender wrist and pulled her carefully toward the door, tone cold and calculating._

"_Consider that understood, Lord Yu."_

_With a flurry of sifting silk robes, the Qiao sisters were gone, leaving Zhou Yu alone with his papers and his melancholic thoughts._

Zhou Yu rubbed his forehead and sighed through clenched teeth, willing the displeasing memory away. He supposed it ought to have occurred to him far earlier that any children his wife bore would have to be protected from the knowledge of their mother's relationship with Lu Meng. But somehow, the information that the strategist would be held up as a parental figure was an extremely unpleasant surprise, and not one that he could easily shake off.

He had granted Xiao Qiao the right to carry and raise her children – but his specific wish had been to avoid being viewed as a father by any living creature. And now here he was, on the verge of acquiring a child despite everything he had done to distance himself from the pregnancy. The swordsman slumped against the back of his chair, shaking his head at the piles of scrolls before him and casting another absent glance toward the storm railing over the window covering. The whole situation was out of his hands.

_You have our full permission to be a completely neglectful father._ Zhou Yu gritted his teeth at the memory of Lady Qiao's words. Neglectful… the swordsman had never intended to follow in the footsteps of his own father, but the similarity now seemed to be inevitable.

Zhou Fan hadn't been much of a role model, and his eldest son hadn't been looking to learn anyway – but here he was, heading down the same path for very different reasons. Whereas his father had been a vaguely self-absorbed man who simply spared little time for the dynamics of his household, Wu's strategist didn't want a child, and he refused to take the role of its parent – with the situation being what it was, there was little hope that he could leave anything but an empty hole exactly the way Zhou Fan had. Zhou Yu wondered if Xiao Qiao's child would grow to resent him the way he resented his own father, and the unanswerable question fisted his hands.

Tangling wind slashed the side of the palace in fearsome strokes, and the whole web of complications pressed down on him so sharply that the swordsman was sorely tempted to break something just for the sake of releasing a little frustration. His teeth clenched against the tempest and the thoughts circling his office, reminding him how Lu Meng's responsibility had been shoved squarely onto his shoulders.

Zhou Yu had never wanted children, and he didn't want them now. He didn't want the smiles and congratulations of every courtier assembled in the great hall, though he had gotten them more than once already; he didn't want the inevitable liability that a child taking his name would bring. He didn't want to hear one more time about Heaven's blessings raining down on his household, or how he must be sure to initiate the newborn into the hall of his ancestors… Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and slammed one fist heatedly into the wood of the table, barely taking satisfaction in the slight crash he created. He didn't want any of that – but it had gone on that way for a week now, and would probably never end once the abysmal brat was actually born—

The door suddenly slamming open and smashing into its frame interrupted his mental rampage with a startling influx of sound; Sun Ce leapt unceremoniously into his office as though fleeing for his life and threw the door shut behind him, eyes brilliant with flight. His angry train of thought mercilessly destroyed, Zhou Yu could only blink as his lord leaned heavily against the formidable obstacle, panting and mildly disheveled. The young officer dropped his head back to rest on the thick bamboo slats, his breathing slowly returning to normal as a soft pulse of footsteps hurried past outside. The strategist opened his mouth to simultaneously demand answers and order the Sun lord's departure, but Sun Ce put a finger to his lips and shook his head.

"Shh. Wait."

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed in annoyed puzzlement, but he held his tongue and stared uselessly back at the report before him. The text seemed to have lost its meaning long ago, and he couldn't force himself to focus at all now that Sun Ce was poised so stiffly behind the braced door. Finally, after a few minutes of absolute silence, the young officer stepped back from the entrance, hands raised as though expecting the door to simply burst open any second. Then Sun Ce sighed, turning fully and smiling amiably at his swordsman as he strode toward the littered desk.

"Man, do I ever need a five minute break." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, his self-inflicted bad temper still swirling between his ribs despite the warmth lighting his companion's features.

"What was that all about?" Sun Ce rolled his amber eyes, moving to his strategist's side and pushing a pile of scrolls neatly away until he could perch on the edge of the desk, his feet swinging idly through the damp air.

"Those damn courtiers. I swear – they won't leave me alone! They were driving me crazy, so I told them I needed something out of my room. And a few still wanted to come along…" The Sun lord shook his head. "I thought I'd lost 'em when I got out the back door in the kitchen, but then there they were behind me again! Those guys sure are persistent." Two tan hands rested easily on the dark wood surface, tapping an absent rhythm as the young man shrugged, hair dancing over his loose shoulders. "I wish they weren't all just looking for handouts. Bunch of pompous windbags."

Zhou Yu took a steadying breath, rubbing quietly at his rollicking headache. "Could you possibly take your break somewhere else? I'm—"

"Working," Sun Ce interrupted knowingly, tapping the strategist's knee with one absent foot. "No you're not. Not anymore. You've been at it for hours, and I can tell you're only stressing yourself out more every second you sit in that chair. Like you weren't strung tight enough already."

The swordsman glared up at his lord, onyx eyes severely unamused. "I have things to do." The young officer laughed shortly, scratching the back of his head and fixing his slightly off-kilter ponytail with one hand.

"Yeah, you do – things like accepting gifts for the baby, and thanking all of those stupid courtiers for wishing you a million sons or whatever it is they keep saying." Zhou Yu gritted his teeth sharply at the mention of the forthcoming child, but the Sun lord pressed on unhindered, picking up a scroll and waving it absently from side to side. "And if you're not going to do that, there's no reason to sit back here reading these things. There's nothing urgent in here anyway."

Habitual annoyance pressed at the swordsman's ribs and he grabbed for the stolen scroll, but Sun Ce held it behind his back and stuck out his tongue. "Nope. Not gonna happen. Come on – this pile of papers can spare you for a few hours. Why don't we take a walk or something? You look like you're going to explode any minute now."

The swordsman glowered piercingly at him. "I _am_, if you don't return that. Go away, and let me get back to my work." The Sun lord crossed his arms over his chest, a frown bothering his lips and shading the normally bright countenance.

"You know, I told you to take a break from that party because you were in such a bad mood. But I think you're in an even worse mood now than when you left! What sort of meaningless torment have you been putting yourself through for the last few hours, anyway?"

Zhou Yu dropped his head into the cradle of his hands, rubbing at his tired eyes and scowling heavily. His headache flared brightly in his temples, encouraging a darker expression to swallow his pale features. "Ce, please. I don't need this today. I have enough problems right now without falling behind on my work as well." The wind smashed into the walls around them with a sound like shattering ceramic, screeching against the tacked curtain in a redoubled attempt to infiltrate the palace. Sun Ce huffed, dropping both hands onto his waist and depositing the scroll offhandedly on the desk's cluttered surface.

"This is still about that kid, isn't it?" Zhou Yu looked up silently into the young lord's eyes, not feeling any need to ascertain the answer. The Sun lord shook his head, tone turning callous with exasperation.

"Look, Yu – I've been talking about that damn baby for the last three hours. Can we _not_ brood about it now that we're free of all those people?" The swordsman wasn't sure what to say; the blinding aggravation on his companion's face surprised him as the restless officer spoke again. "It's not yours – no matter what anybody thinks, or what they say to you. So what does it matter? Let it go, okay?"

But the harsh inescapability of the situation lodged itself between Zhou Yu's ribs, and he could only shake his head. Sun Ce sighed, flicking chestnut bangs out of his way. "You always have to make the worst of a situation, don't you? I can't believe you're letting them get to you like that."

The strategist's head shot up, eyes wide at the sharp jab. Zhou Yu felt his words jagged in his mouth like unsoftened crystals, turning over and melting together as he struggled for a response. "What?"

Sun Ce was on his feet already, stance braced for an argument, and the swordsman knew from the kindling of the irate inferno inside of himself that it wouldn't take more than moments until he left his seat behind as well. The Sun lord shrugged stiffly, light anger flaring in his eyes. "Do you like being miserable or something? It doesn't matter what they say – I've told you that over and over again. But you still sit here and dwell on it all day! Can't you give it up already?"

Zhou Yu found himself shoving the chair away behind him and grabbing his companion's forearm in one irritated hand, dark eyes flashing in his pale face. The strategist shook his head sharply, glaring down into the amber stare that regarded him in flaming clarity. "No, I can't, Ce. I hate it – I hate this whole situation. I have never wanted children—"

"And you're never going to have any!" Sun Ce interrupted, his tone bordering on a yell as he leaned forward to grab his swordsman's silken celebration robe. "It's not yours, it's not yours, it's not yours! How many times do I have to beat that into your thick skull, Yu? So what if it thinks you're its father? You don't have to have anything to do with that kid!"

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, glaring at a spot somewhere beyond his lord's shoulder as his grip tightened unintentionally around the tan skin. "Yes, I do. If it considers me its father, then I have an obligation to—"

Sun Ce made a face, disgust roiling in his amber eyes. "Obligation – ugh! Yuck! I hate that word." The Sun lord slipped closer and wound both arms through the folds of the black silk, his fierce stare growing yet more potent with proximity. "Don't ever say that, Yu! You haven't got an obligation to anybody but yourself. You don't owe that kid anything at all! It's got nothing to do with you – nothing!" Zhou Yu snarled, twisting in a vain attempt to get away from the leech-like hands that held him and emphasized each word.

"It's never that simple, Ce. You don't have any idea what—"

"Like hell I don't!" His full shout rang through the office like cannon fire, ricocheting and echoing ever louder in the swordsman's angry ears. Sun Ce shook his head harshly, holding on more tightly for his strategist's evasive movements. "You think I don't have people badgering me about obligation all day long? Obligation to the country, to my family, to every damn courtier in that hall – to hell with that! I don't owe them anything! And you don't owe Xiao Qiao's baby anything, either!" Zhou Yu ground his teeth together so hard that his jaw ached, and he wrenched backward sharply, successfully freeing himself from the tightly fisted hands in his robe.

"You are so irresponsible. How can you only think about yourself like that—"

Simultaneously, their patience snapped. Sun Ce tackled him, diving forward with a yell that split the damp air around them and rivaled the wind still pounding against every wall. Zhou Yu hit the ground hard and smacked his head back into the unforgiving floor, but adrenaline and every drop of pent-up anger that had been circulating through him in the last nine months exploded in a haze of physical movement.

The swordsman could hardly see beyond the white light clouding his vision, but in moments he and Sun Ce were locked in a vicious wrestling match, knocking his chair over with a tremendous crash and careening back and forth behind the desk. Burning amber eyes glared into his own as the Sun lord's tan arms wound in between his, struggling for control and biting back shouts of aggravation with the outlet of energy. Zhou Yu winced as his leg struck the nearby cabinet, and he smashed Sun Ce pitilessly beneath him into the thin carpet, hands still tight and painful around the young lord's wrists.

An abrupt slamming stopped both officers mid-scuffle, and the strategist froze as he recognized the sound of his door sliding open. Silence reigned for a long moment before a series of hesitant steps scuffed across the entryway and shuffled to a stop, accompanied by a set of indistinguishable whispers. Finally a low voice broke through the still air, crossing the quiet office indecisively.

"Are you sure this is where the yelling came from, Lord Shi?"

Sun Ce's eyes widened, and he reached up to slap a hand over Zhou Yu's mouth, shaking his head viciously. The strategist hadn't been particularly intending to announce their presence anyway – it would be impossible to explain this sort of position to a group of courtiers, especially when his wife had gone into labor late the night before and the esteemed gentlemen in his doorway were present to celebrate the birth of his first child.

Lord Shi's tenor voice brushed the thick air in matching tentative strokes. "I… well, it seemed like the only plausible room, Lord Ang, but…" Sun Ce rolled his eyes, gagging silently and sticking out his tongue at the mention of Ang Wei, one of the most garrulous and oppressive courtiers to show his face at the celebration. Zhou Yu just shook his head smoothly, staring into the amber eyes as their veil of anger slowly peeled back and made room for amusement. The swordsman felt the fury in his stomach subsiding as well, churning gradually into exasperation as the two courtiers continued to deliberate in the doorway, unknowingly leaving their commanders trapped behind the meager shelter of the desk.

"Perhaps we should look around?" Sun Ce's eyes widened yet farther and Zhou Yu felt his breath catch in his throat – but the softer timbre of Shi Huang's hesitation stopped Lord Ang's steps only a few feet into the room.

"No! Lord Ang, we mustn't. This is Master Zhou Yu's private office – if we're discovered here, we'll be exiled from court! Master Zhou Yu has a terrible temper – I heard he ordered the beheading of an entire group of servants, just for misplacing one of his scrolls during a journey."

Sun Ce choked silently on a snicker, and the strategist in question rolled his eyes. Zhou Yu was certain he had no idea what incident the courtiers were referring to – but rumors were unstoppable, and there was rarely any sense in trying to trace where they had come from. Lord Ang snorted in response.

"Have it your way. But it wouldn't take much to get back in Lord Sun Ce's good graces again, even if we did poke around – he's a simpleton. A little flattery goes straight to his inflated ego."

The Sun lord made a face at his courtier's words, and Zhou Yu raised an amused eyebrow at the young officer beneath him. Lord Shi's timid steps flurried back into the hallway, increasing in volume as they lost contact with the softening carpet of the private quarters.

"Lord Ang! You must not say things such as that. You never know who may be listening…" Their hushed bickering faded to a murmur as the door slid shut again, and the swordsman exhaled in silent relief as the courtiers disappeared, leaving Wu's leading officers undiscovered in their feeble hiding place.

Sun Ce smiled. Zhou Yu sighed. Then the Sun lord exploded into delighted laughter, dropping his hand back from the strategist's mouth to brush disheveled bangs away from his eyes. Even the stoic swordsman couldn't help chuckling along with his lord, shaking his head helplessly at the ridiculous situation they had ended up in. Somehow the weight of the evening seemed to have evaporated from his shoulders, dispelled by the alternating heat of anger and amusement that flowed steadily from his sunshine companion.

"Ce… I swear." His statement trailed away unfinished as the young man winked up at him, amber eyes shining with mirth. Teasing radiated through Sun Ce's tone as he spoke, and his arms settled comfortably behind his head in a makeshift cushion.

"You're a real tyrant, aren't you? Always cutting people's heads off for no good reason." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, fighting back his answering smile as a brilliant grin slipped across the impulsive officer's face.

"Oh? And anyone who so much as drops you a compliment has you eating out of the palm of their hand?" Sun Ce punched his shoulder lightly, laughing despite himself and sighing through his smile.

"We've gotta do something about those two. I don't want people like that in my court – no matter how many compliments they give me." Zhou Yu couldn't stop a small chuckle from escaping his lips at the easy joke.

"Shall I have them beheaded, then? Tyrannical enforcement of the rules?" The Sun lord snickered.

"Yeah… that'd be fun to watch, but their pals might cause a big fuss over it. Maybe we can just make sure they're never invited to one of Xiao's baby parties again."

The mention of the young woman's celebration brought a sobered expression to Zhou Yu's face, and a thread of seriousness slipped through the silence to tangle in Sun Ce's eyes. The strategist shook his head, sighing silently into the squall-suffused air.

"Ce… I'm so—"

Sun Ce leaned up and locked his arms around the swordsman's neck, pulling him back toward the floor in a deep kiss and cutting the apology off halfway. Zhou Yu blinked and then closed his eyes, letting the last sting of the argument fade away as the tension of dissent running through him changed, adopting the texture of red silk and intensifying at each point of contact between them. Sun Ce wound his fingers into the long dark hair, and for a few minutes the palace and all its complications vanished from Zhou Yu's mind, disintegrating under the pressure of his moving hands and the familiar feeling of the young officer's skin. He wasn't sure he would ever understand why, but his anger changed so quickly to something else wherever Sun Ce was concerned.

The sounding of a gong banished the haze blanketing Zhou Yu's preoccupied mind, and the strategist pulled back from his companion to stare down into the reluctant amber eyes, mildly winded and similarly mortified to have ended up in such a position on the floor behind his desk. Sun Ce sighed ruefully, frowning up at his swordsman and nuzzling the forearm closest to him in a vague attempt at encouragement.

"That wasn't the signal to stop, y'know." Zhou Yu felt himself paling slightly at the words, but he shook his head firmly despite the young lord's pronouncement.

"It was the signal for dinner, Ce. We have to go back – we've been gone too long already." Not that he was particularly interested in abandoning the quiet quarters for a return to endless slithering pleasantries and ceaseless flattery. Still, their absence would be noted at a formal meal far more than it had been during the odd hours of the day – and the last thing they needed right now was more disparagement from men like Ang Wei.

Sun Ce huffed, leaning up to slide small kisses over the strategist's stoic jaw. "Yu… come on, nobody cares if we're there anyway. They've gotta be sick of us after all this time. I don't want to go back to those people." Zhou Yu sighed, turning away from the butterfly kisses and giving the Sun lord a stern glare.

"Stop that." Because it was so much harder to think clearly when distractions of that kind got in the way. The swordsman frowned and ignored the tickling absence of caresses on his face, shaking his head sharply to will the vanished sensation away. "We need to go."

Sun Ce raised an eyebrow, a dancing smile playing at the edge of his lips despite the neutral expression dominating his features. "Well… I'm not the one pinning me to the floor, Yu," he pointed out simply. "So you're probably going to have to get up first."

Zhou Yu felt his embarrassment tripling as his dark gaze shot to two pale hands still pressing the young officer's wrists to the carpet, and he let go quickly, rising in one fluid motion from the ground and pivoting to set his chair upright without meeting the Sun lord's eyes. Sun Ce sighed once more before clambering to his feet as well, giving the strategist a half-hearted glare between the lines of his tousled bangs.

"Do you think it would kill you to live irresponsibly for _once_ in your life?" The swordsman rolled his eyes, listening to the wind outside as the storm grew yet worse and hammered the walls relentlessly in fair imitation of a battering ram.

"Not a speculation I'm particularly interested in testing." Zhou Yu turned back to his companion and scowled, reaching forward to retie the sash of his robe and encourage his ponytail into a rough order. "You're a mess, Ce."

Sun Ce scoffed a little, crossing his arms unhelpfully over his chest. "Don't say that like it's my fault! And you're not much better, anyway." Tan fingers moved to return the favor, refastening the knotted ties with practiced swiftness and slipping gently through the ruffled hair coating his strategist's shoulders. "It was mutual a minute ago."

Zhou Yu pulled back and straightened his own sleeves, willing blood to return to his paling face as the candid officer's words circled them. "I forgot myself," he managed in a voice like grating gravel, tapping the scattered papers on his desk into order as well. "I shouldn't have started…"

The young lord shook his head sulkily, reaching up to secure the red ribbon trailing through his hair. "You shouldn't have _stopped_. But whatever. Let's get our public appearance over with, if that's what you want so badly."

Zhou Yu wasn't sure whether his features had gone completely white by now or if a small tinge of crimson had returned at Sun Ce's words, but he headed for the door anyway, pausing in the exit to await his companion's reluctant steps. The Sun lord stopped him just before his feet could move onto the frigid tiles of the corridor, slinging an arm through his elbow and drawing the dark gaze back to his own.

"Just don't worry about it, okay? It'll work itself out."

It took the strategist a moment to figure out that his lord was finishing their argument about Xiao Qiao's child, and for an instant he wasn't sure what to say in response. Then he settled for a small smile, pulling the young officer behind him into the hallway. His footsteps covered his voice so cleanly that the swordsman couldn't even be sure his companion heard it, ringing through the rage of the storm outside and disappearing beneath the soft whisper of silk slippers.

"If you say so."

Sun Ce sighed as they moved down quickly the hall, steps dodging in between the noise of the railing tempest outside and echoing lightly against the paint-polished walls. The Little Conqueror slipped his fingers easily between his swordsman's, swinging their joined hands back and forth through the damp, waiting air and humming tunelessly under his breath. Zhou Yu glanced each way down the corridor before relaxing into the familiar contact, and Sun Ce rolled his bright eyes.

"You are so paranoid." The strategist frowned.

"I'm not paranoid, Ce. Your courtiers are all throughout the palace – the last thing we need right now is more dissention from people like Lord Ang."

Not that a handful of snobbish scholars and heads of household could really bring ruin to the empire by themselves – but the more opposition they could stir up with their words, the faster enemies would appear to challenge the Sun lord over his territory. The courtiers gathered in Niuqiao were primarily regents from the tiny cities that spread in an oscillating web throughout Wu, but it was important to keep them in hand anyway – if only so that no one would need to be sent out to conquer every miniscule village on the map again.

Sun Ce scoffed. "Lord Ang? I'm not afraid of him. He looks like a catfish." Zhou Yu blinked.

"What?" The young officer smiled, indicating the corners of his mouth.

"You know – he has that really thin moustache that goes down to his waist. It looks like catfish whiskers." The strategist had never noticed a similarity between their most unlikable guest and a catfish before, but now that he thought about it there was a limited correlation. Zhou Yu shook his head.

"What is it with you and fish, Ce? You thought Taishi Ci was a fish, too."

The lord of Wu elbowed him playfully. "No – I said his name _sounded_ like a tropical fish. But I don't know. I just look at people and I see fish."

A smile slipped across the swordsman's features, and he brushed the long hair away from his shoulders with an unhurried hand as the rain pounded ruthlessly on the roof overhead. "What kind of a fish is Lord Shi?"

Shi Huang had been the governor of Yangzhou before their invasion, though Zhou Yu had no idea how he'd held his position – the man was timid and absent-minded, and hardly spoke up unless he was seconding someone else's opinion. The strategist was a little surprised that he had fallen in with Lord Ang, considering how overbearing the latter courtier was – but perhaps all spineless men craved control.

Sun Ce shook his head. "He's not a fish at all. Lord Shi looks like a weasel – his face is all tight and short like that, and he's got a really pointy nose. And he's sneaky, apparently – otherwise he wouldn't have been poking around looking for me." Zhou Yu frowned at the reminder of their interruptive courtiers, one hand moving to his chin in contemplation. It seemed as though there had to be a way to get rid of the two men, especially Lord Ang – but how to do so without arousing the ire of the other worthless attendants assembled in Niuqiao?

Before he could even gain a worthwhile inspiration about the dismissal of their less-than-respectful courtiers, the doors of the great hall rose up before them, almost humming with the conversations bouncing back and forth inside. Sun Ce paused, making a face of disgust as his strategist reached for the handle.

"No… don't make me do it, Yu. They're all so boring to talk to."

Zhou Yu shook his head at the lightly whining tone. "Just keep shoving food into your mouth. No one will want to talk to you if you're spitting all over them." The Sun lord rolled his eyes, momentarily sticking out his tongue as the great door gave way under the swordsman's pale hand.

"Yeah, that's a great plan. No wonder I keep you around as my strategist. I'll see if I can't take out somebody's eye while I'm at it – the gross vegetables would probably make stellar missiles." Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath, but there was no time to answer – the obstacle before them swung back fully, revealing them to twenty odd pair of gleaming eyes.

"Lord Sun Ce! Master Zhou Yu!" The man closest to the door leapt to his feet, taking advantage of his good eyesight and quick reflexes to distinguish himself from the crowd. His ridiculous hat wavered back and forth precariously as he bowed deeply, gesturing with unnecessary flourish to the enormous table at which all of the courtiers had been sitting. "We were just awaiting your arrival! Dinner has been prepared – please have a seat at the head of the table, and lead us in distributing this fine meal."

Sun Ce looked a little taken aback at the hungry gazes of each courtier landing on the two prominent figures in the doorway and the envious looks shot like arrows at the man who had spoken. Then he raised a hand and waved uncomfortably, indicating the plates on the table with a mildly forced grin.

"Thanks for waiting, everybody – but go ahead and dig in. It's a long table, so it's gonna take us a while to get up front." The courtiers looked decidedly uncertain at his pronouncement, and a few hung back even as the dishes slowly began to circulate, clutching their chopsticks tightly as though the whole scenario might be some grand test of etiquette. Finally, however, all of the attendants began to eat, picking delicately at the plates like a flock of overgrown birds with greedy smiles.

Zhou Yu followed the young officer down the table, his glance straying unintentionally to Lord Ang and Lord Shi where they sat about halfway down the length of the wooden bench, deep in quiet conversation. The strategist's eyes narrowed suspiciously as Lord Ang's pampered hand flicked in Sun Ce's direction, and for a moment their dark gazes locked over the heads of oblivious scholars. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow almost in challenge, and Lord Ang visibly bit his tongue to keep from answering, his cheeks fading crimson in annoyance and dull intoxication. Lord Shi's panicked eyes shot between them as their silent staring match continued almost to a breaking point until he dropped a restraining hand onto Ang Wei's rich shoulder, finally forcing his comrade to slump backward and drop his intense glare.

Zhou Yu turned away and resumed his trek to the table's head, striding a little faster to catch up with Sun Ce despite the vaguely empty feeling their brief altercation had left inside him. He wished hollowly that Lord Ang _had_ been willing to stand up and confront him about whatever mischief he'd been discussing – it would be so much easier to get rid of the insidious man once he made a wrong move.

Completely oblivious to the strategist's thoughts, Sun Ce slipped into his decorated seat with a heavy thud, leaning back against the chair as though he had been forced to march miles rather than just the length of the table. Lu Meng, seated on his left and poking disinterestedly at his food, huffed grumpily as the two officers sat down and gave them both very stern looks.

"Now you come back. I've had to entertain these people all day long by myself. I can't imagine a duller set of courtiers – and where were you? It's not my job to be your personal circus—"

The Sun lord shot his sour warrior a sharp look. "Lu Meng… I thought I said you weren't allowed to be prickly today. Shut up and pass me that – I'm starving."

Lu Meng snorted disdainfully, handing over the indicated dish with a shake of his head. "Don't try it. The cooks have outdone themselves today – I've never tasted such horrific food in my life."

Sun Ce rolled his eyes, scraping a fair helping of the delicacy out onto his plate. "Okay – two things. First of all, I would never take your advice about how something tastes. And secondly – knock it off. I'm not in the mood to deal with your attitude problem today. So just drop it, all right?" The young officer leaned closer to his comrade and lowered his voice, popping a dumpling into his mouth to further reduce the sound. "You can stop trying to act tough. I know you're just worried, anyway."

A shiver of some emotion Zhou Yu couldn't place rushed down Lu Meng's spine, and for a moment it seemed like a flicker of fear captured his scruffy features. Then it was gone, replaced by his customary frown and furrowed brow, and the strategist looked away, focusing on his own plate until a soft tap to his shoulder distracted him yet again.

The swordsman glanced up and found himself staring into the ecstatic eyes of the wizened old scholar seated to his right, gray beard trailing nearly into his lap. Zhou Yu had no idea how a feeble man like this had managed to push his way to the front of the table – but from the pocked grin shining out of his wrinkled face, he was obviously intent on making the most of his good fortune. The aged courtier tipped his cup in an honoring toast, nodding sagely to the strategist beneath his bushy eyebrows.

"Congratulations on the birth of your child, my lord," he wheezed sincerely. Zhou Yu felt as though a poisonous snake had slipped into his stomach at the familiar words, and almost instantly he discovered his appetite had escaped with the rasping salutation. The man didn't seem to notice how the swordsman's expression had shifted, however, and he pushed on with the customary blessing after taking a deep swig of wine. "May your household be blessed with one hundred sons, all of whom bring great honor to your family."

It was an ironic exaltation, considering how much interest Zhou Yu had in even one son. The man two seats down from his wizened comrade scoffed, drinking deeply and wiping his mouth on a stained sleeve before joining the conversation. "Don't congratulate him yet," the courtier advised, shaking his head. "It might be a girl." A muscle somewhere in the strategist's back tightened painfully at the disdainful words, but he had no response to give.

The ancient scholar blinked his deep eyes at the refuting statement in a slow struggle for understanding, then frowned at the younger man and shook one lecturing finger in the air. "An officer such as Master Zhou Yu would never be neglected in such a manner by the heavens. His endeavors are too great to warrant the punishment of a female offspring."

The swordsman bit down on his tongue, fighting to push his dislike of the situation and hatred for the position he'd been put in back down between his ribs where it couldn't show on his face. The gender of Lu Meng's child being used as a measure of his own accomplishments and skill… it made Zhou Yu so irritated that his hands clenched into fists beneath the table, shaking in his lap and upsetting the pair of chopsticks resting unused on his plate.

A soft kick to the shin distracted the strategist from the fury building in his lungs, and he glanced sideways to see Sun Ce frowning at him. Apparently the young lord had noticed his returning temper despite his attempt to shove the feelings away – Sun Ce shook his head sharply, speaking too softly even for the nearest worthless attendant to overhear.

"Think happy thoughts, Yu." Zhou Yu scoffed, but the tumble of frustration in his stomach subsided somewhat nonetheless at the familiar voice cleansing his ears. The Little Conqueror leaned forward on his elbows, shoving himself into the old courtier's conversation and chewing idly between his words.

"I think either a boy or a girl would be great." The scholars who had been snipping at each other turned to stare at their lord, distracted and surprised by his neutral statement. Sun Ce shrugged, a hidden smile lurking in his eyes despite the unaffected expression betraying his tan features. "If it's a boy, let's hope he comes out just like this father. You know, big and strong – a real ox."

Zhou Yu could hear Lu Meng choking mildly on his food, and the courtiers shared a confused look, shooting the swift strategist surreptitious glances under their lashes and clearly trying to find a way to associate him with a burly draft animal. The swordsman under scrutiny shook his head, giving his lord a quick glare and earning only an impish grin in return.

The wizened official rubbed his tempered hands together doubtfully, obviously perplexed but unwilling to overtly disagree with the lord of Wu. "Well… Master Zhou Yu is… he's certainly very strong…" Sun Ce tapped his chin idly with his chopsticks, nodding to himself and giving the cynical swordsman at his side a covert wink.

"But if it's a girl, she'd better look like Xiao Qiao, I guess – otherwise she'll never find anybody willing to marry her."

The courtiers were now more baffled than ever, and the younger man studied Zhou Yu's openly handsome features with furrowed brow. Lu Meng smacked a tight fist against his chest, attempting to regain control of his lungs as Sun Ce chuckled under his breath. The two scholars glanced at each other and then toasted the Sun lord silently, turning to converse in whispers with each other and abandoning the conversation without response. Zhou Yu turned to look at his amused companion and rolled his eyes, voice lowered to avoid the piqued ears of their curious courtiers.

"What are you doing?" His low murmur tangled through the damp air between them, almost completely drowned out by the noise of the wind whipping at the high ceiling and the rain driving outside their thick walls. Sun Ce snickered.

"Having a little fun. Relax already – Meng's the only one who suffered for it." The sour warrior to his left glared disapprovingly at the Sun lord, having finally gotten his breath back, but the amber eyes merely glowed with mirth as Sun Ce shrugged. "What? It's true. You're not exactly easy on the eyes, you know."

Lu Meng's jaw dropped at the insult, but his face returned to its customary scowl in no time and he set upon his plate with increasingly inaudible mumblings. Zhou Yu shook his head, giving the young officer a stern look.

"Be careful, Ce. We don't want any trouble."

The Sun lord rolled his eyes. "Nag, nag, nag."

As shovels of rice and meal found their way into Sun Ce's mouth, the strategist stared over his meager plate, any desire for food completely absent as the momentary amusement drifted away and seriousness returned to the forefront. His mind couldn't seem to release the thought of the coming child – it only took a moment to notice that Lu Meng wasn't eating much either, coal eyes glassy with contemplation and expression dry in spite of the wealth of moisture saturating the air around them.

No new straggles of thought made their way across the landscape of his mind – no new inspirations dampened his spirits. Everything that could be discussed had been said long ago, and only echoes remained to stir anxiety in his stomach. But despite the lack of immediate crisis, the apprehension running through Zhou Yu's fingers refused to ebb – and the look on Lu Meng's face announced that he felt the same. Food held no taste when all of their energy was focused elsewhere, waiting alternately for joy and despair. The banquet hall was only a shell – a cage keeping their bodies still while their minds flew down the darkened corridors.

Sun Ce chewed happily for several oblivious minutes, then glanced between his silent companions with raised eyebrows. The Sun lord swallowed hard and cleared his throat, brushing the vacant chopsticks across his plate as a servant waiting nearby rushed to refill his empty glass. The wine slipping from its bottle like the velvet night lost in clouds above them covered his voice and kept the words from spilling very far across the table.

"Look, guys…"

Lu Meng shook his head hard, cutting off the young officer before his criticism could even begin. The servant dashed away from them as the sour warrior fisted one hand around his chopsticks and slammed the other palm into his thigh.

"What's taking so long?" Zhou Yu blinked at the terse tone escaping with too much passion from Lu Meng's lightly trembling lips. The disagreeable officer whipped around to stare at his superiors, his generally displeased features almost candid under the thick candlelight. "She's been in there since midnight. The sun's already set. Why is it taking so long?"

His demanding inquiry was remarkably soft for its intensity, and Zhou Yu's quick glance revealed that none of the other guests seemed to have heard it – not even Han Dang, chatting jovially with the scholars only a handful of seats down from Lu Meng. The strategist sighed, brushing back his dark bangs and forcing his voice to remain calm despite the dread circling like a tangle of pythons in his stomach.

"It takes as long as it takes." He remembered that Xan's delivery had been particularly long and painful, with Lady Cai's assistants running in and out of her room for nearly two days before achieving any success. And his father had assured him once that his own birth, as his mother's first, was even worse. There was never any way of telling how long delivery would take – or so Lady Qiao had informed them all the night before, when her sister began to show signs of descending into labor.

Lu Meng growled audibly, his harsh features pockmarked by shadow in the flickering candlelight. "It can't be normal. Something's gone wrong. Why haven't we heard anything?"

Sun Ce gave a short laugh, pointing his chopsticks at the irate warrior and grinning in spite of the serious question. "Mark this one down on the calendar, Yu – Lu Meng really cares, after all! Look how nervous he is." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the Sun lord, who slung a reassuring arm over their sour companion's shoulders and patted his back.

Lu Meng struggled to escape his lord's grip, openly angry at the nonchalance streaming over Sun Ce's face, but the Little Conqueror shook his head, voice growing more encouraging as it dropped in volume.

"Relax, Meng. She's fine. She's got everybody in there taking care of her – Da, and Shang, and my mother, and like a dozen midwives. They've absolutely got things under control. Besides – if something were wrong, we'd hear about it. No news is good news, remember?"

Lu Meng muttered darkly and slipped out of the Sun lord's hold, slumping over his plate and mumbling incoherently. The worried light flailed in his eyes, replaced by his usual distasteful demeanor as the young officer's calming words struck through the inescapable wraith of fear stirring inside him.

"Don't be an idiot. There's no way this will go off without a problem of some kind. I'm sure it'll have too many toes, or not enough – or it could be blind. They'll probably drop it, and then it will be mute. Not that it matters – I didn't want a baby anyway…"

Sun Ce downed the contents of his cup and smacked it onto the table in satisfaction, giving his sour warrior a distinctly amused glance. "Lu Meng – I'm only gonna say this once." The powerful White Tiger turned to look at his commander, expression half expectant and half acerbic as vinegar. The Little Conqueror cleared his throat dramatically.

"Lighten up."

Then he dug back into the food on his plate with a smile, elbowing his strategist as though to assure the stoic swordsman that this statement was directed at him as well. Lu Meng huffed and crossed his arms over his chest at the brief advice, turning back to his wine and gulping it down to dull the pain of his racing nerves. Zhou Yu bit back a tiny smile. There was something slightly mollifying about the sour warrior's shoddily concealed panic – as though he could feel the weight of the child coming into the world, despite the distance that had been forced between him and his offspring.

As he watched Lu Meng's callused fingers tapping arhythmically across the tabletop, forced into motion by the anxious beating of his heart, the swordsman wondered if his final statement had been true: if the warrior truly hadn't wanted children. It was always hard to tell what Lu Meng wanted, and nine times out of ten he would complain about something even if he did want it – but in this case, Zhou Yu couldn't even make an educated guess as to whether their acidic comrade had ever harbored intentions of fatherhood. Was the White Tiger warrior able to find any pleasant anticipation in the thought of his child – or had Xiao Qiao made the decision to raise a baby all on her own, without her lover's permission?

Somehow it seemed important to know – now that it was far too late to do anything but await the inevitable. Zhou Yu turned to face his contentedly munching companions, waiting until the gruff officer swallowed to speak and drawing two sets of curious eyes with his voice.

"Lu Meng—"

A sudden crash of shattered dishes and angry shouts cut him off, and all eyes shot to the center of the table where one of the courtiers had abruptly risen to his feet, knocking his place setting in all directions in a fit of unbridled rage. His ceramic cup hit the floor with a sharp splintering crack, the pieces spinning helplessly for a long moment before settling to a stop with tiny tinkling clicks that echoed through the stunned silence. The man who had lost his temper hardly seemed to notice the change in the room's dynamics – one long finger extended accusingly, he continued his unchecked tirade at the courtier across the table.

"Watch your tongue, impudent whelp! That you would dare to speak such heresy in this hall, when we are all gathered in honor of—"

"Whoa! Whoa, cool it! Everybody calm down!" Sun Ce jumped to his feet, and Zhou Yu rose with him, staring down the length of the table toward the cause of the disturbance. The strategist's eyes narrowed in suspicion as he noticed the man their outspoken courtier was pointing at – none other than Lord Ang himself, though he looked quite flushed and the swordsman wondered exactly how much wine had passed the discolored lips to put that hazy sneer on his unsightly face.

The furious man pivoted brusquely and turned to face his lord, head snapping into a bow before his voice roared forth again, nearly shaking the standing cups of wine with its intensity.

"My lord, forgive me – but I cannot let this stand! I will not sit here and listen to such conceited nonsense from someone unworthy of licking the scraps from your table! I demand the right to challenge Lord Ang to a duel!" As he spoke, a streak of silver leapt into his hand, materializing as a dagger fisted tightly in the rage-stained fingers.

Chaos erupted throughout the room at the drawing of a weapon, with courtiers simultaneously scrambling to get away from the scene of the disturbance and find safe places from which to watch. Sun Ce's lips moved in a shout for order as the previously disciplined dinner guests descended into madness, but his voice couldn't make headway in the tremendous din echoing through the painted pillars – even from his place at the Sun lord's side, Zhou Yu couldn't hear the words. The strategist shared a brief look with his companion as the situation quickly deteriorated into a splintering, shouting free-for-all.

In the midst of the bedlam the table was overturned, and Zhou Yu leapt right to dodge tureens of soup and vegetables as they splattered into hissing puddles on the floor. Far ahead of them, the swordsman could see their righteously angry courtier grabbing Lord Ang by the collar and hauling him away from his seat. He shook the drunken man back and forth across the destruction littering their wooden floor, the brisk knife positioned at his neck in clear threat as Lord Shi watched in helpless horror. Lord Ang choked, his hands uselessly prying at the livid fingers that refused to release him – the strategist pushed forward through the racing crowd toward the center of the mayhem, absently amazed at how much of an obstacle twenty men could actually be when they were running all directions in richly-patterned robes.

"Hey!"

This time a tremendous crash accompanied Sun Ce's yell, and Zhou Yu jumped as his gaze found the deliberately shattered porcelain dishes that had been hurled into the nearby wall. He only had a moment to wonder what the staff would think of their best serving platters surrendered to the chaos of the floor – then his eyes shot to the Sun lord, huffing a little in exasperated exertion, and to the terrified faces of the courtiers around them. All motion stopped instantaneously, and Zhou Yu felt that in different circumstances it might have been amusing to study the undignified poses the faithful and flattering attendants ended up in after one threat of violence.

Han Dang, noodles draped irreverently over one drenched shoulder from an obvious accident, took advantage of the distraction and restored silence to grab their infuriated courtier, hauling the armed man away from his unwitting victim and fighting to hold his hands uselessly in the air. Lord Ang slumped backward as his body suddenly returned to his control – and had it not been for Lord Shi's quick hands behind him, the drunken official would have lurched directly to the extraordinarily decorated floor. Shi Huang's foot slid sideways in a puddle of ruby sauce, and he grunted as he struggled against Lord Ang's considerably greater weight and the inebriated scholar's incoherent mumbling.

It took considerable effort for Han Dang to get his arms fully locked around the enraged official's torso, and Zhou Yu could see his teeth gritted with exertion even from the far end of the destroyed table. "Drop your weapon!" Wu's veteran shouted, his voice no doubt catastrophically loud in the restrained attendant's ears. "You dare to draw arms in the private court of Lord Sun Ce?"

The man thrashed wildly, defying his captor's attempts to disarm him and waving the dagger uselessly in Lord Ang's direction. A bead of sweat dripped down the frustrated forehead as his tightly wrapped bun exploded, sending strands of raven hair all down his back from the force of his futile movements.

"I mean no harm to my lord of Wu! It is at this infernal creature that my rage is directed – allow me to slit his treacherous throat here and now, as a warning to any who dare cross our great kingdom! Let go of me, honorable general!" His scowling lips curdled the bold words escaping in furious timbre, and his declaration echoed against each startled wall strong enough to override the noise of the storm still building outside. Han Dang held on despite his renewed struggles, and Zhou Yu followed Sun Ce down the hall as the young officer stepped carefully between remnants of the desecrated banquet.

"Man… what a mess." Even the enraged courtier stopped struggling at his lord's unexpected exclamation, glancing away from the subject of his wrath to judge the slow shake of the young officer's head. Sun Ce scratched his neck, glancing idly backward to meet his strategist's onyx gaze as he sighed. "Watch out for the chicken legs, Yu – they're trying to trip you."

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed slightly in confusion at the offhand statement, but he glanced down and did his best to avoid the scattered drumsticks anyway. The Sun lord continued across shards of broken pottery until he came face to face with the impassioned attendant, amber eyes unreadable in the muffled candlelight. Sun Ce frowned and tapped one foot in displeasure, almost looking intimidating amidst the chaos of terrified courtiers and shadows of the tempestuous night – the swordsman wondered if his lord realized he was tapping his foot straight into a puddle of grease, but the young officer had begun to speak and there was no time to point out his irreparably dirty slippers.

"Look, pal—"

"He Qi, my lord." Sun Ce stopped momentarily and blinked at the courtier's interruption; the dark scholar managed a short bow despite his awkwardly restricted position. "My name is He Qi. I hail from the territory of Xuzhou—"

"I don't care!" The Sun lord's voice returning to its usual fervor straightened He Qi's shoulders, and even Han Dang looked slightly taken aback. Zhou Yu just rolled his eyes, coming to a halt at the young officer's side. Sun Ce crossed his arms stiffly, expression downright sulky. "It's fine by me if you want to have a duel with Lord Ang here—"

"Lord Sun Ce! You can't mean that!" The young lord glared at his cowering chorus of courtiers, huffing slightly under his breath and shoving chestnut bangs back from his eyes.

"Sure I can!" Zhou Yu wondered what part of the celebration had finally snapped the Little Conqueror's temper – there was no mistaking the heat of melting iron dripping through his voice. Instantly the protests of the assembled attendants ceased, nipping into a soundless whisper that the wind carried away right through the walls. "It'd be the most interesting that's happened so far – I think we could all use a little excitement. And Lord Ang couldn't look any less lively with a dagger through his ribs anyway!"

Zhou Yu sighed silently, watching He Qi's face light up at the apparent permission. Han Dang shifted from foot to foot, his face a mask of concerned uncertainty.

"Lord Sun Ce—"

The abrupt movement of the Sun lord's hand into a gesture for silence cut him off, matching the sincerely irritated expression that shadowed his sunshine features. Sun Ce shook his head again, ponytail dashing over his shoulders like the wildfire burning inside him.

"But all that aside…" Zhou Yu could see He Qi's fingernails digging into the skin of his palm in anxiety at the thought of displeasing the lord of Wu; Sun Ce scowled, gesturing to the exit corridor with annoyance clear on his features.

"Have a little respect, will ya?! Someone around here has been trying to have a baby for a good nine months now, and I'll bet she doesn't appreciate all this stomping and shouting. How would you feel if you'd been locked up in that room for a day straight and then somebody started bringing the house down? So just cool it! You want to have your duel, you have it outside where you're not going to bother anybody!"

He Qi looked openly stunned, and a murmur of shock ran through the room in the voice of twenty useless scholars. Zhou Yu held back a sigh as his companion kicked one unbroken bowl across the floor, terrifying a flock of attendants from their places near the covered windows. Han Dang had a funny half-smile on his face, as though he couldn't decide whether to laugh at his master's actions or jump to obey his words. In a way, the swordsman was also surprised that his companion would remember to consider Xiao Qiao even in the midst of a challenge – it seemed like Sun Ce should have been more than delighted to approve even this minor turn for the interesting.

"And that aside…" The Little Conqueror indicated the mess beneath his feet with one unhappy thumb, glare still peppering He Qi's startled features. "Next time you have to lose it in the middle of dinner, would you mind leaving the table right side up? I was enjoying my meal, thank you very much."

He Qi looked utterly demoralized at the lecture, though his lips struggled for a moment with some semblance of a counterargument before giving up completely and dropping his head in a gesture of deep shame. The lord of Wu turned grumpy eyes to his waiting strategist and smushed an escaping carrot beneath his utterly devastated slipper, the light of unanswered irritation shining in his gaze. Sun Ce huffed and gestured to the desecrated meal surrounding him.

"Well? What do we do now? The banquet's ruined, and this whole room's a disaster… should we just let them have it out?" Zhou Yu frowned, consideration weaving through his mind and striving to explore every angle of the suggested confrontation. A dagger through the gut wouldn't have been his preferred method for getting rid of Lord Ang, but it was a solution nonetheless. How much trouble would He Qi be if his vindication were prevented? And how much more trouble might be caused by the death of the drunken regent?

The strategist didn't have time for a calculated answer. At the young officer's suggestion, Lord Shi jumped nearly a stool's height into the air, staggering forward as best he could under the dead weight of his comrade and reaching ineffectually for his commander's swinging sleeve. The man's panicked features almost canceled the unforgiving image his intoxicated and muttering cargo presented as his tenor voice rang through the crowded hall.

"No, my Lord Sun Ce! You mustn't let Lord He Qi have his duel now. Lord Ang has had far too much wine – he is not in control of his thoughts. I know he did not mean any harm by his words!"

"Ha!" He Qi's sharp barking laugh broke out from their other side, crushing the pleading tone beneath its harsh contours as his limbs resumed their angry flailing. "Any harm? How can you claim that, after this insolent wretch would dare even entertain such thoughts as those he spoke just now? We should cut out his tongue as punishment for his loose conduct and parade it throughout town as a warning to others—"

"Lord He Qi! I cannot believe your nerve!" Lord Shi was shaking now, though whether with rage or with fear it was impossible to tell from his quivering features. Zhou Yu's dark eyes snapped back and forth with the flow of the conversation, mimicking the flickering candles along the wall and the gazes of the waiting scholars. "You know that Lord Ang is in control of neither his thoughts nor his tongue, yet you would use this opportunity to strike him down, when he cannot hope to match you?"

He Qi hissed under his breath, drawing himself up straighter and making as though to leap for the chastising courtier – only Han Dang's tight arms held him back as his silver weapon flashed menacingly in one ground fist, threatening Lord Shi despite the distance between them as his voice rose into a shaking shout.

"You dare to call me a coward? You, who have hidden beneath the wing of the river villages for so long, not daring to risk your neck in the service of our great lord—"

"Drop the dagger!" Han Dang ordered again, holding onto the uncontrollable courtier despite his renewed bid for freedom and locking one forceful elbow around He Qi's neck. "And be silent! Lord Sun Ce will delegate the proper course of action."

It was as though he had delivered a long-awaited death sentence. Instantly the room fell quiet, and every gaze snapped to study their high sovereign, who had been watching the proceedings with unhurried posture. Zhou Yu felt his brow furrowing, and he turned to exchange a look with Sun Ce as the young officer shook his head mildly, twin amber eyes burning methodically in his countenance and asking silent questions of their onyx opposites. The Sun lord crossed his arms simply over his celebratory robe, glancing between the three equally affected faces of his squabbling courtiers and the expectant expression on Han Dang's face. Silence reigned throughout the disheveled hall for a long moment before Sun Ce finally spoke, his tone lilting inquisitively over the mayhem.

"So… what did he say?" A murmur of interest whipped through the attendants, stalling at each end of the hall and doubling back. He Qi looked somewhat shocked at the question, and his tersely expectant limbs fell limp in the Wu veteran's tight hold.

"What did he… what did he say?" the distracted courtier repeated, self-righteous anger leaking feebly from his stunned features. Zhou Yu felt his frown deepening slightly as Sun Ce shrugged and murmurs flew around them on winged feet.

"Yeah. What did he say to make you so angry?"

He Qi blinked, fiddling mindlessly with the edge of his sleeves. "Does it matter, my lord?" His previously powerful voice seemed frail in the mounting silence, pushed under by the force of the storm above them. The Sun lord's hands slipped to his waist as a light scowl superseded his interested expression.

"Maybe. I'm curious – he must've insulted you pretty badly for you to lose it like that, right in the middle of dinner and all."

A muttering agreement ran like wildfire through the courtiers surrounding them, and Han Dang nodded his approval of the question, but He Qi's coal eyes went wide and he drew himself up as though in deep fury, muscles snapping to attention in his neck and jaw. The enraged attendant drew a deep breath and practically burst, voice erupting like a launch of fireworks from his brimming tongue.

"Lord Sun Ce! I assure you that a lowlife such as Ang Wei could say nothing about me that would prompt my loss of control – his words against my own person mean nothing more than a grain of sand in the typhoon wind! If he had spoken against me and me alone, I would certainly have let his slander ride into the silence without bothering to acknowledge it, for he is but an insect flicking over my skin—"

"So who did he insult, then?"

He Qi stopped abruptly, clearly caught off guard at being interrupted halfway through his verbose rant. Sun Ce's expression was a mixture of boredom and annoyance, and Zhou Yu had to smile just a little at his companion's reaction to the courtier's never-ending assurances. The Little Conqueror resumed tapping his foot, glaring at He Qi with intense frustration. "He obviously hit a nerve. Was it your mother or something? A sister?"

He Qi stared at the Sun lord in silence for a long moment as the words died away – finally his hands slumped from their judicious pose and fell to his side, the dagger slipping to rest by his feet and clattering through the wreckage of place settings.

"… No, my lord. He didn't insult my family, or… or any facet of _my_ life, particularly."

Sun Ce threw his hands up as his patience shattered, the last remnants of restraint breaking as his courtier's evasive statement echoed through the hall. "Would you just spit it out? _You_ didn't say it – so nobody's going to get mad at _you_! What was it, already?" His near-shout stumbled over the chaotic upheaval of the scene and unnerved the waiting scholars, pushing them farther toward the corners of the room. He Qi hesitated with his mouth half-open, as though pride and obedience were warring inside his ribcage – but never had the strategist met a subordinate who could decline Sun Ce's demands, and it was only a matter of seconds until the courtier did as ordered and allowed his words to flow forth.

"His remarks regarded Master Zhou Yu's wife."

Zhou Yu felt his eyes widening, and Sun Ce's expression announced that he had been similarly surprised. Of all the slanders the swordsman had been anticipating, his wife's good name hadn't even been a possibility in his mind. It was true that Xiao Qiao was the official reason for their banquet – but she hadn't spent much time with the assembled attendants at all, being heavily pregnant and disinterested in their boring conversation anyway. What grudge could Ang Wei hold against his young wife, considering his complete lack of interactions with her during his stay in Niuqiao?

Sun Ce shifted, confusion swallowing his previous annoyance as he glanced to his strategist's stony features. "Xiao Qiao? What was he talking about her for?"

He Qi shook his head vigorously, bowing as best he could despite the awkward position of his arms and struggling to escape Han Dang's tight grip even as Lord Shi staggered forward. Their voices vied for dominance and ricocheted through the destroyed hall, confusing everyone within range.

"I refuse to repeat his ignorant offenses, my lord – please don't ask me to—"

"You can't consider his comments seriously, Lord Sun Ce. He's completely out of his senses at present – I am certain Lord Ang would never dare cross Master Zhou Yu in his right mind—"

"—of course the lady in question doesn't deserve to be maligned twice by the opinions of this worthless—"

"Knock it off!"

Both men's jaws snapped shut as Sun Ce's shout broke through the web of their words, bouncing off of every wall and canceling their unintelligible babbling. The Sun lord glared hard at his uncooperative subordinates, a threat clearly riding on his lips – but there was no need to voice it, because Lord Ang himself spoke up, struggling away from his comrade and standing unsteadily in the center of their oppressive gathering.

"Get off of me, Shi Huang – I'll not hold my words back. I meant what I said and I stand by it." His posture fell and he staggered a little even as he spoke, catfish whiskers scattering from the orderly contours of his chin. His eyes, bleary but determined, returned Zhou Yu's dark stare as he shook his lanky head, one tremulous finger precariously indicating the strategist. "If you want to hear my opinion, I'll give it to you – no need to ask these interfering troublemakers. My words were meant for your ears."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, watching the resolute but quivering courtier before him as Ang Wei fought to keep his eyes open. Sun Ce took a step back from the center of confrontation, and the swordsman could feel his companion waiting for any indication of his opinion one way or the other. Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest as the attention of every attendant present shot to his impending words. There could hardly be any point in ignoring Lord Ang's insult, now that the entire room was anticipating an end to the altercation. Perhaps the best course of action was just to let the drunkard explain himself…

"Speak, then."

Lord Shi and He Qi reacted simultaneously, snatching Ang Wei's arms as though to physically restrain his voice – but Han Dang had a tight grip and Lord Shi was not fast enough, and between them Ang Wei's words spilled unobstructed into the suspenseful crowd of courtiers.

"I indict your wife as an adulteress. The child whose birth we celebrate is a bastard, and a shame to the house of your ancestors."

Zhou Yu stared, his jaw falling open with utter shock as the words entered his ears and bashed each side of his skull in echoing menace. A collective gasp ran through the room, stealing breath simultaneously from every pair of lungs. Instantly the swordsman's thoughts reeled, spinning through the discussion they'd been holding with Lu Meng and every moment he'd spent in Lord Ang's company during the past week. Had the irascible courtier overheard something he shouldn't have? Had news of the strategist's complex web of relations actually leaked into the circle of their supporters, kept so tightly under wraps that only an alcohol-loosened tongue could manifest that sneaking secret? Did Ang Wei have proof of his powerful indictment?

Only through great effort did Zhou Yu keep a straight face, struggling with the flame of panic spreading through his veins. He could feel tension brimming from Sun Ce at his side and Lu Meng only a short distance to the left, and questioning excitement building in the chest of each courtier around them as the silence stretched and snapped, giving way to Lord Shi's helpless cries as Ang Wei lost his balance and the petrified scholar barely caught him.

"Please, Master Zhou Yu! You know he does not mean his words! Have mercy on your inebriated subordinate – surely you know he would never dare to bring these accusations against your honored wife! He doesn't know what he's saying—"

Zhou Yu's mind worked very quickly, struggling between the tides of Shi Huang's anxious explanation. Lord Ang's allegation was not enough by itself to cause a great amount of trouble – but if the courtiers could somehow be convinced of its truth, he would be expected to take action against Xiao Qiao. Failure to do so would decrease support for Sun Ce and the respect of his subjects for their leader. But if the accusation could be reversed – if Lord Ang could be dishonored and shunned, perhaps taking Lord Shi with him – then the two meddling officials could be thrown from court with viable cause. And the fastest way to turn every lingering attendant against Lord Ang would be a full rebuttal and defeat of his argument—

Zhou Yu took a deep breath and forced himself to explode.

"WHAT?!"

His tremendous shout cut Lord Shi's apology off mid-sentence and shoved every courtier back into the walls behind them, startling even Lu Meng and Han Dang and drawing a surprised expression onto Sun Ce's face. The strategist drew himself up and drove all of his panic, frustration, and impending worry about Xiao Qiao's child into his eyes, hardening them to onyx gemstones until the force of his glare made even Lord Ang look away. Zhou Yu strode forward and caught Ang Wei by the drunken collar, yanking him out of Lord Shi's hands and shaking him in a show of violence that would no doubt beget more rumors of his heartless temper.

"You dare to spit words like these from your poisonous tongue? You dare to defile my wife with your ignorant opinion – to criticize her child before it has even set foot upon this earth?" The swordsman shoved Lord Ang away from him and let the drunken man collapse helplessly onto the floor at Shi Huang's feet, dark eyes streaming with adrenaline as the pitiably sober courtier dropped to his knees, bowing straight into the rice porridge and trembling as his arms held Ang Wei in an awkward sitting position.

"Please, Master Zhou Yu – forgive your servant his tendency to drink! I promise you his words mean nothing – he would never think of such things but for the cursed presence of wine—"

The strategist took a harsh step backward, dragging his slipper away from Lord Shi's supplicating hands. Zhou Yu's glare focused on the pleading courtier – if Shi Huang could be arraigned as an opponent to his honor as well, both men could be exiled from court easily. But that required getting the mewling man to stand on his comrade's opinion—

"Get up!" Lord Shi scrambled to his feet, cringing as though he expected to be cuffed like a misbehaving child. The dark swordsman shoved long strands of hair back over his shoulder and stared hard into the frightened eagle eyes, daring any kind of insubordination as his worry disguised itself as rage and poured out of his lips in a barreling shout. "You were sitting next to him. Tell me what prompted his remarks! Give me a reason for his madness!"

Because it was imperative to know what Ang Wei had heard – was he actually aware of the forthcoming child's birthright, or had he merely been running his inebriated mouth in the wrong company? Mindless musings could be easily dismissed, but it would be harder to stand against proof if Shi Huang could produce it… Lord Shi's hands trembled as he raised them in appeal, eyes darting between the other officers around him and avoiding the strategist's deep glare.

"Lord Sun Ce… Master Han Dang, please. Lord Ang meant no harm – please make Master Zhou Yu—"

Sun Ce laughed a little, and even without seeing it the swordsman could imagine an excited smile on his lord's tan features. Han Dang shrugged and maintained his hold on He Qi, gaze asking silent questions of the strategist whom he was unwilling to doubt openly but whose reaction seemed so strange in the ream of his usual behavior.

"Stop him? I don't think that's possible, Lord Shi." The Sun lord's voice was bright and open, and Zhou Yu almost rolled his eyes at the thought of how entertaining Sun Ce probably found this whole situation. "Zhou Yu gets pretty crazy when his wife's involved. I think you'd probably just better answer his questions."

When all of this was over, the swordsman was determined to have a word with his companion about how substantial his support for gutting Ang Wei might have proved in this circumstance. In present company, however, he could only grit his teeth and nod sharply, keeping his steady eyes locked on Lord Shi's wavering face.

"Thank you for your encouragement, Sun Ce." Another trickling laugh washed over his ears, draining the blood from Shi Huang's face and releasing Han Dang's hold on He Qi as the previously enraged scholar was deemed no longer a threat.

"Hey, no problem. You can still have that duel if you want to." Zhou Yu scoffed.

"I'm sure that won't be necessary." Two quick steps brought him within reach of Lord Shi's pitiful form, and the courtier shrunk from his hold as the strategist grabbed one rich sleeve and hauled him forward against two slippery feet. The swordsman glared hard into the attendant's eyes and rephrased his questions, amplifying the expression of fear on the sallow features.

"Why would Ang Wei indict my wife for adultery? What ridiculous evidence does he think he could bring against her?" Or had the unfortunate courtier actually overheard a summary of the situation from one of the knowledgeable parties – and if he had, who else in the room might have received the same information?

Shi Huang whined and scuffed his feet for a long moment before his trembling voice found its words, darkening the wind-rent air around them uncertainly. The courtier ran a quick hand through his disheveled hair, tightening his standard bun and shaking his head in barely concealed terror as the strategist's glare narrowed and intensified.

"We… we were only toasting your wife, my lord, and your blessing from Heaven in the form of your child—"

Zhou Yu dragged the sniveling attendant closer and stared him down, controlling the worry in his veins only with contorting anger and the vicious tone of his voice. "And how did such a toast transform into the despicable portrayal of my wife that has crept from the lips of your close comrade?" Close comrade – close enough to throw both out if one could be charged with exile. That was the swordsman's goal, in any case – Lord Shi seemed far too cowed to do anything untoward without Lord Ang's influence, but the strategist was less than interested in either of them remaining in the Little Conqueror's court.

Shi Huang winced at the grip on his beautiful sleeve and glanced hesitantly at Ang Wei's collapsed form, obviously afraid to end up similarly discharged. "I – I'm not sure, my lord. Only… well, Lord Ang mentioned that your honorable wife was here in Niuqiao last spring when she became pregnant, but you yourself were fighting Yan Baihu near Fengqiao at that same time…"

Zhou Yu stared, breath stalling in his lungs as his heartbeat thundered in time to the clouds overhead. Only through sheer willpower did he restrain a gasp – and even then he couldn't be sure a flicker of shock didn't slide across his face, momentarily releasing the fury vested there and dragging the one vulnerability he had never considered onto his features.

Fengqiao. Why had he never thought of that? Why hadn't the obvious distance between them ever crossed his mind? The Qiao sisters had indeed spent the previous winter and spring near Yangzhou – and he and Sun Ce had been holed up in Xuancheng during that same time, only leaving to renew attacks against Yan Baihu in eastern Wu. He hadn't seen Xiao Qiao until their boating trip down the Yangzi, and she'd been weeks pregnant already…

Shi Huang pressed on, somewhat encouraged by the swordsman's silence. "I–I'm sure he was very wrong, my lord – but he indicated that you'd not know if someone were involved with your honorable wife. He—" The man's trembling gaze shot to his high sovereign some distance away, and he cringed as his words spilled weakly into the storm-ridden air around them. "He mentioned that Lord Sun Ce is very close friends with your wife—"

The implication was so ironic that Zhou Yu almost had to choke – but the serious situation pressing around them pushed the inclination back and strangled it. The strategist shook himself mentally and struggled to maintain fury, twisting Lord Shi's arm painfully against its natural movement and urging his expression to remain livid. He had to counter the argument as quickly as possible – leave no time for the irrepressible fact of time and separation to sink into the courtiers' minds. Lord Shi whimpered as he was summarily flung to the floor beside his comrade, sliding through a pool of gravy and colliding heavily with Ang Wei's shoulder.

"You side with him, then?" The swordsman's yell careened through the room like a train of loosed horses, knocking at the flickering candles and startling a few attendants from their curious postures. Zhou Yu stepped forward until he was staring directly down into Lord Shi's eyes, fighting to transform the panicked concern flickering through his gut into visible ire. "You would stand against my honorable wife?" Honorable – not in the conventional sense, perhaps. But it hardly mattered.

Shi Huang struggled to maintain his seated position, one hand raised in terrified placation. "N-no, my lord – I would never dare to—"

"Is it your business when I return to visit my wife? Is it your concern where I spend my days?" Not that the courtier was wrong – he hadn't returned to Yangzhou once that winter. The fury in his voice shook Lord Shi's head vigorously, prompting a trembling apology from his lips.

"I wouldn't presume to know where your travels take you, my lord—"

"What right have you to question the parentage of the child in my wife's stomach?" Not that his questions were unfounded – not that Ang Wei was incorrect about the father of Xiao Qiao's baby being someone other than her husband. Zhou Yu's dark eyes drilled into the eagle gaze of his petrified opponent, flapping Shi Huang's jaw uselessly before he could even compose a weak response.

"I don't hope to question you in any way, my lord – and I know Lord Ang would—"

The swordsman grabbed the courtier's collar, holding him steady as the final question composed itself in his mind. He could hear Sun Ce stifling a snigger at his dramatic performance, and Han Dang's contemplative silence was mildly concerning – but all that truly mattered was the number of startled and receptive faces in his periphery, each one waiting to receive the falsity of Xiao Qiao's fidelity.

"Would you dare accuse me, Lord Shi, of having so much ignorance of my wife's conduct that she could pass another man's child off as my own, and I would be none the wiser?"

Because he knew the child was Lu Meng's – he'd always known. Which had nothing to do with the baby's parentage or adultery of any kind. But the question served its purpose – Shi Huang struggled out of his grip and threw himself face first onto the floor, trembling in his prostrate bow as the strategist straightened and glared dagger shards at the back of his head.

"No, Master Zhou Yu! I would never think of crossing you this way – nor would my comrade, were he more sober when his tongue moved of its own accord! Please forgive our great offense!" Zhou Yu stepped backward hard, turning away from the groveling courtier to meet Sun Ce's amber eyes as they glowed with concealed laughter. The Little Conqueror took advantage of the murmuring distraction of his court to smile cheekily at the shouting swordsman – Zhou Yu gave the Sun lord a quick glare and walked past him, pausing only to glance over his shoulder at the disheveled pair on the floor and deliver a final sentence.

"Beg all you want. It is not my place to mete your punishment – but I will never forgive you for slandering the name of my beloved wife in her hour of greatest trial." Beloved – not by her husband, necessarily, but Lu Meng's granite jaw was certainly screaming protective affection. Sun Ce stepped forward and glanced around at his suitably intimidated attendants, a small grin suffusing his tan features.

"Is there anyone else who'd like to challenge Zhou Yu over his wife?" There was a laughing undercurrent in his tone – perhaps prompted by the idea that he would be interfering with the strategist's marriage through an affair with _Xiao Qiao_. The Sun lord studied his cowering and shocked scholars for a long moment before laughing and shaking his head. "Yeah, that's what I thought. You gotta watch out – Zhou Yu can be really vicious when he loses his temper."

The swordsman rolled his eyes at the far wall and turned back fully, watching Shi Huang as he struggled to pick himself up out of the sauce and vegetables treacherously coating the floor. Han Dang had an odd look on his face – a look that said he alone had taken Lord Shi's comments into consideration, that he alone had enough knowledge of the movements of his superiors to question the swordsman's anger. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth. Among the attendants in the room, only Han Dang had reason to know that the strategist hadn't returned to Niuqiao at all the previous spring – only Sun Jian's veteran could viably bring the argument up again at a later time. Fortunately, the general looked content to hold his tongue for the moment – Zhou Yu refocused his attention on their laughing commander as Sun Ce rubbed the back of his neck and gestured to the men before him.

"You know, I don't think we need people like this around when we're celebrating Xiao Qiao's baby. Han Dang, do me a favor and get these lowlifes out of here."

The amber eyes flashed backward with a reassuring glance as Shi Huang gasped, fighting to argue and plead simultaneously as He Qi moved out of the way and Han Dang dragged both offending courtiers to their feet – Zhou Yu returned the stare and shook his head, letting some of the tension drain out of him now that their crisis appeared to be averted. It had been a near miss, but the open surprise on the nameless faces of Sun Ce's officials seemed like a clear indication of the success of his angry tirade. If Ang Wei and his helpless comrade could be barred from court in the future, perhaps Xiao Qiao and her child would truly be safe from further accusation.

"Please, Lord Sun Ce – I've done nothing against you! I wish to stay and honor Master Zhou Yu's blessed child!" Shi Huang's cries for favor littered the floor of the destroyed hall as Sun Ce turned away from his strategist, eyeing the struggling man while Han Dang took a good grip on both courtiers and hauled them bodily toward the doors. The veteran huffed under his breath and took hold of the back of Lord Ang's robe, pulling the drunken troublemaker after him and leading Lord Shi by one protesting arm. He Qi straightened and shook a righteous fist after his comrades, stubbled face filled with the light of triumph.

"Like you've any right to sit at the table beside Master Zhou Yu after the nuisance you've caused!" The passionate official's voice rang out bright and strong as Han Dang simply shook his head. "Your shame should haunt you too much to even consider reconciliation, Lord Shi – there can be no forgiveness for a crime of this nature! Defaming the good lady without proof, and daring to drag Lord Sun Ce into the web of your lies—"

"He Qi."

The victorious courtier stopped abruptly at his lord's interruption, turning back to meet Sun Ce's less than amused expression. He Qi swallowed a little and dropped his hands from their vicious pose, slumping slightly under the force of his sovereign's potent look. "Yes, my lord?"

Sun Ce crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. "Would you shut up already?"

A tiny smirk tugged at Zhou Yu's lips, dragging the strain of the prying opposition away from him and lightening the pressure of anxiety pushing down on his shoulders. His onyx eyes slipped closed momentarily, reveling in the simple darkness that blotted out Lu Meng's shuffling to his left and He Qi's extensive apologies. The dangerous situation had been averted – slander meant for Xiao Qiao had been returned upon its creators, and the unfortunate courtiers from that afternoon had been exiled from the palace, if only for the duration of the celebration. Surely the worst of the evening must be over now – soon the attendants would traipse off to their guest rooms, and the weight of the child destined for their household would again diminish…

Sun Ce's laugh opened his eyes again, and the young officer glanced at his strategist before addressing the company at large, one hand raised in a helpless gesture of amusement. "Well… dinner's ruined, so how about we skip right to dessert?"

A chorus of soft chuckles lifted the veil of uncertain tension in the hall, dragging a smile onto the faces of the startled and bewildered courtiers as Han Dang reached the door and threw it open with one irritated hand. Even Shi Huang's continued whining faded into the background as Sun Ce turned to face his swordsman with an encouraging smile patterning his lips. Zhou Yu sighed, releasing a fevered breath into the air rent by the currents of wind outside. It was all right. Everything was going to be—

What stopped him was the breathless gasp of a few courtiers near the door, coupled with Han Dang's stiff shoulders and a sudden end to Shi Huang's prattling whimpers. Silence descended like a cloak of death and suffocated every last whisper of laughter circling the room, freezing each attendant in his place and tightening Lu Meng's hands into fists. Zhou Yu felt his breath stalling and dying in his lungs – the motionless blood in his veins stood in contrast to Sun Ce as the young officer staggered back a few steps, drawing even with his strategist and leaving a clear view of the doorway and the obstacle that had halted Han Dang's process.

Lady Qiao stood in the torchlight of the corridor, her hair tightly braided and looped to match the embroidery of her beautiful robes. Her calm features were serious and silent, trailing the borrowed light of the hallway to enhance each contour of her face. But there was something in her arms – a bundle of dark cloth that almost appeared to be moving…

Zhou Yu's jaw fell helplessly open, his heartbeat restarting and tumbling over itself in a mad rush as his onyx eyes flickered across the small burden – a shadow-encrusted blanket and one crimson limb just visible. The sepia eyes of the graceful woman in the doorway were quiet and cool, concealing every tremor of emotion that rushed in her barely trembling hands and clutched her fingers into the cloth. Every courtier took a deep breath and a step back as Sun Ce's wife passed the doorway, moving easily around Han Dang and his shocked offenders with her gaze locked only on the dark strategist who had gone completely rigid at her arrival.

"Lord Zhou Yu."

Zhou Yu bit his tongue, fighting to keep the concern and uncertainty from showing on his face. It couldn't be. It was too soon. Xiao Qiao's child should have been born in the depths of night, when it could be taken straight to Lu Meng without alerting the gathered attendants to its destination. His feet struggled to step back and seek escape as Lady Qiao strode slowly forward, but he couldn't summon the presence of mind even to move away from the impending heap of silk. Deep brown eyes shone in a kind of unreadable sympathy as Lady Qiao halted two steps in front of him, her expression warm but hesitant in the flickering light.

"I have brought your son."

Son. So the baby was a boy.

Zhou Yu's obsidian eyes widened yet farther as he struggled to swallow, forcing breath after breath through his tightened throat. Somewhere at his side, he could almost hear Sun Ce's pulse rushing in time to his own, thundering like the storm overhead at the sudden arrival of the last creature on earth that the swordsman was interested in seeing. Lu Meng took a deep breath, and the strategist imagined he was holding back the inclination to rush forward only with the willpower of an experienced soldier. Zhou Yu felt his mouth going completely dry. From this distance he could have looked down into the helpless bundle Lady Qiao carried, but his gaze stuck to her lovely face in a desperate struggle to forestall the inevitable.

"Xiao Qiao…" When had his voice become an inaudible croak? The strategist swallowed hard and shook his head as well as he could, fighting the raging panic in his veins and toiling to meet Lady Qiao's eyes. Sun Ce's wife smiled lightly, clutching her nephew closer in two shaking arms.

"She's just fine, my lord. She's resting now."

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth so tightly that a headache rollicked in his temples, churning with his racing pulse and forcing his gaze closer to the silent infant somewhere in Lady Qiao's clump of silken cloth. There was an unpleasant emotion swimming in his stomach – something like fear. Like desperation. It increased tenfold as Lady Qiao stepped closer, drawing his eyes back to hers with a light cough.

"Lord Zhou Yu. Please accept your child."

They hadn't discussed this. It had never occurred to Zhou Yu that he would have to take this infant in front of every one of Sun Ce's attendants – including Lord Ang, whose bleary eyes watched him curiously from the doorway under Han Dang's frozen grip. The strategist felt his obsidian gaze stifling and drowning under the weight of anxiety crushing him, pushing his heartbeat so fast that he could hardly breathe. Accept the child? Right here in the center of the desecrated hall, with scattered remnants of the broken meal sticking to his feet? How could he take the baby out of Lady Qiao's hands – how could he take it before Lu Meng so much as glimpsed its face?

There was nothing else to be done.

The swordsman held out his arms, both limbs awkward and unsure in the dying candlelight, and hid the defenseless panic and refusal coursing through each vein under a mask of solid granite. Sun Ce's wife moved forward almost into his vacillating embrace, pausing long enough to give him one last look before depositing the simple weight of a single son into his uncertain arms.

Zhou Yu started, almost dropping the child as Lady Qiao withdrew her gentle hands and stepped back, her eyes bright with caution and indecision. For a long moment, he was afraid to look down – afraid of seeing what he knew had to be buried somewhere in the smooth measure of cloth. It felt too light – shouldn't there have been some weight resting in the crook of his crossed arms, pulling down on the invisible arrow shaft imbedded in his chest?

Finally there was no more time to stall, and the strategist forced his eyes down into the depths of the responsibility he didn't want, hadn't asked for – and could not escape.

A deep breath stalled and staggered in his lungs, hammering against the ribcage like a thousand piercing knives as he got his first glimpse of the unnerving child. Xiao Qiao's baby didn't look quite as he'd expected. True, its ruby-tinged skin melted into small wrinkles and stood out sharply across the neck, pulling away from its tiny temples to reveal pulsing blue veins above the impossibly light eyebrows. True, the bright black eyes stood out like gemstones in the silken claret of a startled face, like shattered shards of the porcelain around him, glittering in vague understanding of the candlelight and raging storm coursing forward from every side. True, the raised tuft of coal hair feathered away from a miniscule skull almost like a banner flying in the winds of war, and the impossibly round fingers scoured thin air as though every breath seeping through the too-red mouth was a miracle.

But what Zhou Yu had not expected was the smile turning the infant's lips upward like a blooming flower – the way both hands reached for the strategist's long, ebony hair like tendrils of the night itself. The way Xiao Qiao's child had softened into his arms as easily as a ream of cloth, melding between the creases of his unaccustomed cradle as though it wanted to be there, as though it would remember the safety of those arms when the moment was not as bright as this one.

In that tiny, helpless smile, Zhou Yu realized that he was not the one fated to suffer from the birth of Xiao Qiao's child. This irreplaceable instant was not something he wanted – this responsibility not something he could fully accept. But the only man truly being punished at that moment was Lu Meng – only the sour warrior was being robbed of something he could never get back.

The thought made Zhou Yu almost sick to his stomach, and the sudden nausea of a precious memory stolen turned his body until he was facing Sun Ce, eyes blank and shadowed in the waiting silence of the courtiers. The Sun lord yelped slightly as the infant suddenly found itself thrust into his strong arms, and he juggled the baby into a surprised hold; Zhou Yu could feel two baffled amber eyes burning into his shoulders as rapid steps carried the strategist across the destroyed hall, heading for the open door straight past the startled gazes of the courtiers.

He couldn't stay. He couldn't steal another second of Lu Meng's impossibly shattered impression. Only the voice of the person he valued most stopped him in the doorway, halting hurried strides with a single questioning syllable.

"Yu?"

Zhou Yu closed his eyes, feeling the glance of each scholarly attendant heavy on his back. It took great effort to keep his expression neutral as he brushed the errant strands of hair from his face, refusing to turn even as Lady Qiao's light patter followed hesitantly after him and paused motionless in the middle of the room.

"I must go to the temple at the center of the city." It was amazing how steady his voice managed to remain – with the maelstrom of emotions and dizziness spinning inside him, the strategist would have expected nothing more than a whisper. "I must immediately offer thanks to the gods for the blessing of a son on my household."

A murmur of approving surprise flickered through the courtiers behind him, brushing the walls and the ceiling in its progression. Zhou Yu kept his gaze firmly on a guttering torch down the hall, daring it to stay lit with only his willpower. Somewhere behind him, Han Dang shifted and cleared his throat.

"Master Zhou Yu… surely your blessings could wait until you've had time to properly greet your son."

It almost sounded like a note of suspicious sympathy had crept into the veteran's tone, but Zhou Yu ignored it and shook his head heavily. The torch twirled and balked, drawn by the wind echoing through each corridor and leaking like rain under the doors. It would be a miserable walk to the temple, but the strategist didn't care – anything was better than that trembling creature in his arms and the way Lu Meng's hands knotted themselves into fists of agony.

"Master Han Dang, I would not dream of delaying my due praise of the gods. It is my duty to protect this child – how much more securely could I accomplish this than by immediately offering my prayers to Heaven?"

Protect this child. Those had been Lady Qiao's words on the boat – his only true responsibility to Xiao Qiao's son. In the darkness of the swallowed hallway, there was no better way to do that than to run.

A shifting whisper passed through the courtiers, and in the depths of their private conversation Zhou Yu caught echoes of the same compliments he'd been hearing all week – the blessings of the heavens on his household, the strength of his devotion to Xiao Qiao, the love of a distant father… the swordsman shook his head and began to move, striding down the corridor as quickly as his soiled slippers could take him. The banquet hall slipped away behind him, taking its soft words and silent approval with it and leaving the strategist vacant in its wake.

"Come on, Lu Meng – don't you want to see Xiao Qiao's kid?"

Sun Ce's voice split the tumultuous air sliding past his strategist's ears, and a mirthless smile slid over Zhou Yu's thin lips as the main entrance appeared ahead of him. The doors were tightly closed against the brimming storm, but tendrils of rain slid down each doorframe like a warning of the tempest waiting outside – a tempest matched in intensity only by the blood swirling through displeased veins. The swordsman flung his head from side to side, swallowing an unwanted breath as the doors burst open under his clenching hands and revealed him to the rain.

Zhou Yu paused under the strength of the storm, staring into the raging clouds with empty eyes. Somewhere behind him, the courtiers were pressing forward, crowding to congratulate Sun Ce on his infinitesimal nephew. Somewhere ahead, the temple stood dark and deserted under the fist of the unforgiving typhoon. Somewhere in the middle, Zhou Yu made his way down the puddled stairs, fighting to lose his swirling thoughts under the brunt of the squall and leaving the laughter of congratulation to those without the unshakable image of a stolen first smile.

.x.

The torch was still guttering, flicking the circle of its fuel as the last inclination to burn died within the lapsing flames. Zhou Yu watched it as he moved silently down the hall of Niuqiao's palace, utterly drenched and shivering from the onslaught of rain and wind he had left behind. Outside the strong walls of the fortress, the storm still howled, drowning the city and leaving only monstrous lakes where its dirt roads had been. The strategist brushed a strand of soaked hair off of his shoulder and walked carefully between the shadows, leaving a trail of water in every footstep as he made slow progress down the quiet corridor.

It had been hours since his rushed departure, and still the torrent battered their residence like the spears and catapults of an unrelenting army. True to prediction, the journey to the temple had been miserable, and the way back no less hazardous – but there was something about unforgiving stone and the prayers of the forsaken that fit the swordsman's mood, and he had remained longer than intended in the house of the gods. It was only when the sickle moon finally sliced through the weeping clouds at the horizon and spread cream across the landscape that Zhou Yu realized how late it had become, and he had abandoned the sanctuary for another walk through the tempestial rainstorm.

The strategist sighed heavily as he passed the weak torch, its light slipping across his saturated robes like drops of dew on the leaves of a silent garden. The solitude of the temple had soothed his rush of internal discord, but it hadn't truly solved anything. Xiao Qiao's child was still his responsibility. Lu Meng was still being cut away from his offspring. The swordsman rubbed at his returning headache and paused in the doorway of his bedroom, wringing the hem of his sleeves cynically over the harsh floor. Throughout their lives, this was the pattern their interactions would have to take – because the child would be raised to view Wu's chief strategist as its father, and Lu Meng would be unable to fill the role Zhou Yu wholeheartedly refused to adopt.

The torch fluttered and died completely as he pushed the door open, its failed light leaving the corridor in utter darkness and hiding the room's interior even from the strategist's quick eyes. Zhou Yu huffed under his breath and moved across the thin carpet until his blind hands could find the drawers of his clothes chest, seizing a drier garment at random from the wooden interior and releasing his waterlogged robe to rest uselessly on the floor. The swordsman stared blankly into the ebony air around him as he dressed, letting the night serve as a stage for the wandering contours of his mind. He could almost imagine the heartbreak that would have to appear on Lu Meng's face every time his son looked to the dark swordsman for approval – and the heartbreak on that son's face when the man he considered his father gave him only passing attention.

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, struggling to tie the robe's sash as his hands worked themselves into furious knots. The whole situation made him so angry he could hardly breathe. Xiao Qiao had forced on him far more than he had agreed to – she had forced him to accept the responsibility of raising a child. It was not something he wanted, nor something he had time for – nor something he was equipped to deal with in the slightest. Truly, all Xiao Qiao had given her baby was a neglectful father – all Lu Meng could be was a looming presence in the boy's life, never an actual parent. Where did that leave them all? How did his wife expect him to simply ignore the obligation glowing in that infant's eyes?

Hands nearly shaking with the confusion and anger building between his ribs, Zhou Yu flung back the coverlet on his bed and dropped heavily onto the sheets, closing his onyx eyes to the darker night. The storm rammed against the window and hissed menacingly through the folds of the invisible room, gnawing at the inclination for sleep with its unending turbulence. The strategist sighed, tossing restlessly and willing his mind in vain to stop racing. There was nothing to be done about it – he would ignore the child as he'd been instructed, and Xiao Qiao's son would resent him for it, and Lu Meng would watch from the shadows without the ability to so much as draw a finger through the life of his child—

"Ow! Would you watch it?"

Zhou Yu started and sat up as his elbow collided suddenly with something he had not expected: a soft stomach and the lines of a haphazardly bound sleeping robe. The strategist blinked uselessly into the darkness, unable to see through the jet black air swallowing his quarters – slowly, movement distinguished itself from the expanse of the bed, and he managed to discern the form beside him curled around its offended ribs. Sun Ce coughed slightly and shifted, no doubt glaring up at his swordsman as he rubbed one hand soothingly over his gut. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed in puzzlement.

"Ce? What are you doing here? I thought you'd be asleep already." The Sun lord shook his head slowly, tendrils of chestnut hair painted nearly black in the minimal light and standing out against the ivory pillows.

"I was waiting for you. I wanted to go find you at the temple, but those damn courtiers kept me busy forever – so I figured you had to come back eventually." The strategist couldn't be sure, but it looked like the young officer was sticking his tongue out at his surprised swordsman. "And I _was_ sleeping, until you came in here like a hurricane and woke me up."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, rubbing at his increased headache as his pulse dropped from its adrenaline-induced rate. "I wasn't expecting you, Ce – I didn't have any reason to be quiet."

The Sun lord stretched languidly, one arm wrapping around his strategist's waist almost as an afterthought to the wide yawn. "Yeah, well… you're being louder than usual tonight. I guess you're still in a bad mood, huh?" Five tan fingers wound into the soft silk as Zhou Yu sighed, his simple exhalation answering the question all on its own. There weren't even words to put his tumbling emotions into – he couldn't think of a way to explain the complex weave of Xiao Qiao's child and the responsibility that came with it. But he didn't have to, really – the Little Conqueror would already know about the demons that haunted his mind.

Sun Ce watched him in silence for a moment, the contours of his countenance unreadable in the close, thin air. Then the young lord reached forward with both arms and pulled himself into his strategist's embrace, soft bangs tickling the pale collarbone as he tucked his face into Zhou Yu's neck to shut out what little light leaked through the fabric-drawn window and the insatiable storm clouds. The swordsman blinked, both hands settling into their familiar positions along the Sun lord's robe as his companion kicked his feet idly back and forth.

"Ce?"

Sun Ce sighed, his warm breath sifting like a breeze over the strategist's shoulders. "You know what we should do next spring?"

Zhou Yu felt his forehead furrowing at the sudden change in topic, but he closed his eyes and gave a noncommittal response, allowing the weave of conversation to rest in his lord's hands. "What?"

The Little Conqueror shifted slightly, seeking a more comfortable position against his companion's chest. "We should go hunting."

The swordsman scoffed. "Hunting? You're an abysmal hunter, Ce." Heaven forbid the young officer be made to sit still for any length of time. How often had Sun Jian tried to teach his eldest son the pastime of feeding a family, only to return empty-handed after each excursion?

Sun Ce ignored him and pressed on with his whimsical scenario. "We'll go down the Yangzi – by boat, maybe. See if we can run into Gan Ning while we're at it." Zhou Yu felt his lips quirking up slightly at the mention of the Sun lord's favorite pirate king. "We'll go as far east as we can – all the way until we reach the sea. And once we get there, we can go hunting along the shore."

Zhou Yu frowned slightly, an image of the seashore he'd never seen floating before his eyes and obscuring the curve of Sun Ce's head. "What is there to hunt near the shore?" It seemed as though most game beasts lived in the forests farther west – wasn't the sea used primarily for fishing? Sun Ce shrugged, and the tiny movement ricocheted through his swordsman like a minute earthquake.

"I don't know. But whatever it is, we'll catch it. We can roast it over a big fire – eat it straight off the stick." The young lord's tone had become sleepy, drifting in odd time over the words and emphasizing syllables at random as he became still. Zhou Yu felt himself beginning to smile as his companion moved closer, arms tightening around the strategist's back in a contented tangle. "We'll have a big party – everybody can come see what we caught. Xiao and Da, and Taishi Ci, and Quan… Lu Meng'll probably refuse to eat it, though. 'Cause he's picky."

Lu Meng. The name of their sour warrior shot the swordsman's thoughts back to reality, and he felt a scowl suffusing his features as one of the Sun lord's fingers traced lazy patterns into the skin of his back. Zhou Yu sighed silently, onyx eyes slipping open to find their amber opposites at his side. He'd forgotten – children changed everything. How would there be time to rush off on excursions when affairs of state had always been pressing and the baby couldn't be left alone?

"We can't, Ce." Sun Ce blinked up at him, expression puzzled by the disagreement.

"Why not?"

The strategist shook his head. "Xiao Qiao's son…"

The Sun lord snorted softly, surprising his companion with the simple reaction and cutting his argument cleanly in two. "So what? That's not our problem." Zhou Yu's eyes widened a little as the young officer smiled, squeezing his swordsman and burying back into his neck. "We can still do whatever we want to. Looking after that kid is somebody else's job. I'm not going to let it get in the way of my fun – and you shouldn't either."

Sun Ce's words ceased, spiraling into the immense darkness around them – but in Zhou Yu's ears, they echoed on and on, each repetition more vibrant than the last. The strategist stared at his companion as the Little Conqueror slipped gently into unaffected dreams, his breath becoming even and rhythmic where it broke the silence of the shadow-wrapped air. Somewhere the moon pulled away from the horizon and vanished into the clouds of the storm, swallowed again by the night's tumultuous tempest.

_That's not our problem_…

Zhou Yu couldn't help the tiny smile that flickered over his lips. Sun Ce's take on a situation was always a little oversimplified – but in this case, there was a string of truth running through the callous statement. Regardless of the swordsman's position in name, Xiao Qiao's child was not his. He owed it nothing. His obligation was to protect, not to raise or adore. It was the same concept he'd been struggling with for hours – but somehow, Sun Ce made things so simple whenever he voiced his opinion.

The strategist sighed heavily, letting the night's unending tension slip from his shoulders and careen into darkness as he relaxed slowly into the pillows, allowing the young lord's warmth along one side chase the last remnants of cold from his soaked skin. There was no denying the difficulty that came with being perceived and portrayed as a father. But perhaps the obligation wasn't worth worrying about – perhaps Xiao Qiao's son would learn to seek comfort and guidance in the hands of another warrior.

Zhou Yu's voice faded into a whisper as he closed his eyes, sinking beneath the cloak of sleep that waited at each corner of the room for the last ebbing tides of resistance to dissipate.

"Thank you."

Sun Ce didn't hear him – but that was all right. Some things were better left unspoken.

End Chapter 35

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Long chapter again… but this one didn't take quite as long as the last one. I thought it would be nice to take a break from the war after last chapter, but actually the political jargon of this section drove me up the wall. Regardless, I hope it was enjoyable. Comments and suggestions are always interesting.

A note for Rachel Hunter: Happy birthday. Sadly Lu Xun doesn't make too much of an appearance in this story – just in the epilogue, actually – but he's always struck me as a poetic type, so he did get to enter the thread of the plot a little. Please don't worry about reviewing – while your comments area certainly welcome and enjoyed, I am far more pleased that you read the story at all. Thank you again for your kind review.

A note for Blue Chihuahua Crimson Flame: You have a fascinating name. Regardless, thank you for your thoughtful comments. I encourage you to continue writing in any venue that pleases you, because practice is truly the only way to improve. Thank you again for taking the time to review my story, and I hope you continue to enjoy future chapters.

A note for Jen: "Ridiculously long" is sadly becoming kind of relative with this story. I don't intend for each saga to become so monstrously extensive – apparently I've just become very wordy, and I can't tell when to shut up. In any case, I'm glad Zhou Yu's fight scene could draw you into it – I always wonder whether this story can actually have any suspense in it, since the ending is so clear already. And I'm pleased that my battle scene interested you. Thank you for reviewing, as always.


	36. Chapter 36

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 35 

The unspoken drifted through the wagon like a haunting wraith, brushing each side of the pathetic canvas roof before trickling in water droplets to land at Chen Hao's feet. The soldier adjusted his position gently, tucking both frozen legs underneath him as best he could and pulling the rejected jacket tighter around his shoulders. Zhou Yu took a deep breath and released it, letting the wisping steam of his exhale drift away in the breeze that suddenly lessened, dropping almost to a dead whisper as the wagon crested a small hill and entered the shallow valley beyond it.

The general sighed, raising his blood-scarred hand to rub at the headache beneath each temple. "Children change everything. Whatever Sun Ce might have imagined, the birth of Xiao Qiao's son had an inescapable effect on our household. Hardly a day went by without some new surprise or complication arising – and even through burying myself in my work, I was unable to fully avoid interaction with the child."

Chen Hao shifted uncertainly, brushing at the loosening bun on the back of his head. Despite the commander's unforgiving disposition, his dislike for children wasn't something that the soldier could understand very well –Chen Hao couldn't remember a time when he'd not longed for fatherhood, and the birth of his son Li had been the most joyous event in his recent memory. Li brought such an immense gradient of light into their household – in his young eyes, even dull tasks became new again. Menial chores like the braiding of ropes and turning of sod could be interesting, when performed with someone willing to learn. But something about the recalled displeasure lingering in Zhou Yu's eyes kept the soldier's family musings behind his lips, and he said nothing as the hoarse words continued to spill out around them.

"True to her word, Xiao Qiao did not ask me to raise her child. She and her sister took care of the infant almost completely by themselves in the first months of his life, with Lu Meng hanging over their shoulders. He was rather useless, though – he never had any skill with children, even his own." Zhou Yu shook his head mildly, and Chen Hao coughed before quietly voicing his sudden curiosity.

"Lord Lu Meng… did he… does he like his children?" It seemed impossible that something as troublesome as a baby could truly please the sour man who'd been wringing his acidic tongue through the general's stories – but on the other hand, children were known to be enormously persuasive. Even Meicheng, who hadn't wanted a baby in the slightest and had lectured vigorously about how ill-prepared they were to care for one, had grown to love and cherish Li within months of his delivery.

Zhou Yu chuckled, a dark sound that slipped easily over the lessened breeze around them and disappeared into the late sky. "Lu Meng is a negative man by nature. I'm afraid his attitude has refused to change over the years… but outward appearances can be deceiving. In truth, Lu Meng treasures his children above all else – and though he has never been very good at expressing his love, it is impossible for those of us who know him well to miss the change in his demeanor wherever they are concerned." The general shook his head, a slight smile lingering on his thin lips. "Sun Ce teased him mercilessly for it, after Xuan was born."

Chen Hao blinked, another inquiry settling over his tongue at the Wu king's name. The soldier shoved a few loose bangs out of his eyes and burrowed into his thin jacket, hiding from the tendrils of wind licking at his bare face and sucking the breath from his lungs. Zhou Yu paused, the light of reminiscence shining in his eyes, and Chen Hao took advantage of the brief silence to ask his question.

"Did Lord Sun Ce like children, too?" From the general's account of their conversations before the birth of Xiao Qiao's son, it didn't seem like the lord of Wu had been very pleased to welcome a toddler into the extensive family – but Zhou Yu's words were ragged and time-torn, and the difficulty of the situation in question might have colored the great king's actions.

To his mild surprise, Zhou Yu merely shrugged, the small motion flickering through his bandages where they rested beneath one pale hand. "I don't think so. Not much, in any case – he did not spend a great deal of time either with Xuan or with the others, when they came." A dark light of thoughtfulness crept through the onyx eyes, as though his words had tied themselves into knots and refused to smoothly slide through the weave of his answer. "Sun Ce… when he was with the children, it was as though time turned back for him – he acted more like one of them than an authority figure. He could play with them like someone their own age, and he did from time to time, but…"

Zhou Yu broke off and shook his head, pale confusion littering his brow in light furrows. "I'm afraid I can't explain. Suffice to say, he and I spent a good deal of time away from our wives once their children arrived. It was more comfortable for both of us to be separated from our heirs."

Chen Hao nodded slowly, his mind wandering back to the first months of his own son's life. There had been so much responsibility, and so much uncertainty – the right way to hold the infant, the right way to sleep beside him, the right things to pattern into his small parroting voice. In a way, it almost made sense that Sun Ce was not very fond of children – the lord of Wu never seemed to have grown up completely himself, and in that sense perhaps the children were more like competition and playmates than a second, dependent generation.

Then the soldier's mind stuttered to a halt, and his eyes widened as he realized the full implication of the general's words. His breath stalled momentarily in his lungs, fighting back the currents of breeze redoubling speed around them and impeding his heartbeat as Zhou Yu sighed painfully, rubbing at his throat as though in great agony. Chen Hao found himself coughing, drawing his commander's dark gaze up to his struggling expression as he ran through the explanation once more in his mind.

_Their children. Our heirs._ Which meant there had been more children than just Xuan. It meant the elder Lady Qiao would have children, too – and during Sun Ce's lifetime, if they were heartily avoided by Wu's founder and his strategist. Chen Hao shook his head as a slight flush stole over his features, brought on from the lack of air in his lungs and the thought of Sun Ce's wife locked in a relationship like her sister's. It seemed quite uncharacteristic for the dignified, reserved woman whose deep eyes had been shining so clearly through Zhou Yu's stories…

"Chen Hao?" The sound of his name on those frost-bitten lips never failed to make the soldier shiver. His commander's obsidian gaze narrowed, though whether in annoyance or puzzlement it was difficult to tell. "Is something wrong?"

Chen Hao swallowed hard, forcing breath to resume its reluctant trek to his lungs. The night sifted like dusk over his tongue as he cleared his throat, fighting the rush of embarrassment in his stomach at the very insinuation of such actions on the part of the graceful Lady Qiao. He didn't want to think about it, not really – but his mind couldn't help pondering what kind of a man the elder Lady Qiao would have chosen, and who could possibly have matched her poised dignity.

"Chen Hao."

The soldier jumped slightly, startled by the general's sharp voice sliding through the wagon around them. Zhou Yu was still watching him, dark eyes curious and unintelligible beneath the fading starlight. Chen Hao felt his flush deepening as he realized he'd ignored the previous question – five fingers reached up to tug self-consciously on a loose strand of hair and his voice barely braised a mumble as his inquiry stumbled forth.

"Elder Lady Qiao – was she involved with… I mean, did she have a lover?"

Zhou Yu blinked, his features openly surprised at the unexpected source of his subordinate's preoccupation. For a moment, he remained speechless, staring up into Chen Hao's abashed face with his lips just barely open. Then a jagged cough tore itself from the fallen general's throat and exploded into the renewed breeze around them, and his gravel words found an outlet for their bafflement.

"What?"

If his commander had sounded angry in the slightest, Chen Hao would have sealed his lips and forgotten the question entirely – but Zhou Yu just seemed confused, as though his mind had struggled and utterly failed to draw a parallel between this question and the last. The soldier squeezed one arm around his middle, a vain attempt to quash the quiet noises of hunger that had suddenly become noticeable between the slats of the sliding wind, and repeated his inquiry.

"Did she have a lover?"

The general blinked again, onyx eyes lost in the shipwreck of his subordinate's question. Slowly, he shook his head, long hair trailing absently over the rough floorboards.

"…No. As far as I am aware, Lady Qiao has never pursued a romantic relationship of any kind, within her marriage or outside of it." Zhou Yu's expression spun with uncertainty as he met the soldier's stare, gaze almost asking whether Chen Hao knew something he didn't. "But honestly, I can't be sure she'd have alerted me to her private affairs in this area – Lady Qiao has far greater restraint than her sister."

Chen Hao's shoulders slumped, perplexity coloring his thoughts again. In a way, it had been almost impossible to believe that the elder Lady Qiao would have become an adulteress, considering her words of disapproving caution to her sister when the younger Qiao began her own affair. But on the other hand, her children had to come from somewhere – and Chen Hao was fairly sure, after hours of the general's story had poured into him, that Sun Ce hadn't had a change of heart concerning his wife.

There was nothing to do but ask, as unusual a question though it was. The soldier cleared his throat again and glanced to the stars, watching their fading patterns as the night continued to slip forward, silently dragging morning ever closer on its heels. Zhou Yu's obsidian gaze seemed hard and calm in his periphery; it bothered the inherent timidity lodged between Chen Hao's ribs as he tried again.

"How many children does Elder Lady Qiao have, my lord?"

The general exhaled softly. "Two. A son and a daughter, though Sun Shao is only eight years younger than she. Her daughter Yingmei is about the same age as Xuan, which has made them better companions and far easier to deal with over the years." Chen Hao blinked, his mind spinning yet again with the nonsensical information he had received. How could the elder Lady Qiao have a child the same age as her sister's first son, when her pregnancy hadn't been mentioned at all in the preceding stories? And how could Sun Shao be so close in age to his mother – as close in age as Sun Quan and his elder brother?

His confusion only increased as Zhou Yu laughed softly, running pale fingers through his disheveled hair. "I suppose, to be fair, that Shao is truly Sun Ce's son – but Lady Qiao is the closest he ever came to a parent, so I've always considered him more in line with Yingmei. Sun Ce couldn't have raised a child even if he'd wanted to."

In Chen Hao's mind, this begged the question of how the Wu king had ended up with a son without wanting one – especially if he still wasn't involved with his wife. And wouldn't Sun Ce's son be only twelve years younger than the lord himself? Each strand of confusion settling uncomfortably in his stomach choked him until he couldn't figure out how to phrase his questions or which one to put first. His bafflement must have shown on his face, because a tiny smile dashed across Zhou Yu's lips and vanished into the shadows of early morning.

"Both of her children are adopted, Chen Hao."

Suddenly all of the contradictions riding unrelentingly through the situation settled into understanding, and the soldier felt his shoulders slumping as the anxious perplexity vanished from his veins. He couldn't be sure why adoption hadn't occurred to him immediately, and at the obvious answer he felt even more embarrassed than he had before – but there was little time to dwell on it, because Zhou Yu was speaking again.

"As I mentioned, Sun Yingmei is very close in age to Xuan. In fact, Xuan was only a few months old when Lady Qiao adopted her daughter – though if it hadn't been for Sun Ce's unfortunate luck, his wife might never have brought another child into the household at all." The general paused momentarily, his dark eyes deepening into fathomless pools of thought as he brushed tension from his temples. "I am not sure, in retrospect, whether Lady Qiao actually wanted children or not. It may be that she simply couldn't turn one away if it needed her help – and Yingmei was certainly in a desperate situation when we stumbled across her."

Chen Hao felt the urge to ask for details rushing though him like a coursing wind, but the air around them had grown heavy with anticipation, and he could see the inclination for another story riding on Zhou Yu's lips. With great effort, he managed to voice only the catalyst. "What do you mean… about Lord Sun Ce's bad luck?"

The general smiled. "I'm afraid chance was rarely kind to Sun Ce – he managed to find himself in all manner of seemingly impossible predicaments. In this case, he and I were walking through the city one day on an errand for Xiao Qiao – she was in need of a particular kind of cloth, though to what end I never could get a straight answer. We had barely passed the north rim of the city, and Sun Ce stopped in the middle of a small bridge to look at something under the water…" Zhou Yu shook his head mildly. "I had just walked over that bridge moments earlier, and it seemed stable enough at the time, but it broke right out from him and sent him into the river."

Chen Hao's heart leapt momentarily into his throat, but the unhurried expression suffusing the general's features calmed his rushing pulse somewhat. "Was he all right?"

Zhou Yu shrugged lightly, his shoulders brushing the worn floor like a receding tide. "He suffered a few bruises from the fall, and it certainly renewed his interest in bridge building… but the greatest consequence of the accident was a lingering illness, which stayed with him almost to the beginning of the Bitter Moon."

Illness. Chen Hao blinked as his mind flashed backward – back through the uncountable images the general's story had placed in his mind, back through the endless twisting scenarios – to the very first step Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had taken toward friendship: a ceasefire over a bowl of soup. The soldier felt a slight shiver sliding down his spine, but he couldn't be sure if it was the effect of the wind or the uncanny repetition. Hadn't Sun Ce caught that first cold – built that initial bridge between them – when he fell into a lake, chasing after a frog for his brother?

"On the afternoon when Lady Qiao adopted her daughter…" Chen Hao shook himself and refocused on the resumed length of the story as Zhou Yu trailed off, voice catching like a serrated stone against his tongue and threatening to spatter pain across his wispy expression. The general coughed quietly, shaking his head as though the movement itself might quell his agonizing throat.

For a moment, something seemed to quiver in his dark eyes – to hang in the balance of uncertainty, as though debating the worth of another effort to speak. Then it was gone, chased away by the resumed words slipping in soft amusement from Zhou Yu's thin lips.

"Sun Ce was never exactly easy to deal with – and this was far more the case when he was ill. In general, I'd like to think I had learned to handle it. That day, however… he was giving stubborn an entirely new meaning."

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"No!"

It was one of those days.

The Sun lord's shout echoed like thunder through his quarters and down the adjacent corridors, filling every facet of the surrounding palace wing with unconditional rejection and scattering the slight snowflakes from their place against his windowsill. As his passionate voice continued to spill into the thin air of Niuqiao's winter-besieged fortress, each subsequent word rising in volume, one sturdy fist pounded the wood of the nearby table in a rhythmic refusal just short of deafening. "Not only no, but hell no! Not happening! Not a chance!"

Zhou Yu sighed in exasperation, patience slipping through his fingers as he straightened from the young officer's bedside and shoved errant strands of hair away from his face. Through tremendous effort, the dark swordsman managed to express his aggravation only by the slight tapping of one foot against the frigid ground, a steaming offering of soup lodged between his tiring hands. "Ce…"

Sun Ce stuck out his tongue, kicking both feet childishly beneath the burrow of his heaping blankets and ignoring the strategist's lecturing tone. "I said no and I meant no! I'm not taking that stuff! It makes me want to gag!" The Sun lord slumped back against the carved phoenix swirls of his headboard, fingers twining through the fabric of his warm sleeves and across the expansive silk cocooning him. "You can just forget about it, Yu – it's not gonna happen! There's absolutely nothing you can say to make me put that in my mouth."

In Zhou Yu's considerably exasperated opinion, the reigning lord of Wu had never looked so much like a petulant child. Ponytail muzzed beyond repair, arms crossed stiffly over his chest, the twin amber eyes glared up at him in what could only be described as a pout and regarded the prepared meal like a malicious adversary. Sun Ce shifted against his tremendous pile of hoarded pillows and shook his head viciously, one tan finger gesturing accusingly to the swordsman's proffered bowl of soup.

"You put my medicine in there – I know you did. I'm not gonna eat it! It tastes terrible and it's not helping anything!" Zhou Yu sighed again, rubbing a hand against his furrowed forehead to will away the unending headache.

"Ce, I put the medicine in your food so you wouldn't have to taste it. And it can't possibly be as awful as you keep claiming." From the bitter complaints of the bedridden Sun lord, one might have thought it was poison his loyal strategist was attempting to shove down his throat – but the swordsman had it on good authority that no matter how stubborn his companion remained, the herbal powder Lady Qiao had procured could only be good for him.

Sun Ce balked and made a retching sound, holding his neck with both hands for emphasis as his bright eyes glared back at their onyx opposites. "It _is_ that bad! What do you know, anyway – you don't have to take any medicine, even though you went into the river with me. It's not fair!" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, irritated frown deepening as the Sun lord staunchly refused to accept his lunch, both arms blocking his lap as though the bowl of soup might be inescapable once tricked into his hands.

"I went into the river _after_ you, Ce. And it's perfectly fair that I don't take medicine, because I haven't caught a cold." His deep voice, riddled with idle frustration, bounced futilely against the covered window and seeped through the room in mimic to the gentle snow wending its way through the garden outside. Sun Ce made a face at him, apparently unmoved by this reasonable line of logic.

A string of memories flashed through his dark eyes like drying spirits as the young officer huffed, turning his head away from the offensive concoction and kicking his mattress peevishly. It had been one of those experiences the strategist would remember for the rest of his life – watching in frozen panic as the bridge suddenly snapped and Sun Ce's wildfire eyes disappeared into the fast-flowing contours of the expansive stream. The image of the young officer vanishing beneath white folds of water had shot Zhou Yu's heart straight into his throat, and even now the memory prompted a shiver of discomfort that had nothing to do with the freezing wind leaking through Sun Ce's window.

The swordsman couldn't remember moving, but almost instantly he'd found himself waist-deep in the churning river, pale hands sluicing through the surface in search of the shocked Sun lord. And in those first seconds, when his fingers found nothing but the frigid tendrils of flowing water, a heavy feeling of despair and terror had overwhelmed his stomach, almost making him stagger under its heady weight.

Sun Ce had come up spluttering only a few moments later, largely uninjured but solidly drenched, and a vicious chest cold had persisted ever since. Not that the young officer's antics were helping his healing process in the slightest, of course – Heaven forbid Sun Ce consider his best interests once in a while.

A firmly sulking expression had taken hold of the Sun lord's features, and Zhou Yu refocused on the Little Conqueror as he turned back toward his swordsman, his skin unnaturally pale with the unrelenting illness and the soft winter light.

"You not getting sick is the most unfair part of all. I'm not eating that junk, and that's final."

The strategist rolled his obsidian eyes skyward, idly studying the ceiling as though it might present a brilliant design for getting the soup inside his stubborn companion where it could do the most good. But Sun Ce's rafters remained silent, apparently uninterested in the welfare of their master, and Zhou Yu dropped his gaze back to eye level without inspiration.

"Shang Xiang will be angry if I bring this back," he tried mildly. Sun Ce stuck out his tongue and crinkled his nose.

"So she can be angry, then. If she wants me to eat it so badly, she can come here and shove it down my throat herself – because that's the only way I'm swallowing any of it!"

The strategist sighed softly, brushing the errant strands of dark hair away from his eyes. It was one thing for Sun Ce to ignore his sister's proffered soup, but it would be quite another to actually defy her wishes once she took the matter into her own hands. Shang Xiang had developed an iron control over her surroundings as she grew older, and in her ability to run a household she was matched only by her own mother. Sometimes the swordsman wondered what Sun Jian might have said if he could see the growing similarity between his daughter and his wife – and then he pushed the question away, because thoughts of Sun Jian were distracting and there was too much at hand to afford disruptions of that kind.

Twin onyx eyes stared down into the bowl of soup with reluctant scrutiny, watching the green flecks of medicine that swam uselessly through their cream background. The pretty twenty-year-old had spent all morning shoving the cooks out of their own kitchen in an attempt to please her brother's fickle taste buds, and Zhou Yu was not looking forward to bringing a full bowl back to her. Sun Ce didn't seem to notice his swordsman's distraction, however – his sulky rant continued through the thin air, tumbling over his bothered blankets in similar annoyance to the lines of his countenance.

"It's not fair. We finally get our first big snow, and I'm stuck in here with you all day!" Zhou Yu raised a noncommittal eyebrow and set the neglected bowl gently on a nearby dresser top, moving to rest on the edge of the Sun lord's bed and smoothing the coverlet beneath his pale hands. Sun Ce scowled at him and slung both arms behind his head. "I want to be outside playing – or even if we have to be inside, we could at least do something fun. But _no_, I have to sit here all day and do nothing until I rot!"

The strategist shrugged, skidding one boot mindlessly against the carpet as he met the young officer's glare. "You're sick, Ce. And if you'd taken your medicine like I asked you to, perhaps you would only have been sick for a few days instead of a whole week already." Sun Ce groaned, rolling his eyes toward the plain ceiling and shaking his head.

"I've told you, I don't do medicine. It doesn't help anyway! The fastest way for me to get better is to pretend I'm not sick at all." Zhou Yu snorted softly, and his companion lunged forward to grab one stiff hand. "No, I'm serious!" Sun Ce's amber gaze glowed with sincerity as he leaned up from the headrest, yanking encouragingly on his strategist's wrist. "Let's go play outside, Yu. I promise I'll get better in no time flat."

The strategist scoffed, dragging his fingers away from their insistent captors to brush the long ebony hair back over his shoulders. "Don't be ridiculous, Ce. If you go outside right now, you'll probably catch pneumonia." The Sun lord pounded one fist uselessly against his blankets and pouted, slumping back against the wood of his headboard with a thoroughly indignant look on his face.

"I will not. A little fun never hurt anybody. I'll bet it'd do me a world of good." Zhou Yu sighed, rubbing at the pulsing disturbance beneath his temples and giving the young officer a stern glare.

"Sun Ce. You went outside four days ago – without permission, I might add." Sun Ce grinned mildly and flashed a victory wink, causing the strategist to roll his eyes briefly at the memory of the Sun lord vanishing out his window. "And what happened? You were only out for fifteen minutes, but your fever intensified astronomically and you haven't been able to sleep comfortably ever since. Yesterday you couldn't even breathe, you were coughing so badly."

The young officer shrugged, a glint of hopefulness echoing in his eyes. "But look how much better I am already. I'm sure it would be fine for me to go out _now_ – since I'm on my way to recovery and all."

Zhou Yu snorted and rose from the bed, pacing back across the room to stir the rejected soup with an idly irritated hand. "If you want to recover, Ce, get plenty of rest and stop acting like an imbecile. The sooner you get better, the sooner you can go outside – but until your fever goes away, I'm not letting you out of this room."

A momentary light of interest flashed in the lord of Wu's eyes. "Is that a challenge?" he asked, his amber eyes already darting to the fabric-softened window. Zhou Yu gave him a stern glare.

"No, it's a threat. Now sit still and behave, before I really do force this down your throat." Sun Ce huffed at the humorless answer, melting back into his pillows as though his limbs were made of jelly.

"You're no fun at all," the Sun lord snipped. His swordsman shrugged.

"Fun was not in my job description. If you'd like some entertainment, I can go get Lu Meng. I'm sure he'd be delighted to spend time with you." The young officer snorted, flopping his disheveled head to one side at the suggestion – out of his periphery, Zhou Yu watched his companion's exasperated features and the tangled sleeves of his sleeping robe where they fell like slate rain over his sheets.

"Oh, yeah – great. That's exactly what I need. I'm sure my recovery rate would just skyrocket if I had some time to absorb all that negative energy. Do you suppose he'd be willing to make a house call?" The strategist rolled his dark eyes and sighed, lifting the soup into his hands indecisively and considering it again. Was there really any value in renewing their struggle over the meager bowl of sustenance – Zhou Yu shot a stern glance in his companion's direction and settled back against the adjacent wall, gaze moving steadily over the Sun lord's paled features.

"If you'd prefer not to have company at all, I'd be happy to bring you a few of the tax reports I'm looking over right now. You certainly seem to have enough energy for that. I think Taishi Ci just sent his last statement in – would you like to review Qingshan's finances yourself this month?"

Sun Ce rolled his eyes and made a face, but any snappy comeback lurking behind his lips was cut off by the sudden sliding open of the door and Shang Xiang's face peeking past the wooden frame. The pretty young woman smiled at them both and stepped into her brother's quarters with the soft glow of the filtered winter light radiant on her skin, a book held absently in one slender hand. The young officer and his companion both blinked at her sudden entrance, and Sun Ce sat up a little straighter against his pillows.

"Hey, guys – how's the patient?" Her musical voice slipped through the room in teasing lines that drew a self-righteous scowl back onto her brother's countenance.

"Bored to tears, Shang. You've gotta help me – Yu won't let me out of here, but I'm dying for some fresh air!" The Little Conqueror looked hopefully up at his auburn-crested sister, gesturing vividly to the dampened window. "Let's take a walk. Or we could go shopping – anything you want."

Shang Xiang laughed, the tone of her amusement ringing through the still air like a temple bell. "You're willing to go shopping with me, huh? I guess you really must be getting desperate." The Sun princess shook her head gently and plopped onto the mattress at her brother's side, reaching out to poke him in the forehead with one mellow finger. "You know you'll just make things worse if you go out in this weather."

Zhou Yu felt a smirk flickering across his expression as Sun Ce stuck out his tongue and visibly slumped, burrowing reluctantly into his blankets and kicking both feet in an energetic rebuttal of the young woman's words. The Sun lord shot his swordsman an unhappy look before turning his full attention to his sister, amber eyes bright with distaste.

"Why doesn't anybody agree with me? I swear I'd get better right away if I could just do something interesting for a few hours. You can quote me!" His glance darted back to his strategist momentarily to measure the effect of his encouragement. "Let's put it in writing. And if I get worse, you can show it to me next time I get sick and I won't try to get out at all. How's that?"

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow but said nothing, and Shang Xiang only laughed lithely and ruffled her brother's already scruffy ponytail. "Just go back to sleep, Ce. You know, the more you rest, the sooner you'll get better – and then you can go outside without having to fight us over it." Sun Ce groaned, flopping back against his headboard and glaring severely at his well-meaning sister.

"I've been sleeping for a week! If I try to sleep any more, I'm just going to explode!" Shang Xiang tsked and patted his head, drawing an idle swat from one tan hand as she ruffled through the pages of her book.

"Well, I'll read to you then. This is a very interesting book—"

"I don't want to be read to!" The young woman stopped at her brother's emphatic interruption and looked up, watching his irritated features as Sun Ce slammed one palm against his mattress. "I don't want to read, and I don't want to look at stupid tax reports, and I especially don't want to go back to sleep! I just want to go outside and play in the snow!" Shang Xiang hesitated momentarily at the passionately irate expression on his face, but Zhou Yu met the Sun lord's gaze evenly and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Ce. We can't let you do that. Be quiet and let Shang Xiang read to you." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue and matched his strategist's glare.

"I hate you! Why don't you just go away, if you're going to ruin all of my fun!" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, deigning not to comment on the childish retort – but his words brought a sudden start to Shang Xiang's face, and she glanced at the dark swordsman over one sheepish shoulder.

"Oh… I almost forgot. Da Qiao asked if you could accompany her into town – she's got something to pick up for her sister, I think. I was supposed to come watch Ce so you could leave…" The strategist blinked a moment as her words registered, then pushed away from the wall and studied the Sun princess's face.

"Do you know where I could find Lady Qiao?" Sun Ce rolled his eyes, kicking his feet mildly under the endless blankets.

"She's just Da, Yu. Why do you call her Lady Qiao all the time? It's annoying." Zhou Yu ignored him, waiting in silence as Shang Xiang scratched her chin thoughtfully.

"I think she was going to be painting in the parlor this morning. You could check there, I guess. I'll watch this hellion while you're out." The Sun lord squawked as his sister smacked his shoulder in indication, and he crossed both arms over his chest as Zhou Yu nodded and turned for the door.

"It's not fair!" A distinctly unsatisfied expression suffused the young officer's restless features as he pointed accusingly toward his departing strategist. "Yu doesn't even want to go outside – he hates the snow! Why can't I go into town with Da? I'm her husband anyway."

Shang Xiang's musical laugh followed Zhou Yu into the darkened corridor, echoing against the cool walls like an incantation. The swordsman paused a few steps down the hallway and listened to the tail of her fading amusement, a reminiscent light flickering in his eyes.

"I think that's the first time you've ever really tried to pass yourself off as Da Qiao's husband, Ce. Now sit still – I made this soup for you, and you're going to eat it."

"No way in hell! Get that stuff away from me!"

Jiang Dong. Shucheng. It had been a long time since Shang Xiang laughed so openly like that. A lot of things had come between the young woman and her carefree childhood – her father's unexpected death not least of all. But Sun Ce had always been able to draw people out of their knitted shells; in their childish bickering, which faded into lines of half-remembered memory as the swordsman slowly resumed his trek down the hallway, Shang Xiang was pulled back through the years to a time when innocent laughter never left her lips.

"Come on, Ce – don't be such a baby."

In his mind, he could almost hear the words in the softer, higher voice of a teasing child – he could almost see the two Sun children, considerably younger, dashing through the hallways of his family home in a tumbling chase game. Shang Xiang with her bobbing auburn locks, Sun Ce's messy rattail skittering over his shoulders in abandon as they skirted the kitchen, ignoring lecturing shouts from servants and parents alike… their vanished shadows washed over his feet as the strategist's footsteps drew him farther from the young officer's quarters and drowned out the juvenile argument proceeding unhindered behind him.

Zhou Yu's gaze flitted across the torchlit walls and silken tapestries as he walked, the twisting shadows of winter's meager light making the patterned rug seem to dance underfoot. Shang Xiang had grown into a beautiful and strong young woman – in sword as well as spirit. But there was no denying that she had lost something along the road to her future; it was inevitable, he knew. Innocence never lasted long in a time of warfare.

The swordsman paused momentarily as he reached the open door of the parlor, studying the winter light across its doorway that indicated the heavy curtains had been drawn back from their stern windows. It was possible that Lady Qiao was still painting, as Shang Xiang had indicated, but she could also have gotten nearly anywhere within the palace in the time it took him to seek her. Zhou Yu listened for a moment to the endless silence streaming around him, then stepped forward into the doorway and glanced toward the windows.

True to the Sun princess's prediction, there was Lady Qiao, bustling back and forth across the warm rug opposite the fireplace with a half-completed canvas erected in one corner of the sparsely furnished room. A fur-lined cloak was draped over her arm, and she moved artfully around the beautifully carved furniture without making a sound. Zhou Yu cleared his throat gently, and her sepia eyes shot to the swordsman waiting in the doorway.

"Lady Qiao—"

"Shh!" Zhou Yu blinked and held his tongue as one pale finger jumped to the young woman's lips, gesturing for silence. Sun Ce's wife beckoned him forward, pointing to something behind the long sitting stage covered in saffron cushions – something he couldn't see from the doorway where he'd hesitated. The strategist took a few steps forward and paused at the corner of the small side table, one hand idly massaging the silk of his sleeve. And then he almost had to smile, because it instantly became clear why Lady Qiao had motioned him silent.

It was one of those moments where Zhou Yu couldn't be sure how all of the necessary pieces had slipped into place and left the world in such a position – but regardless of the circumstances, there was something touching about the image left behind. Lu Meng was asleep on the floor, resting on his back with one arm serving as a pillow beneath his gruff ponytail – and side by side on his broad chest, Xiao Qiao and tiny Xuan slept peacefully with their fingers wrapped into his thick shirt. The sour warrior's free arm had wrapped itself around the small female's waist, reinforcing the stability of her placement against him, and a small tangle of Xuan's budding hair spread like a raven wing across the moonlight contours of his mother's skin.

Zhou Yu stopped altogether and watched them as Lady Qiao moved to the nearby closet, drawing a spare blanket into her arms and draping it carefully over her sister's small body. The strategist studied his wife's peacefully dreaming face and the softened lines of Lu Meng's scrabbled jaw, and the way she fit so easily just along one side of the acerbic officer's chest. He had never noticed before how small Xiao Qiao was in comparison to her lover – Lu Meng could probably have lifted the young woman easily with one hand. Even if Xuan hadn't been undersized for his age of several months, there would have been ample room for both silent figures on Lu Meng's muscular form.

For the first time in a long time, Zhou Yu considered that perhaps Lu Meng was exactly what Xiao Qiao needed, despite his bad temper – and that she, likewise, was the only person who could bring any kind of light into the hardened young man's life without being mercilessly deflected. That perhaps there was a connection between them that made the child on Lu Meng's chest worth the trouble it would cause all its life, worth the complicated net of tangled relationships its very existence had created. Perhaps anyone who could get Lu Meng to sleep tranquilly on the tempered floor was worth whatever trouble they brought.

Xuan burbled quietly in his sleep as a thin line of drool slid down to his father's tunic, and Zhou Yu felt a light smirk sliding over his lips. Lady Qiao tucked the blanket carefully around her sister's delicate form and straightened slowly, sweeping the baby's bangs off of his silken forehead before her gaze found the swordsman's. In her deep eyes, the firelight reflected like sparking laughter, and for a moment Zhou Yu studied the young woman's contented features as the shadows danced between them and covered their sleeping comrades in folds of sleepy stillness.

Then Zhou Yu shifted, and Lady Qiao smiled, and the two moved simultaneously for the door, leaving their calmly captivating companions to rest in the winter-painted parlor. The strategist glanced over his shoulder once more as he slipped out the door, unable to see the sour warrior and his resting family any longer. Sun Ce's wife chuckled gently into the soft air of the corridor, her sepia gaze peering up into his onyx eyes with mild curiosity as the floor slid away beneath their heels.

"I'm afraid Lord Ce could never sleep that gently."

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath at the memory of countless elbows in the stomach, hair in the mouth, and other hazards brought about through sleeping beside Sun Ce. The strategist shook his head as Lady Qiao slung the ample cloak over amused shoulders, her short braids bouncing against the fur-lined interior of her robes as the door to the entrance courtyard rose up before them, steady and grim like a reflection of the winter landscape outside. The echoes of their footfalls moved in unseen patterns all around them, chasing the swordsman's thoughts as an image of Sun Ce asleep filled his mind – one arm flung to the side, mouth half-open in a slight snore, ponytail disheveled beyond any hope of reconciliation.

Zhou Yu pushed the door open and held it for the Little Conqueror's wife, her boots crunching over the harshly packed snow on the steps outside as he answered. "Not a chance."

.x.

It wasn't that the cold weather was particularly remarkable for Niuqiao. The strategist himself hadn't spent a winter in the region nearest Yangzhou before, but he knew from charts and histories concerning the northern reaches of Wu that the nipping temperature swirling around him and dragging snow from its peaceful banks to litter the well-trodden streets was not unusual. And even from the few months they had already stayed in Niuqiao's great palace, the swordsman had grown accustomed to a chill that slipped straight through the flesh of anyone venturing outside – Sun Ce had returned to his quarters with blue lips on more occasions than the swordsman cared to count.

In that respect, it was only an average day as far as Niuqiao's weather was concerned. The snow scuttling over the frozen ground was a slight irregularity from the dry winter that had progressed around them in the preceding weeks, but it could only nudge and bristle uselessly at the strategist's feet and was hardly worth worrying about in its limited quantity. What made the afternoon unusually unpleasant, in Zhou Yu's considerably decided opinion, was the wind tearing along each side street like a herd of angry spirits, nearly knocking the citizens of Niuqiao over as they went about their frostbitten business.

Zhou Yu ducked his chin down to his chest and closed both obsidian eyes, letting the wind pour over his ears like a railing banshee. The fur lining of his winter robe trembled with the force of the roiling breeze that slid frigidly across the back of his neck, no doubt reddening the skin under his long hair. The swordsman sighed, leaning back against the bridge railing behind him and watching Lady Qiao conduct her inspection of the sparse vendors' wares some distance away. Sun Ce's wife was shivering tremendously under the force of the wind around them, despite her heavy cloak and the meager shelter of the buildings behind her that should have provided at least paltry comfort.

Zhou Yu glared mindlessly at his snow-covered feet as he forced his fingers to move, fighting the numb and painful joints freezing stiff under his inadequate fur gloves. It wasn't that he'd never dealt with miserable temperatures before. Sun Ce tried not to campaign in the dead of winter – because it was difficult to feed and lodge an army in weather like this, among other things – but that didn't mean they'd never encountered a rogue blizzard in early fall or the occasional summer squall that chilled every man in their company all the way through his leather and bamboo armor. It was just that the swirling clouds overhead and the drifting snow congregating around his feet seemed unusually unfortunate when he and his escorted companion had been scouring Niuqiao for the better part of an hour – without any success whatsoever.

"Lord Yu?"

Zhou Yu started at Lady Qiao's soft voice and looked up from studying his shoes, meeting the russet gaze that smiled idly at him across the expanse of thin air between his position and the bridge's head. The blank expression on her face told him everything he needed to know in one glance, and the swordsman pushed himself away from the railing with a silent sigh. The icy breath in his lungs chilled each of his ribs in turn, swirling like a tempest through his veins as careful steps took him across the frozen planks.

"May I assume you've had no luck again?"

Lady Qiao nodded, serious contemplation stealing across her features. The delicate brows drew together in consternation as the young woman shook her head, light braids dancing helplessly in the rough wind.

"I wasn't expecting to have so much difficulty locating ginseng. I apologize – I'm afraid I've dragged you all over the city by now." Lady Qiao smiled vaguely, her eyes skimming over the building clouds above them and the snowflakes resting like fallen stars in her companion's dark hair. Zhou Yu shook his head, dislodging most of the weak crystals with one small motion.

"Please don't worry about it. I have been dragged all over the city already, and not for nearly so important a cause." In truth, the strategist wasn't sure how important the ginseng could be – he had no idea what Lady Qiao needed the herb root for, unless her sister had perhaps fallen ill as well. But anything had to be more vital than Sun Ce's reason for exploring several weeks prior, when he'd been interested in a snack and toured each market street in turn looking for the proper vendor.

Lady Qiao chuckled, resuming her trek through the snow and pulling the cloak tighter around her thin shoulders as Zhou Yu reached the edge of the bridge, directing them silently into the bustling causeway. A team of oxen dragging an expansive cart of bamboo baskets and pottery passed them slowly, all eight heavy hooves lugging through the snow and mud that littered the well-worn street. The strategist watched their sagging progress idly as he moved down the road, ducking between the weaves of clustering citizens and listening to their echoing footsteps with one mindless ear.

"…Winter has been cruel to these people."

Zhou Yu started, turning from his scrutiny of the oxcart to stare down at the insightful young woman at his side as her soft, gentle voice caught his attention. Lady Qiao's gaze had gone sad and deep, as though the suffering of Niuqiao's citizens was truly reflected in the twin russet eyes. Her fleeting glance stole from one hunched figure to another as the river of traffic flurried like a stream of endless snowflakes on each side, and the swordsman watched her shifting expression in silence for a moment before increasing their pace and letting his interest wander among the wraiths of the street as well.

In a way, she was right. Winter had come quickly to the tumultuous geography of northern Wu, and the frost had struck early enough to damage a fair amount of the crops counted on to support Yangzhou's population. According to the reports that had been piling unrepentantly across his desk – and, admittedly, which he had primarily neglected after Sun Ce became ill – Yangzhou and the surrounding regions had achieved a grain count sufficient to feed their populations through the winter. Sufficient – but sufficient wasn't plentiful or even comfortable, and prices had been rising in Niuqiao on nearly every commodity available ever since the last harvests were reaped and the people of northern Wu took stock of their meager provisions.

But the weather wasn't the only thing bearing down on the peasants filtering quietly around Zhou Yu and his companion – the war had done its part for famine and chaos as well. True, there was no fighting around Niuqiao just now – but Wu was far from stable, even with Sun Ce as its acknowledged ruler, and warlords like Liu Xun threatened to upset the precarious life of the lower class with their unpredictable, destructive campaigns for power. The Sun lord had done his best not to increase the burden of his people, either through taxes or through forced labor – but it was impossible to feed and keep an army without revenue of some kind, and Sun Ce had been forced to compromise with his realist strategist when it came to their economic policies.

And just at present, things were worse for the inhabitants of Wu than they'd been even a year earlier – Xuancheng was struggling to rebuild and return to its grand stability as a central trading city, and the southern border of Wu had to be constantly patrolled against Liu Xun's violent incursions. Zhou Yu sighed under his breath and let the cold wind cut into his mouth like jagged icicles, crunching the frosted air between his teeth in dissatisfied thought. Perhaps Sun Ce hadn't realized in his childhood just how complicated it was to rule a country – but to the young officer's credit, he had never complained about the burden of leadership that weighed even more heavily on his shoulders than on the mind of his dark swordsman.

"Shall we try one more vendor?"

Zhou Yu nodded absently, not bothering to meet Lady Qiao's polite eyes as he focused on crossing the slippery street to reach her next destination; his mind tumble with the problems of internal affairs, of which the Sun lord's wife's single observation had inescapably reminded him. Lady Qiao moved forward purposefully and broke pace with her preoccupied escort, meeting the nearest merchant's eyes with a kind if distant smile. The man stood up straighter behind his stall and gestured encouragingly to his sparse wares as though he were offering an unmatchable scope of goods instead of a handful of overpriced scraps.

"Good afternoon, my lady. What can I find to interest you? A string of lovely pearls, or perhaps this shawl…"

Zhou Yu turned away from the enterprising man and glanced back the way they had come, letting the diatribe of sales banter slide around him like slithers of water mimicking the motion of the rushing citizens on all sides. His gaze fell on the palace, now a good distance away – snow-crested, silent and stoic. From the depths of the city, glimpses of its majesty barely visible through the jagged divisions that served for side streets, it looked impossibly far away – as though one could walk forever through the frozen landscape and never reach that immense structure. Zhou Yu pulled his jacket a little tighter against the hissing tumult of winter as his eyes moved along the eaves of the great palace, embodiment of Sun Ce's successful conquest of Wu.

Normally, the opinions of the citizenry weren't something the strategist concerned himself with – not enough that it bothered him, anyway. The people of Wu weren't rising in revolt against the Sun lord's government, and they had been downright courteous during the young lord's survey journey the previous summer. As a populace, they could hardly be improved upon – they did what they could to support their young leader in the small venues open to them, and the army was rarely lacking for new recruits. Still, Zhou Yu couldn't help wondering now, as he gazed at the palace so far away, whether the people of Wu actually cared who ruled over them, so long as the new monarch was benevolent. What did it matter to the merchants and customers crowding this street whether their taxes went to Sun Ce or Liu Yao?

In his conquest of Wu, the impulsive officer had been completely successful – and in his directing of the region's affairs, few could criticize his policy. Sun Ce did his best to think of his subjects first, even arguing with his swordsman when he felt the interest of the peasantry under his control was being sacrificed for a larger cause. But did the intentions of the lord of Wu really have any meaning to the individuals just trying to live from day to day in Niuqiao's frozen, slowly starving streets? A line of young children tumbled past Zhou Yu in a haphazard game, their poor shoes skidding on the icy alleyway, and the strategist stared after them thoughtfully. From the perspective of the lower classes, Sun Ce had to seem nearly as untouchable as his palace – were the children in Yangzhou and the rest of Wu even being taught the name of their sovereign? Or would the Sun lord's conquest be remembered as simply one more patch in the wartorn history of the region?

Zhou Yu sighed, dispelling the headache behind his temples with his frigid fingers. History's memory would depend, he supposed, on how far Sun Ce could go – whether he would be able to continue along the path to his ultimate dream. Whether he could actually conquer all of China.

"Lord Ce would remind you not to think too hard."

Zhou Yu started, glancing up from his introspection to meet the dark, warm eyes of the Sun lord's wife, a small bag clutched between her fur-lined sleeves. Lady Qiao smiled gently at him and tilted her head to one side, glance sweeping across his inattentive expression. The young woman raised a delicate eyebrow in slight amusement.

"I don't know what occupies your thoughts, Lord Yu – but Lord Ce would certainly remind you that you only give yourself a headache, and that negativity will not get you very far." The strategist blinked, staring at the woman before him in surprise before his features slowly relaxed, fading into a vague smile. The swordsman scoffed under his breath.

"He would tell me that. But Ce can only be so flippant about it because he doesn't have to think very often." Lady Qiao chuckled softly, clicking her tongue in mock condemnation.

"And that comment would certainly get you into another argument. I'm afraid the two of you are rather good at escalating conflict." Zhou Yu exhaled silently, glancing after the rushing bundle of ragtag children as they disappeared down a side street and vanished. He scuffed one leather boot meditatively against the frozen ground and found Lady Qiao's waiting gaze again, nodding into the winter air with mild resignation.

"It's always been that way. I don't think that habit can be broken, at this point." The young woman chuckled again, turning back toward the palace and beginning to move quickly through the soft voice of the wind.

"I don't think it's a habit you would break even if you could, Lord Yu." Zhou Yu blinked after his companion and watched her walk away in frozen puzzlement for a moment, wondering about the line of amusement lurking behind her words. Then the strategist shook himself and moved after her, catching up to Sun Ce's wife with long strides and slowing to her pace as they drew even. The dark swordsman glanced at her quiet features out of the corner of his eye, her words still echoing inside his head – Lady Qiao's lips were quirked upward in the barest hint of a smile, but other than that her countenance stood blank like the snowdrifts around them, completely devoid of any hint of the deeper meaning that had riddled her tone.

Zhou Yu felt his brow drawing into deep furrows as he looked back along the street, considering the intelligent young woman's words while the two of them moved easily through the ever-changing folds of the causeway's crowd – and then he let it go, deciding that she was probably right even if he couldn't quite conclude why. There had always been something about the natural tension, the basic friction between himself and Sun Ce that added to their interactions in a manner he couldn't classify. The strategist shook himself and refocused on the path ahead, willing the Sun lord out of his thoughts for the time being.

The cloth pouch in Lady Qiao's delicate hands shifted and crinkled softly as she brushed a strand of wind-blown hair from her eyes, and Zhou Yu glanced at the small purchase with mild curiosity that brought words to his tongue. "Did you find what you were looking for?" The young woman blinked, then shook her head and smiled up at her escort with halting, preoccupied eyes.

"No… ginseng is in terribly short supply at present, but this ought to do just as well." Sun Ce's wife pressed her pretty lips into a crimson streak that showed all the more plainly against the unnaturally rosy contours of her chilled face. "Poor Xuan… I am unsure of the cause, but he's been unable to eat well these last few days. He may have a stomachache – but cinnamon should be almost as helpful as ginseng, so I believe this will be fine."

Zhou Yu felt a flicker of instinctual panic at the mention of the infant Xuan's illness, and the feeling swarmed his stomach like a flurry of wasps before he could push it back. _It's not my responsibility – not my concern in any way…_ but somehow the reminder fell flat as he thought of Xiao Qiao's child and the burden it had brought to everyone in the household. The swordsman cleared his throat lightly, thinking back to the scene in the parlor as deep furrows of immoderate anxiety marred his forehead.

"He seemed fine earlier this afternoon." Lady Qiao smiled, a full smile this time that brought unprecedented light to her paled features.

"It's funny you should mention that, Lord Yu – actually, Master Meng only agreed to let Xuan sleep on his chest because the boy was fussing so badly. My sister was trying to paint with me, but Master Meng couldn't get the child to stop crying…" The young woman shook her head, chuckling as the spark of recent memory floated in her deep eyes. "I don't recall how Xiao convinced him that listening to his heartbeat would calm Xuan down, and I became involved in my painting and lost track of time – but when I next looked over, they were all asleep on the floor."

Zhou Yu watched the Sun lord's wife quietly, studying the amusement sifting so clearly over her countenance. The strategist glanced forward again, taking in the road ahead of them and the general weave of the active citizens as Lu Meng's peacefully harsh expression flitted across his mind. The warrior had always done his utmost to be unpleasant, and at that he was nearly unrivaled – sometimes Wu's dark swordsman had idly wondered whether Lu Meng found some kind of comfort in the negative attitude shooting like embers from his quick tongue. But perhaps his infant son touched a part of Lu Meng that had lain dormant for too long, nearly dead from neglect; there had to be at least one soft spot in the acerbic officer's heart, if Xuan had found a place to rest his head on his father's gruff chest.

Lady Qiao laughed quietly to herself, twisting one braid absently between her calm fingers and stepping over a collected drift of snow as the bridge appeared some distance ahead of them. Zhou Yu glanced at his gentle companion as her contemplative voice spilled into the thin air, ducking beneath the cold wind to reach his ears. "It's interesting… my sister and Master Meng have a very different relationship from you and Lord Ce."

The strategist started, a feeling of familiar panic slicing down his spine as they brushed close to another knot of busy costumers squabbling over a meager stall. But none of Niuqiao's citizens seemed to have heard her, or at least none cared enough to look up from their business – Zhou Yu forced his shoulders to relax slightly, though he found himself wishing for the inestimable time that his various comrades had a little more discretion as the young woman's voice poured into the crowded street again.

"Perhaps the most interesting part is that my idea of love is very different from either of yours. I suppose there are an infinite number of ways to love someone, and an infinite number of ways to show that love…" Lady Qiao smiled softly, winding her fingers into a complicated weave around her packet of cinnamon powder. Zhou Yu watched her face carefully, searching for an indication of emotion or longing one way or the other – but he could see nothing beyond idle musing coloring her beautiful features, and her tongue seemed to have fallen silent after its string of observations. Finally there was little to do but ask, despite the part of his mind demanding that this conversation cease immediately before it could cause trouble of any kind.

"Lady Qiao…" Sun Ce's wife looked up at him patiently, sepia eyes deep with thought. The strategist brushed a strand of wind-tattered hair from his shoulder and glanced away from the young woman's expectant features, watching the oxcart he'd noticed before as it made its slow progress over the city's main bridge. A long moment of silence reigned around them before he felt soft fingers on his sleeve, encouraging an end to the unfinished question. Zhou Yu shook his head. "Do you regret being alone?"

Out of his periphery, the swordsman could see Lady Qiao blinking mildly. "Being alone? I'm not sure I understand what you mean, Lord Yu." The swordsman sighed quietly, gaze locked on the cart's wheels as they turned slow circles over the frozen planks holding the bridge in place.

"Do you regret not having someone like Lu Meng…" Lady Qiao tapped her chin in consideration.

"Do you regret _having_ someone like that?" Zhou Yu blinked and turned back to his companion at the unexpected echo, his feet stalling over the frigid ground. The young woman's eyes were bright with curiosity and anticipation, awaiting his answer as the surprise slowly faded from his pale features. One hand came up to replace errant strands of hair behind his ear as the swordsman's glance flashed across her face, almost searching for a trick or a flicker of amusement in the sincere smile. But he found nothing – nothing at all unusual in the sepia gaze, as though she'd inquired about the weather instead. Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a grim line.

"…No."

Of course not. But she already knew that. Lady Qiao smiled. "Then you and I are both content with our present situation." Sun Ce's wife moved forward gracefully, almost leaving her escort behind in the middle of the crowded street before quick strides brought him back to her elbow. Zhou Yu's eyes flashed rapidly across the stunning contours of the young woman's face as he caught her sleeve, stopping them just shy of the bridge and halting her light steps immediately.

He didn't want to continue this conversation. The swordsman had never enjoyed discussing relationships openly in this way – especially not his, and especially not in a place like this where anyone might overhear. As it was, they were already drawing more attention to themselves with their fine clothing than was probably advisable, and it wouldn't be hard for a passerby to connect their diatribe to the city's rulers. But her answer demanded clarification, and the topic threatened to slip away given the chance. Zhou Yu shifted from one foot to the other, lowering his voice almost to a whisper.

"…Content?"

A tiny flitting smile slipped across the lips of Wu's famed beauty as she glanced up at him, sepia eyes suddenly filled with eighteen years of memories he couldn't decipher. Sun Ce's wife nodded easily.

"True love takes its time, Lord Yu. I'm not in a hurry."

Something about the response was so quietly exasperating that it drove a sea storm of questions into the strategist's mouth. Zhou Yu wanted to ask what she would do if she never found it – if she even needed the affection her sister had sought in the arms of an unlikely officer. He wanted to ask what it felt like to watch Xiao Qiao and Lu Meng sleeping on the parlor floor with their child cuddled between them, and to watch himself and Sun Ce arguing back and forth over whatever issue stood between them. He wanted to ask what the night felt like when there wasn't another figure beside you, because it had been so long that he'd almost forgotten how sleep had ever found him without Sun Ce an arm's length away—

"Hey! Watch out!"

A sudden crash and commotion on the bridge ahead stopped every question on the tip of his tongue, shoving the inclination for speech back into his throat as his gaze shot forward and Lady Qiao jumped, her sleeve jerking out of his grip as both hands rushed to cover her mouth in surprise. Zhou Yu felt his eyes widening at the utter chaos that had descended instantaneously on the path in front of them, blocking the route of traffic in both directions and drawing an abundance of angry and startled cries from market surveyors on each side.

Perhaps there had been an uneven plank somewhere in the middle of the bridge, or perhaps a rogue patch of ice had tripped the animals' footing – but one way or another, the oxcart he'd been watching only moments before had overturned right in the center of the lane of travel, blocking the bridge almost completely and leaving a variety of bamboo baskets scattered all across the frigid structure's surface. The distressed basket maker was skittering across the snowy ground to collect his dented wares, snapping at the irritated crowds gathering on each side of his cart and yelling simultaneously at the team of dull oxen halted directly in his way.

Zhou Yu blinked at the mess and then glanced down at his companion, whose deep eyes were alight with surprise and anxiety. He found himself speaking almost without intention, baritone voice sifting through the murmurs of displeasure all around them as he turned to face her fully. "Perhaps we should return by a different route?" Sun Ce's wife hesitated momentarily, looking uncertainly between the bedlam ahead and her escort.

"Should we offer to assist him?" The strategist shook his head a little, glancing over one shoulder at the enraged basket maker as he struggled to right his overturned cart. People on both sides of the disaster were already rushing forward to help lift the large structure onto its wheels, though most just looked eager to get on with their travels and were ignoring the baskets crunching helplessly beneath their feet.

"I'm afraid there's little we could do."

Lady Qiao nodded silently, and the swordsman moved left through the building tangle of infuriated citizens, following the vague memory of another road of travel slightly south. Zhou Yu shook his head as he ducked into a nearby side street, the Sun lord's wife following a pace behind while his soft footsteps filled the small street with their echoes. It was a bad week for Niuqiao's bridges.

The chaos in the background faded and dispersed as the strategist led his companion down a short set of worn steps, glancing absently at the icy river on one side and a row of poor doorways on the other, each cottage shut tightly against the fury of the winter wind. The long slats of wood and thatch serving as roofing seemed to shudder with every quiet step they took, and Zhou Yu had the distinct impression that the slightest motion might send the entire line of hovels toppling over.

The swordsman shook his head as they passed through a cobblestone courtyard between the next patch of houses, his eyes skimming the crudely frayed corners of each hovel where twigs and loose logs jutted out at all angles, threatening to catch passerby with their rough edges. Niuqiao was not a rich city, despite being Sun Ce's base in this corner of the empire – northern Wu did not flourish from the river trade that had made Xuancheng such a logical post of operations, and only meager roads moved goods and travelers away from Yangzhou. Perhaps the stability of the unification of Wu had improved life for the inhabitants of the cottages on every side of him – but it would take a long time before the effects of that improvement became readily apparent.

"Are you certain this is the correct direction, Lord Yu?" Zhou Yu started a little, shaken from his contemplation by his companion's unexpected question. The strategist glanced back absently to meet Lady Qiao's concerned eyes before returning his attention to the path ahead, nodding smoothly as recognition flitted across his features.

"When Sun Ce and I first entered Niuqiao two years ago, we were coming from the south – we traveled this way to reach the palace."

Which had been hell with a broad company of cavalry and foot soldiers – but Sun Ce was insistent whenever he had an opinion, and the young officer had led them correctly, if not conveniently, to the lacquered gates of the palace before night fell. In a broader sense, the detour had been worth its time-consuming trouble, because it had given the Sun lord a chance to encounter a fair array of his new citizens – and very few people could stand face to face with Sun Ce and not be instantly drawn to his charismatic, beaming grin.

Thoughts of his restless commander drew Zhou Yu's mind back to the conversation they'd been holding prior to their necessary change of route, and he slowed slightly to walk abreast with Lady Qiao as the avenue widened around them. The young woman glanced curiously up at him, seeming to sense a question lurking behind his lips even as she drew her cloak tighter around her shoulders and blew warm air across her frozen gloves. Zhou Yu exhaled silently.

"Lady Qiao… do you regret your marriage?"

The Sun lord's wife blinked up at him in utter astonishment for a moment – then a jeweled, pleasant laugh fell from her mouth to echo against the stone street, bouncing radiantly over the cobbled ground as she moved smoothly forward. Lady Qiao shook her head wistfully, one delicate eyebrow raised in puzzled amusement.

"You ask such odd questions, Lord Yu." The graceful woman's gaze settled thoughtfully on the contours of the cloudy sky above them, studying the windswept gray in its peaks and folds. "Lord Ce is a fascinating man. I have nothing at all to regret about my marriage to him."

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, feeling her butterfly fingers light on his sleeve as the path became icy and she refocused her balance. Twin onyx eyes also moved to the heavens, following the rollicking lines of light and shadow that looked ready to release another storm at any moment. The swordsman watched idly for falling flakes as he brushed dark bangs back from his forehead, clearing his vision to the bitter afternoon wind.

"If you had married someone else – or if I…"

It was always so ironic, when he stopped to think about it – that two of the most beautiful women of the time should be married to men who couldn't love them. In the household of nearly anyone else, both sisters would likely have been revered above all competition – showered with such quantity of affection that they could hardly pass a single moment alone. It was only the tangled web of relationships coloring the Sun family's followers that placed Lady Qiao in solitude despite her marriage – a solitude she didn't deserve.

A bright, musical laugh cut through the strategist's thoughts, stifling the chain of reason behind the dark eyes that blinked in confusion, turning back to the Sun lord's wife as one hand flew to cover her pretty mouth. A stream of soft chuckles trickled between the young woman's fingers as she glanced up at her escort, a lithe smile melting over her lips.

"Lord Yu – don't be ridiculous," Lady Qiao advised, chasing both swinging braids away from her shoulders. "The relationship between Lord Ce and I is only mildly dependent upon the two of you." Zhou Yu blinked again, completely baffled by his companion's amusement.

"But if I hadn't been involved with—"

"It would hardly have mattered." Lady Qiao's assurance filled his mouth with silence, dispelling his counterargument before he could even finish the phrase. Sun Ce's wife shook her head firmly, a chiding light building in her eyes as they twinkled with laughter. "Lord Ce and I could never have fallen in love."

Zhou Yu was stunned by her declaration – so much so that he couldn't even summon a response. The swordsman slipped into silence, watching his companion as her steps slowed and contemplation brought them both to a halt in the middle of the frozen street. Lady Qiao chewed gently on her bottom lip, face quiet as though her resolute insight had surprised the young woman herself. Finally she shook her head, a light smile dancing across her admired features.

"Don't misunderstand – I mean no disrespect. I admire Lord Ce greatly for his ambition and his determination; and in every sense, he never fails to amaze and impress me. But…" Lady Qiao chuckled softly, brushing the wind away from her crimson-tinged cheeks. "But he and I could never find what we were looking for in each other."

The young woman's russet eyes shot up to meet the strategist's iron gaze as her shoulders relaxed, fur-lined cloak tickling her neck. "Lord Ce needs someone stronger than I am, and I…" The Sun lord's wife hesitated, beautiful eyes closing in contemplation as her voiced dropped to a near whisper.

"I want someone far gentler than he could ever be."

For a long moment, there was nothing to say – Zhou Yu stood still and silent under the force of the winter wind, his feet unmoving on the icy cobblestones. Twin obsidian eyes skimmed thoughtfully across Lady Qiao's preoccupied face, and he wondered to himself what kind of a person the young woman was looking for. Sun Ce had always been anything but soft, and the strategist wouldn't have traded his passion and rashness for any measure of calm gentleness, now matter how much trouble it caused – perhaps that was why Lady Qiao's words made so much sense, even though he couldn't relate to them in the slightest. And then he had to wonder, idly, what the Sun lord's wife meant by her husband needing someone stronger than she was – and whether Sun Ce would have agreed with her.

The moment shattered beneath a renewed flurry of snow – Zhou Yu blinked as a few ivory crystals landed on his face, tiny pinpricks of cold against the frozen expanse of his pale skin. Lady Qiao shook herself and smiled, sepia eyes reopening to meet her escort's veiled gaze with unconcealed warmth. A small laugh escaped the young woman's frost-painted lips as she gazed up into the broken sky, snowflakes perching on her lashes as though perfectly placed and interrupting the deep brown of her eyes. For just a moment, as the wind blew a sifting circle of snow around her long cloak, Zhou Yu thought he could see the shadow of a small child exploring a winter landscape for the first time – but then it was gone, and dignity flooded Lady Qiao's gaze once again to resume its familiar position.

Her contemplation irreparably scattered, Sun Ce's wife gestured vaguely to the road ahead of them, the soft snow blurring her features as it fell steadily faster all around them. "I apologize, Lord Yu – I'm afraid I delayed us. We should continue toward the palace before the weather becomes too severe." The swordsman nodded and urged his feet into motion, following the young woman's quick footsteps as they displaced the descending diamonds as gently as ghosts.

For a while, they traveled in silence, both content to carry their own thoughts as the city moved blearily around them. Zhou Yu stared through the building storm with empty eyes, half of his mind focused on avoiding the pitfalls of an ice-covered causeway and the other half still considering Lady Qiao's words. He tried to construct a rough image of the kind of person who might suit the Sun lord's wife, but he couldn't find a single member of their entourage who might be accurately described as a gentle person. Sun Quan was soft, but he had a temper and a selfish streak; Xiao Qiao was too colorful. And Sun Ce… Sun Ce was all bright smiles and refusal to bend and undying spirit. There was nothing mild about him at all.

_Gentle_. The word seemed to echo around him through the worsening storm, dodging snowflakes and riding on the restless fingers of the wind to resound in the strategist's ears. Gentle like Lady Qiao herself, but softer – lacking the steel interior that sometimes showed itself in the young woman's sepia eyes. Gentle like the snowflakes resting on her shoulders and his own dark hair, like the sound the clouds made as they rolled by overhead. Somehow, it seemed impossible that a person like that could survive in a time so ravaged by chaos and war. Perhaps that was why Lady Qiao hadn't found anyone to fulfill her paradigm yet – rebellion was not the ideal stage for unearthing true gentleness.

If not for the attentive young woman at his side, Zhou Yu would have walked right past the small courtyard without a second thought. The snow was coming down faster now, obscuring the walls and trees ahead and lumping the cottages together into unintelligible huddles that barely stood out from the vague presence of the road. The strategist had his head down, focusing on the ground just before him – and when the tiny sound came, he barely heard it at all, and shrugged it off just as easily. But Lady Qiao had always had quick ears, and she stopped dead in the center of the avenue, little piles of snow building on her shoulders as she glanced anxiously from side to side. Zhou Yu slowed a few steps farther down the road, glancing back at his hesitating companion through the thick of the storm.

"Lady Qiao?"

The Sun lord's wife spared him an anxious look, her eyes still flitting restlessly across each of the nearest cottages in turn. Her feet shifted in concern as the young woman turned a full circle, staring back the way they had come before meeting her escort's gaze again.

"Did you hear something?"

Zhou Yu shook his head, and Lady Qiao bit her lip in response, worry slinging through her eyes. The strategist turned back to face her completely, brow furrowed in concentration as his ears strained to locate any disruption to the silent storm around them.

"What was it?" Sun Ce's wife rubbed one hand along her frigid cheek, encouraging warmth to return to her reddened skin.

"I can't be sure. It almost reminded me of—"

This time they both heard it, and their eyes widened simultaneously in shared recognition that shot a cold spike of disquiet down the swordsman's spine. He knew that sound. It was the sound that had kept him up late some nights when his wife strolled the hallways, cooing and singing under her breath. It was the sound Lu Meng complained endlessly about – the sound that brought a grudging smile to the gruff warrior's features when he believed no one else to be looking.

Somewhere, a baby was crying.

Lady Qiao shared one more look with her escort, and then she ran for the nearest courtyard, disappearing behind the spirit wall and the snow-laden bushes before Zhou Yu could even blink. It took a moment for the strategist to regain control of his feet, and then he shot after her, one hand gripping the closest wall for balance as he nearly lost his footing on the icy cobblestones.

The courtyard's interior opened around Zhou Yu as he hesitated in the entrance, almost bumping into Lady Qiao where she'd stopped abruptly just inside the lip of the enclosure. The young woman's dark eyes were dashing in all directions, overflowing with anxiety as she cast her escort an urgent glance.

"Where is it coming from?"

Zhou Yu had no answer to the insistent question, and his gaze slid rapidly across the unbroken expanse of snow between them and the rammed earth walls. Lady Qiao stamped one foot in helpless impatience, and then the swordsman's eyes widened – there was a small, snow-covered lump resting at the base of the central well, and it was moving.

Five long strides brought the strategist within reach of a frost-christened basket, squirming and wailing with the displeasure of its tiny occupant. Lady Qiao was at his side in an instant, lifting the infant out of its icy cocoon and into her frigid arms to curl against her chest. Zhou Yu watched her motionlessly as she cooed and massaged blood back into the blue limbs peeking out of the child's weak cover, his dark eyes wide with the image of the screaming baby. Its gaunt face was unnaturally red and tight under the force of its bountiful but muted cries, and the swordsman felt his brow furrowing as anxiety began to pool in his stomach.

There was something about the sound that wasn't right – something different from the noises of discontent that filled Niuqiao's hallways whenever Xuan became unhappy. Something about the puffed cheeks and rollicking neck that sent a slice of panic winging through the strategist's flesh—

"Lady Qiao." Sun Ce's wife looked up at him, one hand still stroking the child's barely veiled body. Zhou Yu shook his head urgently, adrenaline shooting through his veins like a set of unrelenting sparks. "Something's wrong. It's – I think it's choking—"

Almost immediately the tiny form rocked and writhed in its savior's arms, the screaming cries becoming harsh and short as its thin neck snapped back and forth, fighting for air while its frozen face became ever more violet. Lady Qiao started, glancing once at the baby and then throwing it to her shoulder to pound powerfully on its tiny back with the heel of one hand. The child's bright eyes squeezed shut in a clear portrayal of pain and fear as it bounced sharply against the young woman's collarbone, snowflakes flinging heedlessly from its raven-crowned head.

"Spit it out," Lady Qiao demanded in a harsh whisper, her eyes steady but insistent as she struck the small back firmly. "Whatever it is that you've found – spit it out, little one."

Zhou Yu could only stand frozen as the infant's features became more and more crimson, the color shift chasing useless coughs from its tiny mouth – and then at last a small object shot from the child's lips to land noiselessly in the snow, disappearing from sight under the blanket of white flakes. A deep sucking breath passed through the baby's lips to fill its staggering lungs, and then the shattering cries returned – but more naturally this time, as it dug both hands into Lady Qiao's thick hair and buried its face in her cold neck.

A creasing smile slipped over the young woman's face, and her sepia eyes closed with a relaxing exhale as she cradled the child closer, holding it tight between her folded arms as though it might slip into the frigid wind at any moment and disappear. "Breathe," Sun Ce's wife murmured into the tiny ear, brushing her gloved fingers over the feathered scalp. "Just breathe."

Zhou Yu let out a deep breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, feeling his heartbeat gradually slowing as the adrenaline in his limbs ebbed away. The strategist took a few steps forward and knelt in the powdery snow, one hand searching absently for whatever the baby had been choking on. It only took a few moments to find the tiny circle, and he pulled it free of the storm's burden with a grim frown of fulfilled expectation marring his features.

The minute bronze disk rested easily between his fingers, deceptively light and beautiful against the background of his gloves. Zhou Yu felt his expression darkening as he examined the coin, brushing small flakes of snow from the hole at its center and tracing its hidden inscription with a discontent finger. The five _chou_ piece sat dead and lifeless in his hand, a tiny spatter of blood collecting along the raised rim. The strategist sighed, wiping the crimson drops away as Lady Qiao's cooing comfort ricocheted through the thick air around him. Most likely the child had simply cut its mouth grinding the coin's rough edges against its tongue – the blood was hardly worth worrying over.

Zhou Yu regained his feet, clenching the bronze in his fist and wiping a few lingering snowflakes from his knees. Calm resignation slipped across his face as the swordsman tossed the hazardous coin thoughtlessly into the well behind him, turning back to study the infant's profile as it squalled and clung to Lady Qiao's neck. Twin onyx eyes skimmed the empty courtyard around them and the roofs of the silent cottages arrayed outside each wall. A coin in the mouth was the traditional practice for the deceased if no jade was available – and in a place like this, jade would hardly even be an untouchable dream.

Which meant, of course, that the child had been intentionally left to die. Lady Qiao's expression as she turned to face him told Zhou Yu she already knew that.

The strategist moved toward Sun Ce's wife, slinging his jacket from silken shoulders and draping it awkwardly over the baby's tiny form. The cold wind immediately stabbed through his thinner shirt like uncountable needles, clawing and tearing at his barely protected flesh, but Zhou Yu bit down on his tongue and dropped the cloth around the infant anyway, stepping back from Lady Qiao's soft smile to regard the wailing bundle from a safe distance. The young woman rocked her new burden silently back and forth, face poised and dignified even as the tiny girl pulled hard on one braid and screamed directly into her ear.

It had to be a girl, after all. No one left his son at the mercy of the elements in this manner, no matter how poor his family might be. Zhou Yu turned his head away from the wind, holding himself still and ignoring the shivers threatening to tear across his quickly freezing skin. A son was the hope for a better future – a daughter was only a liability. The Sun lord's wife tucked her escort's offered jacket tighter around the slowly quieting child, the silk of her colorful robes peeking out of the snow-laden cloak that hid her from the storm as her voice melted into an unnamed lullaby.

The infant began to whimper, digging its tiny fingers into the skin of Lady Qiao's throat. Zhou Yu studied its gaunt face with uncertain eyes. The child couldn't be much older than Xuan, if she was older at all – but it was hard to guess at her age when her face was so drawn, with sagging pits for cheeks and ragged hair where her soft baby strands should have been. Sun Ce's wife brought one of the miniscule bony hands to her lips and kissed it gently, her eyes flitting back to the stony strategist where he stood motionless a short distance away.

"We should continue on toward the palace." Her placid tone moved like a ripple throughout the courtyard, brushing softly over the child's head and soothing her mewling wails. Zhou Yu nodded slowly, mind preoccupied even as he matched the young woman's pace and moved to her side. The dark swordsman shot another glance at his companion before refocusing on the path ahead as the courtyard entrance led them into the full causeway, a mildly doubtful question building on his lips.

"…What are you going to do?"

Because while leaving the child behind was certainly not an option, the strategist couldn't see a clear alternative either. The Sun lord's wife must have disagreed, however, because her gaze flickered confusedly to her escort, deep eyes blinking as though the correct course of action should instantly have been obvious to one of his intellectual standing. Snow paused on her hunched shoulders as the young woman spared him a simple glance.

"I am going to raise her, Lord Yu."

Zhou Yu stopped dead in the middle of the street, his obsidian eyes widening at her unexpected declaration as he nearly choked on his frozen inhale. Instantly his feet congealed to the cobblestones, unable to budge even as the young woman moved past him a short distance before finally pausing. "What?" Raise the abandoned infant – as her own child?

His surprise must have shown on his face, standing out starkly on his pale features as his jaw dropped slightly and the cold wind robbed the breath from his lungs. Lady Qiao clutched the baby closer to her chest and pressed her mouth into a stern line, crimson cheeks halfway defiant against the ivory background of the storm.

"I'm sure you understood me. I am going to take this child back with me and raise it as my daughter. I don't see why that should present a problem."

Zhou Yu shook his head in disbelief, dark eyes echoing incredulity. "You can't be serious."

Lady Qiao raised one delicate eyebrow, her shoulders squaring as she visibly prepared for a confrontation. Cold fire was flashing in her eyes again – the same fire that had flickered when she and the strategist found themselves at odds over the wisdom of Xiao Qiao's pregnancy. The swordsman felt tension pulling him straighter, adding a solemn severity to his gaze as his hair fell softly around his wind-chilled countenance.

"This is not a decision you should make lightly, Lady Qiao." Sun Ce's wife chuckled humorlessly under her breath.

"I never realized you thought of me as reckless, Lord Yu." Steel had crept into her tone, and it pulled Zhou Yu's shoulders tighter as his glance melted into a stoic glare.

"I never have, before now." The strategist took a step forward until he was standing squarely before the young woman, meeting her eyes to make sure his opinion was received and considered. "But I know you realize how much responsibility comes with a child – I know you realize how considerable a decision this is. And yet you flippantly choose to take this child into your care."

Lady Qiao smiled a little, her sepia eyes rampant with confidant amusement. "Flippant is not truly the correct word, Lord Yu. I suppose my decision is circumstantial – but if I did not trust my ability to raise a child, I would never venture to adopt one."

Zhou Yu frowned heavily, rushing a few errant bangs out of his eyes as the tiny girl whimpered and the young woman clutched her closer. "It's not your ability I am questioning. It's the common sense behind adopting this infant you know nothing about. From all that we know, this child could be deathly ill, or otherwise unable to—"

The Sun lord's wife sighed, rocking the tiny girl absently in her arms and giving her escort a reassuring glance. "Calm down, Lord Yu." Zhou Yu wanted to tell her that composure was rarely his reaction to an argument, but he bit down on his tongue and held himself silent as Lady Qiao stroked the infant's hair back from its frigid forehead. "It may seem as though I chose this course of action without any consideration at all, but I assure you I have given the matter some thought."

The swordsman wanted to know when she'd had time to consider all the possible outcomes of adopting an abandoned child between the time she plucked the infant out of the snow and made her declaration, but Sun Ce's wife had started walking again, and he was forced to shove his irritated question back from the tip of his tongue and focus on catching up. As he drew level with the beautiful young woman, Lady Qiao glanced up at him and smiled lightly.

"You see, Xuan's birth made me contemplate the possibility of having my own children. Unlike many people – even many nobles in this territory – I have a stable lifestyle. Lord Ce has more than enough resources to support a child, and between Xiao and myself a baby wouldn't want for attention. In a way… I almost feel that it's my responsibility to raise a child. I have been given such an array of good fortune…"

The Sun lord's wife trailed off, her voice disappearing under the unending weave of the snow. Zhou Yu watched her clear face sharply, following the flicker of some indecipherable emotion across her porcelain features. Suddenly the strategist found himself wondering about Lady Qiao's childhood – whether she and her sister had been judged harshly in her father's household for being born women. Whether the dignified lady remembered how undervalued she had probably been, especially when the second child was also a girl. Whether her mother was treated badly or even sent home for her failure to produce an heir…

"Do you want children, Lady Qiao?"

Sun Ce's wife paused in her flitting steps, glancing up into the onyx eyes that regarded her seriously from a significantly superior height. For a moment a sliver of light seemed to dash across her countenance – obscured like the sun high above them, lost somewhere between the endless folds of the clouds and their littering snowstorm. Then the young woman smiled, resuming her steady pace and moving away from him through the building blizzard.

"I want this one."

There was truly nothing Zhou Yu could say to that. The strategist pressed his lips into a grim line and followed her unruffled footsteps, his gaze locked on the cooing infant – her daughter – as the tiny child writhed against the cold and burrowed deeply into his jacket. Dark eyes watched the curving smile on the baby's toothless face as Lady Qiao chuckled, the sound moving like a ripple through the snow tumbling all around them.

"Besides, Lord Yu – I'm afraid no one else has the patience to raise Yingmei the way I want her cared for."

Zhou Yu only had a moment to blink at the child's name before he found himself speaking, a foreseen question on his tongue. "And how is that?" Lady Qiao glanced over her shoulder at him and smiled, a soft smile that swirled like the shadows of beauty across her snow-crested face.

"Gently."

The strategist stopped, his feet stalling on the frozen cobblestones at her musical response. Then he shook his head and followed the Sun lord's wife ever closer to the palace, watching the infant's peaceful face and reminding Yingmei – silently – that every star in the sky must have wished her luck for such a lowly child to encounter such fortune.

.x.

By the time they reached the gates to Niuqiao's great fortress, the streets were nearly impassable, drowning in snow so thick that ox carts stalled on each side of the road as their drivers struggled to plow a path through the torrential storm. Zhou Yu pushed the palace's door open and held it for his companion, suppressing a shiver as the warm air of the entrance hall met his frigid skin and careened like a hurricane through each chilled nerve. Sun Ce's wife smiled at him a last time and moved down the hallway to her quarters without a word, leaving her escort to brush snow from his limbs and shake the crystal flakes from his long dark hair. Zhou Yu watched her go in silence before turning in the direction of the central wing, the fickle shadows of torchlight flickering over his stoic features as the floor slid away beneath his frozen heels.

Slowly the warmth of the enclosed corridor seeped through the strategist's unfeeling flesh, chasing the last remnants of the winter wind away and releasing the stiffness that had built up in the joints of his fingers. Zhou Yu studied the wood paneling of the palace hall absently as he walked, unhurried steps a match to the contemplation dominating his features. The brilliant light of the storm pooled beneath each covered window and chased his feet like a confused shadow, following docilely in the wake of his snow-encrusted footsteps.

The swordsman sighed softly to himself, rubbing at the headache building beneath each temple. Perhaps Lady Qiao did have the resources and the skill to raise a child on her own – but no child touched only those surrounding its cradle, and it could only be a matter of time until Yingmei became as much trouble as Xuan would surely grow into. Zhou Yu wondered idly what his wife would think when her sister appeared with a child of her own – and what Sun Ce would say to the news that he suddenly had an official heir.

_Hello, Sun Ce. Are you feeling any better? The storm has broken; the weather outside is miserable. Oh, and by the way – your wife adopted an abandoned child on the way home._ Zhou Yu shook his head at the sarcastic script running through his mind. Somehow, that didn't seem like the best way to deliver the day's unexpected news; on the other hand, Sun Ce had always been clear about his appreciation for a straightforward approach.

The swordsman slowed as he reached the closed door of the Sun lord's quarters, hesitating a long moment before knocking. All was silent inside, and Zhou Yu wondered whether the lord of Wu had given his sister the slip during her tenure as sentinel and escaped out a window; it didn't seem out of the question as far as Sun Ce's normal antics were concerned. With a shake of his head, the strategist slid the door open and stepped inside – and then he stopped, one hand resting on the doorframe as a tiny smile threatened his lips.

Sun Ce had not managed to flee his area of quarantine during his swordsman's absence – in fact, the Sun lord wasn't even out of his bed. His tan features were neutral with the serenity of sleep, mouth slightly open as his chest moved with shallow breaths beneath its heap of disorderly blankets. Right beside him, slumped over in her chair with the discarded book serving as a derisory pillow, Shang Xiang rested her pretty head against the mattress. Her eyes were closed tightly as well, flickering beneath their lids in the rhythm of peaceful dreams as ten fingers dug into the mountain of bedding in a search for warmth.

For a long moment, Zhou Yu watched them in silence, his gaze moving from one Sun child to the other in an easy flicker. Part of the swordsman wanted to turn around and leave them sleeping, but Shang Xiang was going to be very uncomfortable and stiff if she slept in her awkward position too long – and besides, in seemed important for the Sun princess to acquaint herself with Lady Qiao's daughter as soon as reasonable. The strategist had no doubt that Sun Ce's sister would love Yingmei exactly the way she adored Xuan: with a hopeful light in her eyes that screamed her own desire to someday raise a family. Zhou Yu cleared his throat softly, obsidian gaze settling over the napping pair like the soft snow outside.

"Shang Xiang?"

The Sun princess started, lifting her head jerkily from the mattress and blinking at the strategist in the doorway as though her thoughts were still hazy and she couldn't quite rationalize his presence. Then memory and understanding flooded the pretty hazel eyes, and she nearly leapt to her feet, abandoning the chair behind her with a sheepish smile as Zhou Yu took a few steps into the bright room and met her stare evenly.

"Zhou Yu… I didn't hear you come in. You were gone a long time, so I…" The swordsman raised a placating hand, the small sliver of a smile lingering on his thin lips as Shang Xiang brushed wrinkles from her robe and tried to restore her hair to a rough order.

"It's not a problem, Shang Xiang. Lady Qiao and I have just returned – but she'd like to see you as soon as possible." Or she ought to, at least – it seemed imperative that those who'd be caring for their new responsibility be informed of the unanticipated burden as quickly as they could be directed toward the Qiaos' quarters.

Shang Xiang started a little, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear and nodding aimlessly. "Da Qiao… okay. I suppose I might as well visit her now." The Sun princess passed him with a smile, only turning back in the doorway to give the strategist a cheeky grin. "Ce was a real brat this afternoon – so I think I'll let you deal with him when he wakes up. Good luck!" And then she was gone, a mirage of rustling silk vanishing from the doorway and humming tunelessly as she moved down the corridor.

Zhou Yu stood silent for a moment, watching the place where Shang Xiang had been with preoccupied eyes. The two sides of his mind moved in conflict again, now warring over the prospect of waking Sun Ce and explaining about the eventful venture Lady Qiao's search for ginseng had become. The young lord had been sick, and rest was truly the best treatment for a cold like his – but there was no denying the immediacy of the day's developments, and no telling how vital the information might become once Sun Ce's courtiers got wind of the incident…

The swordsman turned back to the overladen bed, eyes moving over the blissfully still contours of his sleeping companion's face. One pale hand reached out to rest on the young lord's forehead, and Zhou Yu felt a true smile quirking his lips upward at the corners. Whether from the medicine he had been force-fed or simply the slow progression of time, Sun Ce's fever had broken – only the natural warmth of his sunlit skin remained under the strategist's cold fingers. The dark swordsman withdrew his hand and watched the momentarily distressed expression coloring the young officer's face as he lost the familiar contact, one tan cheek nuzzling into the wrinkled pillows in search of his impassive strategist's palm.

Zhou Yu couldn't figure out how it was possible. Sun Ce was fast asleep, and hadn't said a word beyond his angry tirade earlier that morning – but somehow, despite that, standing beside the Sun lord's sleeping form and studying his highly irregular position put an unquenchable smile on the swordsman's face, chasing all his lingering worries about Lady Qiao and her new daughter from the forefront of his mind. Suddenly he knew what Sun Ce would say about the adoption no matter how or when he was told – he knew the unaffected contours of shrugging shoulders as the young officer smiled, shaking any concern away from his stoic companion's stomach with his own disinterested response.

Hadn't he told Zhou Yu how little Xuan's birth mattered a thousand times before? It would be impossible for Yingmei's arrival to draw a different expression than her cousin's had. Sun Ce's priorities never changed; his determination surpassed all barriers in his surroundings like a soaring phoenix, so intent on its destination that it hardly noticed the changing scenery trying to slow its progress. There was nothing about the new child that truly changed dynamics in their household – not in the young officer's mind. Lady Qiao's daughter was just that – and like her sister's, the whole affair had little to do with Sun Ce or his apprehensive swordsman.

The strategist straightened and took a few steps back, watching his restive lord with a small smirk as soft snores snuck through the Sun lord's lips and interrupted the still air of the winter afternoon. Then Zhou Yu pivoted and left the room completely, closing the door firmly behind him and struggling to shake the persistent smile from his features. The corridor fell away under his quiet footsteps as the swordsman shook his head, heading for his own room and feeling the light of the broken storm with a new sincerity.

It didn't matter, really. News of Yingmei's adoption could wait until Sun Ce deigned to get up of his own accord. And when he did, he would chase any enduring displeasure from Zhou Yu's dark eyes, like he had done ten thousand times before.

Conviction was a contest at which Sun Ce could not be beaten. Not even when he was asleep.

End Chapter 36

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A shorter chapter, finally. This part gave me some trouble because it's an enormous chunk of character development for Lady Qiao, and she's been mostly a blank slate up to this point. In any case, I hope it was enjoyable – comments are always welcome.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: I'm glad you like chapter 34. It's a little difficult to create suspense concerning Zhou Yu's welfare, since he's obviously still alive and mostly in one piece ten years after Sun Ce's death – but I'm pleased that you found it effective, and of course I'd be honored if your friend enjoyed it as well. My apologies for ruining your eyes.

A note for xxx LOVE the SINNER: I apologize for making you cry over Sun Jian's death – although I am also immensely flattered that my writing could touch you emotionally. Xiao Qiao's son is an interesting problem for Zhou Yu, and will continue to be throughout the story. I'm glad you found the chapter interesting – hopefully, this one was also enjoyable. Thank you for your review.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Thank you very much. I'm honored that you like my characterizations of the characters, and of course honored as well that you choose to use those characterizations in your own story. You are certainly free to portray the people in your stories any way you like, and I'd be delighted to read one of your stories in the future. Also, I'm glad you enjoyed the banquet, despite Zhou Yu's distress over his "child." Thank you as always for your gracious comments.

A note for Jen: Gan Ning has become something of an inside joke in my opinion, because of course he doesn't join Wu until after Sun Ce's death. I did want him to be part of the story, though, since he's such a fascinating character – but I have to admit I've never thought of bells as a particularly intimidating sound. Zhou Yu and Sun Ce's arguments are always entertaining for me, and I'm glad you enjoyed this one as well. Thank you for your kind review, and I hope this chapter was interesting for you as well.


	37. Chapter 37

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 36 

Silence sifted gently through the wagon on the breath of the dying wind, brushing past Chen Hao's thoughtful face and stealing the meager warmth from the jacket still wrapped around his arms and legs. The soldier sighed quietly, leaning back against the side panel behind him and peering up at their thin roof as Zhou Yu rested momentarily, dropping the thread of his narrative and turning his head away from the weakened light of the salt-spattered sky. For a long moment, the general's exhausted breathing was the only sound in the small structure – then the wheels bumped decisively in a thick rut, landing with the harsh grate of imperfect pieces rubbing together, and Chen Hao sat up.

"Did Lord Sun Ce adopt Yingmei, too?"

Zhou Yu smirked softly to himself, sliding one rough hand across his furrowed forehead as though battling an invisible, interminable headache. "I suppose it depends what you mean by that. Yingmei was officially welcomed into the Sun family, and she was announced as Sun Ce's daughter to our courtiers and the populace of Wu… but he never really accepted the responsibility of being her father." A dark flicker slipped through the general's obsidian eyes, accompanying the silent sigh ghosting past his thin lips in disillusioned harmony. "Of course… he died before she was very old at all. She has no memory of him."

A shiver shot down Chen Hao's spine, chilling him all the way to the end of each nerve. He hadn't meant to direct the conversation back to Sun Ce's death, back to the haunted expectation hanging in the general's dark eyes – but the feeling of muted dread pooling in his stomach told him that it was probably becoming inevitable. The Wu king only had a little over a year to live in the timeline of Zhou Yu's story… perhaps all questions led back to that inescapable destiny, to the looming tragedy preparing to sever any lightness that had persisted throughout the tale thus far. Perhaps there was nothing left to bring that long-dead smile back to the general's face.

Chen Hao shook himself, forcing the unsettling thoughts away and refocusing on the fallen contours of his commander's countenance. Zhou Yu's blank, apathetic eyes stared into the slowly emptying heavens beyond them, locked on the back lip of the wagon as though the distant horizon held the energy he needed to struggle forward. Chen Hao bit his lip, feeling the chapped flesh pulling away beneath his coarse teeth as a short lilt of panic ran through him. He hadn't considered it seriously before – but from the look on the general's tired face, it had become clear that the weave of the endless night was taking its toll on him. His wounds and the unrelenting cold of the vicious wind tore almost visibly into the grim commander's resolve to press onward, stinging in the open wounds that must have covered the general's raw throat by now. Perhaps he'd already lost the strength to finish.

For a long moment, Chen Hao looked away, unnerved and saddened by the despondent clarity in Zhou Yu's onyx eyes where the flame of so many memories had been burning. And then the soldier shook himself again, harder this time, strengthening his intention and digging ten nails into his frigid palms. If the general couldn't find a point of continuation, perhaps he could provide one – a spark that would draw Zhou Yu back into the stream of his narrative despite the fatigue drowning his deep eyes.

"My lord?" The general started, shaking himself slightly as though the distant hands of death or sleep had been pulling him slowly away from his promise to finish. Chen Hao swallowed against the cold breath in his throat, fighting the chill of the wind that danced around him and splayed loose tendrils of his hair over tight shoulders. "What does Yingmei's name mean?"

It was an odd question, even in the soldier's own ears. Zhou Yu blinked a little, his dark eyes settling gradually over the concerned expression on his subordinate's chilled face – he met Chen Hao's stare curiously, as though searching for the train of thought that had inspired the inquiry in the lines of his listener's countenance. Upon finding nothing, the general coughed, one hand lingering at his mouth to hide any trace of the blood that must be lurking just beyond his lips.

"…Shadow beauty." Zhou Yu's index finger traced the characters absently into the bandage on his chest, eyes straying back to the unresponsive canvas ceiling. Chen Hao wondered at the odd name, and he shifted slightly closer to his commander to watch the pale hand moving in literate rhythm over his stark linen dressing. "I believe it comes from the Book of Odes."

It was a dignified, gentle name, and in that way it fit with the image of an adopted daughter being raised so softly in the Wu king's palace – but something about its meaning seemed slightly saddened, as though the shining glory of attraction and loveliness had been somehow dimmed or devalued. The soldier scratched idly at his ear and burrowed deeper into his rejected jacket, hiding his cold face in its equally frozen folds.

"Is she beautiful?"

It was not what he'd intended to ask – truly, he'd wanted to know when the elder Lady Qiao had read the Book of Odes, and which poem the name Yingmei might be from – but the question stole onto his lips without warning and split the voice of the wind circling around them through the night air. Zhou Yu started a little, glancing at the soldier from his motionless position on the floor and watching his inquisitive face skeptically for a long moment. Then the general sighed, a slight chuckle escaping his lips.

"Beautiful for a ten-year-old, I suppose."

Chen Hao blinked. Then he felt his face flushing, blood running into the cold cheeks and pushing back against the frosted wind as embarrassment sluiced through his veins. Somehow, despite the fold of the story and how clearly time seemed to move through his commander's words, it hadn't occurred to him how young the Qiao sisters' children would still be. From the dead light in Zhou Yu's eyes, it seemed to the soldier that the last ten years – the ten years after Sun Ce's death, when the general had brought Cao Cao's southern march to an end and given Wu its greatest naval victory – had lasted forever, stretching almost beyond lifetimes in their dull and painful progression. But to someone who had not lost what Zhou Yu had, perhaps those ten years were like any other. And for the children, ten years would be hardly the blink of an eye, moving forever into an unknown future – rather than being dead and ashen, each of those years would brim to overflowing with possibility and promise.

It was all perspective, in a way. Chen Hao shifted a little, tucking his feet closer together as though their proximity might melt the thin coat of ice no doubt slipping beneath his skin as he shook away his dark thoughts to focus on Wu's young heirs. Since Zhou Xuan and Sun Yingmei had been close in age, the younger Lady Qiao's eldest son would be about ten years old as well. But her daughter… Hailing had to be younger than her brother. The soldier's brow furrowed in confusion as he tried to work out the girl's age – but the exercise only gave him a headache, and he turned back to his silent commander as Zhou Yu brushed a strand of hair from his reminiscent eyes.

"My lord… how old is Zhou Hailing?"

The general sighed. "She will be six next summer. But she's prettier than Yingmei even now… which is sensible, I suppose, since she is Xiao Qiao's daughter."

Chen Hao shook his head uncertainly, wisps of hair lurking across his chilled forehead as he pushed the qualifying statement into the back of his mind. Of course she'd have to be very young, but… "She's only five, and she's already married to Lord Sun Quan?"

Zhou Yu cast him a flat glance, his gaze sifting back to the sky beyond them as he rubbed at the ivory bandages on his chest. "She's already _engaged_ to Sun Quan. She won't get married until she's older, of course. I'm sure Sun Quan has no interest in an infant."

The soldier sat back against the side of the wagon without responding, watching the currents of memory and contemplation spinning across Zhou Yu's preoccupied face. It was true that he'd heard of engagements very early, generally as a link between two households. But in this case, he didn't understand why Zhou Hailing had been promised to the lord of Wu at such a young age. Weren't the general and his wife already inextricably connected to the Sun family, through bonds much stronger than a political marriage?

Zhou Yu had said the younger Lady Qiao wished her daughter to marry Sun Quan, and in a way that did make sense – what better marriage could there be for a girl of Hailing's status, especially when her mother and her betrothed were childhood friends? But in another way, Chen Hao wondered whether Lady Qiao wouldn't be opposed to an arranged marriage for her children – wouldn't she want Hailing to have the freedom of choice that she herself had been given on accident? Or had she forgotten the power she'd inadvertently been granted in the many years since her own marriage?

There were no answers to his questions, and the hoarse cough breaking free of Zhou Yu's parched lips announced the general's intention to continue. As the legendary strategist's eyes darkened, flickering with thought and preparation, the soldier could feel their wagon beginning to tilt upward, and the drag on the back wheels hinted that a ridge had presented their next obstacle. Chen Hao settled carefully against the rough-hewn wood of the side behind him, shifting into a somewhat comfortable position as his commander cleared his throat once more and found his voice. Somewhere deep in the soldier's ribs, a tiny spark of pride stirred at the thought of having rekindled Zhou Yu's ability to convey his tale – the stinging night wind and the stream of the general's words brought that tiny flare to a full blaze, and for a moment Chen Hao didn't feel quite so cold.

"That spring, Sun Ce and I traveled south to assist Taishi Ci along the southern border of Wu. We were not there very long, however, before Han Dang called us back to Qingshan, which was serving as a temporary capital while Xuancheng was rebuilt." The soldier's mind spun for an instant with the influx of names, and he traced the location of Qingshan on his palm to remind himself of the great city's position in the conquered territory. Taishi Ci's last holdout before joining the Wu king in his quest for dominance… "A messenger heading for the capital had been captured along the Yangzi near Kuaiji, and Han Dang wanted Sun Ce's advice on how to handle the perilous situation we'd been put in."

Chen Hao wondered idly to himself, recalling other tales and histories he had heard, why messengers were always getting intercepted on their way back and forth between errands. Were they truly that easy to recognize? And how could one tell if a messenger held information that needed to be intercepted? But his interest in the reminiscent tension lacing through Zhou Yu's weak voice was more captivating than either question, and the soldier leaned forward to see his commander's expression more clearly. "What kind of situation, my lord?"

The general rubbed his forehead, chasing the ghost of anxiety from his temples. "The prefect of Wucheng – near Fengqiao, if that matters to you – was a man named Xu Gong. He opposed Sun Ce's rule when we first conquered that portion of the Wu Territory, and after Grand Duke Cao's offer of an imperial title was refused, Xu Gong found an opening for his opinion in court. The letter we intercepted, addressed to Cao Cao, recommended that Sun Ce be called to the capital in a false commemoration of his achievements – and that while there, he be executed to ensure the safety of private estates in Wu."

Chen Hao's heart skipped at the mention of an execution – but Zhou Yu did not seem particularly agitated, so the soldier let it go and sunk back against the side of the wagon. In a way, he couldn't help it – the general's story had brought him so close to Sun Ce that he could almost feel the light of that radiant, determined smile despite the cold of the night around them. And eventually, it had to be cut down. It was dread for that moment of complete darkness that filled Chen Hao's stomach even now, when he knew nothing awful could happen to Sun Ce for a short while longer. How could he help worrying, when the thread of broken destiny was crawling closer with every tired breath leaking from Zhou Yu's lips?

The general coughed shortly, his expression twisting in a wince that the thin light barely illuminated as he shook his head. "Of course, the messenger was dead even before Sun Ce and I reached Qingshan – Han Dang tended to be a bit ruthless when it came to eliminating security threats." Chen Hao felt a shiver go down his back at the mention of his own company commander, and he wondered what exactly _eliminating security threats_ meant – but there was no time to dwell on it, because Zhou Yu had pressed forward with only a slight, choking recess.

"For a while, we struggled with a delicate way to handle the situation – but there was no choice other than immediate action. If Xu Gong received no reply to his suggestion, he would surely send another messenger north, and there was no way of being certain this second letter could be intercepted. Ignoring an imperial edict to come to the capital might give Duke Cao an opening to attack Wu, which was hardly something our army was prepared to deal with after the hard winter and our struggles with Liu Xun. And those things aside, it was dangerous to leave a traitor like Xu Gong at large in Sun Ce's territory." The soldier shifted, locking both arms more tightly around his frostbitten legs.

"What did you do?"

Zhou Yu's eyes had gone cold and hard, flickering like black glass in the weak light of the stars. He shrugged almost too easily. "We did the only thing possible, under the circumstances. Xu Gong was called to Qingshan on false reports of a promotion, and then he was executed."

Chen Hao jumped a little at the callous tone of the general's voice, mildly surprised by the blunt answer. It wasn't that executions for treachery were uncommon, or even that the soldier was opposed to killing in such a manner if circumstances demanded it – and in a way, Zhou Yu's rationalization made sense. But somehow a cold-blooded execution didn't match Sun Ce's style – especially not grounded on a foundation of trickery. It seemed as though the Wu king would have wanted to face Xu Gong in an even match, to beat him fairly on an equal field of combat. Something about the truncated explanation made Chen Hao wonder if the general might have had more to do with the elimination of his lord's enemy than he was admitting – had Zhou Yu and Han Dang killed Xu Gong themselves, possibly without consulting Sun Ce at all? His commander's stoic expression told him nothing.

"Wucheng had always been a difficult region to control." The fatigued baritone voice cut off any further musings, and the soldier was forced to dismiss his suspicious curiosity as he refocused on Zhou Yu's words. "Xu Gong formally submitted to Sun Ce when we conquered Fengqiao, but he was disobedient whenever he could get away with it and always troublesome about turning over his tax revenue. In truth, it was only a matter of time until we were obliged to—"

Completely without warning, the wagon gave a sudden, trembling lurch – Chen Hao gasped as the wheels slid backward slightly down the hill, catching the vehicle just at the peak of the ridge they'd been climbing. He could feel the back wheels hovering slightly off of the ground behind him, supporting no weight and threatening to drag the entire vehicle back the way it had come. The wagon tipped one way, then the other, shifting its weight as the horses struggled to pull their cart down the obviously underestimated slope and the drivers cursed heavily at their taut reins. The moment hung suspended like tentative breath in Chen Hao's lungs as he met his commander's eyes – the onyx gaze had gone wide with surprise and uncertainty, almost brighter for the light of awakened perplexity encompassing his features. The soldier found his voice only with great effort, and his tone remained weak and struggling despite his shout toward the front of the wagon.

"What's wrong?"

There was a trembling swing in the position of the structure as one driver shifted, his form just visible under the exhausted night sky. Chen Hao flinched. Zhou Yu took a sharp breath and let it slip through his teeth. Then an equally shaky voice called back to them, scarcely audible over the creaking wood and the whickering horses.

"I'm not sure we can go down this side, Chen. It's a lot steeper than we thought, and with this river at the bottom…"

Chen Hao closed his eyes, a little flurry of fear sliding through his stomach. He didn't remember this hill from the march toward Jing – but it had been a long way, and the details of the landscape were lost in a haze of fractured, tense memories. For the life of him, he couldn't think of a response – fear slipped into his veins and held him hostage under its tight fingers. Never before this journey had he realized how many ways there were to die, and how narrowly they were avoided at each turn.

What if they crashed at the bottom of the hill? What if the wagon overturned? What if they fell into the river? What could they do? He tried to call on his courage – the courage inherent in any soldier of Wu, the courage Sun Ce had shown so many times in the course of his strategist's story – but only shame and haunting panic answered his summons.

The second driver cocked his head back and looked at them, raven eyes just visible in the shadows of his face. Chen Hao could see his teeth sinking fiercely into his bottom lip, no doubt holding his apprehension at bay with the force of bravado alone as he struggled to remain firm. "We're going to have to give this a try. You and Lord Zhou Yu just hold on, all right? We'll go down here real slowly, and we'll try not to hit the river too hard." The anxious soldier swallowed and nodded at his comrade, glance flickering to Zhou Yu's silent form on the floor beside him. The general's expression was as blank as ever, but his lips were pressed into a firm line and there was no denying the undercurrent of concern in his eyes.

The first driver fingered his reins fretfully and glanced at his companion, and the second man kicked his feet against the wheel hub – and nothing moved. It took Chen Hao a long moment to realize they were waiting for confirmation. The infantrymen ahead of him lacked the resolve to continue without orders of approval – to trust their own desperate solution in a case where there wasn't exactly a right answer. Zhou Yu shifted silently over the floor boards and found the side of the wagon, five fingers lightly shaking with effort as they gripped into the warped wooden panels. The general sighed and closed his eyes.

"Well… go."

It defied understanding. Zhou Yu's voice had become so soft and unsteady as the night drew on that it was almost inaudible even to Chen Hao. But somehow his words still snapped the men before them into focus, straightening their backs and tipping their chins to attention as the first man found his reins and the second hunched into the night. Chen Hao scrambled to brace himself against the front seat, leaning back into the wooden panel and keeping his eyes on the general's unruffled countenance as the sound of flicking leather snipped through the wagon. The soldier shook his head silently. It didn't really make sense – Zhou Yu was dying, and his hand where it clutched the side for support was trembling so hard it seemed a wonder he could hold on at all. And despite that, his voice renewed the will to action in all three of his subordinates and tipped the wagon forward.

With a slow, reluctant creak, the vehicle pivoted on its precariously suspended wheels and inched downward into the east-facing slope of the ridge. Chen Hao felt his heart lurch into his throat at the maneuver, adrenaline shooting through each nerve bundle in turn as the wood behind him tilted sickeningly, gravity dragging him to an uncomfortable angle and tightening Zhou Yu's fingers on the wagon's side. For a moment, everything hung in uncertain balance – panic dropped like a stone into the soldier's gut as he found himself unwilling and unable to breathe, afraid of the disturbance his miniscule motion might cause. Then the horses whinnied indecisively and their hooves gradually settled into a harsh clopping tread, plodding down the slope as slowly as possible. Chen Hao bit his tongue hard as the back wheels hit the ground on the other side of the slope, no longer suspended in midair but adding their bulk to the nearly irresistible downward force that tugged on the wagon's head like the hands of death itself.

The soldier took a deep breath to steady himself, holding the frigid air inside his lungs a moment longer than necessary as if he could draw reassurance from the wind circling like a vulture over their descent. He could see the drivers' rigid postures through the murky distance between them, and he could hear the horses pawing nervously at the gravel path as they whickered their timid way down the steep slope. Only Zhou Yu looked completely composed, his expression stoic and empty despite the ribbon of anxiety floating surreptitiously through his obsidian gaze. Chen Hao swallowed the air in his mouth and squeezed his eyes shut, denying the unnatural tilt of the world around him that made him feel nauseous and blacking out the image of his commander's white-knuckled fingers. He thought about Meicheng, and Li, and Sun Ce's burning amber eyes – but all his thoughts brought him back to death, and his breath became tight and fast in his mouth, straining against his tongue like the horses at their halter.

"Chen Hao." A tiny shiver ran down the soldier's back at his general's parched voice, and he looked into the onyx eyes as the wagon turned left, moving into a wide switchback pattern to reduce the sheer face of the slope. Zhou Yu's features held no open emotion – any uncertainty he might have been feeling was locked away where Chen Hao couldn't find it The commander shook his head carefully. "We need to continue. Can you listen to me?"

How the general could focus on his narrative at all while they were moving at such a precarious angle was completely beyond Chen Hao – his mind was entirely occupied by the situation at hand. But the sharpness in Zhou Yu's dark eyes said that he wasn't content to sit quietly while they made their journey down the steep hill, and the soldier had no way of telling him to wait. It was not truly a question with more than one answer. Chen Hao swallowed hard and tried to ignore the motion headache growing at the base of his neck; he gave his commander a short nod and instantly regretted the movement that sent his head spinning dizzily. But Zhou Yu had hardly required an affirmation anyway, and he was speaking again almost before his subordinate acknowledged his words.

"Sun Ce and I stayed in Qingshan until the middle of summer. There were a few official matters that needed to be tended to, and we were unsure if Taishi Ci might need our support again in his efforts against Liu Xun." The general broke off and shook his head, digging coarse nails into his wooden support as the wagon turned again, heading right this time at an increased pace that spurred renewed worry in Chen Hao's stomach. "Sun Ce became very bored with his temporary capital, by the end of our stay – most of his time was spent talking to one envoy or another, which isn't very entertaining, admittedly. But few things were as exciting for him as conquest, and he couldn't afford to be at the front line just then—"

The wagon swerved and rocked beneath them, then stopped abruptly. Chen Hao swallowed hard, and Zhou Yu's explanation snapped to a terse halt between his tense lips. A moment of silence drifted around them, broken only by the pawing of the nervous horses and the gruff conversation of their drivers. Then one of the infantrymen spun back to look at them, coal eyes worried and hesitant in his sweating face as he glanced between both apprehensive listeners.

"The forest is getting closer on both sides… we're going to have to try a straight route." Zhou Yu's eyes flickered with some emotion Chen Hao couldn't place, and his fingers tightened on the wagon's side. The driver swallowed and shrugged uncertainly, casting his comrade a wary look over one shoulder. "It's not so much farther to the bottom from here. We'll slow the horses down as well as we can – just hold on, Lord Zhou Yu. We'll be down from here pretty quick."

If that were supposed to be a reassuring sentiment, Chen Hao decided his comrade had fallen far short of his mark. Rarely had so many nervous butterflies flitted in physical fear through the soldier's stomach, and he couldn't help wishing he could abandon the wagon and just walk the rest of the way down the hill. But Zhou Yu wouldn't be able to walk at all, and it hardly seemed right for the general to bump down the treacherous hill by himself. Chen Hao squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and tried to suppress the panic in his ribcage – they shot open again in surprise as Zhou Yu spoke, his quiet voice wending its deceptively calm way through the thin air.

"Are you certain it wouldn't be better to simply let the horses run?"

The driver started, his eyes darting toward the horses and back to their fallen commander in quick succession. Doubt consumed his expression completely, banishing any semblance of control and beating in the raven eyes like black wings startled to flight. The man swallowed heavily and wrung his hands together at the wrists. "I – I'm not sure, my lord. Would it?"

Zhou Yu's lips curved up in the barest hint of an ironic smile. "I have never been much of a horseman, soldier. I was asking your opinion." The infantryman glanced at Chen Hao, as though unable to comprehend a superior officer soliciting another point of view, and then struggled to find an adequate response.

"I… we're afraid that we'd crash at the bottom if we run, my lord. If we go slowly, maybe we can keep the momentum down…" The stoic general nodded calmly, surveying his subordinate's mildly terrified face with eyes that were almost amused.

"But there is a danger that the stress on the halter will be too high, and the leather will snap. Or the hooks attaching the halter to the wagon might be pulled out. In either case, we will lose the ability to stop." The driver appeared at a complete loss for words, but his previously silent comrade spoke up in his defense, not turning away from the reins held so tightly in his visibly frigid hands.

"That's true, sir. But there's too much risk of tipping if we try the other way. This road isn't going to help things, either. I think our odds are better going it slow."

Zhou Yu seemed to consider the answer for a moment, and then he nodded silently against the floor, the dark strands of his hair spilling like a fan around him. "Very well. In that case, proceed." The pale fingers clenched into the wagon's side again as the driver nodded, clicking under his breath to soothe the horses as best he could and wielding his reins again. The leather snapped at the animal's back like a hissing whip, and immediately the subdued pace resumed, inching slowly and nervously down the flat of the slope. Both infantrymen held tightly to their tilted seat, and Chen Hao felt himself pressed hard against the wooden panels, knots and imperfections digging into his back despite the jacket he had draped half-heartedly over both shoulders. Step by tiny step, the wagon made precarious progress down the gravel road.

The horses whinnied. Gravel purred and slid down the path ahead of them, sounding like a tiny rockslide to the soldier's nervous ears. The drivers whispered soothingly to one another and their animals, clacking their tongues as though the minute sounds alone could hold their vehicle in balance on the slippery hill. The general sighed. Chen Hao wrapped both arms around his legs and hunched his tense posture, holding onto his knees like his own flesh would be an anchor against the fall that seemed inevitable. He could almost feel it looming above them, only biding its time until it dragged them uncontrollably into the river at the hill's base and tossed them onto the slippery rocks…

"We left Qingshan a little after Shang Xiang's twenty-first birthday, in high summer."

Chen Hao started, turning back to his commander in astonishment as the soft baritone poured through the tense air. The obsidian eyes were cold and heavy, sinking like rocks in the icy calm of the general's expression and displaying only resolve to the stunned soldier beside him. Zhou Yu shook his head, ignoring the wagon's movement as gravity dragged him closer and closer to the seatback where Chen Hao rested in terse silence.

"Sun Ce was glad to leave the city behind, but I would much rather have stayed. Even endless dignitaries were better than the alternative that confronted us in the fifth moon of 199."

And though he couldn't understand it, Chen Hao had to admire the general's relentless continuation. Had he been the one with a story to tell, the soldier was sure he would have stopped and let the wagon make its way to the base of the ridge before pressing onward. It seemed as though the present situation held urgency even more powerful than the importance of his trailing narrative. But the light in Zhou Yu's onyx eyes – Sun Ce's light, the light that had burned all night through their endless journey – seemed soft and faded now, almost lackluster compared to its former intensity. Chen Hao felt his heart leap suddenly into his throat, and he watched the shallow rise and fall of his commander's chest in the grip of a terror that had nothing to do with their descent. Was the pain getting worse? Was the general running out of time? Was that why he continued so forcefully even now? What did Zhou Yu know that his subordinate didn't?

Perhaps living hours in the grip of a slow, agonizing demise dulled the fear of a quick one. Perhaps when you'd faced death years ago and never recovered, the thought of the final journey lost its sting. Or perhaps his commander just had enough willpower behind his tongue to press forward regardless of circumstance. Chen Hao swallowed hard and drew himself up straighter, defying the cold wind and the icy panic in his stomach to focus on Zhou Yu's voice.

"Why did you leave?" The general almost smirked.

"It was not exactly by choice. But we received a message that I could not ignore, no matter how much I would have liked to turn its courier away and forget him entirely."

The soldier blinked, unable to recall anyone his harsh commander would have been unable to dispel. Zhou Yu didn't seem to hold any bonds of alliance outside the Sun family, and imperial envoys had never been portrayed as particularly important before. The cold air caught in his throat like a warning as Chen Hao took a deep, calming breath and leaned into the wood behind him.

"Who was the message from?" Zhou Yu's eyes had gone cold again, lost in the shadows of anger and anxiety. The general shook his head and opened his mouth, but no sound emerged – or none that Chen Hao could discern, as his attention suddenly shot to the head of the wagon behind him.

Something snapped.

Endless motion was the only sensation that registered in Chen Hao's mind. He felt himself slamming heedlessly into the back of the wagon, nearly tumbling over the end as breath abandoned his lungs. Somewhere a horse screamed in terror – somewhere a man shouted and something heavy hit the ground. Instantly the wagon raced down the hill at breakneck speed, now completely unstoppable. Chen Hao wanted to cry out, but there was no sound in his mouth – he clung to the side and closed his eyes against the flashing landscape, praying in words he didn't understand.

_Please… please… anything but this—_

It was over almost before it began. A tremendous splash and the ricketing crash of wheels on stone battered the wagon to a stop, skimming it through the bulk of the river's width and sinking it to the spokes in wild mud. Chen Hao held tightly to his secure post for a moment longer, unable to unlatch his arms from their only haven – then he sat back and drew a deep, painful breath, wincing as his lungs stretched in bruised ribs and his eyes came open to survey their colossal accident.

It was a miracle that the wagon remained in one piece – and even more of a miracle that the wheels seemed undamaged. Chen Hao couldn't be sure what deity had reached out a hand and kept the vehicle from tipping over, but he sent a blank prayer into the fading sky above him as his winded breath pushed against the sore ribcage and fought to supply his racing heart. Other than the water sluicing around each spoke and the broken harness drooping into the river, the wagon seemed completely unharmed. Halfway up the hill, the soldier could see both horses shying in terror – their heavy collars, still attached at the neck, chafed the sweating skin as one of the drivers attempted to lure both nervous animals back toward the crash site.

The second infantryman hadn't fared as well as his comrade; Chen Hao could see him groaning and writhing on the riverbank, holding one thigh tightly as a string of unintelligible curses fell from his lips. The darkness made it hard to tell, but from where he sat in the back of the wagon, one arm still pressed tightly against the splinters of the back panels, the winded soldier couldn't see any blood on the driver's leg. Chen Hao sighed softly, surveying the night landscape and the vanishing stars with a prayer of relief on his lips.

_We made it. We're going to be all right. No one got badly hurt… no one_—

A sudden choking cough shot Chen Hao's eyes wide open, and he spun to look back toward the wagon's bed with terror and shock alternately swallowing his expression. He had forgotten the general. There was Zhou Yu, his hands wrapped through the vertical arches that held the roof still above them, his body pressed against the side of the structure for support – but there was something very unnatural about the angle of his wrist, and his face where it showed between the unkempt folds of his scattered hair was far paler than before. Chen Hao shot to his knees, scrambling back across the wagon floor and grabbing his commander's shoulders with two trembling hands.

"Lord Zhou Yu! Can you hear me?"

Zhou Yu choked and rolled onto his back, spitting a mouthful of blood across the rough planks; Chen Hao watched as it slapped the base of the canvas roof, hypnotized by the crimson drops on the harsh fabric stretched above them. The general's lip was cut badly, spilling scarlet all across the lower half of his face and hovering between his teeth. Zhou Yu ripped his hand away from the roof supports and threw it lifelessly onto his chest, obsidian eyes fiercely closed against the pain that must have been searing like flames across his flesh.

It only took one look for Chen Hao to know his wrist was broken – cleanly snapped at the joint. Part of the soldier wanted to check if the bone could be seen where a huge laceration split the pallid skin, but the other half noticed the tight lines of Zhou Yu's drawn face and couldn't summon the nerve to touch the injury. For a moment, useless panic enveloped Chen Hao and scorched through every muscle in his body, holding him helplessly hostage with uncertainty and contrasting inclination. Then the soldier turned and jostled across the floor, grabbing the knife from his belt and ripping a huge piece of the canvas roof into one long strip.

Adrenaline made his motions rougher than usual and he felt the thin blade slice into the skin of his thumb with a careless slip, but there was not a fraction of the soldier's mind still focused on his own well-being, and he skittered back across the floor lightning-fast, using his makeshift cloth to clear the blood from Zhou Yu's face as well as he could. The general lifted his uninjured arm and held the coarse canvas to his mouth, onyx eyes cracking open and flooding with a sentiment Chen Hao couldn't understand – the soldier didn't wait for an affirmative nod before clambering across the wagon bed again, tearing another chunk of the fabric from their roof and gathering the jagged strip into his arms. Then he paused and considered Zhou Yu's choking, shaking form from an uncertain distance, jaw clenched tightly with nervous indecision.

Chen Hao had never been good at setting bones, and he didn't want to try – but it only took him a few moments to realize that wasn't an option in this case anyway, since his general's wrist had been so badly damaged and he knew so little about what he was doing. The soldier slid to his commander's side and lifted the shattered arm into his hands, doing his best to ignore Zhou Yu's wince and the struggling grip of those blood-covered fingers on his staining sleeve. Chen Hao closed his eyes before he lost his nerve, wrapping the improvised bandage around his general's wrist as carefully as he could manage. The fabric became instantly ebony, soaking up the incursion of spilling blood into its frigid folds and struggling to hold back the flood of the laceration.

Zhou Yu choked, biting the cloth in his free hand against the pain jerking up and down his right arm. Chen Hao bit his lip so hard that he felt tears collecting in the corners of his eyes. Somewhere, the drivers were yelling and the horses were whinnying in angry disbelief. The soldier shook his head, staring into his commander's dark, anguished eyes and trying not to see the blood slipping down Zhou Yu's pale neck from beneath the edge of the canvas.

"Chen! Everyone all right in here?"

Chen Hao jumped, accidentally jerking the general's arm into his chest as he turned to face the back of the wagon. One of the drivers stood with both hands braced on the vehicle's end board, his face heavy with sweat and his breath winded from running down the slope. Chen Hao couldn't find an answer – but Zhou Yu's position was answer enough, and the infantryman paled and cursed before rubbing at the dirt peppering his stubbled chin.

"Just hang on. It's going to take a little while to fix the harness…" Insecurity and panic gripped the man's expression, swimming in his raven eyes as he surveyed the general completely covered in his own blood. Zhou Yu spared him a flat glance before he turned away, watching the sky beyond them as it slowly lost its stars. Then his voice faltered through the blood-soaked canvas, fighting against his injured lip to send shivers down the backs of both subordinates with its haunting frailty.

"Get started, then."

The driver stared at him for a long moment – the renowned features broken by flecks of crimson and the sallow ivory that his skin had become – and then the man turned and ran, his footsteps splashing through the river at a heavy trot as he staggered back to the bank and reached his prone comrade. Chen Hao watched him kneel into the thick mud and steady their companion's weak form with two overwhelmed hands – and then a tiny croak drew his attention back to Zhou Yu. The general was staring straight at him, obsidian eyes uncannily focused for the situation they had somehow crashed into – one pale finger motioned Chen Hao forward, and the soldier crawled back to his commander on curious hands.

Zhou Yu leaned up as well as he could, his split lip making his words somewhat hard to understand; Chen Hao cocked his ear closer to the scarlet canvas over the general's mouth to catch his whispering words.

"My father."

The soldier blinked, meeting the dark gaze with an uncomprehending stare. He shook his head silently, unable to imagine what his commander could be saying. Zhou Yu coughed and winced, choking hard on the shaky breath that stirred his chest in shallow motion.

"The message was from my father."

Chen Hao's eyes shot wide, and he sat back with shock flooding his already drained face. Surely the general couldn't intend to continue his story – not in this condition, not while the wagon rested useless and broken in the course of the river, not while his face and arm were bleeding so fervently. But the commander's stoic expression told him otherwise. Zhou Yu reached his uninjured hand up, grabbing the soldier's forearm with trembling fingers and pulling him closer again. Chen Hao bit his lip and squeezed his eyes shut against the burden of the choice he didn't have – and then he moved to the general's shoulder and pressed the canvas tightly against his lacerated arm, waiting for the weave of the story. Zhou Yu's eyes closed, deep and fallen.

"We had to return to Shucheng… one last time."

xxxxxxxxxxxx

The apples were just beginning to ripen. Each of the tiny green bulbs strewn like festival lanterns between the trees of Qingshan's expansive gardens showed a red sheen on the side that faced the sun, glowing against the pale lime of the fruit like a modest blush and hinting at the sweet smell that would soon suffuse the entire grounds on the wings of the gentle summer breeze. The air hummed with the comings and goings of insects flitting between every strata of blooming flower and the fallen fruit glittering like dull jade in the shadows of their leafy parent boughs; each tiny winged inhabitant brought a feeling of life and movement to the otherwise still garden where Zhou Yu stood motionless, the jasper shade cluttering his pale features.

Somewhere, a lark was singing high and free, and Wu's famed strategist closed his eyes and focused on the coiling melody as his fingers tightened around the shaft of the arrow in one hand and the bow resting easily in the other. The wind brushed dark strands of hair away from his face with its soft, forgiving breath, moving in a slight rustle through the surrounding trees and the long blades of grass tangled around his boots. Zhou Yu sighed silently and opened his onyx eyes again, finding the unadorned target some distance away between mottled trunks and raising the bow into position with sure, practiced hands.

It wasn't much of a shooting range. In fact, there was only one target – a simple circle nailed into a high wooden post with discreet marks to distinguish the zones of accuracy. The swordsman was fairly sure that Taishi Ci had made it himself out of whatever had been handy while he served as regent of Qingshan, and it hadn't seen much use since the Wolf general's appointment to their southern border – but it was a beautiful, peaceful morning, and it had been a long time since the strategist last practiced archery anyway.

Zhou Yu pulled the bowstring back to his chin and held it for a long moment, mentally checking the angle of his elbow and the strength of his fingers before releasing the arrow with a firm snap. The shaft knifed through the air and slammed into the target straight on, just clipping the innermost circle. The swordsman relaxed a little and frowned, eyeing his less-than-perfect shot with mild annoyance. Archery had never been his strong suit to begin with – and predictably, time away from the practice range had done nothing to improve his skill with the distance weapon.

"Bull's eye!"

But there was no accounting for differing opinions. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the jubilant exclamation and glanced over one shoulder to where Sun Ce rested in the shade of the closest apple tree, both arms folded behind his head as a makeshift cushion. The young lord grinned and flashed his strategist a victory symbol, one amber eye closed against the undaunted force of the sun in the sky above them.

"You nailed that one," the Sun lord added helpfully. Zhou Yu shook his head and gave the young officer a flat look.

"I thought I told you to go back to work." A flight of birds dashed from the tree branches overhead and sailed off through the cloudless heavens with a flurry of gossiping cries, splitting the summer sky with their feathered formation. Sun Ce laughed, sticking his tongue out at his dark-haired companion and throwing a fallen apple ineffectually toward the strategist's feet.

"You actually expect me to sit in that stuffy room while you're out here enjoying the sunshine? I don't think so."

Zhou Yu dodged the apple easily and raised an eyebrow, sparing the cheerful young man an openly condescending glance. "I did all of my work last night – so between the two of us, I have more right to be in this garden than you do," he countered nonchalantly.

Sun Ce chucked another apple at him, and the bulbous fruit skipped across the ground to land some distance past the unimpressed strategist. The Sun lord closed his amber eyes and laid back into the grass with an infectious grin playing at his lips; he shifted into a comfortable position amidst the prematurely shed produce, openly unfazed by the swordsman's argument.

"Stick it in your ear, Yu. I'm on lunch break."

Zhou Yu chuckled softly, an easy smile sliding over his expression and lightening his naturally stoic features at the effortless morning banter. The strategist turned back to his target and drew another arrow from the quiver on his back, feeling the feathers jagged and flat beneath his fingers as he considered his aim and squared his stance.

"Lunch isn't for another hour at least, Ce. You're just lazy." The swordsman drew his arm back and released, watching the arrow's path intersect the thick target a little higher than its predecessor. Zhou Yu fingered the rough grip of his bow as Sun Ce shrugged, the motion just registering in his companion's periphery.

"So what if I am? It's too hot to work anyway. I just want a nap – is that a crime?"

The swordsman shook his head in subtle amusement, pausing to study his first two shots as the wind picked up and whipped amiably through his dark hair and the rustling emerald leaves on each side of them. "It's a crime that I'm going to be finishing that work for you in a few hours." The third arrow split the target's center evenly, alighting at an equal distance from each of the others and drawing a tiny smile onto its archer's thin lips.

The Sun lord sighed happily and kicked his heels into the silken grass, the breeze brushing untamed chestnut locks across his unbothered forehead. "That's the way it's supposed to be, Yu. I do all the fun stuff and you do all the boring stuff. And between the two of us, we get everything done."

The strategist smirked but said nothing, letting their conversation drift away as Sun Ce reclined completely and fell into contented silence. Above them, the unbroken sapphire of the cloudless sky seemed to stretch forever in each direction, interrupted only by the glowing disk of the sun beating mercilessly down on the temporary capital. Zhou Yu pushed a bead of sweat away from his temple and let his glance wander the shaded paths of the garden that stretched away from him on every side like a spider's web, each band of gravel glowing nearly golden in the endless streaming sunlight.

It was, indeed, a very warm morning – in fact, it had been a warm summer all around. The Wu Territory's usual pattern of afternoon thunderstorms seemed to have abdicated in favor of the never-ending heat, which had held Qingshan in siege ever since Zhou Yu and his companion arrived weeks earlier. In previous years, the swordsman remembered mild squalls blowing up nearly every day to splinter the pervasive sunshine, but it had been some time since rain graced the city in any considerable amount, and brown patches of grass in the open clearing were proof of the uncharacteristically dry weather.

Not even the nights had been cool; the strategist had taken to sleeping with his window open and nothing but a light sheet covering his bed. And Sun Ce, who apparently had a lower temperature tolerance than his stony swordsman, had gone even farther – there had been quite a stir amidst the palace staff the first time a servant walked in on the Sun lord sleeping on his floor in nearly nothing at all.

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at his wandering memory and dragged another arrow from the quiver on his back, studying the smooth shaft between his fingers with a preoccupied countenance suddenly shading serious. In a way, it was embarrassing that Sun Ce had become the subject of the chuckling rumors among his payroll again – but in another way, the strategist was glad that gossip was the most vicious threat his snoozing companion had to worry about at the moment.

A shiver slid down the swordsman's spine at the thought of Xu Gong, and his jaw clenched angrily as both eyes narrowed to uneasy slits. It was true that the man was dead, and that all of his correspondences had been tracked and eliminated – but the idea of their conquered lords turning against them to seek a coup from Cao Cao and the imperial court hadn't occurred to Zhou Yu before the incident, at least not in any force. Wu had been stable as a territory for over a year, and except for border hounds like Liu Xun the threats to their conquest seemed to have died out. But the prefect of Wucheng had raised doubts in Zhou Yu's mind again, and alerted the strategist to the considerable threat the subjugated lords could pose.

The swordsman scuffed one heel against the ground, clouting the fallen apples away from his feet as though they too sought to harm the young officer dozing nearby. Men like Xu Gong still existed throughout Wu in significant number, some of them members of the various courts that assembled in Sun Ce's principal cities and stood by with empty compliments whenever the situation seemed appropriate. It wasn't impossible for them to try another assassination – in person, perhaps, to avoid the pitfall of intercepted messages. And while the Sun lord was certainly more than capable of defending himself, there was no way of knowing what kind of force mutinous courtiers could muster if they schemed together and called for outside assistance.

It seemed to be an impenetrable quandary. Though it was certainly unreasonable to have all the vaguely suspicious lords beheaded for one man's act of rebellion, Zhou Yu couldn't help the troubled feeling that settled in his stomach whenever he considered the incident. The strategist hadn't been able to devise a way of neutralizing their power, and that made him nervous enough that sleep had stopped coming easily no matter how long he worked into the night. Rarely had he experienced insomnia so vicious – even the Sun lord sleeping unharmed amid nearby pillows could never seem to calm the unsteady rhythm of his anxious heartbeat.

Zhou Yu stared at the arrow in his hand with unseeing eyes, fingering the well-used fletches as his lips settled into a grim line. The sunshine seemed to lose its encompassing warmth at the memory of the blood-black characters in Xu Gong's letter, writhing like snakes across his intended death warrant. What would have happened if the letter hadn't been intercepted – if Duke Cao had received the deceased lord's proposal as intended. Would Cao Cao truly have sent for Sun Ce, and kept him in the imperial court until he could be executed? Would the Sun lord have gone north if the emperor demanded it of him? Would they have been able to stop the plan from proceeding? Or…

Zhou Yu shook himself and refocused on his shot, sending a harsh arrow off into the shrubs beyond the target as anger and anxiety made his motions rough. The strategist bit his lip, chastising eyes following the botched shaft to its haphazard place among the leafy undergrowth of the garden's untamed folds and forcing the irritation in his veins to slowly simmer and settle back to a manageable level. It didn't matter. Xu Gong had been executed, and the plot destroyed with him – Duke Cao knew nothing of his loyal traitor's intentions. And now they would be wary of any summons from the imperial court, alerted to a previously hidden threat… the strategist shook his head and snapped the bowstring in time to his strained, rushing pulse. It wasn't worth worrying about anymore – not today, when the sun was shining so brightly and Sun Ce was resting only a matter of feet away, tucked safely into Qingshan's generous shade.

"Chill out, Yu. You're gonna give yourself a heart attack."

Zhou Yu blinked and turned to glance backward at the lazy drawl that nearly echoed his thoughts, flicking the strands of windswept hair from his shoulders. Sun Ce was propped up on one elbow amidst the lush grass, amber eyes watching the tense swordsman between ruffled chestnut bangs and mirroring the light frown that colored the young officer's expression. The Sun lord shook his head, flopping back limply onto the ground and motioning to the ample shadows of the apple tree around him.

"Come on. Take a break before you pop a blood vessel. If I'd known a little archery was going to be so stressful for you, I would have stopped you before you started."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and tapped the bow idly against his shoulder, empty hand slipping to his hip in mild consternation at the Little Conqueror's knowing tone. He considered informing the Sun lord how little his present activity actually had to do with the scowl affixed to his features, but it hardly seemed worth the effort; the strategist let the words slip away from his preoccupied tongue without voicing them, turning back to the target and ignoring his lounging companion. Zhou Yu drew another arrow from the sturdy quiver and fired almost before he had time to aim, stalling his sobering contemplation with the whip-like motion of the shaft through the buzzing summer air.

It didn't matter anymore. Zhou Yu winced as the bowstring snapped along his forearm, burning the pale skin with a line of red welts. Xu Gong was dead. Sun Ce was safe. And anyone else with an interest in the young lord's life could find their answer at the end of his blade—

"Yu!" The strategist startled and nearly dropped his bow at the insistent interruption, his frayed heartbeat racing faster with the unexpected intrusion. Zhou Yu turned back to meet the flaring amber eyes with a light glare, which Sun Ce matched easily as he patted the ground beside him and frowned at his hesitating swordsman. The young lord raised one hand to shield his face from the dappled sunlight and jerked his chin in the vague direction of the apple tree. "C'mon – I'm serious. Come sit with me."

Zhou Yu wavered for a moment, glancing over his shoulder at the half-filled archery target and the escaped arrow lurking in the bushes behind it. Then he sighed and moved into the cool shade of the overhung boughs, resting gently against the patchy trunk and dropping both bow and quiver into the thick grass at his side. It was rarely worth arguing with the Sun lord, especially since he tended to become stubborn as a mule and dig his heels in until the strategist wanted to break something – and the archery practice hadn't been going particularly well in any case. Perhaps a short break from productivity wouldn't kill him.

Sun Ce flopped onto his stomach with a victorious grin and a wink, chin resting on his joined hands as he kicked his feet lazily back and forth. "That's more like it. I'll bet you'd be less grumpy if you would just relax once in a while."

Wu's dark swordsman rolled his eyes and reached out to cuff the young officer apathetically on the back of the head, unable to summon any real annoyance despite the teasing words and his disrupted pastime. The warmth of the morning sun, embroidered with the hovering insects and the wind brushing against his face, lulled his onyx eyes closed and chased the dark thoughts into the back of his mind where they couldn't fester quite so easily. Sun Ce hummed tunelessly into the thick summer air, and Zhou Yu listened to the inharmonic sound with half an ear as the sunshine poured across the garden and evaporated the lingering anxiety running through him, replacing it with an inescapable feeling of idle drowsiness.

For a moment, the morning seemed to hang suspended in peaceful reflection, nothing moving besides the rustling leaves above their heads – but Sun Ce could never be still for long, and it only took a matter of minutes for the restless officer to exhaust his stationary patience. Zhou Yu cracked one eye open lethargically as the Sun lord picked up a loose stick and began tapping his unsteady rhythm on the swordsman's leg, swinging his feet noiselessly back and forth. Sun Ce smiled up into the mild onyx eyes, speckled sunlight flitting like freckles across his face.

"I like it here," he announced decidedly. Zhou Yu blinked, one eyebrow rising into the furrows of his surprised and vaguely unconvinced forehead.

"I thought you hated this city. You've been complaining for the last three weeks about Qingshan being excruciatingly dull." The Sun lord wrinkled his nose, smacking the handy stick against his strategist's shoulder with a small frown.

"Qingshan _is_ dull. There's nothing to do here but listen to those envoys talk all day – and since everybody else is still in Niuqiao, I don't even have anyone to play with." Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath.

"I believe that was the point. I hoped it would encourage you to get your work done – but all I've truly acquired is a lot of whining." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue and whapped the swordsman with his stick again, slumping into the dense grass with a light glare burning in his eyes.

"What did you expect? You've practically had me locked in that office the whole time!" Zhou Yu sighed silently and turned his gaze back to the endless sky as he lost the will to argue, pieces of chipped cerulean just glimmering through the thick emerald of the apple tree's leaves. Sun Ce kicked his feet viciously back and forth through the still air, unsettling the flow of the wind trembling in the boughs over their heads. "I've got plenty to whine about."

The strategist said nothing, obsidian eyes locked on the smooth contours of Heaven high above him. Of course, their journey to Qingshan hadn't really had anything to do with the Sun lord's lack of a powerful work ethic – nor had their departure from Niuqiao in spring, when the first thaw sent them hastening to aid Taishi Ci in his campaigns against the encroaching armies of Liu Xun. Instability in southern Wu had been the main reason for their migration from the northernmost region of the territory, but Zhou Yu had felt relieved to depart the sizeable city of Niuqiao for a completely different reason.

A flock of birds settled into the branches over their heads with a rash of high-pitched melodies, skittering among the various twigs and vying for first pick at the insects sweeping through the morning breeze. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, closing both eyes against the absent headache building behind his temples. Xuan. Xuan was the reason the swordsman had been so glad to leave Niuqiao as soon as the snow faded, and the reason he wasn't particularly interested in returning any time soon. It was possible that Sun Ce felt similarly about his adopted daughter – but the idly irked expression on the young officer's face didn't tell the strategist anything, and he leaned back into the trunk with a heavy exhale that seemed to draw from all of his exhaustion and the tension riding so stiffly through his shoulders.

The trouble with children was that they got older. Actually, in Zhou Yu's opinion, the real trouble with children was that they existed at all, but he had resigned himself to the inevitability of small, obnoxious creatures running underfoot for the next seventeen or so years shortly after Xiao Qiao announced her pregnancy. What a winter in Niuqiao had taught him, however, was that with every stage of growth a child went through came more unfortunate and stressful aspects of their existence.

Infants were loud. They screamed at inconvenient times and occasionally chose to be inconsolable – and even happy babies could be ear-splitting when they felt like it. But as the weeks wore on and children changed from completely helpless infants to only moderately helpless ones, they grew more and more irritating. Xuan, in particular, had begun to roll and twist whenever he was laid on a flat surface, and it resulted in both Xiao Qiao and Lu Meng leaping for the edges of tables and sitting platforms with incredible frequency. Yingmei had developed an incredible set of lungs – the strategist couldn't be sure why, but shrieking had become her favorite activity, and she was insufferable if left alone for even a short period of time. Lady Qiao had assured the household that the ear piercing screeches coming from her daughter were generally sounds of pleasure and comfort, but the swordsman couldn't bring himself to find any joy in her outbursts.

But perhaps the worst thing about Xuan, in Zhou Yu's opinion, was that the child seemed to have grown attached to him. Xiao Qiao's son was a temperamental child even for a baby, and in the wrong mood he refused to be held by his own father – but there was something about the dark strategist that drew a smile onto his rounded face at every turn, and that reaction made Zhou Yu sick to his stomach in a way he couldn't quite place. Perhaps it was just the feeling of haunting memory that lurked in the corners of his mind every time he witnessed Xuan's beaming countenance – but the swordsman couldn't help wondering how long it took for that open adoration to change to dislike, and whether he had ever looked at his own father that way before Zhou Fan slid beneath his affection.

Sun Ce shook himself, chestnut ponytail flashing from side to side like a stream of silk, and the small motion shattered Zhou Yu's solemn train of thought. The swordsman blinked as five tan fingers reached out and tapped a nameless beat on his knee in place of the abandoned stick; amber met obsidian with a laughing smile as the young officer shook his head.

"But anyway – that's not what I meant. I don't like Qingshan at all." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, looking down at his companion from the superior height of his position against the tree trunk.

"What did you mean?" Sun Ce grinned, his eyes dancing with the effervescent sunlight shimmering between olive leaves all around them.

"I meant I like right here. Right now." The Sun lord paused a moment and then shrugged, reaching out to grab his swordsman's hand where it rested in the lush grass. "Like this."

Zhou Yu felt a small smile quirking his lips upward at the corners – then he dropped his head back against the rough bark of the trunk and closed his eyes, finding the irritation and uncertainty that had been lurking in his ribcage only moments before inexplicably vanished.

"Mm."

For a long moment, the strategist felt nothing but the warmth of the sun and Sun Ce's tireless fingers twining between his own, and heard nothing but the sighing exhale of his restless companion as the wind scattered in the boughs above them, dragging more apples from the deep nest of leaves and throwing them senselessly to the ground below. The world beyond the garden retreated into the darkness behind his eyelids, sleep neglected for long nights tugging inquisitively at his dulled senses with the texture of daydreams… Wu's dark swordsman relaxed into the contours of the bark and squeezed his companion's hand. For just an instant, Zhou Yu almost thought he could feel the sunshine brilliance of Sun Ce's smile through their united fingers.

Just an instant.

"Sun Ce! Zhou Yu!"

The powerful shout and a crash of urgent footsteps shattered the moment abruptly, jolting the strategist into a full sitting position and jarring his hand away from Sun Ce's. Zhou Yu's eyes shot open and his gaze dashed lightning-quick around the clearing, searching for an origin to the voice his foggy mind could not yet assign a face. The Sun lord jumped as well and pulled himself into a crouch, resting on his elbows and glancing around with a significant yawn that belied the alertness instantly swimming through his amber eyes – and for a seemingly interminable moment, nothing moved in the thick undergrowth.

Zhou Yu felt his forehead furrowing, and he wondered where the sound had come from for its herald to be out of sight – but he didn't have to wonder very long. Han Dang charged through the far bushes like a typhoon and broke into a stiff jog at the sight of his quarry, face solemn and set beneath the rays of the sun.

"There you are – I've been looking everywhere for you two. Come back to the palace – quickly." The veteran's weathered eyes writhed with urgent light as he halted abruptly several strides from the tree, both hands flat and still as stones against the weave of his tunic. Sun Ce exchanged a confused look with his dark strategist and pushed to his feet, brushing a few lingering blades of grass away from his knees as the general shifted impatiently and glanced over one preoccupied shoulder.

"Hey, Han Dang – what's the matter? Trouble in paradise?" The Sun lord's voice was light and steady, but there was an undertone of wary curiosity that caught Zhou Yu's attention as he rose from the soft soil and joined his companion at the edge of the shade. The swordsman studied the contours of their loyal general's face, set like granite into a stern expression they rarely carried, and wondered what could have brought such immobile severity to Han Dang's features this early in the morning.

The veteran rubbed anxiously at his stubbled chin, coal gaze flashing over each young officer in turn and then back toward the palace behind him. "Not trouble, exactly. A messenger's just arrived, Sun Ce – and I think you'd better see him right away. I sent him into the audience hall to wait for you."

The Sun lord started, surprise plain on his tan features; Zhou Yu felt his lips settling into a grim line as a feeling of confusion hovered somewhere beneath his ribs. Messengers weren't rare in the court of the Little Conqueror, of course – but Han Dang hadn't shown this much interest in dealing with one of them as long as the strategist could remember, and certainly never this much anxiety. Sun Ce and his father's veteran almost had an unspoken agreement concerning the obnoxious envoys, and Han Dang tended to ignore them as long as possible before forcing the Sun lord to deal with his dull visitors. But today… the dark swordsman rushed a hand through his scattered hair and caught the general's imperative stare, drawing himself straighter and preparing for the countless catastrophes that might send Han Dang hurtling through Qingshan's garden.

"Who sent the messenger? Taishi Ci?" Had Wu's Wolf warrior met significant trouble along the border again? His forces had been well-provisioned but struggling with low morale when Xu Gong's threat forced the Sun lord and his strategist back to Qingshan – had the situation deteriorated in the few weeks since Taishi Ci last saw them?

To the swordsman's considerable surprise, Han Dang shook his head and refused to meet the questioning obsidian eyes, windswept hair flickering over his forehead as he bit into his lower lip. "I think you'd better go talk to him, Zhou Yu." A shadow lingered beneath his gaze and darkened the already severe expression, turning his lips down in an uncertain frown. The veteran glanced around the clearing and shifted his weight again, motioning to the abandoned target and its corresponding quiver with an awkwardly stoic gesture. "I'll clean up here. Just hurry."

Zhou Yu scowled, irritated at the general's evasion and worried by the concern seeping into his stomach, twisting with a thousand disastrous possibilities for the messenger's errand. A demand for clarification poised above his tongue, ready to pour into the too-warm morning air and force answers out of the reluctant general, but Sun Ce's hand on his arm stalled the swordsman before he could speak.

"The audience hall, huh? Thanks, Han Dang – we'll get right on that." So saying, the Sun lord tightened his grip on his displeased strategist and started off across the clearing, moving purposefully through the thick grass and into the bushes from which Han Dang had erupted scant minutes earlier. Zhou Yu glared at the back of the chestnut ponytail and shook his hand free, but he kept pace with his unaffected companion and tried to ignore the apprehension flickering in his ribcage as the gravel path crunched beneath their feet.

"Why didn't you ask him what the messenger wants?" the swordsman asked as soon as they passed out of earshot, keeping his voice low in line with their footsteps. Sun Ce shrugged nonchalantly and flicked his bangs away from his eyes, amber gaze shooting to his annoyed strategist at the question.

"Why bother? He obviously didn't want to tell us anything. We'll find out in a minute anyway."

The strategist frowned, his dark eyes riffling with irritation. "I'd prefer to be prepared for whatever it is. We have no idea what we're walking into." The Sun lord laughed at that, reaching out to pat his companion's shoulder and shaking his head easily.

"Prepared for what – the message? It can't be dangerous, Yu – Han Dang wouldn't send us anywhere near someone who might be a threat." Sun Ce twisted a strand of chestnut hair between his fingers and sighed softly, fidgeting against the warm breeze that tangled his bangs and blocked his ready eyes. "Whatever it is, let's just get it over with – and then we can deal with it and get rid of the problem altogether."

There wasn't truly anything to say to that, and Zhou Yu fell silent, his eyes catching glimpses of the palace between the trees ahead of them as the path ground subtly beneath their leather boots. Slowly the annoyance rushing through him changed and morphed, settling into the pit of his stomach in uneasy blocks; the strategist swept the dark hair away from his shoulders and stared through the foliage before them, his mind swirling with the possibilities for the message awaiting them in the sunlit palace.

There was still a chance that Taishi Ci had sent the envoy – but in that case, Han Dang's behavior made no sense at all. Any message from the south would be a call for military support of one kind or another, and then haste would be essential in gathering the necessary men and setting out for the border. There wouldn't be any time to waffle – and waffling would be unthinkable for any Wu general in such a situation anyway. Zhou Yu shook his head, stepping over a few more fallen apples and locking his eyes on the distant ridge of the tiled roof. Han Dang had been downright evasive – and that, more than anything, made the strategist nervous about the messenger's errand. Sun Jian's veteran was not a hesitant man by nature. What kind of news could make Han Dang that anxious but unwilling to disclose the message himself?

The swordsman pressed his lips together as the garden's trees suddenly retreated behind them like a cloudburst, opening into the long brick staircase that led to the palace's back door; Sun Ce jogged easily up the steps, his boots slapping like rough waves against the granite, and Zhou Yu increased pace to match him still lost in thought. What other aspects of the empire could send Han Dang running to find them instead of dealing with the messenger in his usual fashion? There hadn't been any recent threats to the north, and Xuancheng's reconstruction was proceeding as planned despite the Black Fist Gang's devastating assault the year before. But if any of Wu's cities had been attacked, Han Dang would surely have reported the incident right away, and undoubtedly have sent orders for the army to begin preparation as well. So what kind of catastrophe would cause his halting silence?

Sun Ce passed the stone lions at the head of the staircase and turned left, slipping under the shade of the roofed walkway to reach the highly decorated back entrance. Zhou Yu bit his inner cheek hard and followed his companion's quick footsteps, his mind spiraling into the darkness of lingering worry as they stepped through the doorway and into the cooling shadows of the aft corridor. If the messenger hadn't brought news of military trouble, then something else must have happened – something Han Dang couldn't bring himself to announce in person. Something personal.

Had things gone wrong in Niuqiao? What if one of the Qiao sisters' children had been injured somehow, or been kidnapped in the hopes of a wealthy ransom? Or the disaster could have taken place in Xuancheng – had Zhou Tai's wounds reopened during the light training he had finally been permitted to resume? Sun Quan had been suffering from a cold in his last letter to Qingshan – perhaps his illness had matured and transformed into a severely dangerous disease. Shang Xiang and her mother had been headed to Moling to meet with Lady Wu's relatives – had they reached the city safely? Had they been intercepted along the road? Traveling was dangerous even in Wu – and though the two women had been escorted and were certainly capable individuals themselves, there was no telling what could have befallen the small party along their journey south.

Zhou Yu felt his pulse elevating and rushing though his veins as every worrisome option slid through his mind, each tugging in turn at the lump of growing panic in his stomach. Han Dang was a fierce soldier – but what if the news concerned a personal disaster instead of a military one? Would that bring dark lines of troubled shadow to the veteran's normally open face? Would that cause the disarming silence hampering his tongue?

"Sheesh – it can't be that bad."

Zhou Yu blinked at the unexpected interruption, glancing to Sun Ce's neutral expression as they rounded a tight corner and turned down the corridor leading directly to the audience chamber. The Sun lord shrugged, amber eyes flashing up at their onyx opposites with exasperated amusement as the Little Conqueror shook his head.

"You look like we're walking to an execution. It's probably nothing – Han Dang just gets weird sometimes. You remember last spring when we got that envoy from the emperor, and he walked around stiff as a board for weeks afterward?"

Zhou Yu scowled, crossing both arms firmly over his chest as the hallway echoed with their off-rhythm footsteps. "That was entirely different. I have never seen Han Dang like this before – and neither have you. We don't have any idea what would cause him to act this way." Sun Ce cocked his head to the side, a small smile playing at his lips as he elbowed his strategist encouragingly in the side.

"Whatever it is, it's nothing we can't handle. Don't worry about it." The Sun lord's conviction was simultaneously irking and vaguely reassuring, despite its baseless confidence; the swordsman scoffed under his breath and shook his head, watching idly as doorways slid past on each side of them and the hallway carried them closer to their destination. Anxiety tightened his muscles and drew him straighter as the entrance to the audience hall finally appeared in the shadows of the corridor, waiting as a dead end some distance ahead. The strategist gritted his teeth. Niuqiao or Xuancheng – those were the most likely trouble spots…

"Come on, lighten up." Zhou Yu blinked, startled out of his thoughts once again by the Sun lord's prying elbow. Sun Ce shrugged into the still air of the corridor, which seemed almost unnervingly silent after the animated environment of the garden. "It's gonna be fine. Don't let it get to you."

The strategist said nothing, his gaze focused squarely on the door ahead of them and the two guardsmen posted outside it. The mildly dozing soldiers started and stood up straighter as they noticed the approaching officers, each man bowing low even before their commander drew close enough to necessitate the act of respect.

"Your visitor waits inside, Lord Sun Ce."

Sun Ce smiled at the guards and waved at them inattentively, the majority of his attention centered on his silently scowling swordsman. "Thanks guys – keep up the good work."

His response drew a pair of smiles onto the guards' faces despite its preoccupied tone, pulling both men to their full height and attention with a pride Zhou Yu assumed must stem from their near hero worship of the Little Conqueror. The strategist stalked past the soldiers and reached for the door, mind still caught up in his trailing concerns, but Sun Ce wasn't content to let their conversation go so easily – he leaned forward and grabbed Zhou Yu's wrist at the last minute, halting the tense fingers before they could properly grip the carved handle and stopping their small party just short of the audience hall. The swordsman gave his companion a flat look, but the young officer just smirked slightly and shook his head.

"Hang on. I'll tell you a quick joke – that'll put you in a better mood." Zhou Yu blinked, turning away from the door to face the young officer fully as his forehead furrowed in confusion.

"Ce… why would you bother putting me in a good mood _before_ we hear the bad news?"

It seemed like a waste of effort – whatever messenger had managed to sober Han Dang so severely would undoubtedly only worsen the swordsman's already aggravated temper, and any brief sanctity from solemnity the Sun lord's joke might be able to secure would immediately vanish. But Sun Ce grinned impishly at the lack of an outright rejection, and he dropped his hands from Zhou Yu's wrist to lean easily against the door before them.

"I'm pretty sure you're gonna pop a blood vessel if I don't. This way, even if you get upset again, you won't explode or anything." The strategist rolled his eyes, fairly certain that he wasn't in danger of fatal hypertension despite his concerns about the strange envoy, but his lord ignored the vote of idiocy and pressed on with an unmistakable glint in his amber eyes. "So here's your joke: How many Lu Mengs does it take to make a bottle of wine?"

Zhou Yu blinked, caught completely off guard by the unexpected and unintelligible question – for a fraction of an instant, he almost considered the subject seriously. Even the guards looked intrigued by the unusual inquiry, leaning forward at their posts and sharing quick glances as though each wondering whether the other had solved the riddle yet. A moment of silence encompassed the group as Sun Ce snickered to himself and the chamber waited quietly before them – then Zhou Yu sighed and ran a stiff hand through his hair, shaking his head and gesturing at random with one irked hand. There wasn't time for this nonsense; the swordsman bit back his wandering thoughts about the chances of Lu Meng even knowing _how_ to make wine and gave his companion a sternly exasperated glare.

"I don't know, Sun Ce – how many Lu Mengs does it take?" The Sun lord grinned fiercely and chuckled at his disinterested tone, turning back to the door with a quick wink.

"I'll tell you later. You can mull it over while we get through this." And without further explanation, the young officer pushed the door open and strode dramatically into his audience hall, arms swinging in an amused swagger. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes again and waved the guards away, dismissing them from their post now that the visitor would be attended; then he followed his irritating companion into the chamber and slammed the door closed, not particularly in a better mood despite the odd riddle he'd received.

Two steps inward was all the further he got. Then he stopped dead, coming to a halt at Sun Ce's side as his onyx eyes shot wide and his feet lost the ability to move, staggering on the thick carpet as though tangled in nettled vines. His breath became short and stuck in his throat, deadly and soft as knotted rope. For an interminable moment, he couldn't think at all.

And then he realized that perhaps it wasn't the message that had brought Han Dang running – perhaps it was the messenger himself.

"Lord Sun Ce."

Two calmly guarded eyes considered the stalled officers from the center of the chamber, matching the neutral expression of the visitor's stiff form with their unintelligible shadow. The envoy bowed rigidly, his thin ponytail slicking forward to rest around his neck over the grit of travel that littered his rich robe.

"And… Master Zhou Yu. It's good to see you. It's been… a long time, hasn't it?"

The dark swordsman drew a shallow breath – but it stuck in his lungs and refused to release, tightening his shoulders as Sun Ce swallowed hard. The strategist could only stare at their visitor, appraising his dusty boots and the features that hadn't changed – riddled with regret in a tightly forgiving face. The features that part of him had never expected to see again.

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, jaw tightening with stressed silence as the Little Conqueror found his voice at last.

"Xing Dao."

And as though Sun Ce's acknowledgement had breathed life into the stony figure before them, color seemed to spring into the motionless envoy – suddenly Zhou Yu noticed the too-warm hue of his face and the sweeping silk of his cloak and the tight shadow lurking in his coal-black eyes. Xing Dao swallowed a tight breath and a small smile, and the force of his presence hit the strategist like a tidal wave, nearly knocking him backward a step in its incomprehensible force.

Xing Dao. His father's friend. Sun Jian's veteran. The man who had tormented him during his first few years in Fu Chun, trailing the swordsman at every opportunity like a rejected uncle. Zhou Yu bit down hard on his lip and struggled to get his careening thoughts in order as the man in question stepped forward and bowed again; his gaze never left the frozen strategist with both fists tangled in fierce knots, even as he spoke to the master of Wu instead.

"I suppose congratulations are in order, Lord Sun Ce… who knew you'd make it as far as you have."

There was something cold about his tone – something that didn't ring quite complete about the words winging like scattered feathers through the tense air of the audience chamber. Zhou Yu felt it almost crawling under his skin as the voice echoed softly against the vaulted ceiling – and from his tense posture, the swordsman assumed his companion heard it as well. Sun Ce pursed his lips and crossed both arms guardedly over his chest, amber gaze studying the neutral features of their visitor across a distance he made no move to shorten.

"I guess I should thank you."

What was Xing Dao doing in Qingshan? Zhou Yu felt the question tumbling through his mind at hurricane speed as the unexpected envoy chuckled quietly, the sound barely slipping past his tight mouth. The general before them had served Sun Jian faithfully before his death – but after the strategist's last trip to his family manor, many years ago now, Xing Dao had requested permission to remain on his estate and support the Tiger of Jiang Dong from there. He hadn't even sent correspondence to Sun Ce when he left Yuan Shu; his loyalty to the lord of Wu was nowhere close to a certainty in the swordsman's mind. In fact, Zhou Yu hadn't laid eyes on the slightly rugged features that peered intently at him now for so many years he couldn't even summon the presence of mind to count them – and he wasn't pleased to see them now.

Xing Dao's trickling chuckle dropped off into the unnatural silence, countering the ironic smile that curved the messenger's lips slightly upward – an expression somehow anything but amused. The swordsman could see that his restless companion had gone completely rigid, staring at his unwanted visitor with unblinking amber eyes as Xing Dao took a step closer and scuffed one heel against the thick carpet. It made sense for Sun Ce to be uneasy – Zhou Yu could feel the same emotion writhing through his stomach as he gazed down at the general's long-forgotten form. Xing Dao's presence could only mean troubling news, and the dark strategist squared his shoulders as the envoy found his eyes and addressed him directly.

"I don't have time to stay very long – and I'm sorry to say I wouldn't, even if the choice were open to me."

Sun Ce seemed to bristle at the man's quietly condescending tone, a wish to respond and drive the envoy from his audience hall visible between the impatient lines of his countenance. Zhou Yu swallowed. He had never been fond of the man before them. But there was something so different about Xing Dao now from his previous open and giving personality, something so removed from the obnoxiously parental man who had forced his unending affection on the swordsman for the better part of two years… it made Zhou Yu wonder what hardships the wartorn times had brought to the distant general, and how much his own break with his family had affected the darkened features.

Xing Dao sighed into the waiting silence, brushing his thin hair back from his shoulders and staring carelessly into the strategist's dark eyes. "But I have an urgent message for you, Master Zhou Yu – one I hope you will not ignore despite your prejudices."

A slight glower threatened the swordsman's features at the patronizing tone, but he swallowed it back and said nothing, watching their former comrade with wary eyes. Xing Dao paused a moment, seeming to judge his listener's reaction with a thoughtful frown before he let a tiny smile flicker at the edges of his lips and his voice softened into a murmur.

"I have to tell you, Zhou Yu… if it were my decision, I wouldn't have brought you this message at all." Zhou Yu blinked, caught off guard by the reminiscent gentleness spilling through the hardened envoy's features. Xing Dao laughed quietly and shook his head, tousled bangs obscuring his eyes. "If it were my choice, I would never have approached you again… not as you are now." The swordsman's eyes narrowed at the condescension riding through the general's voice, and his response hit the air of the tense chamber before he even had time to consider it.

"I have always been this way, Xing Dao. I apologize if I ever misled you in that respect. Now please deliver your message – you are not wanted here any more than you seem to want to stay."

The messenger flinched slightly at his harsh tone, and Sun Ce shot his companion an approving backward glance; the strategist's onyx eyes locked on their hesitating visitor in an unrelenting glare as a long moment of silence circled the audience chamber and settled into the thick carpet. Then Xing Dao laughed, a coldly haunting sound that flared a shiver of discomfort down Zhou Yu's spine. The Sun lord scowled heavily at the amused envoy and crossed both arms over his chest, amber gaze focused in a tight stare.

"Yu's right. Spit it out, and then get out of here."

Only in battle had the strategist heard his lord's voice so rife with harsh demand – but the look in Sun Ce's eyes said this confrontation was truly no different than a clash of enemies, and that the distant general would find no welcome in the Wu forces. Xing Dao seemed to sense the young lord's building dislike as well, because he straightened in his stance and glanced between the waiting officers with appraising eyes. Then the envoy cleared his throat.

"Consider your opinion understood, Lord Sun Ce – and I promise you, I will be gone from your court as soon as I have fulfilled my duty." Xing Dao's gaze flashed importantly as he drew himself to full height and stared dully into the strategist's obsidian eyes. "Master Zhou Yu – I bring a request for the grace of your presence, in addition to the presence of your wife and child, in the home of a dying man." Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a firm line at the halfway conceited tone, irritation furrowing his brow and coloring his words a searing copper.

"My wife is not going anywhere – and her son is too young to travel." A flicker of longing shot through Xing Dao's eyes at the mention of the swordsman's family, but it was gone almost before Zhou Yu could identify it. The strategist shook his head firmly, voice growing yet rougher with every word. "Their visiting anyone is completely out of the question. And I would never knowingly bring them to a house where death has taken up residence."

Xing Dao was still standing stiff and straight in the center of the hall, but there was something about the shadows slipping over his features that spoke of defeat. Zhou Yu paused in his unwavering response and watched the silent visitor for a moment, studying the contours of his face and the darkness that the mention of death had stabbed through his eyes. Finally the strategist sighed, a silent exhale that drifted from his lips in confused curiosity.

"And… I would like to know who has requested the presence of my family in his dying hours."

Xing Dao smiled – a tight-lipped, fallen smile that didn't reach his eyes. Then he laughed, and the softly conquered sound trailed across the distance between them to send a plunge of uncertainty into the swordsman's stomach. The general shook his head.

"An old friend."

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed – and then they shot wide with shock, growing impossibly as his breath stopped and every muscle in his body tightened to its breaking point. The swordsman stared into Xing Dao's waiting countenance with his mouth halfway open and any semblance of rational thought disintegrating. The envoy nodded at his unspoken thoughts. Zhou Yu swallowed hard.

Because there was only one old friend of Xing Dao's who would have any interest in Wu's stunned strategist.

"My father… is dying?"

Xing Dao nodded gently. "He will not last much longer."

Somehow it had never occurred to him. Even the death of Sun Jian hadn't brought the trailing thought that someday his own parents would leave the earth for the afterlife. The strategist stared openmouthed at their unwanted envoy, at a complete loss for what to say as Sun Ce shot him a wary backward glance and Xing Dao shook his head.

"I have spent the majority of the last six years in Shucheng, watching Zhou Fan grow old too quickly and become sicker with every passing month." The general's eyes were hard as black diamonds in his face, glittering with accusation as he spoke. "You destroyed him when you refused to stay – and your brother Qi's departure only a few days later was more than he could take. He spent weeks in bed before your mother could even coax him to stand again."

Zhou Yu felt a writhing weight of deadly responsibility settling into his stomach even as Sun Ce stepped forward, anger clear on his tan features. "Hey – this isn't Yu's fault," the young officer snapped, both hands tightly fisted at his side. "It doesn't have anything to do with him. Don't try to guilt-trip him into going back to those—"

"I assure you that is not my intention." Sun Ce's jaw snapped shut at the envoy's firm interruption, and Zhou Yu started slightly at Xing Dao's unexpectedly forceful tone. The hardened general glared at them both and shoved the raven hair away from his eyes, scoffing under his breath as his expression soured into a vague scowl. "If I had my choice, I would never have brought you this message – because I don't believe you have the right to return to Shucheng, after fracturing your family the way you did."

That, Zhou Yu had not expected. Any response he might have found deserted him at the startling words, even as the Sun lord growled and his shoulders tensed under the cascade of his chestnut ponytail. "You know what? We really don't need your opinion around here. You said what you came to say – so how about getting out of my city before I lose my temper and throw you out myself?"

Xing Dao shook his head and bowed insincerely, taking one step backward toward the exit even as his eyes stayed locked on the swordsman who had said nothing at all. The general hesitated just at the threshold, his tone far more decisive than his feet.

"As you wish." Zhou Yu met the messenger's charcoal gaze evenly, keeping his face blank and solemn despite the intensity riding in Xing Dao's eyes – but there was an uncomfortable emotion twisting through his stomach, and he couldn't ignore the barbs that seemed to be striking his ribcage from within as their envoy slowly reached for the door handle.

Was it truly his fault? Would Zhou Fan have lived heedlessly for years longer without the stress of a broken household? Had the strategist destroyed his father and Xing Dao in one strike, when he chose Sun Ce and the people in Jiang Dong over his blood family? Zhou Yu shook his head to will the questions away – but his anxiety showed on his face, and Xing Dao paused with one hand against the doorframe, unblinking stare burning into the irresolute obsidian eyes as he found his words again.

"As I've said, Zhou Yu… I don't believe you have the right to return to your father. But he does not agree with me on this point. He begged me to find you and bring you back, one last time…" Zhou Yu bit down on his tongue, stalling the wave of guilt that threatened to swallow him. Xing Dao shook his head and continued more quietly. "I am not going to drag you back to Shucheng. I am currently on my way south, and I have no time to waste on convincing you. But I would ask you to consider his request seriously before you ignore it. Even if you do not love your family, you have an obligation to them – an obligation you have neglected until now."

Sun Ce scowled at the hated familiar argument and stamped one foot decisively, but Zhou Yu felt his pulse pounding against his ribcage at the words that struck him somehow. Without waiting for the Sun lord's forthcoming rebuke, Xing Dao shoved the far door open harder than necessary and moved into the hallway beyond the audience chamber, startling the guards posted outside that entrance and pausing on the threshold only long enough to meet the onyx eyes over his shoulder once more.

"Please consider how he will feel if he has to die knowing that his eldest son has abandoned him."

And then the man was gone, striding stiffly down the corridor and vanishing into the shadows of the hallway without a dash of hesitation. Sun Ce ran for the door and slammed it shut, holding onto the handles so tightly that his knuckles whitened and glaring at the painted wood as though it were personally responsible for the infuriating envoy.

"Good riddance! Get out of here! And don't come back!"

The Little Conqueror's passionate shout echoed around the carefully decorated walls, a last seal to the argument. For a moment, neither officer moved, both of them locked in the dissipating tension of the audience chamber. Then the Sun lord turned slowly back to his strategist, features melting from anger to uncertainty at the preoccupied expression that had captured the swordsman's pale face.

"…Yu?"

Zhou Yu said nothing. He dug his fingernails into the flesh of his palms and swallowed hard against the chaos of indecipherable emotion racing inside his mind – then he turned on heel and left the room without another word, deserting his wary companion in the middle of the rich carpet.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

Sun Ce's voice barely registered. The second door crashed open under his hands and the corridor flashed by on each side of the strategist as quick strides drove him down one hallway and then another, mind too jumbled to permit thought at all or give reason a foothold to regain control. Zhou Yu hurtled into his office like a typhoon, his movements as rough as the tempest of conflicting emotions rushing through every part of him in the deafening echoes of Xing Dao's words as any control he'd still held disintegrated between his fingers.

_After fracturing your family—_

The swordsman slammed the door shut behind himself and lurched forward, hitting his desk hard and falling into his chair almost on accident. Suddenly all motion stopped – for a long moment, Zhou Yu listened anxiously to the emptiness of his room, his flickering glance roving the papers before him and the unmade bed and the sunlight streaming through the window. Then he put his forehead down against the wood and closed his eyes, relishing the simple darkness behind his eyelids – the only sensical aspect of the disordered world that had swallowed him.

_Knowing that his eldest son has abandoned him—_

_He will not last much longer—_

The chaos of too many thoughts and too little focus pounded through his temples in an excruciating headache, and it was only with great effort that Zhou Yu braced his hands against the desk and forced himself to calm down. The shadows of induced darkness lurked before his unseeing eyes as the strategist struggled to still his pulse, shoving emotions away from the forefront and fighting the lump of culpability lingering in his stomach. One by one, the muddled mass of thoughts pushed and tumbled out of the center of his mind, allowing the swordsman to retake control of the heady dilemma as his heartbeat slowed and his eyes flickered open again.

Four deep breaths and a span of seconds later, he had found a starting point.

What was he going to do?

Zhou Yu lifted his head slowly from the surface of the desk and rested it resignedly in his hands, both thumbs working at the splitting headache beneath his temples. Somewhere outside his window, endless birdsong was drifting like a jeweled chain throughout the garden, weaving sunlight and harmony between the emerald boughs – but it did nothing to improve the strategist's mood or relieve the pressure pounding inside his skull as each emotion and angle of thought stabbed through the complicated question in turn. Zhou Yu closed his eyes again, blocking out the image of the luminous garden that contrasted so bluntly with the unwanted reality compressing every breath in his lungs.

In simple terms, he was going to do one of two things – he was going to go, or he wasn't. But there had never been anything simple about his family. The swordsman's unseeing gaze flickered between the various piles of reports cluttering his sturdy desk, and he reached out to fiddle with the end of a well-used brush as the morning breeze stirred long strands of hair against his neck and flickered through the unanticipated conflict, as haphazard and undecided as his thoughts.

He didn't want to go. That much was easy. He didn't want to see Xan and his mother again, or lay eyes on the sickly countenance that must have replaced his father's already weakened features, or walk the darkened hallways of his childhood home like the ghost son his decisions had made him. He didn't want to see the gardens shining in the summer sunlight or move with practiced discontent through Shucheng's quiet streets – and he didn't even want to think about Qi. But there was something about a dying wish that couldn't be dismissed that easily – something about Zhou Fan's last hope being reconciliation that tore a hole through the strategist's spine.

Why did the man want to see him anyway? Hadn't the swordsman made himself unavoidably clear about his less than conciliatory feelings toward his blood years ago, standing in the night's doorway and announcing his desertion? Didn't Zhou Fan understand that his eldest son had abandoned the family completely, without remorse or regret? What would his visit even accomplish, aside from driving the stake of guilt Xing Dao had planted yet farther into his stomach, where it could writhe between dislike and pity for the father he'd disregarded? The strategist stared hard into the dark wood of his desk as though it could grant the answers to his dilemma-driven questions.

Unless he had lost his mind and memory along with his failing health, Zhou Fan could not have forgotten his son's last departure. But knowing that, what could he hope to gain by looking into the distant onyx eyes as he died? Was he truly that desperate to put the quarrel to rest? Or had he simply blocked out the fracture entirely, building an elaborate fantasy of well-being in the dim contours of his mind?

Zhou Yu dropped his head back into his hands and sighed heavily, the depth of the morning slipping like a wish across his tongue as his attempt at rationality only made the headache worse. He didn't want to go – but some part of him felt like he had to, like the obligation of family couldn't be dismissed that easily. Like he owed it to his father to at least watch the man's progression into the afterlife, even if honest grief would find no harbor inside of him. But Zhou Yu knew that his return to Shucheng would be miserable, and that he would find no more peace in the sheltered valley than if he remained in Wu and ignored the request. Where did that leave him? Which choice presented the lesser of two evils?

_Tap tap tap_.

"Yu?"

He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. There were only so many places in the palace that the swordsman was known to seek refuge, and the Sun lord had no doubt been fairly close on his heels when he bolted from the audience chamber. Slowly, Zhou Yu raised his head from the cradle of ten tense fingers and watched the door in silence as it slid back from its frame. Sun Ce's cautious face appeared in the created opening and blinked at him, one hand still on the door while the other twisted through the silk of his shirt. The young officer tipped his head curiously to the side.

"…Can I come in?"

Zhou Yu said nothing, but his eyes moved back to the tangle of his fingers as both hands entwined and came to rest before his chin, elbows braced against the desktop as though furniture alone could grant him stability. Sun Ce waited another moment before slipping through the partly open door and moving to perch on the desk corner, both legs swinging softly through the terse silence. The swordsman couldn't bring himself to meet the dimly inquisitive gaze roaming his face, and he stared out across the chaos of his room as the Little Conqueror ran a quick hand through his ponytail and reached out to find his companion's shoulder.

"So…" Zhou Yu's eyes flickered up to their amber opposites before skidding back to the mound of scrolls piled before him. Sun Ce sighed, tapping the strategist's knee with one encouraging foot. "Tell me about it."

The dark swordsman blinked, preoccupied stare winding its slow way up to the blankly urging features. The chaos of unwanted emotion spiraling inside his ribcage almost prompted a cutting retort at the halfway patient look on the Sun lord's face, but Zhou Yu caught himself and bit his tongue. The strategist forced his gaze away from the waiting countenance and glared hard at the wood of his desk, thoroughly ignoring the insistent pushes of a leather boot against his knee. The anger wasn't meant for Sun Ce – and there was no sense in lashing out when the young officer was just trying to help. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and pushed the words back into the depths of his emotional tempest, barely circumventing his frustration to respond civilly.

"There's nothing to tell you."

Nothing he didn't already know. But the swordsman could almost feel Sun Ce rolling his eyes, and a light squeeze on his shoulder confirmed the young lord's disagreement. "Yeah, sure – I've got a general idea what's going on inside your head. How about some details?"

Zhou Yu felt his frown deepening at the flippant tone, and he leaned forward to bury his head in his hands as the interminable headache flared behind his temples. The strategist sighed, digging ten fingers into the depths of his dark hair and closing his eyes uselessly against the expectant silence that closed around them like a heavy fist.

"What does it matter?"

He could hear Sun Ce scooting closer across the surface of the desk, and a stack of papers ruffled mildly as the young lord reached out to grab his swordsman's forearm with both hands.

"Yu…" Zhou Yu said nothing, shaking off the Little Conqueror's grip and pulling away from the insistent fingers as they reached out to reestablish contact. The Sun lord huffed and kicked his shin. "Hey! Look at me."

Slowly, the deeply troubled obsidian eyes rose to find their amber counterparts, and Zhou Yu watched as the thin line of irritation skidding through Sun Ce's expression melted into an encouraging half-smile. The young officer shook his head and leaned forward, dropping both hands heavily onto his swordsman's tight shoulders and moving them across the tense muscles in a vague massage. The Sun lord sighed through his smile.

"It's okay. You don't have to go – no one's making you."

Zhou Yu swallowed, lips pressing into a thin line as he shook his head and closed his eyes against the renewed headache pulsing behind each temple. "It's not that simple," he muttered, voice rough with the conflicting impulses peppering his stomach. Sun Ce scoffed under his breath, restless hands tightening in the folds of his strategist's shirt.

"Sure it is. You don't want to go, right?" He didn't have to wait for the swordsman's short nod. "So don't go. That's all there is to it." Twin amber eyes glittered brilliantly in the Sun lord's encouraging face as he shook his head and moved his thumbs in gentle circles over the strategist's tense muscles. "Why do you always make these things harder than they have to be?"

Zhou Yu sighed heavily, scowling almost ruefully at his companion's idly appropriate question. "I don't know, Ce," he answered honestly, tipping farther into the cradle of his knotted hands and feeling every fleeting pressure of the young officer's fingertips. The swordsman bit his lip hard, struggling to control the turmoil still whirling senselessly beneath his ribs as a jagged exhale slipped past his tongue. "But I… I don't know if I can leave it at that."

Sun Ce straightened a little at the resistive response, gaze shading curious as he withdrew his hands in surprise from the sullen shoulders and studied the dark frown coloring his strategist's lips. "Whoa, hang on… you're not actually thinking of going, are you?" Zhou Yu's silence was far more informative than any answer he might have given, and the Sun lord snatched his soundless swordsman's sleeves as shock flitted openly through his widened eyes. "Are you kidding me? Go back to Shucheng? After all this time?"

The strategist sighed, rubbing at the headache roiling in his temples and gesturing vaguely to the flawless sky somewhere above them. "…He is my father, Ce." And he was – in blood, if nothing else. Perhaps it didn't matter to the dying man that he couldn't truly have the strategist's compassion. Perhaps Zhou Fan deserved at least the right to a last request of his eldest son, if he couldn't hope for grieving rites and the commitments of a filial child…

Sun Ce scoffed tactlessly, crossing both arms firmly over his chest and fixing the solemn swordsman with a disbelieving stare. "Yeah – hardly. You don't even like him. You can't tell me you actually _want_ to see him."

Zhou Yu couldn't. The strategist shook his head and swallowed a deep breath, wondering distantly how many people he'd be willing to kill for the alleviation of his driving headache at that moment. Twin obsidian eyes glanced up into the young officer's skeptical gaze before spattering back to the overflowing desk. "He's family."

The Sun lord snorted under his breath, posture becoming mildly defensive with irritation. "What's that got to do with it? You don't owe him anything, Yu – so don't even start with that. If you say the word obligation, I swear…"

Zhou Yu shook his head again sharply, cutting the familiar tirade off as a trickle of irritation dashed through him. Perhaps his vacillating hesitation did have to do with a sense of obligation to the man who had raised him, distantly or not – but that was a perfectly valid consideration in the swordsman's mind, regardless of his companion's rebellious opinion on familial piety and devotion. The strategist raised his dark eyes to meet Sun Ce's challenging gaze and frowned heavily, one hand prodding the insistent headache taking up residence inside his skull.

"It's not as easy as you make it sound. I…" There wasn't truly a way to structure his counterargument – not on the basis of the conflicting thoughts still swirling through his mind. But Sun Ce seemed to understand his intended statement anyway, and the young officer's eyes widened in his contrary countenance before he slid forward abruptly, abandoning his desk perch and landing hard beside the seated strategist. Sun Ce grabbed both of Zhou Yu's shoulders in a tight grip and shook them, scowling under his flurried bangs at the swordsman's unresolved expression.

"Come on, Yu – snap out of it! Don't let them get to you like this!" The Little Conqueror's chestnut ponytail smashed back and forth with the motion of his head, vaguely matching his companion's troubled pulse as two bright amber eyes locked onto their onyx counterparts. "You don't really believe Xing Dao, do you? This isn't your fault! You haven't even seen your father in years!"

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a firm line, glance straying to his hands where they littered the dark wood like marble carvings. "Maybe that's the problem, Ce." His words were barely a whisper, and they disappeared into the light morning wind as a sheet of steel gravity seemed to cut across his features. The strategist felt his fingers knotting into restless fists as the depths of guilt-ridden responsibility dropped into his stomach again like lead weights and colored his words. "If I'd stayed in Shucheng…"

If he'd stayed in Shucheng, he'd have been left with nothing. Everything important he had gained through the years would have been untouchable, impossible to retain under different circumstances. But there was never a way to stop the endless stream of unknown possibilities from…

"Augh!" Sun Ce's cry shattered the tensely waiting air of the study like a thousand piercing needles, and Zhou Yu jumped in his seat as the young lord's eyes adopted a fierce glare that seemed to writhe with the fire of the sun itself. Sun Ce shook his head violently and threw himself into a kneel, locking both arms tightly around the strategist's neck despite their awkward position and pulling Zhou Yu close enough that he could almost count the flickering flames of impatience searing through the impulsive officer's expression.

"Ce?" His voice seemed too quiet after his companion's vibrant shout; the Sun lord huffed in frustration, his close breath ghosting over the swordsman's lips like an angry thunderstorm.

"I can't even believe you," the Little Conqueror accused heatedly, tangling his fingers into the long strands of his companion's dark hair. "One moody envoy shows up with a message from your father, and now suddenly you wish you'd never come with me at all? Is that how little everything we've worked for means to you?" Zhou Yu blinked, caught off guard by the impassioned words and the smoldering embers wringing through that hard amber stare.

"I didn't say that," he protested softly, holding his gaze steady despite the sheer energy flowing through the young officer's glare. Sun Ce scoffed.

"Well, that's what it sounded like. So say what you mean, or don't say anything at all!" Something the swordsman couldn't quite place flickered through the Sun lord's expression, and he leaned closer until their noses were almost touching, his voice dropping with the shadows invading his demanding eyes. "Do you really wish you'd stayed in Shucheng?"

"No." The strategist didn't even feel his mouth moving before the answer split the air around them, tugging at his companion's lips in a small smile before Sun Ce shook his head and his fierce frown returned unhindered.

"Then why do you want to go back now? There's nothing for you in Shucheng – we both know that!"

Zhou Yu swallowed hard, images of his long-forsaken hometown slipping through the untamed hurricane of thoughts beneath each temple. Zhou Fan, Lady Cai, Xan… it was true that he'd vowed never to set foot in the sheltered valley again. Never to concern himself with the people in the green folds of that lush river city. Never to look back. But nonetheless…

Sun Ce sighed heavily into the unanswered silence, pressing his forehead against the strategist's as best he could from his unusual position and tightening his grip. "Come on, Yu… you're just going to make yourself miserable. You know that, right?"

Zhou Yu nodded slowly, and his eyes slipped closed to block out the vision of the sunlit window and a bough of jade leaves rustling in the quiet wind just beyond them. Qingshan seemed so peaceful, so beautiful compared to the turmoil he could almost feel lurking above his family manner and waiting to shatter anyone who set foot on the cursed grounds. Returning to Shucheng couldn't be easy – and there was a part of him still resisting the idea entirely, the part that recognized Sun Ce's words as the unavoidable outcome of his requested visit. But there was another part, too – a part that believed in obligation, in responsibility. A part that warned him of his inability to let things go…

"I know, Ce." His words were hardly more than a sigh, and the swordsman opened his eyes slowly to survey their doubtful opposites from the limited distance between them. Zhou Yu shook his head. "But if I don't… if I refuse to see him… this will torment me. You have to know that, too."

He could already feel it – the stiff mercury drifting through his veins like an ominous promise, like there was no choice in this matter for which he would not suffer. In the end, a dying wish was not a light matter – and though Zhou Fan truly carried little weight in his son's eyes, he was a parent nonetheless. The family couldn't be reunited – not now. But perhaps they could stand together long enough to lie, to send the noble of Shucheng from his deathbed without too many regrets. Perhaps that much, at least, he owed his father.

Sun Ce sighed heavily, his posture slumping toward the thick rug as he shook his head and moped up at his quiet strategist. "I guess that means you're going, huh?" Zhou Yu nodded gently, feeling the pull of ten restless fingers in his hair even at the small motion. The Sun lord huffed, his lips melting into a crooked smile. "I swear, you've got the market cornered on making yourself unhappy. Even Lu Meng's not this good."

The swordsman smiled too, just a little, and felt the rush of tumbling uncertainty ebbing away from his temples to be replaced only by vague foreboding. There was no way of knowing whether he had truly made the correct decision – but making a decision at all seemed to pull the maelstrom of emotions away from his ribcage and condense it, driving the gnawing guilt into a corner of his mind where it couldn't completely overwhelm him. The dark strategist exhaled softly and shook his head, lips just barely quirking upward at the corners as his preoccupied hands settled onto his lord's shoulders.

"That's why you're here, isn't it? To stop me?"

Sun Ce grimaced lightly, his amber eyes reflecting the brilliant sunlight that seemed to peer through the open window as though waiting for an end to the conflicted debate. "Yeah – thanks for making my job that much harder." A tiny huff escaped the Sun lord's pursed lips as they relaxed into a sincere smile; the young officer straightened to a standing position and moved behind his strategist, wrapping both arms tightly around the captured shoulders. "Which is exactly why I have to come with you."

Zhou Yu blinked – then his eyes widened and he craned his neck backward, trying in vain to catch a glimpse of his companion's no doubt grinning countenance. "What? Come with me?" The swordsman shook his head firmly and glared down at his desk in place of the laughing amber eyes, chastising the dark wood as his voice sharpened in reprimand. "Ce, don't be ridiculous—"

"I'm not being ridiculous!" Zhou Yu couldn't see the Sun lord in his lurking stance behind the chair, but he didn't have to witness the young officer's expression to perceive the pleased undertone of his interruption. Sun Ce squeezed his stiff strategist in a tight hug and rested his chin on one taut shoulder, chestnut hair tickling the back of the pale neck. "If I _don't_ go, you're going to come back here so grumpy and depressed that I'll never get you to smile again. No thanks. It's best if we just make it a vacation, kind of – and then I can knock some sense into you whenever you get too gloomy."

Traveling to Shucheng to bear the rasping words of his father's dying breath didn't sound much like a vacation to Zhou Yu, and his previously clearing countenance dissolved back into a stern scowl at the idea of dragging Sun Ce with him to the unavoidably serious confrontation. Not to mention the disruption the Little Conqueror's departure would cause in Wu… "You can't, Ce. You have responsibilities here."

What would Han Dang say at the thought of his lord leaving the Wu Territory so soon after an assassination attempt? And what would happen if Taishi Ci requested aid while they were gone? Their army was spread too thin across the vast region as it was, and removing the commander in chief from his area of influence could hardly be a good development. But Sun Ce apparently disagreed, and he slumped forward until he could catch the disagreeing onyx gaze with his own, tipping his head imploringly to the side so his ponytail swept across his swordsman's solemn shoulders.

"Don't be such a hard hat, Yu. It'll only be a week or two, right? They can spare me that long. We're not doing anything important here anyway." The Sun lord leaned forward and nuzzled his strategist's neck, sending a tiny shiver down Zhou Yu's back at the slight contact. "Come on. Wouldn't it be more fun if we both went?"

The swordsman shook himself hard, forcing the flitting sensation away and preparing to inform his companion just how little the trip had to do with fun in the first place – but a thought stopped him halfway and narrowed his eyes. Zhou Yu twisted far enough to capture the amber gaze with his own suspicious one and felt a light scowl suffusing his features.

"You just want to get out of meeting with the envoys, don't you?"

Sun Ce grinned, shrugging a little at the grounded accusation. "That might be a fringe benefit. But it's not why I'm going, I promise." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"Of course not." But it was hard to believe, considering what the Sun lord had been known to do in order to get out of a boring political encounter. It couldn't be too many years ago that he'd spent an afternoon hiding out under Fu Chun's bridged causeway to avoid a few of Yuan Shu's esteemed dinner guests…

Sun Ce squeezed the strategist and leaned into him, letting his chest lie easily against the tense shoulders under his silken sleeves. The young officer sighed comfortably. "Okay – but even if that's part of it, I really do want to go with you." Zhou Yu couldn't help his thin, ironic smile.

"You won't be happy once we're there, Ce. It'll be far worse than all of the envoys put together…" The strategist exhaled softly, melancholy flitting through his dark eyes and blocking out the sunlight. Nothing in Shucheng would be enjoyable – it couldn't be. Not when the shadow of his broken family waited in the deceptively green folds of the forsaken valley.

But Sun Ce just laughed, a mellow and easy sound that echoed through the warm air like a temple bell. "Nah – it won't be that bad." The Sun lord gave his swordsman an encouraging smile, bright as the sun and twice as strong, as he pressed his face back into the pale curve of Zhou Yu's neck. "I won't let it be."

There was nothing to say to that – and for a long moment, neither of them did, held motionless in the harmonizing strands of birdsong and light breeze ricocheting between the walls. Zhou Yu took a deep breath and swallowed the stifled sunbeams, leaning back in the restless officer's embrace and watching the flickering emerald branches outside the window. Sun Ce's sighing exhale tickled his skin like a slowly teasing feather, traveling steadily back and forth across his flesh as the clouds moved and everything else just waited.

Then the strategist blinked, thought returning abruptly as a stray curiosity crossed his mind. Zhou Yu turned slightly and glanced back into the muzzed nest of chestnut hair at his shoulder, brow furrowing slightly under the train of his idle inquiry.

"Ce?"

Sun Ce mumbled lazily into his companion's neck, his noncommittal response tickling almost as much as each soft breath escaping his lips. The swordsman frowned.

"How many Lu Mengs does it take to make a bottle of wine?"

The strategist could feel his lord blinking against the pale skin, and then Sun Ce straightened, a small smile slipping over his countenance at the mention of his earlier puzzle. The Sun lord laughed lightly. "Oh – that. Well, it's actually kind of a trick question. It only takes one."

Zhou Yu frowned, furrows of concentration marring his forehead. "Why just one?" It seemed like the process of creating wine had to require more than two hands…

Sun Ce snickered. "Because Lu Meng's a really spectacular whiner all on his own."

And although he had to roll his eyes at the sheer absurdity of the riddle, Zhou Yu found himself almost chuckling as he shook his head and grasped the Little Conqueror's wrist with five pale fingers. "That's the worst joke I've ever heard, Ce," he informed the young officer flatly. Sun Ce snorted incredulously and elbowed him in the ribs.

"That's a lie and you know it. Quan tells amazingly worse jokes than I do. And I'd like to see you do better on short notice – wouldn't recognize humor if it came up and bit you."

The Sun lord poked his strategist squarely in the stomach to settle their loose argument and straightened abruptly, stretching languidly above his head as he dodged the swordsman's half-hearted attempt to grab him. The Little Conqueror tossed Zhou Yu a cheeky smile over one shoulder as he headed for the door, saluting smartly and winking back at the unmoving obsidian eyes.

"I'll go talk to Han Dang – let him know we're going out of town for a while. Maybe that'll give you a chance to get through all the paperwork I didn't finish this morning."

"You—"

But Zhou Yu's displeased growl fell on deaf ears – Sun Ce darted out of the room almost before his words could register with his still-seated companion. The strategist sighed and leaned back in his chair, glowering at the empty doorway even as a slight smile threatened his expression. Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Little idiot," he finished into the thick summer air, tone markedly lacking in malice as the memory of Sun Ce's fierce smile burned through his mind. But the silence around him soon chased any vestige of amusement from his pale features, and the swordsman rested his clenched fists quietly on the desktop, studying his white knuckles and the searing sunlight scattered between his scrolls.

He had vowed never to return to that family, to that fertile river valley – but as he grew older, Zhou Yu realized that most promises were made to be broken, and this was simply one more pledge to be added to the list of shattered oaths littering the battlefield of his life. The strategist rose stiffly from his chair and ran a distracted hand through his hair, obsidian gaze straying to the freedom of the window for a lingering moment before resettling on the wall ahead – painting the shadows of beating hooves across the plaster as though it were truly the mirage of an unseen future.

Zhou Yu sighed, leaning forward to gather his vital scrolls into a small bundle. It was time to go home – no, just to go back.

Back to Shucheng.

End Chapter 36

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This chapter is kind of long for really just serving as a prelude to the next one – but that's the way it goes. The beginning of this chapter also serves to clear up a tremendous mistake I made earlier in the story regarding Hailing's age. I hope summer has been enjoyable for everyone, and comments or suggestions are always appreciated.

A note for Dragon Scales 13: Well, I'm not quite sure why Lady Qiao's reference to "a gentle man" made you think of Zhou Yu – generally 'gentle' isn't a word I'd use with him, since he's very serious and has a fairly short temper. She hasn't met him yet, but Lady Qiao's interest in a gentle man is my precursor to the reason I like her and Lu Xun as a pairing, which doesn't actually have that much of a part in this story. Lu Xun seems like a very gentle person to me – softer than the Lady Qiao I've chosen to personify, really. Anyway, I'm flattered to be added to your favorites list, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.

A note for Ever Kitsune: You have a point – Sun Ce does seem to get sick often, doesn't he? Hmm – perhaps I'm slipping. In any case, I haven't yet had a chance to read your story "Dancing with the Blossoms," and I'll admit the premise worried me a little – since I get kind of touchy about Zhou Yu being portrayed effeminately – but I will read your work at a later point and certainly give you my opinion. Thank you for continuing to read my story – your comments are always appreciated.

A note for Jen: I'm sure your sister appreciates not having to shove medicine down your throat like Shang Xiang did for Sun Ce. I did try to give Lady Qiao some character development in that chapter, because as you say she's been somewhat flat up until now – but it was difficult, since she and Zhou Yu don't react very vibrantly together. In any case, I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I hope this chapter also served to amuse you.

A note for Hello Kitty JDB: I'm glad you enjoyed it. Sun Ce's not exactly thrilled with his daughter, predictably – but the man wasn't really cut out for fatherhood. Thank you for taking the time to review.

A note for xxxLOVEtheSINNER: You have a fascinating penname. I hope this chapter answered your questions about Yingmei's status as Sun Ce's daughter and her adoption into the family. I'm glad you enjoyed the insight into Lady Qiao's character – which, admittedly, might not happen again, as it was very difficult for me to play her and Zhou Yu off of each other. In any case, thank you for reviewing, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story.


	38. Chapter 38

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

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Secession – Part 37 

It wasn't much, but he had managed to staunch the bleeding.

Chen Hao sat up slightly from his crouch and released the general's forearm, drawing back five shaking fingers coated in the leaking crimson of the laceration's tainted bandages, and brushed a line of perspiration away from his chilled temple. The canvas dressing had finally stopped seeping over his worried hands – and from the crusting black gathering around Zhou Yu's mouth, the soldier assumed his general's lip had also managed to clot, swelling under the skin into a thick bruise that he could almost see even through the dim light of the dying night.

The canvas wasn't perfect, and he had nothing to dull the pain he could almost feel wringing through Zhou Yu's elevated heartbeat – but it was the best he knew how to do. Chen Hao was only a common soldier, and there had been very little medical training in his preparation for war. Instinct, panic, and vague memory had directed his efforts to help the injured general, and under the pressure of these sensations he could do no more. Still, there was some small comfort to be taken from the clotting laceration – a limited consolation in the knowledge that at least Zhou Yu would not bleed to death. Chen Hao let out the deep breath festering in his lungs and leaned back on his heels, gaze drifting uncertainly to the dangerously pale contours of his commander's face as the tiny spark of hope in his stomach scuffed and vanished.

Zhou Yu's eyes were halfway open – but except for the heavy-lidded obsidian stare and the short, trembling breaths moving past his thin lips, he could have been a corpse. Blood had dried all across the lower half of the general's face like a flaking shadow; the long strands of his dark hair streaked haphazardly across the floor beneath his head and stuck to his coldly sweating face, bitter and disordered. His injured arm rested at an unnatural angle in Chen Hao's lap, held steady against the soldier's stomach to prevent involuntary movement, and the other limb was locked ineffectually over his bandaged chest, no doubt struggling to hold off the pain of bashing his arrow wound into the wagon's side. The general wasn't moving – and from the soldier's perspective, his eyes seemed to die with each drawn inhale.

Chen Hao swallowed hard as his glance traveled across the desecrated features, darting quickly among the pre-dawn shadows to avoid fixating on any one fraction of the disastrous image. Zhou Yu hadn't looked well before the accident – now, Chen Hao couldn't help dreading each breath that filled his commander's lungs, because every one felt like it ought to be the last.

"It took two weeks…"

The soldier jumped a little, his gaze shooting back to the general's features at the croaking whisper. Zhou Yu's eyes were focused squarely on his face, and Chen Hao felt himself almost cringing at the intensity of his onyx stare. The struggling commander choked on the syllables drifting over his tongue and winced, his uninjured hand reaching uselessly for the soldier's shoulder as though to force his complete attention before dropping back to the blood-spattered bandages covering his torso.

"Two weeks… to reach Shucheng."

It was incomprehensible. How could Zhou Yu focus on his story in the midst of this sea of unwanted crimson, with pain shooting through his arm and along his lips – how could he even speak when each word tore raw and jagged at his throat as it spilled into the frigid air?

"Han Dang was displeased, but… we left almost immediately. I didn't want to linger outside Wu for long. Of course… traveling with Sun Ce always meant delays."

Chen Hao bit his chapped lips, digging his teeth sharply into the splitting skin as the last remnants of the cold night wind drifted through his scattered bun and sent a shiver down Zhou Yu's spine. He wanted to ask what kind of delays they had met, and what Han Dang had said upon hearing of their departure, and ten thousand other questions that the previous portion of the story had inspired – but he swallowed hard and forced them back down his throat, watching the wavering light in the general's eyes with a feeling like tragedy pooling beneath his ribcage. There was no time anymore – no time for idle curiosities and the details that seemed so precious, so concrete. Precious like the Mahjongg tiles from a broken wall…

"We rode west along the Yangzi, past Jianye, and north toward He Fei…"

Chen Hao ground his free hand into a fist and gritted his teeth, desperation clouding his ears and making the coarsely whispered words yet harder to understand. Was there even time for the main thread of the story? What if they'd already lost the chance to finish? What if Zhou Yu no longer held the strength to fulfill his promise, the spirit to complete his tale before the night wind and the dawn of the coming sun drove him into the afterlife? The fire in his obsidian eyes had been fading all night long – what if there was too little left to string the necessary events together? The soldier's throat tightened inexplicably at the thought, contracting in time to his pulse as his commander smirked slightly through the blood tainting his lips.

"If there were time, I would…"

But there was no time. And if there wasn't time to reach a conclusion, to lay Zhou Yu's chronicle peacefully to rest, what was the point of his struggling progression? Why not give the story up – let it fall senselessly aside, leave the soldier with the inevitably imperfect finale. What meaning could there be to the unceasing advance of harsh words through the thinning air? Defeat tore through Chen Hao's soul like five stinging fingers, catching in the weave and almost bringing frustrated tears to his charcoal eyes. If there were no time to finish, what was the use of hearing the narrative at all? The general might just as well have said nothing – have died hours ago with his lips firmly sealed – if the end of the story was out of reach anyway.

Zhou Yu was not privy to the surrendering thoughts of his subordinate, and he pushed forward past the pain Chen Hao could almost see searing across his mouth. "You don't know where He Fei is either…" The soldier bit down on his tongue, eyes narrowing in miseried submission to the impossible bleakness he felt pressing down against his chest. Why did it matter? Why should the general continue through the pain in his throat, since his goal couldn't be accomplished? Why struggle in vain?

The overwhelming feeling of hopelessness shattered through Chen Hao's eyes as Zhou Yu extended his shaking hand, struggling stare locked on the soldier's tight face. "Here… give me your palm…" And suddenly, he found he couldn't hold his words back anymore – he couldn't listen to the thread of a story soon to be broken another moment longer.

"Stop!"

The general started and blinked at his forceful denial – Chen Hao himself was surprised by the powerful vehemence scorching through his voice. He swallowed hard and drew himself up straighter, fighting and failing to maintain his strength of refusal in the face of Zhou Yu's surprised, suspicious eyes. "Please… just stop." This time his tone was softer, and he cursed the weakness practically audible amidst his words as the general drew his rejected hand back and dropped it clumsily onto his chest.

"…What's wrong?"

Chen Hao shook his head violently, willing the soft question away as though two simple words could break his faltering resolve. The soldier rushed an anxious hand across his forehead and bit down on his tongue, teeth grating together like river rocks as agitation fluttered between his ribs.

"It's too late. You can't finish now – we're too close to Han Ni Castle, and you're…" His voice wavered as his gaze spiraled across the injured general's crumpled form. Chen Hao squeezed his eyes shut, hands contracting into fists in his flickering sleeves as the tangled argument lost cohesion and his voice rose with fighting agitation. "So just stop – you don't have to keep going. Just stop and rest. It doesn't matter how much farther you get, because it's not going to be enough to—"

"Chen Hao."

Hearing his name from those fallen lips had been unnerving all night – but hearing it now was like heeding a voice from beyond the grave. Chen Hao's outburst stopped immediately, jumbling the remaining words senselessly over his tongue as silence superseded his racing emotions and filled the wagon. The general struggled to swallow and shook his head slightly, the rhythm of his pulse smooth and shallow under the soldier's worried hand as those dark eyes bored into his own with the force of a midnight thunderstorm.

"Let me speak."

But how could he, when agony tore across Zhou Yu's face like windswept clouds and each syllable was a choking, haunting croak? Chen Hao shook his head and his stiff neck cracked at the whiplash motion, scattering raven hair all across his tense shoulders in a wordless gesture of dissent. The general sighed, and despite his distress the soldier could almost hear irritation riding on the displeased exhale. Then Zhou Yu lurched up and snatched his shoulder, trembling but powerful fingers digging into the flesh of his jacket like locked talons.

"Would you ask me to die in silence?"

Chen Hao froze, each muscle stiffening as the obsidian glare burned into his defenseless eyes. And then he felt a tremendous surge of shame spiraling through his veins, flushing his cheeks despite the cold and plummeting his gaze to the warped floorboards. The soldier shrunk backward into a half-curled hunch and let the general's grip fall from his coat, unable to meet that commanding stare over the lip of his wrinkled jacket. Silence suffused the wagon and held for a long moment, echoing his unspoken embarrassment and the ebbing tide of Zhou Yu's fierce demand. The general sighed again, his uninjured hand drifting back to Chen Hao's elbow and winding into the thick cloth folds.

"Chen Hao… do you believe there is no worth in a… an unfinished goal? Do you believe that there is no more meaning to… to try and fail than to admit failure from the beginning?"

His subordinate blinked, confused by the coarsely whispered question. A moment's thought found Chen Hao unable to answer, torn first one way and then the other under the powerful thread of the general's query. Slowly, his flickering glance drifted back to the still, fallen form of Wu's legendary strategist, eyebrows knitting together in puzzled indecision as he leaned closer to Zhou Yu's faltering lips to catch the softened words.

"My lord…"

Zhou Yu's gaze was locked on the stars, flitting between the fading sparks like an unsettled moth through too many candles. "Sun Ce did not conquer China." The solid, indelicate assertion dropped into Chen Hao's stomach like a stone, making each breath difficult to swallow; the general frowned almost thoughtfully to himself. "He didn't even conquer half of it. He died before… before we could control any more than the Wu Territory." Zhou Yu considered his jagged, heartless words and stared hard at the startled soldier, some overpowering emotion lurking in his obsidian depths and pounding like a stake against Chen Hao's breastbone. The fallen strategist raised an eyebrow. "Will you tell me that he should not have tried? That he should have forsaken his dreams without even waiting to fail?"

The soldier swallowed, tongue just as dry and helpless to answer as it had been with the first question. His speechless gaze followed the gently curving corners of Zhou Yu's mouth as the general laughed to himself, shaking his head and wincing against his swollen lip.

"But it's even worse than that, isn't it?" he murmured, coarse words barely audible above the shifting breath of the wind. Chen Hao blinked, watching in silence as Zhou Yu brushed the scattered bangs away from his eyes and coughed heavily. "Trying to conquer China… following his dream. That was what killed him." The soldier felt a sharp breath stick in his lungs, blocking his throat as the general's gaze drifted back up to meet his own. "If he hadn't been… running around like that… making enemies… he could still be alive." The halting declaration settled into Chen Hao's ears like soft snow, sending a quiet shiver down his back and folding his legs closer against the morning cold. Zhou Yu chuckled, a dark and mirthless sound despite its low volume. "Do you think he should have been content? Followed in his father's footsteps… ruled Jiang Dong, and left the rest of the country alone?"

It was not a question that demanded an answer – the answer was floating through the tendrils of the darkened air already. Chen Hao pressed his lips together and shook his head, letting the simple motion speak for him as the general met his coal-black gaze and almost smiled.

"…I know what Ce would tell you." Zhou Yu turned his face away, staring blankly into the contours of the wooden side now darkened with his blood, and in the tight line of his mouth the soldier could imagine the dancing path of a red ribbon… "He'd tell you it's… an honor to have 'died trying' carved into your funeral altar." Chen Hao felt himself straightening with a shiver, eyes locked on the pale features as Zhou Yu ran a slow hand through his disheveled hair. "That if you never tried…" The general coughed and swallowed hard against his raw throat. "…How could you be anything but a failure?"

And that was all. Zhou Yu's eyes fell closed as he tucked his face carefully into the crook of his elbow, muffling a bout of coughing he could no longer seal behind his lips. Chen Hao sat back on his heels and listened to his commander's straining, hacking breaths in silence – for a long moment, nothing moved but the wind above them and the stars wheeling slowly through the sky. The soldier felt Sun Ce's determination almost seeping into him through the general's words; he let the warmth spread across his chilled skin before it dimmed to a single spark somewhere between his ribs. And he smiled.

Perhaps Zhou Yu wouldn't be able to finish his story – but he demanded the right to try. And it was not Chen Hao's place to tell his commander when to surrender, regardless of the moth-like worry building and fluttering in his stomach. It was simply his role to hear, and to remember, the last epic of a dying man. That, he could do.

That and one thing more.

Chen Hao pushed Zhou Yu's arm gently out of his lap and laid it against the splintered floor, halfway bowing as the general's obsidian eyes flickered open and shot him a curious glance. "I'm going to get some more water, my lord," he explained quickly, crawling for the back of the wagon on all fours and retrieving both empty canteens from their jumble in the corner. He could feel Zhou Yu's sharp gaze on his back, tracing the weary jacket wrinkles and the stiffness of rekindled confidence in pained contemplation.

"…Thank you."

Chen Hao smiled to himself. Then he shoved the containers into his ragged pockets and braced both hands on the end board, surveying his landing prospects with a thoughtfully knitted brow. The wagon had stopped right in the middle of the stream, of course – and though it was shallow, barely two hands deep at its center, the muddy riverbed seemed treacherous and the soldier wasn't eager to soak his already freezing feet. Another moment of survey showed that there was no help for it, however, and Chen Hao took a deep breath before flinging himself into the stream.

Even for the middle of the night, the water was startlingly cold. The soldier winced as it splashed through his pants and across the exposed skin of his ankles, drenching his shoes immediately and almost making him stagger from the sheer sting of the frigid stream against his flesh. Chen Hao hissed and slipped a little on the mossy expanse of river rocks beneath his uncertain feet, wishing half-heartedly that the river had been deep enough to reach without jumping in – but it was only an idle thought, and the soldier bent to complete his task after a scant few moments of adjusting to the temperature.

The cut on his finger, which he had all but forgotten about in the rush to staunch his commander's wounds, throbbed brightly as he dipped both flasks into the river, and Chen Hao bit his lip at the immense quantities of soil no doubt tainting the stream water. _ It's going to be silted – and it'll probably taste terrible_. But there was nothing he could do about that, and the soldier knew it would matter little to Zhou Yu anyway. With injuries as severe as the struggling strategist's, a little dirt could hardly be a hindrance.

_Would you ask me to die in silence?_

Chen Hao winced at the memory of his general's words, hooking the first canteen on his belt and bending down to fill the second with preoccupied eyes. He hadn't meant to give up hope – to abandon Zhou Yu this close to the end of his story. But it just seemed so impossible, given the circumstances they had crashed into. The general could barely speak anymore – what were the odds of him completing the narrative he'd struggled through all night long? The soldier bit his cheek and splashed a little water on his face, straightening with more determination than he truly felt. No. If Zhou Yu wouldn't surrender, then neither would he – no matter where the last remnants of the dying night led them.

As he refastened each canteen cap in turn, Chen Hao's eyes strayed up the deceptively peaceful hill waiting in silence behind him, and he was surprised to see neither the drivers nor the horses moving across the steeply sloped expanse of treacherous gravel. The soldier frowned, a new flurry of concern lilting through his stomach as a second glance confirmed the first. No doubt the drivers had disappeared after their escaped horses – but to be out of sight already… how far could the infantrymen have gotten during the general's story? And would they even be able to catch the horses, now that both animals had been spooked so badly? What would happen to the small caravan if they couldn't?

Once again Chen Hao shook himself, forcing his attention back to the present despite the whirlwind of worried thoughts swirling through his mind. He was completely incapable of helping his comrades at the moment – he would have to trust them to recover the horses on their own. All he could do right now was fulfill his promise from so many hours ago: to listen to Zhou Yu's story, as long as it took. Chen Hao nodded hard to will the disrupting doubts away and turned back upstream, reaching for the wheel a short distance behind him and preparing to pull himself back into the wagon.

His hand got no farther than the hub. Wu's loyal soldier froze with his arm uselessly extended, gaze gripping the eastern horizon as though clinging to a last vestige of salvation. The soldier swallowed and took a step back, eyes wide and mouth open as he stared heedlessly into the far contours of the sky, his brief errand forgotten in a sudden rush of helpless astonishment.

It wasn't much yet – but something in the east was changing. Something was… getting lighter.

Chen Hao ground his hands into fists as his glance dashed back and forth across the gradually lightening horizon, chasing the new patch of navy and dark teal that had appeared along the base skyline. Purple clouds a vibrant plum were draped against the almost indiscernible apparition, trailing like great still scarves above the black earth that stretched forever in front of him. He couldn't be sure, because the distance was so great and the colors so vague – but it almost looked like a tiny line of red and yellow was lurking under the lip of the horizon, clashing with the indiscernible hues of the sky around it.

Chen Hao watched long enough to see the first unfurling edges of navy blue spread into the low-lying eastern sky – and then he turned and vaulted into the wagon, scraping his leg against the backboard in his heedless scramble. Zhou Yu started and sat up halfway from the warped floorboards, his obsidian gaze flashing around him in alarm as though expecting an enemy of some kind.

"What's… the matter?" A vicious cough tore his question in two, breaking the streamlined concern of his raw voice – but as far as the soldier was concerned, there was no time to answer anyway, and he scuttled to the general's side as quickly as he could.

"Nothing, my lord. Here – I brought the water."

Perhaps there truly was nothing significant about the coming dawn. But to Chen Hao, it seemed absolute. When the sun rose, Zhou Yu's story would be over – whether by choice or by the slowly tightening fingers of his poisoned murder.

The general stared at his subordinate suspiciously, eyes clearly confused about the hurried encouragement from a man who'd been demanding his story's recession only a matter of minutes before; the soldier forced his expression back to neutral and held the refilled canteen out expectantly. Finally Zhou Yu sighed and nodded, taking a deep mouthful of the offered water and swishing it between his teeth for a long moment as his onyx eyes drilled into the helpful charcoal of his audience. Then the general sat up slightly and spit across the weathered floorboards, sending a stream of blood-blackened water into the far corner of the wagon.

Chen Hao jumped at the unexpected action, and for a moment he wondered whether the water had truly been that horrible – but then Zhou Yu motioned for another drink, and the soldier realized his commander was simply doing what he could to cleanse his mouth. It didn't take long for the injured general to drain the first canteen, between his efforts at rinsing the blood from his face and neck and the heavy swallows that made him wince as they slid down his throat. For the first time, Chen Hao wondered whether Zhou Yu had become dehydrated during the journey – the original water supply had run out hours ago, and his commander had been struggling through his life story without pause. The soldier bit his cheek and tipped the second canteen gently forward, watching with remorse and concern as mouthful after painful mouthful of the silted liquid slid past the general's lips, and wondered whether two canteens would truly be enough.

At last the legendary strategist seemed satisfied, and he slumped back from his awkward position, head resting exhaustedly against the floor boards as his eyes slipped closed.

"Thank you."

Chen Hao nodded, a tiny smile skimming onto his lips. The general's voice was already sounding stronger – perhaps the murky water had done something to soothe his ragged throat, at least. Zhou Yu exhaled deeply as he turned his face into the shadows away from his waiting subordinate, and for a moment the soldier wondered whether he should refill the canteens while his commander rested – but he didn't get the chance to decide. Only two measured breaths filled the general's bruised and bloodied ribs before his eyes came open again, refocusing almost groggily on Chen Hao's countenance.

"Then I suppose… I should continue."

The soldier resisted the urge to glance east, determined to ignore the coming sun despite the nervous flutter of his pulse that implored haste toward the story's conclusion. He did his best to keep his features neutral as he nodded slowly, half of him almost wanting to encourage a longer pause for the burdened strategist's sake – but Zhou Yu seemed to read something in his face nonetheless, and the general squinted vigilantly at the fading sky above him as he found an order for the cascading stream of memories flowing through his words.

"I remember what it felt like. Entering Shucheng again… for the last time."

xxxxxxxxxx

The valley was nothing if not beautiful.

Tumbling walls adorned with oak and walnut trees in full emerald regalia stretched as far as the eye could see, cutting almost playfully between the lazy canyons and switchbacks of the high slopes and tickling the stomach of the endlessly blue sky above. Twisting clouds twinkled generously across the Yangzi tributary that sliced the landscape delicately in half, resting at the base of each slope as though it had simply toppled out of Heaven to lie effortlessly across the rolling landscape. Everywhere, birds flashed through the clear afternoon air and spread their cheerful songs over the rice farms that dotted the steepled steppes, the tiny figures of laborers just barely visible as they moved along the irrigated crests with natural purpose. And above all, the glowing orb of the sun dispersed its brilliant rays, warming every facet of the portrait vista with golden, fluent light and the promise of an eternally glistening summer.

It was an undeniably gorgeous afternoon… for the rest of the world.

If there was one feeling Zhou Yu hated most of all – beyond jealousy, beyond anger, beyond even shame – it was anxiety. Not the type of anxiety he was accustomed to – the tension of wondering where Sun Ce had gotten off to under the siege of war, or the stress of overdue reports and obnoxious envoys. There was certainly a less than pleasant association to the feeling of nervousness crawling through his stomach on those occasions, too, because the swordsman had never liked losing control over the circumstances surrounding him. But the worst kind of anxiety was different – it slid between his ribs and held like unhewn metal whenever he was confronted by a situation which he had no idea how to handle.

Like the situation confronting him now, as his horse cleared the final ridge and reached the last road crest overlooking the teeming valley. Wu's prodigal strategist sighed and reined his mount back hard, dark eyes flickering discontentedly among the scattered buildings below as the gentle breeze sifted past him and rustled the endless green leaves.

Some things never changed, really – Shucheng looked just as idyllic as the day he'd left it behind for good. Even from this distance, he recognized the twists of the peaceful streets: the small boat moor, the rollicking structure of a village tavern reconstructed too many times, the pooling saffron indicating the wide alley of the marketplace. Zhou Yu brushed at the strands of hair teasing his furrowed brow and let his shoulders slump from their riding position, feeling the tension of the unwanted journey almost painfully tight across his back. Now that they had finally reached the valley, it seemed as though the difficult part of their journey ought to have been over – but the premonition of a building headache behind each temple warned the strategist that the hazards of their fortnight arrival would be nothing compared to the actual visit.

It had not been an easy trip – partly because the weather oscillated between scalding sun and torrential rain, and partly because the swordsman had been physically forcing himself to continue every time they found reason to stop. The threat of a reunion with his family – coupled with the disconcerted and unwillingly culpable thoughts that Xing Dao's message had instilled in him – made Zhou Yu more than reluctant to keep riding throughout the two-week-long journey. He couldn't help it. There was nothing pleasant waiting for them in Shucheng, and every day's travel made his decision to see Zhou Fan seem more and more misguided. It had been a long time since the dark swordsman slept peacefully, free from subconscious demons – and he had become so restless at night that Sun Ce oscillated between locking his arms around the strategist's torso like pincers to prevent his sporadic tossing and just sleeping on the floor.

It was simply so hard to disregard the accusation. That his choices had brought death to his father so much before his time. That pursuing his own desires – adopting someone else's dream – had irreparably shattered the dreams of his blood family. It was that uncertain guilt that kept him up at night, and moved his feet in agitated paces across the silent floors of the taverns and inns where they stayed.

Zhou Yu shook his head mindlessly, banishing the stream of consciousness as his eyes moved unenthusiastically over the landscape and a sardonic smile slipped across his face. He had vowed not to consider Xing Dao's words anymore, because his agonizing contemplation only seemed to make things worse and there was no satisfactory answer to the unyielding question anyway. He was here in Shucheng now – he had come to fulfill his duty as Zhou Fan's eldest son, if that still were possible after so many years without a word or a backward glance. After this ordeal was over, he would refuse to look back… he would refuse to let the spirit of his abandoned father chase him any farther than the rim of the beautiful valley. There was too much at stake elsewhere – too much responsibility waiting in Sun Ce's empire alone.

It had been no small task to leave Wu, even for the relatively short absence that this hoped to be. Han Dang, for one, had been adamantly opposed to the Little Conqueror leaving his region while Liu Xun was causing so much trouble along the southern border, and any number of political difficulties had stalled their departure from Qingshan. Summer was the flooding season along the Yangzi, and the infernally fickle weather in the surrounding regions had made traveling yet more complicated – an unexpected thunderstorm one afternoon had forced immediate halt in a thicket bordering the dust-ridden northwest road, and the strategist and his companion had spent one extremely uncomfortable night among the nettles and crabapple branches when the rain refused to abate before sunset. It was ironic, really, that Shucheng should appear so brilliant upon their arrival, given how abysmally the climate had treated them during the long ride.

But no paradisic impression could truly suppress the anxiety swimming like a sea serpent through the strategist's stomach as his eyes moved unwillingly across the landscape, taking in every detail to slow the current of unrest picking at his heartbeat. Zhou Yu swallowed and felt his hands fisting in the leather reins as his gaze slid east, pausing just short of the most prominent hilltop and the expansive estate poised there like a crown, like the sense of foreboding writhing through his ribs…

"Wow – talk about a view, huh?"

The swordsman blinked a little, glancing away from the deceptively welcoming valley ahead to cast his companion a flat, solemn look. Zhou Yu was more than certain that nothing as effortless as a picturesque panorama could change his outlook on the village before them, and he was just as certain that his cheerful commander knew that. But the Little Conqueror just smiled at his ill-tempered officer and shook his head, urging his whickering horse closer until he could clap an encouraging hand on the strategist's shoulder and his sincere amber eyes caught their onyx opposites.

"Don't worry, Yu – we'll be out of here before you can say 'Gan Ning of the Ringing Terror' six times fast."

The swordsman almost smirked at the simple joke, but the feeling of anxious responsibility hovering in his chest dragged against his ribs and robbed his features of the hesitant expression before it could form. Zhou Yu shook his head, shadows of doubt falling across his features despite the sunshine grin on Sun Ce's face. "It's not going to be that easy," he warned softly, not for the first time. The Sun lord rolled his eyes and waved dismissively toward the rollicking hills ahead of them.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be. I vote we just drop in and then hit the road. Have a real vacation for the rest of the week. Would that be so bad?" His tone was halfway teasing, but there was an honest suggestion behind the flippant response as well, and it was this undercurrent that drew a heavy sigh from Zhou Yu's lips as he leaned back in the sharply curved saddle to consider the flawless sky.

If the swordsman had claimed that the infernally fickle weather were the greatest cause of delay during their journey, he would have been lying. Sun Ce had been just as disinterested as his despondent companion in reaching the sheltered valley, and considerably less taken with the feeling of obligation that hovered through the strategist's preoccupied mind. It hadn't escaped Zhou Yu's notice that the Sun lord was more than willing to latch onto any distraction that passed their way, as long as it promised to impede progress toward Shucheng – and for that the strategist could hardly fault him, since it was undeniable that his own temper deteriorated with each mile that slipped between them and the comfortable palace at Qingshan.

Sun Ce had tried all manner of hijinxs to improve his companion's continuously disintegrating mood – and when his ceaseless optimism failed to raise the swordsman's spirits out of the mud, he had done his utmost to detain them in the waylaid and forsaken villages nestled along their route. The young officer had spent the better part of the last two weeks dragging his heavily reluctant strategist through scores of curious peculiarities and ill-advised ventures, and although Zhou Yu couldn't find it in his heart to be grateful, he had to admit that the release of tension Sun Ce's familiar antics provided was probably the only reason he hadn't snapped already. There was something about the Sun lord's unrelenting smile – and sharp, judicious elbow – that forced the swordsman to lift his head from the weight of culpable responsibility pressing down on him, no matter how much a corner of his mind would prefer to slip into silence and let his problems overwhelm him.

But there was only so much the Little Conqueror could do. As the road brought them ever closer to Shucheng, Zhou Yu had wound tighter and tighter – and in a way, Sun Ce had wound with him, becoming shorter of temper and quicker to throw his hands up in the face of his strategist's anxious irritation. And now they had arrived; the inevitable couldn't be put off any longer. The soft summer wind trailed through the dark strands of Zhou Yu's hair as he brushed it away; his eyes moved grimly across the jewel-like structures of his family estate, scattered like a broken necklace over the emerald velvet of the hillside.

"I sent a letter accepting my father's last wishes." The swordsman could almost feel the hollowness of his discontented voice resounding against the fiber of his bones, and the words were dry as ashes in his mouth. A formal, concise letter – the first contact Zhou Fan had received from his son in nearly six years. Why was the man still waiting? Why had he summoned Zhou Yu at all? "I have vowed to fulfill his whims in the last few days of his life, and it is not a vow I intend to disregard—"

"Okay, okay!" Sun Ce raised his free hand in surrender and shook his head, fighting the bitter answer with his own relenting interruption. "I get it already. We're in this for the long haul." Twin amber eyes burned into their onyx counterparts as a slight frown stole over the young officer's face, snipping at the lines of laughter and sunlight usually so clear across his countenance. The Sun lord dug both hands into his reins and stared vaguely into the distance beyond Shucheng's rolling ridges. "I was just asking."

Zhou Yu watched his companion's quiet features for a long moment, studying the unaccustomed shadows lurking in his vibrant eyes. Then the swordsman sighed and looked out over the valley as well, one hand moving to banish his headache as the other gestured noncommittally to the path in front of them.

"If it takes too long, Ce… you could always—"

"Don't even think about it." The strategist blinked at his companion's forceful tone, glance straying back to the determined expression on the Sun lord's unsmiling face. Sun Ce shook his head in easy dismissal. "I'm not leaving you here by yourself. You'd come home even more moody and broody than you are now – so you're stuck with me for the long haul, too."

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to respond, but it fell closed again in silence, leaving the uncertain words unsaid in the brilliant afternoon air. In a way, it seemed better to send the young lord back to Wu – it was his kingdom, and his dream, and Heaven only knew how long it could function without him. But the strategist also knew his commander was right – losing Sun Ce's vibrant presence could only worsen his already deteriorating mindset. Wu's dark swordsman pressed his lips into a thin line and stared toward the distant horizon, avoiding the glowing sphere of the sun and the amber gaze burning into him.

"…I'm sorry, Ce. I shouldn't have dragged you into this."

Perhaps he shouldn't have dragged himself into it, either. But it was far too late to sidestep that. The Little Conqueror's hand on his elbow drove the reluctant thoughts away, bringing Zhou Yu's onyx eyes back to his companion's small smile and the accompanying dry chuckle.

"What's with that attitude already? We've haven't even gotten there yet." Sun Ce shook his head again and dug a light fist into the silken summer sleeve, brushing circles onto the strategist's pale skin with his restless fingertips. "It won't be that bad – I won't let it be. That's a promise."

Perhaps it was an empty promise. How much could the Sun lord truly do to alleviate the tension Zhou Yu already felt rippling through his neck, to stave off his companion's tendency toward disquiet? But the swordsman had to admit, as he stared into the young officer's brightly winning eyes, that the aura of eternally undaunted confidence shining through Sun Ce's gaze was hard to ignore. In spite of his concerns, Zhou Yu felt a small smile slipping over his features, and he turned back to the landscape as the shifting expression sifted across his lips.

"Whatever you say."

The Sun lord laughed shortly. "Not exactly a vote of confidence – but it'll have to do." Sun Ce leaned forward over the neck of his mount and tipped his head toward the valley below, one hand tangling through the coarse strands of his horse's mane. "What do you say we get this over with? I'll race you to the bottom."

Zhou Yu couldn't help rolling his eyes as he glanced down the long, gentle slope ahead of them and the road that wound like a serpent through the streets of Shucheng. "How old are you?" he ragged without malice, drawing a shameless grin onto the young officer's tan face.

"Twelve. But at least I'm not old and stodgy like you. Come on – it'll be good for you." The strategist raised an unconvinced eyebrow and looked pointedly at the hill ahead of them, a slight sigh preceding his monotone response.

"Hardly. You may be a maniac, but that doesn't mean I have to join in your idiotic exploits. If you don't curb your reckless tendencies, Ce, you'll be dead before you hit thirty five—"

"Ready set go!"

The Little Conqueror's hand vanished from his swordsman's arm an instant before the blur of motion at his side shot down the hill, scattering gravel in all directions with a cacophony of crashing hoof beats. Zhou Yu blinked, left alone at the crest with only the trailing end of the Sun lord's laughter for company – then his eyes narrowed dangerously, glaring hard into the back of the young officer's skittering ponytail.

"Sun Ce!"

Sun Ce's snicker trailed up to him, matching his darting amber eyes as the young lord pulled up short a fair distance downhill and stuck out his tongue. The swordsman crossed his arms firmly over his chest – but there was no dimming the incredible light in the Little Conqueror's grin as he cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted back up the slope.

"Better hurry, Zhou Yu – I'm gonna crush you at this rate! You wouldn't want to lose on your own turf, would you?"

Like a shot down his spine, memory overwhelmed the strategist's senses – a similar taunt, another race like this one, sliding down the hill into Shucheng on ponies two young boys had been strictly forbidden to gallop. A tiny smile flared across Zhou Yu's lips like a flicker of flame, matching the playful intensity of his commander's challenging eyes. And almost without intention, the swordsman found himself driving both heels forcefully into his horse's side, spattering the animal into motion and hurtling toward his vibrant companion down the raucous gravel road.

Sun Ce waited just long enough for him to move before impelling his mount back into motion, snapping his gaze away from the strategist's as he raced toward the unsuspecting village. Like twin strikes of lightning, the horses tore down the hill before them, flattening the rough grass of the untamed ridge; Zhou Yu pressed his knees tight against the animal's flank as he pulled one stride behind the Sun lord and pushed his pace, the lighthearted contest threatening his rigid features.

"Come on! Go, go, go!" Sun Ce shouted, excitedly exacting both reins and heels on his racing mount. "We can do it! Heyah!"

The strategist couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping his lips as he ducked toward his horse's neck and surveyed the viridian landscape rushing closer through slitted eyes, watching the structures below gain definition and detail. The wind of motion scattered dark hair haphazardly across his back as Zhou Yu pulled himself up slightly from the crouch, rocking with the horse's motion and fixing his gaze on the path directly ahead of them. If he hadn't forgotten the details of the landscape—

"Ce, left!"

Both riders cleared the hairpin turn with inches to spare, shuddering gravel into the uncultivated groundcover to each side of the road as the Sun lord obeyed his strategist instinctually and swerved toward the uphill diversion. Sun Ce laughed delightedly and shot his companion a fleeting grin over one shoulder; then all his energy slammed into his heels as the vertical slope slowed the horses' speed and the Little Conqueror strove to outpace his swordsman once again. Zhou Yu bent low against the quivering hide of his panting steed and let his gaze stray to the sunlight streaming across the young officer's face – the way the afternoon caught in those captivating amber eyes as another whoop dashed from his tongue.

"Last stretch! Here we go!"

Sun Ce had been here, too. The strategist had almost forgotten, gazing at Shucheng from the top of the final ridge, how many years they'd spent together in the sheltered vale. How the Sun lord's history with the Zhou family estate – with the Zhou family itself – was half as long as his own. The dark swordsman wound his fingers tighter into the reins and pushed his horse's gallop, too distracted by the one thousand star smile on his companion's face to notice the leveling path beneath eight clapping hoofs, to see the dust from their furious ride settling over the twisted garden on his left. The path widened into a light curve and propelled both riders heedlessly in sight of the main hall, driving a storm of pebbles into the bushes beside them and pulling almost indistinguishably at the strategist's lips.

Sun Ce had lived here, too. Perhaps he hadn't given the young officer enough credit – it was possible that the Little Conqueror's indomitable spirit truly could override his hovering concerns. Zhou Yu slumped a little in his saddle and relaxed his hold on the weathered reins, following the dancing ends of his companion's ponytail as his own horse slowed readily and the victorious lord of Wu shot past him in a flurry of flying soil.

"Woohoo! Gotcha!"

Just possible.

The game was over almost as quickly as it had begun. Zhou Yu allowed his horse to drop into a comfortable canter and watched Sun Ce with considering eyes as he sailed on ahead, throwing both fists victoriously into the air and entering the estate's ample courtyard at breakneck speed. The Sun lord reined hard and turned back to shoot his strategist a cheeky grin, flashing a satisfied salute and spinning a dust devil through the space between them.

"Still the fastest Sun in the west!" he exclaimed gleefully, exuberant tone bounding unhindered around the reception courtyard. The swordsman rolled his eyes and brushed an errant strand of hair from his shoulders, trotting easily toward the viciously grinning rider as adrenaline abandoned his system and leveled his tone to its natural neutrality.

"We're in _central_ China, Ce. And you're the only Sun between us – so it hardly matters that you beat me." Sun Ce shrugged and stuck out his tongue, slinging both arms behind his head as the second rider halted just beside him.

"But I did beat you. Don't try to pretend it doesn't bother you – I can see that competitive spirit rising up in you right now," he goaded, poking his strategist squarely in the shoulder with one exultant finger.

Zhou Yu knew there was a time when he would have demanded a rematch at the Sun lord's playful jab. Even on a normal day, the young officer's openly triumphant teasing might have catapulted them into a verbal sparring match, because they'd never really stopped colliding and neither one disliked the sparks. But there was a shadow in the rampant sunlight that settled far more firmly across the swordsman's face, chasing all traces of flippant response from his lips before they could even arise and killing the momentary diversion in a single swift stroke. A shadow in the form of the massive main hall, waiting just ahead like a lurking maw to hell.

They had arrived.

The strategist took a deep breath and clicked his tongue, ignoring the whirlwind of uncertain emotion between his ribs as his horse ambled closer to the waiting estate and shook the day's heat from its sweating back. Sun Ce followed him slowly, amber eyes flashing between his companion's silent face and the high features of the proud entryway waiting patiently before them. Zhou Yu's dark gaze moved almost methodically across the grounds; he bit his tongue to hold back the feeling of reluctance he couldn't afford and reined his horse to a stop ten paces from the hall, staring soundlessly at the face of a house he had not entered in six years.

In a way, it was more striking than he'd remembered. There was a grand air to the decorated end tiles and sloping roof that seemed to hint at generations of excellence, at a legacy of prominence beneath the sheltered eaves – but there was something off-color about the estate, too, slipping up the righteous walls like the climbing vines that clearly hadn't been cut in far too long. The entire house seemed to echo a note of neglect, as though no one had cared for the state of the dry courtyard and brisk entryway in too long to recall. And in that, the swordsman guessed he was not wrong – only Xan had stayed behind, and none of Zhou Fan's sons had ever been concerned with the estate's exterior anyway.

"I believe they're expecting us."

Even to his own ears, Zhou Yu's voice sounded distant and cold. The central door stood open before them, unattended but ringed with internal darkness from the unlit lamps no doubt flanking long corridors of must- and incense-infused air. If the creeping collapse of the entryway was any indication, only dust and moths would flit through the once well-occupied rooms, only isolated footsteps break the shadows of a fractured family home. And somewhere, trapped by weakness between his decaying sheets…

The strategist swallowed hard and stared into the undistinguished darkness, trailing the end of the afternoon sunlight with unseeing eyes as Sun Ce fidgeted at his side and the horses pawed impatiently. Finally the Little Conqueror could stand the silence no longer, and he dropped a warm hand onto his companion's arm, effectively shattering Zhou Yu's drifting thoughts.

"Hey. Are we going in or not?"

The swordsman blinked, glancing into the serious amber eyes and then back to the door before a heavy sigh escaped his tight lips. Wu's renowned strategist brushed fleetingly at his impending headache and motioned vaguely to the empty courtyard surrounding them, momentarily stifling his concerns in an effort to remain practical.

"We should put the horses away first."

After all, no attendants had presented themselves in a gesture of aid, and the animals at least deserved to get out of the sun after their strenuous ride. There was no guessing at the condition of the stables, though, considering how barren the rest of the estate seemed to have become – even the festival lanterns were missing from their usual places above the central door. That, even more than the unkempt grounds on each side of them, warned the swordsman just how sick his father had to be – there was no way Zhou Fan would allow his eldest son to return without some sort of fanfare, were he able to move from his bed at all.

But Sun Ce was right, and standing in the summer sun wasn't making the next movement any easier. The swordsman shook his thoughts away and threw his companion another glance over one shoulder, tossing his head toward the right wall of the imposing house. "You remember where the stable is—"

"That won't be necessary."

Zhou Yu spun forward at the haunting dissention, almost jumping in his saddle as a form suddenly stepped out of the darkened entrance hall and surrendered itself to the sunlight. The strategist's eyes widened and then narrowed very quickly as his gaze shot across the powerful young man waiting for them in the doorway; his tongue moved almost as fast as his mind, banishing the initial shock as a set of identical black eyes met his across the gravel courtyard.

"Xan."

The man in question bowed halfway, hands clasped at attention over his chest. "Zhou Yu. We have been sincerely awaiting your arrival. It has been a long time since your presence graced our halls. You are most welcome." His smooth, formal tone glided like a circling falcon against the cloudless sky, and the swordsman pressed his lips into the thin line, taking a silent moment to survey the man his youngest brother had grown into.

Xan was not tall – and for a moment that surprised Zhou Yu, because even from his superior height atop the horse the younger man had a sort of commanding presence about him. His raven hair was pulled back in the strict bun of his childhood, though that association did nothing to soften the hard contours of his face; a set of simple robes fell around his slight form, which seemed to have lost musculature from the image lodged in the strategist's memory. But despite his apparent frailty and the unscarred skin of his smooth features, there was an air of dominating control about Xan that belied his scant eighteen years.

"…It's good to see you well," Zhou Yu managed quietly, and his brother seemed to swallow a slight sardonic smirk against the wealth of sunlight flooding his face.

Perhaps becoming the sole keeper of his parents and the family's expansive estate at twelve was the source of the silt littering the young man's coal-black eyes. Perhaps it was watching his older brothers split and ride off to opposite sides of a never-ending war, or observing Zhou Fan's descent into illness, or any one of infinite other situations that had hardened the strict lines of his granite jaw. But regardless of the reason, Zhou Yu met his brother's stare and found himself regarding an equal, in spite of the six years and incalculable experience between them. For an instant, the swordsman was unsure of what to say – but it hardly mattered, because Xan's cool voice split the courtyard again without the slightest hint of hesitation.

"I thank you for your kind words. In any case… do not concern yourself with the horses. Your mother is inside, and she is eager to see you. It would be impolite to keep her waiting."

There was something decidedly hollow about the meticulous statement, and Zhou Yu had a feeling that Lady Cai was not interested in seeing him at all. But there wasn't an obvious accusation to level at Xan's effortlessly composed suggestion, and the strategist had no choice but to shoot Sun Ce a quick glance and slowly dismount. The Sun lord did the same, brushing the dust of a long ride away from his pants and watching the youngest Zhou child warily as though unsure whether to acknowledge his former housemate or not. But once again, Xan beat him to it – the young man fixed his unnervingly pointed stare on the Little Conqueror as he took both sets of reins in hand and bowed deeply once more.

"Lord Sun Ce. We are, of course, honored to receive your presence as well. News of your success in the Wu Territory has reached us, and we are pleased with the opportunity to congratulate you on your considerable efforts." Sun Ce shifted in mild discomfort at the strangled praise, obviously fiddling with his words before a hesitantly boyish smile slipped over his countenance.

"Well… thanks." The honesty shining in his amber eyes almost drew an instinctive half-smile to Zhou Yu's lips as well, but the shrewd youth before them shrugged off the gratitude as easily as though the young officer had not spoken at all, and his words filled the summer air almost before the Sun lord's had faded away.

"In accordance with your substantial accomplishments, we ask you to remember that you are always welcome in our house – the Zhou family of Shucheng offers you its appropriate assistance." Xan straightened from his gesture of respect and eyed the Sun lord evenly, his gaze calculating despite its apparent generosity. "We are not at present in a position to swear an oath of loyalty to your growing Wu Empire; however, if you happen to be passing this way in the future, do not hesitate to seek our aid. I will do my utmost to support any venture you make in this region."

If nothing else, the boy was smart. The strategist felt a slight, sardonic smirk flickering across his lips at Xan's straightforward statement and the unaffected surprise flitting through Sun Ce's expression. Rarely had Zhou Yu heard such a carefully calculated statement, even from the experienced courtiers and advisors he'd met through his years of service, who had a tendency to let their grand prose make promises they didn't intend to keep.

For his part, Xan hadn't really promised anything at all – in fact, all his speech really amounted to was an offer of lodging. In case the Little Conqueror's bid for dominance failed, there would be no actual tie of allegiance to Sun Ce, which would make it easier for the Zhou family to stay in power when Shucheng was inevitably overrun by a victorious army. The swordsman couldn't be sure how much Xan knew about Duke Cao and Yuan Shu to the north, but the young man was probably at least aware of what a long shot the Sun lord really was for dominion of the entire country.

On the other hand, the young man's proclamation of assistance practically granted the lord of Wu a blank favor, which would be worth capitalizing on if his empire actually managed to hold its own in the race for power. Zhou Yu didn't know where his youngest brother had learned to speak like a careful politician, but he was very good at it – uncertain incomprehension blinked over Sun Ce's face for a long moment before he rubbed the back of his neck and threw his strategist a curious glance.

"…Sure thing. I'll remember that."

Xan nodded shortly, apparently satisfied with the ambiguous response. "Please see that you do. As I was saying – your mother is awaiting you inside, Zhou Yu. I will see to your horses myself." And without so much as a backward glance, the young man turned for the side of the house and strode away, leading both animals effortlessly toward the stable out of sight. Wu's dark swordsman sighed silently and watched his brother's retreating back, the uneasy breath settling into his lungs contrasting sharply with the sweet summer air.

Among the excess of regrets flickering through the weave of Zhou Yu's past, the distance between himself and Xan was not one of his greatest. Even when the strategist had left for Jiang Dong the first time, the boy had already been developing the control and independence that radiated from him now – he'd already been stepping away from his family's affection to pursue a more solitary course. Xan hadn't needed his brothers' guidance or protection in too many years to count. But there was still an unshakable edge of remorse – a slight pressure against the swordsman's ribcage wondering if he'd done enough, if he'd abandoned the young man before his time. How Xan might have matured with an older brother like Sun Ce instead…

"Hey." Zhou Yu blinked and turned back as a steady hand settled on his shoulder, obsidian eyes flitting to their amber opposites. The Sun lord tossed his head idly in the direction Xan had disappeared and clicked his tongue, a small frown furrowing his forehead into confused lines. "Is it just me, or is that kid even wordier than you are?"

A tiny smile threatened the strategist's lips at the harmless jab, and for a moment he too stared after the shadow of the departed youth, watching the tide of time tear them apart – then he took a deep breath and stepped forward, dismissing his lingering thoughts and focusing on the estate's solemn face once more. Sun Ce shifted at his side and chuckled dryly, warm hand slipping from his companion's shoulder as he gestured to the waiting entrance.

"Looks inviting, doesn't it?" Zhou Yu scoffed at the sarcastic observation.

"As inviting as a grave."

But his quiet murmur got lost in the tread of boots across the graveled courtyard as both men moved simultaneously forward, heading for the darkened door with measured strides. Zhou Yu felt the warmth of the afternoon sun waning on his face as he stepped into the shadow of the rising eaves – and then it disappeared completely, banished by the cool rim of the doorframe and the unbroken blackness of the deserted entrance hall.

Almost as soon as they'd moved inside, the strategist wished he had held his last words – the hall where celebrations beyond number had been conducted, which he remembered alive with music and dinner guests, was unnervingly reminiscent of a tomb. The strategist couldn't guess why no candles had been lit, unless it served as an exaggerated gesture of mourning – but regardless, only the sunlight streaming in behind them offered any illumination to the murky interior, and its details were faint and faded through the dim air. Two matching sets of footsteps echoed in cacophony against the unseen walls as the Wu officers proceeded to the center of the large room, staring through the darkness as handfuls of incomplete memories drifted over the open floor – memories linking them both to the unseen ceiling and the empty tables and the childhood they had shared.

The swordsman couldn't help a quiet sigh as his gaze roamed along the forsaken walls, shadow-painting the past against a muted present – and then he stopped dead, eyes locked on the motionless figure halted stiffly in the mouth to the inner corridor just ahead of them and bracing one hand against the nearest wall.

Lady Cai was indeed waiting for him – but she was standing, and for a moment that surprised Zhou Yu almost as much as Xan's height. In considering his mother during the long ride from Qingshan, the strategist had imagined her in atrophy, too, matching her failing husband in weakness and delicacy. Lady Cai had certainly become wiry, but there was a sharpness to her features that denied the gripping hands of death he had pictured, and in her brightly reproving eyes he saw the stern mother who had been the true backbone of their household throughout his youth. Sun Ce started and bumped into his companion as the woman suddenly moved through the darkness, calling attention to her drawn features and stepping forward toward the overpowered light of the afternoon sun with intention already alight in her piercing gaze.

"Zhou Yu?" The strategist straightened. His mother's voice was quieter than he remembered, but sharper as well, and it dug into his ribcage as she peered behind him and then refocused unsmilingly on the officers before her. Lady Cai studied the hard edge of her son's jaw for a long moment before speaking again, lean fingers digging into the silk of her rich sleeves and abandoning any attempt at welcome. "Only the two of you have come?"

Instantly the swordsman recognized the disapproving line of his mother's thin lips, and he stiffened in response, a matching scowl sliding across his pale face as his eyes hardened to unrelenting onyx. "My letter mentioned that my wife would not be accompanying me," Zhou Yu grated, holding his tone even and polite despite the tension already sliding across his shoulders. Lady Cai huffed and dropped both hands to her hips, a gesture that seemed to harden her entire form into chiseled stone as she glanced between her eldest son and his uninvited companion as though wishing a lithe young woman would appear instead.

"It did indeed. But I had hoped you'd come to your senses and heed my request. It is hardly proper for a mother not to receive her daughter-in-law… or her grandson."

Truly, the only woman with a right to complain about Xuan's absence from their ancestral home was Lu Meng's mother, and Zhou Yu had a feeling the acerbic warrior wouldn't have brought his son home even if that were an option – but he kept his mouth shut and bowed shallowly nonetheless, noticing the unswept grime between the swirls of tile on the floor as his eyes finally adjusted to the dim light.

"I'm afraid you'll have to forgive me."

He refused to let it bother him – the cold line of her mouth, the tight intention shining in her eyes. He refused to acknowledge the bittersweet sting somewhere below his lungs at the affirmation that his mother didn't care to see him at all, knowing now that his presence wouldn't yield the grandson she'd been waiting for. If the strategist were honest with himself, he hadn't particularly wanted to see her, either – hadn't wanted to see any of them. Why should their hearts have stayed any more devoted than his? Why should he deserve their affection without giving his in return? But the striking severity in Lady Cai's gaze was unpleasant nonetheless, and he swallowed against the dryness in his throat as the aging woman before him curled her hands into knobbed fists and stared at her visitors with intense displeasure washing across her taut features.

For a moment, Zhou Yu wondered whether Lady Cai would receive them at all without the requested company of his wife and supposed son, or whether the long ride from Qingshan would be rendered useless so soon – but then the shadows on her face retreated to a heavy frown and the woman scoffed under her breath, discontented eyes flitting restlessly to the silent walls around them without any real malevolence.

"…It's not a matter that calls for forgiveness. But you will have to bring them along the next time you choose to visit. It is unthinkable that they've gone so long without being formally welcomed into this family."

There was never going to be a next time – that much Zhou Yu was certain, even without completing the first journey. Never again would he trouble to traverse the valley's deceptively idyllic folds. But Lady Cai was staring at him hard beneath her wiry lashes as though daring his defiance, and the swordsman only tipped his head despite the wealth of refusal settling into his stomach. "There is no predicting the course of life's events," he answered instead, voice echoing like ghost footsteps against the unseen walls around them. "I can't make any promises."

Unsurprisingly, that was not what the woman wanted to hear, and her eyes narrowed almost accusingly in the cold contours of her pale face – but she had no time to press for his word, because a cascade of dusty strides in the doorway announced the return of her youngest child. Xan stepped into the darkness and cast the small group a calculating glance, judging the shadow on his mother's face and the tight line of Zhou Yu's mouth as he paused to knock the gravel from his sturdy boots. The young man moved forward into their midst and cleared his throat, wiping the feel of leather reins from his smooth hands with the folds of his sleeves and eyeing Lady Cai carefully through the dim air.

"Mother – may I assume you have greeted Lord Sun Ce in the proper manner?" The woman in question turned her face away, either reluctant or unable to meet her son's piercing gaze and the underlying force of the polite question. Sun Ce shifted uncomfortably in the lagging silence and brushed closer to his strategist with awkward restlessness, one hand trailing up to straighten his windswept ponytail as his amber eyes darted uncertainly to Zhou Yu's. The swordsman watched his unspeaking mother, studying the teeth that nipped inattentively at her lips like a row of jagged pearls – and then suddenly she spoke, almost making her visitors jump with the abrupt sharpness of her voice.

"Lord Sun Ce." The Sun lord straightened at Lady Cai's cold voice, fidgeting unintentionally with the hem of his shirt; the displeased woman barely spared him a glance as she tossed her head stiffly and gestured to the neglected hall around them. "Welcome to Shucheng. Make yourself at home."

Then she turned on heel and strode out of the hall like a looming thunderstorm, eyes cold and fingers tight against the pattern of her silk robes as each slippered step resounded against the hidden walls. Sun Ce started a little at the forced reception and blinked up at his companion, who stared at the shifting lines of his mother's tense shoulders as she moved purposefully through the doorway and out of sight. The swordsman tried to remember her profile before the stern inflexibility, back when her trailing robes were like butterflies and her hands seemed warm despite their severity, but the image slipped away from him in the vanishing echoes of her irritated tread and sunk into the gloom consuming the air around them.

Xan shook his head with an impassive sigh, bowing a little as Lady Cai's footsteps faded down the shadowed corridor and drew the officers' eyes back to his unhurried form. "You'll have to forgive her, Lord Sun Ce – she's not herself since Father became ill." The youngest Zhou child tapped one unaffected hand against his wrist and nodded sagely, glancing between his visitors and the deserted hallway with comparable disinterest. "I'm certain she intended no disrespect. She's simply not as gentle as she used to be."

Something about Sun Ce's expression seemed to question whether Lady Cai had ever been gentle at all, and Zhou Yu could only guess at the string of memories sliding through his preoccupied eyes; but the Little Conqueror wisely kept his mouth shut about his opinion and gave their young escort a forced smile instead, shoving any lingering hesitation away from his countenance. "No harm done. Happens all the time."

Wu's dark strategist felt his forehead furrowing at the undoubtedly false deflection – but his brother swallowed the explanation without question, seemingly uninterested in any more than courteous exchange. The young man tipped his chin inquiringly to one side and indicated the corridor ahead of them, his intelligent gaze focused squarely on the swordsman beside him as his thin voice spilled into the waiting darkness. "I'm relieved to hear that, Lord Sun Ce. Now, if you don't mind… I should take you to see Father."

Zhou Yu tensed instantly, the muscles throughout his limbs snapping taut as his eyes shot down the corridor faster than a pair of lightning arrows; at his side, Sun Ce openly flinched. The empty air around them seemed to hold its breath, drawing back from the serious lines of the swordsman's face as he tightened ten fingers into his sleeves and watched the silent hallway with reluctant foreboding gnawing at his quickened pulse. For a moment, caught up in the complications of his mother and her youngest son, Zhou Yu had almost managed to forget that the worst part of their arrival still awaited them somewhere in the shadowy contours of the neglected estate, trapped in his chamber by a physical weakness that had descended far too early. The strategist hadn't been looking forward to a reunion with any of his family members – but Zhou Fan was, by far, the one he dreaded seeing most.

Zhou Yu bit the inside of his cheek hard, glance dashing indecisively through the dust and darkness ahead. Would Zhou Fan be as dismissive of his older son's presence as his wife had been? Or would he be ecstatic, eyes alight with hope and the unending naiveté that had sent Xing Dao on his courier mission in the first place? He had a feeling the second response would be far worse – and far more characteristic of the desperate father he remembered. The swordsman gritted his teeth and fought to unwind his fingers from their tensely curling fists, ignoring the feeling of impending disaster between his ribs as Sun Ce shifted and brushed his arm with one encouraging hand.

"How about it, Yu?" the Sun lord asked, voice cautious like the dust motes swirling around them. "We came this far, after all."

His words made it sound like leaving without confronting Zhou Fan was an option. Zhou Yu smirked sardonically to himself at the thought, letting his companion's words disintegrate before giving a careful nod in response. There was no avoiding his father now. Why bother delaying the inevitable?

Xan studied both men silently, charcoal gaze judging the tight line of his brother's jaw and the depth coursing through his obsidian eyes despite his apparent acquiescence. Then the youngest Zhou child shrugged, dragging the officers' attention back from their hesitant scrutiny of the corridor as his arms uncrossed and fell easily away from his chest. "Good. If you'll follow me, then."

The unruffled youth bowed stiffly once more and turned on heel, heading for the corridor ahead and trusting his guests to follow; the lord of Wu and his strategist shared a quick glance before falling into unhurried stride behind their escort, lips sealed with the terse air of the neglected entrance hall. Zhou Yu shoved the tendrils of lingering hesitation down into the pit of his stomach as he passed through the door, moving into the long unlit hallway after his brother and listening absently to Sun Ce's footsteps in his wake – the only sound but their shallow breathing in the tightly silent passageway.

The swordsman didn't want to think about the floor slipping away beneath their feet, leading them inevitably toward the master chambers of the crumbling estate and the once proud master confined within – he directed his gaze to the corridor's paneling instead, glancing at the empty oil lamps above their heads and the faded tapestries hung from unseen hooks. The decorations that had flourished throughout the expansive house in his childhood were in as much decline as the structure itself, leaving the once inviting home with a seeping impression of desolation. Even the floorboards beneath them creaked with each measured step, echoing dissonantly along the barren corridor like the churning wheels of cavalry chariots.

The feeling of disrepair and neglect apparent in every aspect of the estate was so incomparably different from the warmth ringing through each one of the myriad Wu palaces that it almost seemed physically discordant – but then, perhaps it was a fitting atmosphere for the polite distance radiating between the few members of the Zhou family who had chosen to stay.

Zhou Yu studied the plane of Xan's back and his strict bun bobbing thoughtlessly with every stride, considering his youngest brother silently as doors leading deeper into the estate slid by on their right and the left wall opened to border the central courtyard. He wondered why the young man had bothered remaining in the home of his faltering father all these years, and whether he'd continue his role as caretaker of the gloomy structure after Zhou Fan's death – was he here simply for their father's peace of mind? Did Xan consider it his duty to maintain the ancestral home, since both of his brothers had abandoned their obligations years earlier? Or was there truly something to be gained through his unending filiality – something more practical that would appeal to the iron interior of the young man's coal-black eyes?

He didn't have time to ask. As they rounded a bend and headed at last toward the sleeping quarters, Xan's voice broke the silence yet again, its customary unconcern accompanying a backward glance that barely bothered to meet the swordsman's eyes before drifting forward once more. The young man sighed to himself and slid both hands under the veil of his ample sleeves.

"You haven't asked about Qi."

Zhou Yu froze, halting so abruptly that Sun Ce bumped into him from behind and latched both fists into his fluid shirt to keep from staggering. Breath stumbled to a stop in the strategist's considerably surprised lungs as he stared openly at his youngest brother, eyes wide with the surge of shocked adrenaline shooting through his veins. For a moment, his mind refused to function, caught off guard by a name he hadn't summoned in many long years. Then a displeased scowl spilled across the swordsman's countenance and pressed his lips into a thin line, spurring rekindled aggravation to smolder in his eyes.

"Why would I?"

Xan shrugged, neither impressed nor intimidated by the wildfire of discontent coursing through his brother's expression. "I thought you might be curious," the young man answered simply, twisting the edge of his slight sleeve between unhurried fingers and resuming his easy pace down the corridor. Sun Ce nudged his companion hard in the back and pushed them into motion again, propelling his stormy swordsman forward after their nonchalant escort even as Zhou Yu's glower burned into the folds of Xan's robe. "He is your brother, after all. And you probably haven't heard from him in—"

"Six years." It was no great loss, in the strategist's eyes. If his middle brother had fallen from the face of the earth the day he decided to ride north and join Cao Cao – Cao Cao, whose loyal lieutenants had tried to assassinate Sun Ce mere months previously – it would have been all to the better in Zhou Yu's opinion. The Sun lord elbowed his companion firmly in the ribs and caught his onyx eyes in a strong stare, amber gaze chastising the shadows between the swordsman's terse response. But Xan just smiled a little and shook his head; the young man paused unexpectedly at a window that opened into the gardens beyond them, staring almost wistfully through the thick foliage as his hands found the well-worn sill.

"I see you've not forgotten him with time." Xan chuckled lightly, a dry and vaguely unpleasant sound that wound between them with the consistency of smoke and drifted through the amiable summer breeze. "I can assure you he's no more agreeable than you remember – age doesn't seem to have mellowed him much at all."

Zhou Yu straightened a little and watched his brother's face closely, gaze catching on the barely concealed amusement lurking in his coal eyes as Xan tsked under his breath. "He was passing through here a few months ago on his way back from a diplomatic venture of some kind… he didn't have much time, but he did stop by long enough to swallow half a bottle of good wine. He looks well." The young man's words seemed almost hollow in their emotionless honesty – Zhou Yu felt his commander shifting awkwardly at his side as the Sun lord worked to find his voice.

"He's still working in the north?" Xan snorted softly.

"Hardly working at all, I would imagine, given his character. He always was clever, though – great lords make use of men like him." The youth cast his brother a fleeting glance over one preoccupied shoulder, judging the terse lines of his expression before turning back to the open window and swallowing a deep breath of sunlit air. "Whether you approve or not, Zhou Yu, Duke Cao is a great lord – he knows how to make the best of his resources."

The swordsman bristled a little, catching the underlying accusation of his own failure to choose a lord distinguished enough for acknowledgement, and a note of offhand irritation skimmed through Sun Ce's eyes as he flicked his ponytail back over one shoulder. But either Xan didn't notice or he didn't care – the young man turned swiftly from his window perch and continued down the corridor unhindered, hardly waiting for the answering tread of his visitors before his voice interrupted the stuttered silence of the hallway again.

"No insult intended to present company, of course."

The Sun lord rolled his eyes, stepping forward to catch Zhou Yu's ear with his sarcastically muttered _Of course not_. The swordsman shook his head and followed his brother wordlessly down the seemingly endless passageway, Qi weighing heavily on his mind despite the long-faded fabric of their childhood disagreements. Somehow, the thought of Qi's snidely sneering face turned the strategist's stomach just as it had done years ago, despite the distance and time stretching endlessly between them and muting the contours of his serpentine countenance. Zhou Yu couldn't be sure, now, whether his arguments with Qi had truly been as important as they'd seemed, or if his temper had just been shorter in his youth and his ire easier to earn. But either way, he was relieved that they wouldn't be running into his second brother during their stay in Shucheng – childish or not, the strategist had a feeling any further interaction with Qi would have to take place through clashing swords.

Abruptly, Xan stopped moving, halting dead in the center of the hallway and pivoting back to face his guests on a quick heel. Sun Ce started a little at the sudden change in pace and Zhou Yu blinked, studying his brother curiously as the young man gestured toward a silent door on their right, clever eyes catching the swordsman's. "We moved Father into one of the central rooms last winter, when his chambers became too cold," Xan explained without prompting, a slight shrug rolling through his shoulders. "His quarters are down this hallway."

For a long moment, the strategist couldn't understand why his youngest brother had bothered to stop and explain their course change instead of simply leading the way down this second corridor. Then Sun Ce took a step back and moved to lean against the opposite wall, his glance shooting several strides down to the open window and the garden beyond it baking in the heavy sunlight. Both amber eyes regarded their obsidian opposites with a slight smile as the Sun lord laughed awkwardly, sliding one hand through the tangled mess of his ponytail and motioning vaguely to the door.

"How about I wait here, Yu? Let you guys have a little quality time down there."

Zhou Yu blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected offer and the slight nods moving the Little Conqueror's chin up and down in suggestion. Why would the young officer choose to stay behind now, when he'd been so adamant about accompanying the strategist to Shucheng in the first place? Hadn't Sun Ce wanted to come along to drag his swordsman out of the pits of depression when the situation weighed heavily on his shoulders – to scatter his darker thoughts at a moment exactly like this one was bound to be? What good could come of his seclusion in this forsaken hallway, too distant to jar his companion from descent into solemn desolation?

Then the confirmation burning in the Little Conqueror's eyes caught up with him, and Zhou Yu realized that his commander was doing them both a favor in agreeing to stay behind just this once. It wasn't likely that Zhou Fan would be pleased to see the man who had taken his son's loyalty standing right in front of him – fulfilling his impossibly vast ambitions, healthy and successful while his own body continued to fail him. And how uncomfortable must interactions with the Zhou family be for Sun Ce himself – he had known every member in his youth, but any ties once standing were long broken, and the severed ends trailing weakly between them weren't strong enough to reconnect. Hadn't Xan's calmly political congratulations proved how little sentiment lingered from that childhood association? Perhaps Zhou Fan would have been the hardest to face of all, just as he would be for Zhou Yu.

The strategist swallowed a deep breath and found he had no option but to nod as well, accepting Sun Ce's proposal despite his disinclination to proceed alone. Xan nodded firmly along with him, as though his objective all along had been to abandon the Sun lord in his badly maintained corridor, and reached for the door behind him with a steady hand, resting each palm briefly against the screen panels.

"Then, if you'll follow me, Zhou Yu." The swordsman turned to obey his brother's instructions wordlessly, a reluctant frown interrupting the pale contours of his handsome face; but just before he could move out of reach, an unmistakably familiar hand dropped onto his shoulder, and Zhou Yu glanced back to meet the warm voice with his full attention.

"Hey."

Wu's famous strategist raised an inquiring eyebrow. The Little Conqueror's lips quirked upward in a short grin as he shot his swordsman a wink, one thumb popping up encouragingly from his loose fist. "Good luck," the young officer intoned, his restless voice dimmed in the overbearing silence of the hallway. Zhou Yu studied his companion's face and tried to lock the sunlit features into the fabric of his mind, holding the cheerful image as long as he could to delay the shadows descending ahead – then Xan slid the passage's concealing door open and moved smoothly into the hidden corridor, and the strategist had no choice but to follow.

Only their footsteps broke the silence of the sheltered hallway as the two men moved mutely forward, and Zhou Yu let his gaze rove up and down the dismal walls, tracing the paneling in search of a vague association. It seemed as though the doors they passed should lead to rooms at the very center of the extensive structure – rooms he remembered, where guests had stayed and spare furniture had been stored to keep it out from underfoot. But somehow, even with an instinctive knowledge of the estate's layout and a childhood to match each steady stride, nothing looked familiar. Perhaps it was just that the feeling of the house had changed so much; every doorway seemed dark and foreboding, sliding by like blinded eyes and leading to destinations at which he could only guess.

Zhou Yu shook his head to clear the useless thoughts away and pressed his pace, catching Xan's slippered steps to walk evenly beside his younger brother down the dust-cluttered passageway. The young man did not spare him a glance, untanned features smooth and serene with the air of unhurried expectation that seemed, in the strategist's experience, to come with awaiting death. It was an expression he recognized from the funeral conductors he had sometimes seen – as though they had accepted the inescapability of human mortality long ago, leaving the rest of their race to struggle with dreams of an afterlife and fear of the nothingness that might loom on the other side…

"Here."

Zhou Yu stopped abruptly, snapped from his thoughts as the shadows of the hallway solidified without warning into a sturdy door, framed in trailing dust motes and the remnants of destroyed spider webs. The strategist felt his pulse quicken as memory suddenly descended like a set of chiming bells, ringing through his mind with an almost sickening familiarity as the entire house seemed to shift in his mind, settling into an order he remembered as vividly as the afternoon sun heading for the horizon somewhere high above them.

It was ironic, in a way. The room Xan had chosen for their father was the best guest chamber in the Zhou family estate – the room where Sun Jian and Lady Wu had lived during their long stay in Shucheng. The association was a little more than Zhou Yu wanted to think about, and he shoved it away, forcing the Tiger of Jiang Dong into a forgotten corner of his mind as his young escort placed a hand on the untarnished wood and regarded him fully from his inferior height.

"He has been waiting for you," Xan murmured, the words empty and disconnected as he met his brother's flitting glance above the must-covered floor tiles and a nonchalant half-smile slipped across his face. "He's been waiting for years."

Zhou Yu wanted to know what they'd told Zhou Fan through those years – why he had kept hoping for a reunion despite the fractured family that had fallen through his fingers and scattered to the four winds, despite his eldest son's proclamation of abandonment and the letters that hadn't come. He wanted to ask about the knowing light lurking in Xan's coal-black eyes. But he didn't have time – the door swung open too eagerly beneath his brother's light touch, almost as though pulled from within by a hand that couldn't wait to greet them, and then there was nowhere to go but in.

What struck him first was the smell.

It wasn't the smell he usually associated with death. Death as he knew it came from the battlefield, and it was a bittersweet and sickening scent, drawn from the blood that seeped like rainwater through the trampled earth after a conflict. Death smelled the way copper looked, bright but sour as it defiled the clear morning air with the black smoke of warning fires and the clash of contesting gongs. It was a scent he'd gotten used to – one that registered in the back of his mind but rarely stalled his breath anymore, regardless of the heavy casualties it carried.

This was different. The smell drifting from Zhou Fan's quarters seemed more unpleasant than the kind Wu's swordsman was accustomed to dealing with – it was almost rancid, laden with the stench of sweat, immobility, and too many recycled breaths streaming in and out of failing lungs. Only by virtue of his great composure did Zhou Yu keep from wrinkling his nose as the odor of endless confined afternoons swept over them, rushing from the doorway like a tremendous sigh of recession and fatigue. Then Xan gestured him forward, and the strategist stepped into a darkness even deeper than the shadowed hallway, disappearing in the murk of a single, feeble oil lamp.

Through the twisting shadows of the flickering light, Zhou Yu made his way toward the vague lump of an occupied bed, his eyes moving restlessly across the unkempt room that looked more like a cell than an infirmary. It was easy to tell that the windows, barred and curtained, hadn't been opened through the entirety of Zhou Fan's illness – dust had collected inches deep along the braced sill and the folds of fabric blocking out the daylight. Years had probably passed since the sun poked its cleansing rays through the slats of the wooden shade to stab at the gathering gloom; the fickle oil flame seemed to bleach the color out of everything it touched, sapping the room until only black and pale gray registered before the swordsman's apprehensive eyes.

He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised when the shockingly white face lurched out of its blankets and flew into a sitting position, excitement highlighting the gaunt contours of its taut features – but it startled him badly anyway, shooting his pulse into battle tempo and stalling his steps against the coarse floor. For a moment, Zhou Yu almost believed he was staring into the eyes of a rotting ghoul, even more unnerving for the too-wide grin splitting its pallid features and the breathless laugher gurgling from its decaying throat.

"Yu? My son – is that you?"

The strategist couldn't summon a response – his tongue had gone completely dry at the croaking exclamation. Instead, he stepped forward and knelt down, offering his hand to the bony remains of the old man's fingers and dropping his gaze in a half-bow to avoid the glimmering relief shining in Zhou Fan's watery eyes. His father laughed, a disjointed and painful sound that jangled too loudly in the ears of his audience.

"Of course it is. Xan told me you were coming – I… I have your letter…"

One shaking hand reached somewhere into the soiled pillows and emerged with a well-worn piece of parchment, its letters smeared and edges rough with evidence of many rereadings. Zhou Fan clutched the document unsteadily to his ragged chest, and the strategist felt guilt drop into his stomach like a sinking stone at the possessive glee coloring the old man's cheeks. Zhou Yu had put too much thought and not enough words into his curt response, only writing what was necessary to announce his impending journey – looking at the sickly form of his father now in the weak light and realizing how tightly Zhou Fan had held to that scrap of contact through the previous fortnight, the swordsman almost wished he had written more.

"It's not an important letter, Father," he found himself murmuring, distasteful fault dropping his gaze from the uncannily captivating features of the man still gripping his hand like an iron vice. Zhou Fan shook his head fiercely, waving the letter through the stifling air above his nodding head and ruffling the remnants of faded hair clinging tenaciously to his scalp.

"Nonsense." Zhou Yu held his breath as his father's panting words pitched against his face, warm and stale with the scent of rotting teeth. "You've always written beautiful characters. Xan said so as well." Zhou Fan glanced at his youngest son for confirmation, and the strategist cast his brother a disbelieving glance over one shoulder. Xan raised an unruffled eyebrow.

"Your handwriting is akin to a scholar's. I suppose you've had a lot of practice." The dark swordsman bit back a scoff, returning his gaze to his father's beaming countenance and suppressing a light shiver at the cold hands tightening around his wrist.

"There is no shortage of paperwork in Wu."

If he had turned around, Zhou Yu was sure a slight smirk would have been twisting the young man's lips upward in sarcastic amusement. But his father's face instantly soured, creases forming in the ample skin of his forehead and making the taut features immeasurably more severe with a heavy frown. Zhou Fan glared at each of his sons in turn, raven eyes sharp with disapproval, and his hands moved in unreadable gestures of dismissal across his burdened lap.

"That's enough. No more talk about that infernal empire. I'll not have it in my household."

Zhou Yu started, completely shocked by the harsh reprimand of his kingdom, the kingdom ruled by a family once so close to Zhou Fan's own. The strategist's obsidian gaze flashed disbelievingly across his father's face, searching the falteringly firm features for any fragment of explanation to soften his absolute rejection. But it was Xan's voice that split the strained silence, drawing a deeper scowl onto Zhou Fan's ashen face with his nonchalant words.

"He won't hear of anything outside Shucheng. Qi wanted to see him as well when he was in town – but as soon as he mentioned Duke Cao, Father refused to speak to him any longer." The young man shrugged easily, condescending eyes moving almost sympathetically across Zhou Fan's blackened expression. "I suppose you can assume how much that pleased Qi, when he'd bothered to stop by at all."

Part of Zhou Yu's mind wanted to press his brother for information, wondering what Qi might have let slip about Cao Cao's ambitions during his short stay – but the rest of his attention was focused solely on his unyielding father, still struggling to comprehend the rigid line of his withered mouth. The strategist rose slowly to his feet, one hand still dangling limply in the old man's fingers and the other coursing through his thick hair as though seeking understanding in the wind-scattered strands.

"Father? Is that true?"

Zhou Fan huffed, digging his jagged fingernails into the swordsman's pale skin as though he feared his eldest son might move for the door at any moment. "Of course I didn't speak to him. What do I want with the dealings of the empire that stole my son away – either of the empires?" The old man nodded with sage heaviness, his chin drooping authoritatively against his sagging chest as he frowned fiercely up at the dark strategist in his clutches. "If those power-hungry mongrels hadn't been prowling around, leading people off left and right, Qi never would have left home – and you wouldn't have, either."

Refusing knowledge of the land's growing empires was foolish – but the man had never been a brilliant mind. Ignoring his sons' achievements and loyalties was inconsiderate – but rarely had the selfish veil lifted from his eyes, in all the years he had watched Shucheng from his hillside palace. But calling Sun Ce a power-hungry mongrel was something the swordsman would not stand for, even from the disillusioned lips of the ailing ancient Zhou Fan had become. Zhou Yu pulled his hand smoothly out of his father's grip and took a step back, regarding the man discontentedly from a short distance as distaste pooled in his stomach.

"No one led Qi and I away from home," the swordsman asserted softly, keeping his voice calm and steady despite the surprise spidering across Zhou Fan's face at his passably defiant reply. "We chose to leave. We each found a purpose that called for our assistance—"

"A purpose that could just as well have been fulfilled by others," the old man rasped in an escalating tone, banging one feeble fist against his dust-laden blankets. Zhou Yu felt deep furrows marring his forehead as his father shook one emaciated finger his direction, swallowing hard between every few words to keep his words as strong as illness allowed. "What need was there for you in Jiang Dong at sixteen – barely on the cusp of adulthood at all, let alone qualified to direct an army! Don't try to tell me you were indispensable."

The barbs stung furiously as they hurtled from Zhou Fan's lips and crashed into his eldest son's ears, as close to shouting as the man's failing voice could manage. Zhou Yu felt his eyes narrowing as irritation and insult swirled through his stomach, burning like a cold winter wind against the seams of his pride. He wanted to interrupt his father's baseless tirade – to cite Sun Jian's trust in his policies and his strategic victory at Zhenhai, and all the work he had done to keep the Tiger general's prefecture in fair condition. But Zhou Fan brushed his words away before they could even begin, gesturing for silence when the swordsman opened his mouth.

"Don't interrupt me!"

The old man looked more and more shriveled as his face became enraged, glowing with a passion that had undoubtedly lurked in his veins for countless years and waited for just such a release. Zhou Fan gripped his blankets in two sweaty hands as the sustained fury poured from his lips raw and unkind, losing some of its strength as his crackling voice pitched erratically. "You were too young to know what you wanted anyway – I should never have let you leave home with Sun Jian. He was an old family friend, and I…" The fire trickled out of his words like blowing embers, like the burning sacrifices on a funeral pyre. Zhou Fan shook his head sorrowfully, letting his eyes slip closed beneath their exhausted lids. "I was foolish. I thought you'd surely return once you'd had your fill of Fu Chun. This was your home, your family…"

For a fleeting moment, the piteous weakness shining in his father's eyes tugged at Zhou Yu's ribcage like a rough wire, stinging up and down his spine in a half-regretful prickle. Then the driving sparks returned to his father's coal-black eyes, and the old man's livid words stormed from his mouth again, fiercer for the vicious grip of his fingers in the bedding around him.

"It's all the fault of that Sun brat. If you hadn't become such good friends, he wouldn't have dragged you south with him in the first place. And now he's kept you from home for eight years, running around the Wu Territory instead of staying here where you belong—"

Zhou Yu straightened sharply, stiffening to his full height as the malicious jabs shifted to a target he wouldn't tolerate. "Don't speak of Sun Ce that way," he interjected, eyes narrowing with intense irritation. Zhou Fan stuttered to a stop, staring at his oldest son in open astonishment as though he had never dreamed the young man would dare to interrupt him. The strategist shook his head firmly. "It was my choice to leave this place, not his. If you want to be angry with someone, you'll have to be angry with me." As much as it stung to have his greatest effort – the conquest of Wu and the foundation of their empire – thrown away as worthless by the flippant old man, the swordsman would accept no scapegoat for his decisions. Especially not Sun Ce.

Zhou Fan gaped open-mouthed at his eldest son as the strategist met his gaze steadily, obsidian eyes resolute between the fringe of his dark bangs and equally unapologetic as his voice. "I wanted to leave Shucheng for my own reasons – the Sun family merely gave me that opportunity. If I hadn't accompanied Sun Jian, I'd have joined someone else."

Or perhaps it was truly Sun Ce that gave him that opportunity – the opportunity to reach outside of his bland existence, to accept the greater reality of a world that allowed for chasing dreams. Zhou Yu watched his father almost regretfully as the man shrunk back into his ample pillows, startled by the complete seriousness consuming his son's countenance and the deathly stillness coating his words. "There was nothing for me in Shucheng – and there was nothing for Qi, either. We both wanted to find something worth dedicating our lives to. It was our choice to make – and I know neither of us has regretted that choice, regardless of where it led us."

For the first time in his memory, Zhou Yu almost felt kinship with his second brother stirring in his veins, soft and faltering but present nonetheless. He couldn't truly speak for Qi's reasons, of course, and there was no way of knowing whether Duke Cao's wealth had actually lured him north – but something about the burning ambition he remembered in those serpentine eyes made the strategist believe that their motives for leaving must have been similar, even though their paths wound so divergent. Wu's loyal swordsman shook his head slowly, eyes flickering across his father's unsteady breathing and the shock suffusing his face as Xing Dao's words rang back to him, cold and hard against the column of his spine.

"I apologize if the choices we have made displease you. But I cannot apologize for mistakes I have not made – and I will not apologize for following Sun Ce to Jiang Dong."

He would never apologize for following Sun Ce anywhere.

For a long moment after his voice fell silent, the strategist could only stare openly into the shaken old man's charcoal eyes, letting his sincerity echo across the space between them. Then Zhou Fan's face settled into grave thought, his disapproving gaze roving unhappily across his son's set features in a series of quick, glancing passes. Zhou Yu waited silently, watching his father's hands restless in his lap and listening to the soundless dance of dust motes through the air around them. Xan shifted in the doorway. At last the old man sighed, slumping back into his malodorous pillows and motioning the swordsman closer with one shaking hand.

"Come here."

Zhou Yu blinked, confusion marring his pale forehead at the resignation coloring his father's countenance. Hesitation stirred like butterfly wings in his stomach, but he ignored it and stepped forward, kneeling at the frail man's bedside once more. It was impossible to read intentions in Zhou Fan's eyes as he raised a trembling hand and reached toward his eldest son's face, bone-like fingers almost scraping the smooth skin, and the swordsman quietly braced himself for the chilling touch of near-rotting flesh.

When it came, no amount of preparation was enough. Zhou Fan pulled back and slapped his eldest son full across the face, uncut nails slashing into the surface of his skin. "Don't argue with me," he ordered solemnly, yellowed teeth peering angrily from beneath his upper lip.

Zhou Yu stared, his jaw falling open in complete shock. Xan's footsteps pounded like hail across the room as he ran for his father, catching the old man's wizened arm in a tight grip and yanking Zhou Fan roughly from the swarming blankets with a force that dragged the vicious gaze up to his.

"Father, what are you doing?" The young man's incredulity rang through the room in a near shout as the swordsman raised a disbelieving hand to his cheek, feeling the warmth of pulsing blood beneath his fingertips and the sting of impact ricocheting through his flesh. Zhou Fan glared unrepentantly up at his son and shook the youth's startled hand away, turning his face to the covered window as though in utter disinterest of the chaos he'd initiated.

"Disobedient children are punished for their misbehavior," the old man muttered, glancing at his eldest son as though to weigh the penitence he anticipated. Zhou Yu listened to the rush of his pulse through the abraded flesh and felt the imprint of the knuckled hand throbbing against his face, narrowing his eyes from their startled span to a blank, unseeing stare.

Disobedient children. But he wasn't a child anymore – not by any stretch his father might invent. He was almost twenty-four. He was an accomplished swordsman, a hardened general. He was the intellect behind Sun Ce's conquest of the Wu Territory – behind the strength of his empire. The insult stung far more than the imprint on his skin, and it overwhelmed the pattern of his thoughts until he could hardly make sense of the contrasting, confused impulses coursing through him. Only one thought managed to break through the haze of his tangled emotion overruling his reason-driven mind – and it was this thought that raised him to his full height, turning him away from Zhou Fan's bedside and slinging the weak light of the oil lamp from his troubled features.

Perhaps Sun Ce was right. Perhaps he shouldn't have returned to Shucheng at all.

With the soft steps of a summer storm, Zhou Yu began to move, stepping carefully over the littered floor without a backward glance. He could hear Xan straightening behind him and his father scrabbling against the blankets, struggling to sit up as his son picked a slow way across the disaster his illness had wrought throughout the room. The strategist didn't stop until he reached the doorway, and then it was only the thin reed of the old man's voice that called his steps to a halt on the verge of the lessening shadows.

"Where are you going?" Somehow, Zhou Fan still sounded angry, as though the blow he'd dealt his eldest son hadn't dimmed his fury in the slightest. Zhou Yu ran a quiet hand against his throbbing cheek, feeling the tiny lines of blood stick to his fingertips where his father's fingernails must have broken the skin. The bed shifted impatiently behind him and the swordsman stared aimlessly down the empty corridor ahead, considering his answer in the unforgiving darkness of the doorway.

Where was there to go, anyway? He couldn't stay in the stifling room any longer – that was all he knew.

At his lack of reply, Zhou Fan's muffled twistings became more urgent, slipping through the empty gloom like a rasping file. His voice, when it came again, was astonishingly weak, as though all the fire and resolve in his scolding tirade had disintegrated with his son's movement toward the door. Zhou Yu didn't have to look back to discern the piteous pleading no doubt flooding his father's gaunt face, filling the emaciated crevices of wrinkled skin with fear and uncertainty.

"You're not… leaving, are you? So soon?"

Perhaps that was the right thing to do. Jump back on the horses and ride away, leave Shucheng and all its complicated inhabitants to the mercy of his past – leave the situation unresolved, unfinished, and escape before the tension streaming through Zhou Fan's entreaty formed deeper scars than the few across his face. But the swordsman knew it wasn't an option – he had vowed to fulfill his father's last, selfish wish, and he had never looked kindly on running away. Zhou Yu shook his head wordlessly, feeling the soft strands of his dark hair teasing his bleeding cheek as the frail man's sigh of relief ricocheted throughout the corridor.

"You'll come back, then. Tomorrow? Will I see you tomorrow?"

And once again, for what couldn't be the last time, the strategist was left wondering why his father wanted to see him at all. What good would come of his return to the house in a different day's light – what could a few last visits really do to alleviate the disagreement his return had only aggravated? Why had Zhou Fan summoned him at all? Why had he agreed to come? There was nothing in the broken home that a few days' reunion could repair, and so much more that it could destroy. But Zhou Yu had no answers to his questions – no more answers than he'd had weeks ago, when Xing Dao stood disapprovingly in Qingshan's audience chamber and riddled him with unproven culpability. No more answers, it seemed, than he would ever have.

"Tomorrow," he murmured, and the word wove between the gathering shadows like a set of binding shackles. Then he resumed his silent progression down the hallway, ignoring the pleased babbling in his father's satisfied voice and the idle smirk he could almost hear slipping across Xan's face. Zhou Yu brushed his bangs roughly away from the complicated eyes they covered and increased his pace, moving quickly across the dust and shattered cobweb strings as though the sickly room were following at his heels, threatening to swallow him back into its impenetrable darkness if he misstepped.

The strategist couldn't think about the men behind him or the knot of snarled emotion lurking in his stomach – he focused on the walls instead, tracing every line of texture with his piercing gaze as the plaster and wood panels flowed into one another and emphasized the flecks of chipping paint missing from their surfaces. It didn't take long for the sunlit corridor they'd first passed through to appear ahead of him – and with it, a restless figure leaning against the eastern wall, his eyes as uncertain as his posture. Sun Ce straightened at the sight of his swordsman and took a few hurried steps into the concealed passage, meeting Zhou Yu in the mouth of the doorway with wary curiosity drowning his countenance.

"Yu? Is everything okay? I thought I heard yelling…" The strategist stalled at his companion's side, meeting the Sun lord's inquisitive gaze for only a brief moment before his glance leapt away again and settled on the empty windowsill. One warm hand dropped onto his forearm, the touch asking questions that echoed through his eyes as Sun Ce reached out and brushed his swordsman's cheek – his tan fingers moved in open surprise over the small cuts Zhou Fan's nails had carved into his son's skin. "You're bleeding…"

Zhou Yu winced, turning his face away from the stinging contact and moving out of the Little Conqueror's reach toward the light of the blazing afternoon sun where it pooled on the unswept floor. The illumination filling every corner of the hallway was such a welcome release from the dank isolation of his father's infirmary that the strategist almost sighed, letting the fresh air of an untended garden fill his lungs and brush the furrows from his worried forehead even as Sun Ce huffed and pursued him, planting himself squarely in the swordsman's field of vision once more and taking a firm hold of his shoulder.

"What happened down there? And where did you get this?" Once again his palm grazed the injury marring his companion's pale cheek, and Zhou Yu frowned, jerking away from the cautious fingers and glaring lightly into the Sun lord's insistent stare.

"That hurts." Sun Ce withdrew his hand immediately, but the rampant curiosity in his fervent gaze skimmed across the strategist's face in place of his inquisitive fingers, searching the evasive obsidian eyes for any hints to the origin of the blood slowly drying on his face. The young officer shifted his weight and dug his fingers into Zhou Yu's silk shirt, forcing the unresponsive swordsman to meet his exasperated glare.

"Hey. Would you talk to me here?" The strategist pressed his lips into a thin line as he met his companion's serious amber eyes, suppressing the urge to simply jerk out of the Sun lord's hold and disappear down the dust-ridden corridor without explaining anything. Sun Ce blew his unruly bangs out of his face and aimed an adamant thumb over his shoulder at the passage behind them, glancing back and forth between his captive swordsman and the silent hallway leading to Zhou Fan's quarters. "What happened? Everything was peaceful down here for a couple minutes, and then it was like the whole place erupted. I heard someone yelling—"

"We had an argument." Zhou Yu stepped away from his companion and turned his head to confront the wall, ignoring the tug of tight fingers in his shirt as Sun Ce gaped at him wide-eyed. The strategist frowned fiercely at the peeling plaster and shook his head, cutting off the syllables that floundered at the edge of the Sun lord's lips before they could start. "I don't want to talk about it. Especially not here. Just leave it alone, Ce."

The Little Conqueror stared at his swordsman in startled silence for a long moment, curiosity and consideration chasing each other across his features in a succession of almost visible thoughts – then the young officer shook his head, a slight smile scattering his sober contemplation. "Okay – not here," he assented, sliding one warm hand down his companion's arm until he could wind his fingers between the strategist's. "But there's no way you're getting away with that. I've got to know what you were arguing about – the suspense was killing me."

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to tell the lord of Wu how little he cared whether eager curiosity had him bouncing off the walls during the course of their miserable visit, but Sun Ce cut him off, pressing two quick fingers against the swordsman's lips before any more curt words could escape. The Sun lord shook his head, smiling despite his companion's less than amused expression and urging Zhou Yu back into the main corridor with an insistent pull on his hand. "Not here – I got it. Let's go find somewhere to spend the night, okay? Then you can tell me the whole story."

The dark strategist scoffed, brushing errant strands of hair away from his face as his feet reluctantly settled into the young officer's encouraging pace and the ridiculous suggestion momentarily distracted him. "Shucheng has no inn, Ce. Where are you planning to lodge?"

Sun Ce shrugged unconcernedly at the terse inquisition, chestnut ponytail dancing from shoulder to shoulder as he slung a carefree arm behind his head. "I don't know. Wherever we can. How about in somebody's stable? I've always wanted to do that." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, letting their joined hands rock back and forth through the clement afternoon breeze as he raised a disbelieving eyebrow.

"Don't be ridiculous. Sleeping in a stable is hardly sanitary. Besides, what are you going to do if we get sick—"

Abruptly, the swordsman stopped, staring at his upbeat companion as the easy banter suddenly registered in his ears and stalled his feet against the floor. The Little Conqueror paused halfway through a purposeful stride and turned back to look at him, one hand awkwardly fisted and confusion blinking through his amber eyes. "Yu? What's the matter?"

Zhou Yu felt his mouth falling slightly open as he watched the subtle wind trailing through Sun Ce's hair and across his untroubled features – then the strategist shook his head, feeling a tiny spark of gratitude teasing the edges of his lips. It was one of the most incomprehensible things about his unpredictable companion – no matter the circumstance, the Sun lord always seemed to know how to banish the shadows that lingered in his swordsman's obsidian eyes. Zhou Yu glanced out the nearby window and back to his commander in quick succession, meeting the young officer's questioning gaze with a slight smile.

"Thank you."

Sun Ce blinked, the light of the summer sun flitting through his vibrant eyes – then a trademark grin spread victoriously across his face, and he laughed as he shot Zhou Yu an unguarded wink. The Sun lord tightened his grip on his strategist's hand and set off down the corridor again, almost humming under his breath as they sloshed through patches of warm sunlight and headed for the entrance hall.

"Come on, Yu. It'll be an experience. If you never experience anything, you might as well not have lived at all. How many people do _you_ know who've ever slept in a stable? Maybe we'll be the first."

Zhou Yu just shook his head again, unable to answer as a thin stream of chuckles stole between his lips and got lost in the thread of their footsteps. The shadows of the entrance hall creased their backs for a moment and then vanished almost as swiftly as they had come, disappearing under the pulse of the steady sunlight as Sun Ce dragged his dark swordsman into the afternoon air. The young lord stretched cheerfully and whirled to face his strategist, nearly bursting with energy now that the decaying house was behind them and the beautiful valley stretched as far as vision allowed in each direction.

"I think that's more than enough angsting for one day. From now on, I'm officially declaring this trip a vacation, got it?" The young officer poked one stern finger into his companion's chest for emphasis, frowning up into his skeptical onyx eyes. "I don't want another depressing thought to cross your mind. Good? Good! Now let's get rolling."

Zhou Yu smiled darkly at the back of the Sun lord's rustling ponytail, recognizing only too well the futility of the Little Conqueror's demand. He couldn't help dreading the return to his father's withered estate that the falling evening and rising sun would bring, and the conflict that two weeks' tension hadn't brought him any closer to resolving. By the tight knot of tension winding through his stomach, the strategist knew it wouldn't take long before the shadows of Zhou Fan's reception recaptured his mind again. And there was no knowing what scars his next visit to the crumbling estate would bring with it…

But just for a moment, he was content to let the weight of responsibility slip from his shoulders – to follow Sun Ce's open hand wherever it led. Even if that lead truly ended in a borrowed stable.

End Chapter 38

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This chapter… took forever. I apologize. The last few weeks of summer were very complicated, both for me personally and in determining exactly what the rest of this story needs to encompass, and it took a little longer than normal to finish this as a product of those things. However, now that I'm back in school for the semester, I should have more time to write (how ironic), and hopefully the next chapters will not take nearly so long to complete. Again, my apologies for the delays.

A note for Schlicky/Jen: Well, my update is even later than your review, so don't worry about it. Of course, last chapter was mostly just a prequel for this one – and this one is mostly a prequel for the next one – but I'm glad you enjoyed it, in any case. I actually thought about cutting Sun Ce's joke, because technically it wouldn't work in Chinese since it's based on homonyms, but I hope it was at least a little amusing in any case. And for future reference: shall I call you by your new penname?

A note for EverKitsune: I'll admit the wagon scene may have been torturing Zhou Yu a little more than he deserves, but I'd like the end of the story to have heightened tension in all aspects, and pushing him closer to death in the 'present' time frame should help with that. Sun Ce's great strength is his unfailing optimism and his refusal to give up, and I try to write that into the story as much as possible. I did read some of your story "Dancing With the Blossoms," and although I was a little confused by the sequence of events, I nonetheless thought you pulled together a good conclusion. Good luck with your future stories as well. Thank you for your continued feedback.

A note for xxxLOVEtheSINNER: In fact, you're absolutely right – it is very difficult to research all of the details for this story, especially small details about culture and artifacts such as materials used, the size and shape of nobility houses, and whether ancestral tablets were made of wood or stone (I stumped my Chinese history teacher with that one). I really enjoy the research, however, so it's not something I really consider a chore. I'm honored that you noticed, though. Thanks for your review.


	39. Chapter 39, First Segment

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

Author's Note: This chapter is the first of a triple post – the next two portions will be up in the following days.

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Secession – Part 38, First Segment 

The swordsman could not understand it. There was simply no way this crowded commotion of a flooded marketplace belonged to Shucheng.

Everywhere he looked, banners waved and flapped in the warm breeze, flickering as brightly as the voices of their vendors arching over too many people moving too fast. Zhou Yu dodged an oncoming string of peasants laden with jars of varying sizes and ducked backward into the nearest alley, almost colliding with a short-tempered woman and her young son as they dragged fowl between them on a long string. With a heavy sigh, the strategist shook his head and leaned back against the wall of the tiny side street so as to be out of the way, almost wishing he could melt into the thick mud and straw structure and escape the mayhem brimming through every miniscule corner of the overburdened pandemonium his hometown had apparently become.

Zhou Yu did not remember Shucheng as a bustling market town. Of all the surprises to confront them once the unforgiving estate disappeared in the flows of summer greenery, slipping fully out of sight just as they hit the main road again and turned west toward the village proper, the one the strategist had least expected was a horde of people hustling and flurrying every which way through the slender streets, each one toting baskets and bushels of one commodity or another over sunburned, muscular shoulders. The main road through the town was so crowded with impatient individuals that there was hardly room to walk, and he and Sun Ce had been forced to tie their horses before entering the shopping frenzy lest they trample the seemingly oblivious citizens swarming on all sides.

In the dusty, fragmented memories of his very young childhood, when he had occasionally accompanied his mother on her shopping rounds, Zhou Yu recalled Shucheng sleepy and lackluster, its unruffled marketplace modest with local commodities either from surrounding farms or brought down the Yangzi tributary. Every one of the vendors had called them by name, encouraging the sale of their questionable quality wares and knocking down their prices tremendously if Lady Cai seemed at all disinterested in what they were offering.

There was certainly a lot of yelling going on in the present market, too, but it was a jumble of raucous advertisements directed at no one in particular, and the swordsman found himself unable to pick out more than one or two words from each of the soaring persuasions. Still, their earsplitting pitches were hardly necessary – the great mass of people swirling through the dirt streets was eager to get its hands on whatever merchandise was nearest, and head after head popped up in front of the wooden stalls, crowding for space like black-crested peonies and throwing their devalued copper coins down faster than the busy merchants could hope to count them.

From his limited perspective within the ever-shifting sea of shoppers, Zhou Yu tried to estimate how many people it would take to clog Shucheng's central street and marketplace. It was impossible that the crowd was comprised of residents alone – the village had never been large, but it was more than spacious enough to accommodate the sparse number of people inhabiting the vale and its numerous rice farms. From the top of the final picturesque ridge, the swordsman had been able to see the entire scope of the town, and it hadn't seemed as though the number of hovels clustered together like lost sheep in the bed of the valley had increased much at all. In fact, Zhou Yu wouldn't have been surprised if Shucheng's population was _decreasing_ – idyllic though it was, the village was isolated by some distance from any cities of note, and the reliability of supplies had been worsening ever since the central government's upset nearly ten years earlier.

Which left the question of where all of these hurried customers had come from – and, for that matter, what they were buying. The strategist opened his eyes from their thoughtful contemplation and glanced around him again, attempting to study the merchandise stands through the continuous tide of human heads and shoulders. Shucheng had never been a particularly successful trading post – farmers in the valley shipped their harvests up and downstream three times a year, and occasionally some waterborne convoy or another passed through on its way east, but there wasn't a big enough population in the area to make stopping worthwhile for most merchants interested in turning a profit. And at that moment, the local farmers were right in the middle of their planting cycle – the rice wouldn't be ready to harvest for at least another month.

All of which led him farther and farther from any kind of conclusion. Zhou Yu sighed and let it go, raising an idle hand to sweep through his scattered hair. In the end, it was all speculation. The only way to know what had actually brought so many people into Shucheng would be to ask, and the swordsman wasn't nearly curious enough about the crowd to bother interacting with one of them. He wasn't particularly in the mood for a conversation anyway – especially not with the loudmouthed, spastic lord of Wu who had been absent far longer now than he'd promised, and whose raucous head hadn't been skimming along through the human whirlpool despite how carefully his strategist had been looking for it—

"Yu!

Finally. Zhou Yu spun in a quick half-circle, following the unmistakable voice to a grinning, waving figure at the mouth of the alley behind him. Sun Ce swallowed the bite of whatever he'd been chewing on and motioned his companion out of the side street, gesturing helpfully to some sort of woven container clutched against his chest.

"Come on! I got lunch!"

The swordsman frowned heavily at his energetic commander and moved toward him in solemn strides, his eyes dark with mild annoyance as he stepped across piles of indeterminate refuse and reached the Sun lord's side. Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest and studied his furiously chomping companion with disapproval as the Little Conqueror shoved another dumpling in his mouth and chewed cheerfully, oblivious and highly pleased.

"I thought you were only going to scout up ahead. What took so long?" Sun Ce made a face, swallowing hard and wincing as his food slid uncomfortably down his throat; the young lord reached out and poked his strategist decisively in the chest.

"I _did_ go scout up ahead. And I scouted a lot of delicious things to eat. Don't look at me like that – I got some for you, too."

Zhou Yu scowled a little, but the young officer shook his head, grabbing his reluctant swordsman's hand and turning down the nearest street that led away from the chaotic market with purposeful steps. The strategist had no choice but to follow as Sun Ce moved leisurely past the meager cottages in their secretive clusters, talking idly between mouthfuls of his next delicacy.

"Don't even try to tell me you're not hungry. We haven't had anything to eat since breakfast – and it doesn't sound like your father was really serving up a five-course meal."

Zhou Yu stiffened immediately; his hand slipped from Sun Ce's like a stone, falling to rest at his side as his steps slowed and his eyes darkened to the color of soot. Five mindless fingers came up to brush the small cuts scattered across his face and the swordsman winced, not at the brief contact but at the memory it brought back. For a moment, Zhou Fan's angry face swam before his eyes in corpse-like contours, demolishing the peaceful clarity of the summer breeze – then two tan hands took hold of his shoulders and pulled his glance back from the well-trampled road, drawing his attention to the amber gaze of his exasperated companion as the young officer shook his head almost repentantly.

"Whoa, sorry – didn't mean to set that off. Come on. Let's find a place to sit down – I promise you'll feel better once I shove a few of these down your throat."

The strategist didn't answer, unable to so easily dislodge the lingering reminder of his father's unbridled rage, but he let Sun Ce's grip slide down to his wrist and followed reluctantly after the young officer anyway as they resumed course away from the whirlwind of commerce that rebounded off every wall in imperative shouts. The Sun lord shot his silent swordsman a considering glance over his shoulder, seeming to measure the weight of shadows eclipsing his companion's cold countenance; then he sighed a little and shrugged in concession, chestnut ponytail swaying like a scarf against his silken shirt.

"I never would have thought that old man had it in him. To hit you, I mean."

Zhou Yu almost laughed at the nonchalant words, a sardonic smirk capturing his lips before darting away beneath the veil of discontent quickly consuming his expression. Wu's dark strategist exhaled heavily and shook his head, watching with unseeing eyes as the city folded in around them in a cascade of thatch cottages.

"You were not the only one."

Despite Sun Ce's vow to secure lodging before asking for the story of his companion's injured flesh and dignity, it had only taken a few minutes of leisurely riding down the long gravel path for the Little Conqueror's patience to disintegrate and his curiosity to overwhelm them both in a barrage of earnest inquiries. In the end, Zhou Yu had relented, retelling his encounter with his father's temper as they traveled back toward the village, his voice low beneath the hooves of their horses. Sun Ce's surprise upon hearing the story had been little less than his own in living through it, and his disbelieving questions had kept them both busy long enough that Shucheng proper almost snuck up on them – before they had even realized it, they were surrounded by throngs of market-goers, nearly trampling a spread of irritated farmwives with their cornered horses.

In the confusion of finding a place to tie their animals and a boy to watch them – coupled with the distraction of Sun Ce's implacable stomach – any resolution they might have discussed had gotten lost, disappearing from both of their minds under the force of a more immediate situation. Zhou Yu wasn't sure he wanted to discuss it now, either – part of him knew that whatever the Sun lord would have to say about the conflict, it was likely to lead them to an argument, and with the tangled disorder his emotions had become already, it wasn't an argument he was looking forward to. So the swordsman kept his thoughts to himself and followed the young officer silently down one empty street after another, moving steadily and watching the late afternoon sky unbroken above them.

Perhaps due to the threat of plunging his companion back into darker recollection of the day's events, or for some unrelated reason that Zhou Yu couldn't fathom, Sun Ce didn't speak at all until they reached a crumbling rock wall and the neglected garden it protected somewhere near the center of the small city. Then the lord of Wu gave his strategist an encouraging smile and dropped easily onto the weed-wound grass, wrinkling his nose as the ground gave beneath him with the distinctive _squish _of moist soil.

"Yeah, this'll do… just don't pick somewhere wet like I did." The Sun lord twisted around in an attempt to find a drier seat, and despite his preoccupied mind Zhou Yu had to admit to a tiny smile at the Little Conqueror's markedly sour expression. A quick survey with one pale hand proved that Sun Ce had managed to find the only relatively damp spot in the entire area, and the strategist sat carefully beside his companion without any trouble of position at all. The young officer made a face at him.

"That's just my luck. Why can't _you_ ever be the one in the watering hole?" The swordsman felt a smirk tugging at his lips, but he kept it down and merely raised a disinterested eyebrow instead. The Sun lord laughed a little and blew his bangs out of his eyes, shrugging as he pulled the basket of edibles back into his lap from its brief resting position against the ground. "Oh well – who cares. It's too hot out anyway. I could use a cool down."

The temperate breeze of a flawless summer afternoon ruffled through Zhou Yu's long hair as the young officer opened his woven container with a flourish, poking eagerly through a variety of steamed buns and cakes. Twin amber eyes caught the strategist's with a smile, dragging his onyx stare from the silent streets around them as Sun Ce counted off the stockpile on his fingers. "Okay, let's see. We've got the usual market supplies – dumplings, rice cakes, some kind of… well, I don't know what this is, but it smelled pretty good. And then there are these apricot cookies – but if you want one of those, you'll have to arm-wrestle me for it."

The swordsman scoffed, not feeling it necessary to express his disinterest in the no doubt repellently saccharine sweets. Nothing in the basket looked particularly appealing in the first place, though he had a feeling it was the earlier trials of reunion that deserved credit for destroying his appetite. The Sun lord interpreted his silence as need of further encouragement, however, and dug one of the meatbuns out of the basket to wave it obnoxiously in front of his face.

"Yu? Hello? Pick your poison, come on."

Zhou Yu glared at him and snatched the proffered dumpling out of the air, holding it too tightly in an irritated hand until the dough began to gum between his fingers. Sun Ce huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, scowling lightly at his bad-tempered strategist through the fringe of his untidy bangs.

"Brooding's not going to make things any better, you know. Why don't you just let it go – you can worry about it tomorrow when you see him again." The young officer's face brightened with a trademark smile as he pushed the swordsman's dumpling encouragingly toward his mouth. "Take it easy, all right? You'll feel better once you've eaten, I swear. An empty stomach _always_ makes things worse."

The strategist was sorely tempted to reply that nothing as simple as a few overpriced meatbuns was going to rid him of his black mood, and that he was little closer to simply forgetting the sting of his father's insult than his scars were to healing – but the Sun lord had turned back to his basket and was digging in with a vengeance, apparently satisfied with his efforts as he chewed cheerfully on the end of a fat dumpling. It seemed to take only a matter of seconds until the lord of Wu had completely demolished his bulging meatbun, and Zhou Yu rolled his eyes as he took a grudging bite of his own belated lunch, hardly noticing the taste for his mildly annoyed concentration on his companion's furious consumption.

"Slow down, Ce. You're going to choke," the swordsman warned flatly, pausing in his own ingestion with a heavy frown sealing his lips. Sun Ce made a face and shoved the rest of the bun between his teeth in response, grabbing another and shaking it animatedly at the admonishing officer beside him as he spoke through his full mouth.

"U'm hunry, ohay?" The Little Conqueror swallowed hard, chasing the treat down his throat and freeing his voice from its doughy obstruction. "I don't know what's wrong with _you_, but it's been a long time since breakfast and I'm more than ready to stuff myself. Besides, these things are good – we haven't been to a festival in forever." Zhou Yu's forehead furrowed slightly in thoughtful interest, and he took another cautious bite of his dumpling, distracted from his disapproval by the idle interpretation as the Sun lord continued gleefully devouring his lunch.

"Do you suppose this is a festival of some kind?" But if so, what was everyone celebrating – and why had they chosen Shucheng as the center at all? The village did not house particularly notable temples or shrines, and as far as he knew it was distinctly lacking historical diversities of any sort. It was too early for a harvest offering and too late to consecrate the rice seedlings, and the strategist had rarely heard of festivals happening in between the two seasonal rites of superstition. Nor did he remember his birth city hosting any ritual celebrations whatsoever – let alone anything worthy of drawing a crowd. But what options did that leave?

Sun Ce, for his part, had shrugged his swordsman's question away, obviously far more interested in eating than debating the possible explanations for their swarming surroundings. "What's it matter what it's for?" the young lord queried absently, reaching for another dumpling. "As long as they've got good food, it's all right by me." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at his companion's simplistic assessment of the situation, studying the deserted streets around them as he ran an idly hassled hand through his hair.

"It matters because we still don't have anywhere to stay tonight, Ce – the tavern must be completely full." Unfortunately, that probably meant that requesting lodging with a local family wasn't going to be much of an option either. The swordsman wouldn't be surprised if most of the houses clustered in the verdant valley basin were already harboring visitors – rarely did people travel to celebrations without knowing they had hospitality awaiting them. And how many of the modest income villagers would have the resources – let alone the room – to accept two parties of guests at the same time?

The Sun lord stopped short of taking the first bite into his unscathed dumpling and blinked at his strategist with curious amber eyes, pausing in his ceaseless progression from hand to mouth as his forehead furrowed in puzzlement. "What do you mean? We're staying in somebody's stable, remember? What does it matter if the tavern's filled up?" Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath.

"Don't be ridiculous. We can't sleep in a stable." Not that Shucheng really harbored that many stables to choose from in the first place – except for at his family's considerable estate, horses were too expensive to be plentiful in the humble village, and the view from the ridge had shown most of the vale's draft animals in open-air enclosures. But a gleam of copper tenacity had leapt into Sun Ce's amber eyes at the easy dismissal, and he rested the untouched dumpling against his leg as he met his swordsman's gaze with a slight frown marring his features.

"Why not? You think they'd mind? We're not going to mess anything up." The strategist shook his head cynically.

"I have no doubt, Ce, that you could ruin someone's stable in a scant few days of habitation, being the walking disaster that you are." The lord of Wu mock punched him in the arm for his insult, but Zhou Yu ignored him, leaning back into the unkempt grass and resting on one hand as he finished his meatbun. "But property damage isn't the issue here. Staying in a stable isn't sanitary. Moreover…" Twin obsidian eyes flickered with a hint of ironic amusement as the swordsman dug his fingers through the loose groundcover, his thoughts flying back to the estate somewhere high above them. "A stable is hardly appropriate lodging for a renowned conqueror."

A renowned conqueror his father refused to accept. A legacy responsible for his mixed reception. What was he going to do about Zhou Fan? What would he say to the old man in the light of a new day's sun that could possibly be different from what he'd said today?

In another situation, the implied compliment in his companion's words might have been enough to appease the stubborn Sun lord. But the lure of the forbidden always had a strong pull on the young officer's desires, and he straightened from his comfortably loose position, reaching out to poke Zhou Yu in the chest with his dumpling-laden hand and scattering the strategist's somber thoughts in the process.

"So what if I'm a renowned conqueror?" Sun Ce challenged, his chestnut ponytail trailing assertively through the soft summer breeze. "That doesn't make me any less capable of sleeping on a hard floor than the next guy. Besides – I want to sleep in a stable. I think it'd be fun."

Zhou Yu scoffed, brushing the strands of dark hair away from his eyes. "Fun? There's nothing entertaining in a stable, Ce – you know that. How many stables have you visited in your life?" The lord of Wu crossed his arms defiantly over his chest.

"I've been in plenty of stables, sure – but I've never _slept_ in one. It's completely different. We've stayed in taverns and stuff hundreds of times – what's so wrong about wanting to try something new?"

The swordsman gave his commander a flat look, his countenance ripe with mild skepticism as he studied the obstinate lines furrowing the young officer's forehead. A moment of silent disagreement passed between them before Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, directing his gaze to the flawless sky with an incredulous shake of his head. "…A stable, Ce?" he prompted seriously, glancing at his companion's mulish face. "You really want to stay in a stable?"

"Yes, I do!" Sun Ce shot back vehemently, squishing his meatbun a little in the passionate assertion of his whims. "And don't try to tell me otherwise!" The strategist said nothing, merely watching the flow of determination across the young officer's expression with his lips pressed into a thin, disapproving line; after a long moment, the Little Conqueror huffed and slumped back onto his elbows, resting in balance to his silent swordsman.

"Well, where do you suggest?" the Sun lord argued back fervently, coloring his demanding inquiry with a rough gesture toward the houses around them. "You said it yourself – the tavern's gotta be packed, and that goes for the rest of these places, too. And I _know_ you don't want to stay outside, with all this crazy weather we've been having – we'd probably get washed straight down the river in some kind of flash flood! So where are we gonna sleep, huh? Give me a better option than a stable – I dare you!"

Zhou Yu regarded his companion silently for a moment, the whispering voice of Xan's promise drifting through the air around them like discolored autumn leaves. If there was one thing the strategist did not want at all, it was returning to his family estate and pleading for lodging, having no respite whatsoever from the fickle thread of his father's final faltering struggle for unity – but Sun Ce was right about their choices being severely limited. The swordsman ran a reluctant hand through his hair, onyx eyes flickering between their fierce amber opposites and the cerulean heavens in uncertain consideration.

"We could stay with—"

"Hell no." Zhou Yu blinked at the forceful interruption, meeting the Little Conqueror's adamant refusal with an even, startled stare. Sun Ce shook his head violently, leaning up from his lounging position to hover over the woven basket in a slight hunch. "No way are we going up there again. Especially not to stay the night." The strategist opened his mouth in rebuttal and then closed it again, considering his answer thoroughly as he studied the brilliant flames seething through the Sun lord's eyes.

"Ce, I agree that it's not ideal, but—" The young officer laughed in sarcastic amusement, serrating his counterclaim with repeated refusal.

"Ideal? You're kidding. Absolutely not happening, Yu. If we go back there, your mood is going to do a huge nosedive and I won't even be able to get you to look at me for the rest of the trip. Besides – it doesn't sound like your father wants me in his house any more than I want to be there." Sun Ce shook his head again, more slowly this time but with no less resolve glittering in his unwavering gaze. "We can sleep anywhere else if we have to. But I'm not going back to that place, and neither are you. End of story." With that, the lord of Wu gave a decisive nod and chomped staunchly into his long-awaited dumpling, effectively labeling their argument over with his vigorous chewing.

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed irritably, filling his mouth with a terse response to the flippant decision and stiffening his posture in preemptive annoyance – but he didn't get a chance to speak, because Sun Ce's eyes shot wide open and he grabbed his throat, feet scrabbling against the ground as he began to choke violently. The villainous meatbun tumbled from his fingers to land among the grass as the Little Conqueror jerked vigorously back and forth in his sitting position with a series of ragged coughs, one fist pounding uselessly against his chest.

The swordsman stared at his companion in shocked silence for half an instant before reacting, slamming his palm hard into the curve of the Sun lord's back with practiced accuracy. Sun Ce hiccupped and rammed forward into his raised knees – the combination of both impacts unclogged his throat, shooting the abnormally large bite of dough he had encountered into the far reaches of the garden and dragging a flurry of sharp gasps from the young officer's struggling lungs.

Zhou Yu watched in concerned silence as his commander drew several deep breaths and settled one calming hand against his chest; Wu's dark swordsman let the Sun lord's breathing and his own adrenaline levels return to normal before a heavy sigh escaped his lips, indisputably matching the flat reprimand in his onyx eyes.

"I warned you."

Sun Ce grimaced, rubbing at his tender throat and giving the elusive dumpling a hard glare as his shoulders slumped from their agitated posture. "I wasn't eating that fast," he protested hoarsely, reaching out one foot to kick the escapist bun into the bordering shrubs of the overrun garden. "But this one had vegetables in it! I told that guy I only wanted meat ones. Ugh – what's it take to get a little cooperation around here?" The Sun lord snatched his woven container from its nest of grass and dug through it, yanking three more guilty edibles from its confines with a vicious flourish. "I knew these ones looked funny! Here – you like vegetables, right?"

Zhou Yu started a little as the three steaming dumplings were shoved unceremoniously into his hands, clumping together as though in fright as the young officer made a face and stuck out his tongue in obvious revulsion. "Hate it when that happens," the Little Conqueror muttered under his breath, smashing the lid back onto his lunch basket with a vengeful flourish. The strategist shook his head disapprovingly.

"If you would pay attention before you shoved things into your mouth, Ce, you could avoid accidents like this." Sun Ce rolled his eyes, waving the familiar lecture away with an uncaring hand and a slight smile.

"Yeah, sure – but think how much longer it would take to get things into my mouth if I had to stop and think about it first. My system is way more satisfying."

Zhou Yu shook his head absently, studying the dumplings in his hand and wondering what kind of vegetables had produced such a violent reaction in his companion. "You can't be that hungry," the swordsman argued mildly. "We have eaten in the last few weeks." The Little Conqueror huffed, glaring at the runaway steamed bun out of the corner of his eye.

"I'm not that hungry _anymore_ – there's nothing like a bad dumpling to kill your appetite." And then his frown was gone, shot to pieces by the unshakable smile brightening his tan features as the Sun lord stretched and pushed himself to his feet, tucking the woven lunch basket against his side. Twin amber eyes matched his proffered hand as Sun Ce took a deep breath of the clement afternoon air, beckoning his strategist to rise as well. "Come on, Yu – let's go find something to wash that taste out of my mouth." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you said you weren't hungry." The Sun lord nodded vigorously, reaching down to grab his swordsman's forearm and encouraging the stoic man to stand.

"And that is exactly the problem. We're at a festival – I need my appetite in prime condition. There's gotta be something around here I can sink my teeth into." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and climbed more slowly to his feet, swallowing the tiny smile that threatened his lips as Sun Ce raised one fist in a gesture of charismatic determination and turned for the marketplace on a marching heel. "That's our mission, got it? We're going to find everything delicious in this place and devour it as quickly as possible!"

The strategist shook his head, trailing behind his commander under the loose grip on his wrist. "You're an idiot," he told his companion flatly, forcing the vegetable buns into a more compact pile in his solitary free hand. But he followed in the jubilant officer's wake without complaint despite the insult, content to shadow his young lord's steps in the waning summer sunlight.

For a long moment, as only the silence of the undisturbed cottages resounding in time to their even footsteps filled the empty alleys, it was easy to forget where they were; Zhou Yu half-closed his eyes and Shucheng seemed to morph beneath the cascading afternoon light into Qingshan or Niuqiao – any of the Wu outposts where a battle for conquest was the closest he could summon to a dark memory. The swordsman forced his mind completely quiet, focusing on the warmth of the Sun lord's fingers along his wrist and the texture of the streets beneath his leather boots, pushing the lingering knot of uncertainty his father had twisted into a corner of his stomach where it could not grate against his spine.

Tomorrow – there would be plenty of time to confront the entire situation tomorrow. But for just an instant, just an afternoon, the strategist wanted to pretend the warm hand in his belonged to the only other person in the entire city – a city they had built and captured together. A reality where they'd never come back – where he'd never picked up the shackles of family obligation again.

It was a mirage that could not last. Within a few minutes, the bustling chaos of the market could be heard ahead of them once more, and Zhou Yu slipped his hand from Sun Ce's with practiced ease as they emerged into the densely shoving mass of roiling consumerism once again. Instantly the Little Conqueror's face assumed a brilliant grin, and he glanced back and forth so fervently that for a moment the strategist wondered if his neck would simply snap from so much violent activity. Then the young officer latched onto his swordsman's arm and dragged him headlong into the swarm of humanity before them, finding a niche among the endless foot traffic only after much squishing and jostling.

"Come on, Yu!" Sun Ce encouraged, his tone bordering on a shout as it fought for dominance among the thousand contending voices filling the crowded marketplace. "Let's find the food stands! Follow your nose!"

Zhou Yu frowned as an able-bodied farmhand crashed unavoidably into him, nearly severing his connection to the enthusiastic elbow slung through his own. The strategist did his best to move in the Sun lord's wake, scowl worsening with each heaving jerk to his shoulder that accompanied Sun Ce's endless changes in pace. This manner of raucous and chaotic scramble was not something he had ever relished, and the constant shoving between uncountable human forms was particularly improving neither his mood nor opinion of Shucheng and festivals in general.

But the Little Conqueror pressed on heedlessly through the crowds, oblivious to his companion's discontent as he dragged the silent swordsman through bunches of clamoring customers. "Do you see anything good?" the young officer called after a stretch, risking a rapid backward glance despite the collision with a preceding customer his momentary distraction caused. Zhou Yu's glower intensified at the light-hearted question and the passing attention of two eager amber eyes.

"I can't see anything at all, Ce – there are far too many people here." And too many vendors, for that matter – how was any stand to be individually identified in the presence of so many other merchants barking out their wares? It seemed miraculous that the lord of Wu had even found the first set of delicacies he'd purchased that afternoon, given the endless jumble of insanity rioting on all sides of them.

Despite the disparaging answer and the thoroughly unamused expression silting the strategist's countenance, the Sun lord brightened and increased pace, smashing his swordsman straight into a man laden with large stores of millet. "It's easy, Yu – just look for the stands with the most people in front. Everybody's just as hungry as we are."

It seemed redundant to point out just how little an appetite he had, a fact expounded by the three cooling vegetable buns still squashed between his fingers and no doubt leaving sticky residue across the sleeves of every marketgoer Sun Ce felt the need to jostle heedlessly past. Zhou Yu just sighed and pushed his pace, keeping up with the young officer's excited steps as well as he could. The sting of the summer sun along his pale face made the swordsman wince, and he wondered how much time it would take to traverse the entire length of the festival – and whether his commander would be satisfied with doing so only once. It wouldn't be unlike the lord of Wu to detain them in the disorderly market for hours if he felt it were the most exciting prospect that secluded Shucheng had to offer, despite Zhou Yu's internal certainty that remaining in the trampled streets any longer than strictly necessary was going to snap the last fibers of his already strained patience.

For what seemed to be countless minutes, the two men made their slow way through the thick mob of customers, dodging shoulder-slung purchases and hard elbows as best they could. Then suddenly the Sun lord came to a dead stop, his unexpected halt almost causing the swordsman to bowl him over from the force of their crowd-propelled momentum. Wu's irritated strategist opened his mouth in a firm reprimand, but the Little Conqueror cut him off, pivoting to meet his eyes with an enthusiastic smile.

"Let's try that one!" Zhou Yu blinked as his companion gestured to a thick knot of people ahead of them, shuffling and heaving erratically with the constant motion of impatient consumers. A voice for every pressing patron flooded the already crowded street around them, sharpening their movements as each one clawed an arm forward to receive whatever the vendor was offering and snatched the indiscernible edibles faster than three men behind the stall could hold them out.

The swordsman had assumed his lord considerably mistaken in the assumption that the food stalls would be most popular, particularly since the usual lunch hour had passed a significant time ago – but apparently Sun Ce was right, after all. No part of the market was safe from the tidal wave of citizenry rollicking through it, but no other stall they'd passed had been even close to this inaccessible for the sheer depth of human flesh surrounding it. Zhou Yu stared at the tangled mess of shoppers with confusion marring his pale brow, deepening the furrows that the afternoon's events had already scattered across the smooth skin. It didn't make sense. Anything sold at a festival like this would be terribly overpriced – what could be compelling enough to draw so many people to a single stall?

Sun Ce's face lit up with a satisfied grin, thoughts obviously running in parallel to his companion's. "Whatever they're selling must be pretty good. Here – hold this!" The strategist started as the half-full basket of uneaten meatbuns was shoved roughly into his hands, nearly causing him to drop their rejected vegetarian brethren in mild surprise. The Sun lord turned and dashed into the imposing crowd without another word, vanishing almost immediately among the ceaseless motion of bodies and goods along the unpaved avenue.

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to protest, juggling the double commodity of dumplings between his overstocked hands – but it was far too late. The strategist blinked for a moment before a deep scowl swallowed his expression, driving his obsidian glare into the unsuspecting heads of the unruly crowd between himself and the beleaguered vendors. It was just like Sun Ce to pick the most crowded stall in the entire festival as his target.

The swordsman did his best to maneuver out of the main stream of traffic, shouldering his way carefully through the thronging horde until he reached the corner of a badly upkept cottage and leaned back against its scrabbled surface. From his considerably reduced vantage point some distance away, Zhou Yu studied the cluster of fervent customers surrounding the Sun lord's intended stand – a few minutes of scanning and years of practice finally revealed the bobbing chestnut ponytail weaving its way toward the front of the line, flitting unpredictably as the young officer sought the quickest path toward his anticipated treat. Wu's leading strategist couldn't help rolling his eyes at the constantly ridiculous nature of his companion's whims, but he sighed heavily and watched the tumbling stream of mobility filling the alleys before him, waiting for his inexhaustible commander in mild exasperation.

It took a moment of offhand observation for Zhou Yu to realize there was something distinctly odd about the bushels and baskets traveling endlessly back and forth through the overcrowded street. The swordsman straightened a little against the cottage wall, dark eyes narrowing in concentration as they followed the unending torrent of recent purchases in the tightly gripped hands of impatient citizenry before him. The afternoon breeze ruffled his dark hair and slipped a frown across his thin lips, supplanting his Sun lord-inspired annoyance with absent curiosity.

It was strange – the strategist had rarely been to a festival before that offered basic foodstuffs as its greatest commodity, and he had never considered that such an event would draw a crowd of any significant size. But from what he could tell, basic provisions were the only article of trade being exchanged in the teeming Shucheng market – aside from a few men carrying lumber or stacks of bamboo rope, everyone within his field of vision toted bags of grain, rice, and dried vegetables. Most festivals held in the Wu Territory seemed to center around the consumption of useless, overpriced trinkets whose only real purpose was to deprive people like Sun Ce and Xiao Qiao of their pocket money – but there was no sign of such souvenirs in the teeming hempen baskets scuttling continuously through the heavy traffic, not even in the hands of the few children dogging their mothers' hurrying heels.

Zhou Yu felt his brow furrowing as he watched the impatient throng filling every nook of the densely packed street, mildly baffled by the popularity of such fundamental supplies in a region dominated by agriculture. It was true that the summer rice wouldn't be ready for another month – but surely the spring harvest had resulted in enough stores to sustain even this many people longer than thirty days. If the provisions on sale had been particularly rare or seasonal, the great demand evident in every hastening load might have made more sense – but as it was, the swordsman could only wonder absently whether this event they'd stumbled into was actually a festival at all, and what had brought so many people to Shucheng in the first place.

"Miss me?"

The strategist jumped, as startled by the jovial voice as by the warm hand lighting casually on his wrist. Zhou Yu was mildly irritated to see that Sun Ce had somehow managed to sneak up on him in his thoughtful distraction, and he gave the young officer a glare for his trouble, turning to face his cheerful companion with a considerably more sedate frown dominating his expression. The Sun lord ignored his displeasure with practiced ease and waved one hand triumphantly through the air, clutching something indeterminate in a loose fist.

"I got one!" The swordsman grabbed his companion's wrist and studied the exulted object more carefully, his puzzlement deepening at the nondescript dumpling resting against a callused palm. Zhou Yu directed his pensive scowl to the Little Conqueror's shining grin, readjusting the basket in his arms and staring hard at the miniscule treat as though it might suddenly explain the incomprehensible marketplace to his puzzled onyx gaze.

Outwardly, there was nothing distinct about the bun at all – but rarely were dumplings known for their surface decorations, so it wasn't unlikely that whatever was worth the trouble of jostling through the enormous crowd would be hidden from view. The dark strategist found his commander's triumphant amber eyes and held them steadily, a contemplative line of furrows breaking his brow.

"What's in it?" But Sun Ce could only shake his head at the swordsman's grounded question, rolling the unidentifiable delicacy around his palm with a few idle fingers.

"I tried to ask – but I could hardly get a word in between all the shouting, and I don't think the guy heard me." The Sun lord shrugged artlessly. "If it's so popular, it's got to be good, right? I like surprises." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the unconcerned answer, and his companion huffed, brushing chestnut bangs away from his optimistic countenance. "What do you care? You didn't get one anyway." The lord of Wu lifted the newest edible to his lips but paused before biting into it, watching his swordsman inquisitively over the blank dough as renewed curiosity stole across his features. "What were you looking at before?"

The strategist considered, his obsidian glance passing shallowly across the mass of citizenry filling the streets around them and flitting between the various bundles filling every available set of arms. He wasn't wrong – there was definitely an unusual prevalence of basic foodstuffs being transported to and fro. Zhou Yu turned back to meet the Sun lord's waiting eyes with a slight frown furrowing his brow, one wrist balancing the woven basket carefully against his chest.

"Ce—"

He never got to finish. Without warning, a blur of motion shot between them, upsetting customers along the crowded thoroughfare and drawing a flurry of sharp, surprised cries from the nearest passersby. Zhou Yu blinked uncomprehendingly into the Little Conqueror's amber stare, meeting the equally shocked eyes of his companion over the ruffled street and their truncated conversation – then Sun Ce started, clenching his suddenly empty hand into a surprised fist.

"Hey! Where'd my—"

"Thanks for the free food!" called a singsong voice from the mouth of the alley nearest them. The swordsman pivoted quickly and stared into the exceptionally pleased face of a young boy in a dust-embroidered tunic – a boy with the long-awaited dumpling bouncing casually in one hand.

He couldn't have been more than eleven, by the smooth lines of his face and the youthful gleam in his eyes, but he had a vicious grin nonetheless, and it flashed unrepentantly across his lips as the Sun lord stared open-mouthed at the audacious pickpocket. Then Sun Ce found his tongue, his features darkening with a largely bewildered frown.

"What are you doing? That's mine," the young officer asserted, ponytail flipping across his shoulders like an open challenge and his voice drawing the attention of the closest bystanders. The boy just snorted.

"Not anymore. Should have eaten it faster." His open taunt shot across the alleyway like a rogue arrow, matching his self-satisfied smirk as he juggled the delicacy unhurriedly from hand to hand. Then the youth turned on heel and ran, sprinting down the congested side street with the pilfered dumpling still clutched in one victorious fist. Zhou Yu watched in stunned shock as the child made his swift escape, one ill-placed foot smashing a collection of ragged baskets at the alley's edge as he dodged cleverly out of sight down a second unpaved lane.

"Hey! You little brat – get back here!"

Before the strategist could so much as find his voice, Sun Ce tore after the young thief, hurdling over the scattered basket splinters and darting down the narrower avenue with no less dexterity than his pursued. The swordsman stared after his commander in silence for a moment as the lord of Wu vanished behind the next cottage walls in a flash of heated motion – then his face darkened in severe annoyance, matching the seething tone of his futile, irritated shout.

"Sun Ce, you idiot! Where are you—"

"Shao! Stop that! Come back!"

The breathless cry from just to his left startled Zhou Yu so badly that his jaw snapped shut, severing his sharp rebuke with a tight _clack_ before he could even finish. The man who had appeared at his elbow looked just as surprised as the strategist to find his voice in contention for supremacy, and his faded gray eyes blinked soundlessly into the swordsman's for a long moment as the echoes of their reprimands and the spattered remains of impassioned footsteps withered into the awkward hush of the disrupted marketplace. Then the older man threw himself to his knees, moving with dexterity that defied his gray-tinged bangs and bowing with a precision that only came through hours of practice.

"Please, good sir – forgive my son! He's too young to know the consequences of his actions!" Zhou Yu took a distressed step back from the imploring form hunched in front of him, his pulse racing with the third surprise in as many minutes. For a long moment of tense silence, the swordsman could not wrap his mind around the hurried progression of events. Then the world seemed to click back into focus, and the loyal officer felt a heavy sigh tumbling from his lips as he ran an anxious hand through his hair.

"Get up," he instructed distractedly, his attention torn between the abandoned lane over his shoulder and the modestly-robed man climbing warily to his feet, an expression of extreme apology still firmly encasing his countenance. Wu's famed strategist shook his head and gestured vaguely to the alley behind them, shifting his weight in restless anticipation. "Don't concern yourself with that. Just help me find them."

Sun Ce could be deadly when challenged for his food, which didn't bode well for the mischievous boy when he was inevitably captured – but more than any concern for the child's inescapably bruised scalp, Zhou Yu knew that if he lost track of the Sun lord in the festival's interminable crowd he might not find him until the streets had emptied, and the chances of his tolerance simply shattering before then were excellent. When he eventually caught up with the impulsive idiot, there was no way the Little Conqueror would get off without a firm lecture – and worse, if it took very long to find him.

The older man seemed to understand his terse reply, and he regained his feet in one swift movement, brushing grains of sand from his knees even as his voice serrated the whispers of the onlooking crowd. "Of course – please come with me, if it's not too much trouble. I have an idea where they might have gone."

The swordsman started a little at the forceful tone encasing the man's polite request, unable for a moment to reconcile the level-headed timbre with his immediate contrition and the soft slate of his peaceable eyes. Then his peasant guide was moving down the lane with swiftness uncharacteristic of his short stature, and Zhou Yu pressed himself to follow, shadowing the smooth footsteps of hemp slippers through the dusty alleyway as the crowd behind them shuffled before resuming its incessant commercial ebb and flow.

As they traveled farther from the chaos of the marketplace, the strategist studied the calmly resigned face of his escort out of the corner of his eye, watching as he moved with familiar fleetness over the coarse street bed cluttered with trash and other abandoned wares. It only took a few moments to determine that the man was a farmer – the thick calluses along his palm spoke of years gripping the hilt of a harvest knife, and the fabric of his plain robes, while not exactly poor, showed wear around the sleeves from the constant brushing of cloth against the terraced, teeming ground. Zhou Yu wondered momentarily if he had come to the festival as a merchant, perhaps offering stores of rice from his last crop – then he willed the distraction away and refocused on the irregular sides of the alley, avoiding the catching edges of each cottage's uneven mud and brickwork.

A quiet laugh interrupted his thoughts and brought the hard obsidian stare back to center as the man shook his head, stirring tendrils of aging hair against his weathered brow. "That boy… I don't know what I'm going to do with him. Trouble since the day he was born." The swordsman blinked a little, finding himself entirely absent an answer as the kindly eyes turned to look up at him, matching the flitting smile that momentarily curved the line of his dry lips. "Shao is my eldest son. The other three are better behaved, I assure you – but he's always been as stubborn as a mule, and about as cultured."

Zhou Yu felt his forehead furrowing, and he stepped carefully across a scattered line of lost grain cluttered with the soil as they moved onto a second side street – heading, as far as he could tell, for the river tributary that split the valley. "You have four sons?" the strategist asked, finding no alternative but to pick up the thread of conversation where his escort had left off. The farmer chuckled faintly.

"That I should be so lucky. My eldest is a girl – engaged to be married, actually, to a lad who runs the riverboats." Zhou Yu found himself wondering whether the man beside him was in the habit of spouting unnecessary personal details to anyone within hearing range, or if he was just unusually talkative with those whom he felt he had offended. And though he couldn't speak from personal experience, the swordsman also had a feeling that at least one daughter in a brood of four children was a blessing – as much of a blessing as one could expect with children, anyway. Nonetheless, he pushed his idle considerations away and refocused on the roughly curving street ahead of them, his eyes scanning the doorways and alleys they passed for any sign of his straying companion.

"I'm afraid I haven't asked your name." The man smiled a little, bobbing his head briskly in an implied bow.

"Yu Shan. I own a rice farm in this village." Yu Shan tipped his chin contemplatively to the side, studying the strategist's fine shirt and smooth features in the varying light and shadow breaking between the surrounding cottage walls. Then a firm smile took possession of his roughened countenance, melting seamlessly into the fading sunburn that littered his laborer's cheeks. "I can see you're a visitor yourself. May I have your honorable name?"

For a moment, the swordsman hesitated, unwilling to draw a connection between himself and the high estate presiding over Shucheng's tiered farmlands – but there was no avoiding the question, and he had no prepared name to give instead. "Zhou Yu," he answered quietly, and as he had guessed a flicker of uncertain recognition passed across the weathered face. But the farmer evidently decided not to inquire, because the expression drifted away after only a moment of consideration, returning to its well-meaning composure as their even footsteps echoed against the poor masonry walls.

"Well, Master Zhou Yu… you once again have my apologies for Shao's behavior. I hope your friend will not be too displeased at the loss of his treat."

Zhou Yu snorted softly, brushing his dark hair away from his shoulders with the hand still clutching a trio of vegetable dumplings. "I'm afraid it's unlikely we'll avoid that. Sun Ce tends to be a bit possessive of his food." He tended to be fairly possessive of other people's food as well, when the occasion called for it – rarely had the strategist's plate survived intact if it harbored something his commander was interested in consuming.

This time Yu Shan did stop, feet stalling against the coarse ground of the unpaved street as his eyes blinked up into the obsidian stare of his stoic escortant. The surprised farmer took an unconscious hold of his poor sleeves and clenched them between two sets of work-worn fingers, and Zhou Yu could see the name faltering half-remembered through his mind, struggling to call up its appropriate association.

"…Sun Ce?" The swordsman's guide pursed his lips in deep concentration, one hand brushing absently at his chin as though the slight contact could uncover the context of the familiar name. But it was a vain effort, and at last the older man shook his head, resuming their journey at a considerably slowed pace. Yu Shan dismissed his lingering inquisition with a slight flick of his hand and smiled up at the solemn strategist with the light of apology dominating his eyes once more. "Well, perhaps I can find some way of making amends with Master Sun Ce once we find him. I would greatly dislike dampening your visit because of a small incident such as this."

So news of Sun Ce's conquest had even spread to Shucheng. The good-natured escort hadn't been able to recall the exact circumstance in which that name had reached him, but the fact that the lord of Wu's name meant something to him at all was proof of how far the young officer's influence had stretched. Zhou Yu swallowed a smile at the thought of how proud his missing companion would be to know his endeavors were moving like rumors through the sleepy village streets, heralded and repeated even this far from his sphere of influence. Then the swordsman shook his head a little and increased pace to match his guide, wondering when the Sun lord's triumphant grin had become more important than the spike of arrogance that always came with it.

For a long moment, the two men walked in silence, having exhausted the momentum of their brief conversation. It wasn't until the alley opened unexpectedly into another major avenue and the rice farmer turned unwaveringly north that the strategist spoke, following Yu Shan's route despite the furrow of confusion marring his pale brow.

"May I ask how you know where to look for them?" The farmer laughed, rubbing ruefully at the graying stubble of his chin.

"This isn't the first time Shao has done something of this nature, I'm ashamed to admit. And he always hides down by the river dock – though I couldn't hope to explain why." The partial answer was good enough to satisfy Zhou Yu's curiosity, and he resumed his silent progression in the shadow of the older man's footsteps, onyx eyes flitting distractedly between the various buildings lining the well-trodden but empty street on either side of him as his thoughts drifted into darker alignment.

It had been easier to ignore while they traveled through the subdued shadows of anonymous back alleys – but this was still Shucheng, and nearly everything held an association for the swordsman's fickle gaze. Wu's famous strategist swallowed back a heavy sigh and brushed one hand through his hair, allowing his face to set in grim lines as his glance wandered from one end of the thoroughfare to the other. True, it had been years since he'd last traversed these lackluster streets, and time had dimmed his childhood memories somewhat – but there was no destroying the underlying familiarity, the persistent effect of every landmark they passed. The stall where Lady Cai had bought chickens, the only shopfront decorated with silk trappings throughout the entire year, the warmth of a younger afternoon sun on his unscathed face…

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and felt his fingers sliding unthinkingly across the marred skin of his pale cheek, the combination of the long-dried scratches and the town's unwavering reminder of his filial promise painting a severe frown across his thin lips. Tomorrow – he had agreed to return to Zhou Fan with the morning sun, to face once again that frail old man his father had become. Until the next day at dawn, nothing could come of giving the matter any thought at all. With that, the strategist pushed his recollection away, refusing to acknowledge the claws wrapped around his lungs under the force of so many memories. But somehow, the lump of uncarved granite resting in the pit of his stomach did not ebb in the slightest.

Yu Shan must have noticed his flitting gaze, because the rice farmer straightened in his unhurried stride, soft gray eyes watching the swordsman's pensive face as the graveled road crunched unobtrusively beneath their feet. Almost tentatively, the man's voice muttered from his lips, gentle enough that it hardly disturbed the warm air surrounding them. "Have you visited Shucheng before, Master Zhou Yu?"

Zhou Yu started and nearly faltered in his steady steps, caught off guard by the question so parallel but opposite to his own train of thought. For a moment, the strategist contemplated his guide's inquiry in silence, ten thousand different answers teasing the tip of his tongue as he struggled through the wake of his childhood once more, watching familiar scenes played out in the motionless shadows of the crumbling village. Then an ironic smile tugged at the swordsman's lips, and he shook his head, glancing again at the empty street ahead of them to avoid his escort's studious gaze.

"Several times."

Yu Shan was nearly boiling over with curiosity – Wu's famous strategist could see the farmer striving to keep his mouth shut, holding back uncountable questions about what could bring a well-dressed gentleman and his achingly familiar comrade to a shuttered town like this one, to a place where the greatest attraction was a series of terraced rice farms and their uneducated laborers the only available company. The words were practically drowning his eyes in their irrepressible intensity, and for a long moment Zhou Yu wondered what he could say to assuage the man's palpably piqued curiosity without revealing the real reason for their journey – but he was spared a chance to find out.

Without warning or salutation, a blur of motion shot from the mouth of the alley nearest them and screeched into their path, startling both men to a stop as it crashed headlong into the strategist's chest. Zhou Yu stumbled backward from the impact and almost dropped his various bundles into the dust of the well-trodden road, keeping hold of the picnic basket with one faltering hand as the other unconsciously grabbed his high-speed assailant. The young man thrown uncomfortably against his torso squawked at his abrupt change in momentum and lurched as well, clinging instinctively to the obstacle that had blocked his rushed escape even as his voice rang out in a yell of automated apology.

"Whoops – sorry about that, Mister—"

The boy's words died as suddenly as they had begun, vanishing beneath the sharp _clack_ of his jaw clamping shut in surprise as the swordsman found himself staring into the same slate eyes that had been leading him through Shucheng's deviant alleys. Then the youth cried out in surprise and struggled to stumble back from his unanticipated obstruction, unable to quite dislodge the firm hand curled between the folds of his robes.

"You! Lemme go!" Zhou Yu blinked, staring openly at the boy's escape-ridden features for a moment before recognition finally clicked and tightened his hold in the coarse hempen tunic, narrowing the swordsman's eyes reprovingly in his pale face. But the accusation on the tip of his tongue was once more denied its right to voice, scattered by the harsh reprimand in Yu Shan's tone as the rice farmer dove forward and snatched his son disapprovingly from entrapment against the strategist's silk shirt.

"There you are!" The youth protested with a spirited yell as his father dragged him mercilessly from Zhou Yu's side, three fingers gripping his suntanned ear in a tight pinch. Yu Shan shook his son as best he could and yanked the boy's head lightly up and down in time with his elevated pulse, his irritated voice mimicking the flight of startled birds through the cerulean sky above them. "Shao! What have I told you about stealing? And after all the lectures your mother gave you – running out and doing something like this!"

"Ow! Let me go, Father!" Zhou Yu took a step back from the mayhem of discipline as the young thief named Shao struggled heartily in the farmer's grip, swinging his arms against the older man's back in a barrage of futile blows. "That hurts!"

Yu Shan appeared unfazed by his son's objections, his weathered features maintaining their chastising lines despite the boy's vigorous resistance and the energetic kicks directed at his shins. "Not as much as it will hurt when your mother gets hold of you," he warned sharply, gray eyes flashing in admonition as his hand slid down to clench the youth's poor collar instead of his ear. "She made it clear to you last time that she wasn't putting up with any more of your nonsense."

Shao made a face and squirmed ruthlessly in the farmer's iron grip, his arms waving ineffectually behind his head in a vague attempt to dislodge his father's stern fingers. "Why should I care what she says? I can do whatever I want to!" Yu Shan sighed deeply and cuffed the boy soundly on the side of the head, eliciting another holler of protest with his merciless palm. "Ouch! Don't hit me!"

"Don't speak of your mother with such disrespect," the somber farmer ordered, pulling his son forward despite the relentlessly flailing limbs until he could lock one sturdy arm around the eleven-year-old's waist. Shao scowled hotly at his father from his trapped position and stepped hard on the older man's foot, earning himself a sound glare and another clout to the skull for his trouble. Yu Shan frowned heavily at the young boy and latched ten secure fingers into his hempen garment, preventing the youth's escape attempt before it could even begin. "And you'll be getting worse than this if you continue with such mischief. Disobedient children will receive due punishment for their behavior – and I have warned you of that before, Shao, so don't pretend to be ignorant."

The young boy made a face and twisted aggressively in his father's hold, obviously unimpressed by the habitual sermon – but Zhou Yu's eyes widened and one hand leapt unbidden to his injured cheek, the words from his escort's tongue ringing too familiar for comfort down the deserted streetfronts of Shucheng's faltering residences. _Disobedient children are punished for their misbehavior_…

Zhou Fan's face hovered momentarily before him, darkening the day's unrelenting sunshine and the strategist's startled gaze with the ghost-like whisper of his rasping displeasure. Twin onyx eyes stared mutely at the peasant farmer and his errant son, unable to dismiss the lingering chill of his father's voice even as the swordsman forced his hand back to a fist at his side and strove to ignore the scratches he could almost feel scarring his pale flesh. The insult burned anew against his ribs with the texture of carmine coals, searing through the breath that lodged in his lungs as Yu Shan waved one lecturing finger at his son and the boy summarily ignored him, their quarreling voices fading into a silent background beneath the strategist's whirling thoughts.

Was that really how Zhou Fan saw him? Disobedient like Shao, and in need of similar reprimand – petty and infantile with no cause or necessity? After all these years – after everything he had striven to accomplish – did his father truly consider him no more than a foolish child, no more capable of discerning right from wrong than the young pickpocket with a new bruise to show for his paltry thieving? Did his ceaseless work to found the Wu Empire really mean so little in the old man's blind, unforgiving eyes? The insight stung far worse than his discipline had.

"Okay! Where'd you go, you little—"

The eruption of another figure from the nearby alley shattered Zhou Yu's solemn thoughts, startling him back to the present as the second young man in as many minutes collided with him head-on – but this one was taller and heavier than his pursued had been, and instead of slamming to a halt against the swordsman's chest he managed to bowl them both over, hurtling through the air with an undignified squawk and a tangle of badly-placed limbs.

Wu's prevailing strategist winced and bit his tongue as the back of his head crashed against the unforgiving avenue, scattering his dark hair over the well-trodden path and driving a few tenacious bits of gravel straight into his shoulders. The basket of meatbuns flew from his hands to skitter across the deserted roadway, several of the palm-sized edibles escaping the squashed container and joining their vegetarian brethren in the dust cloud of impact as the world abruptly stopped tumbling and returned slowly to its standard orientation.

For a long minute, nothing moved; the silence of surprise stretched between four startled men and held them in their awkward, unnaturally frozen positions. Then Sun Ce blinked and shifted on dirt-encrusted hands above his flattened swordsman, amber eyes wide in mild astonishment as they met the stiff obsidian glare regarding him none too composedly from the unpaved street bed.

"…Yu? What just… oh."

Another moment of tense silence passed as the strategist pressed his lips into a firm line, glowering hard at the young officer poised above him with the summer sky for his unscarred background. Then the Sun lord laughed a little and raised one hand to rub almost sheepishly at the back of his neck, pushing himself into a sitting position between his tackled companion's knees.

"Heh… sorry about that. I didn't see you there."

Zhou Yu was going to kill him. It was a rare day when he took kindly to any of the myriad embarrassing, inconvenient accidents that seemed to follow Sun Ce like a plague and incapacitate anyone with whom he crossed paths – but today of all days, the swordsman was not in the mood to be at the mercy of his lord's clumsy bearing. The strategist shoved himself roughly to his feet and delivered a scolding smack to the back of his companion's head, eliciting a sharp yelp from the young man still kneeling in Shucheng's neglected thoroughfare; the Sun lord rubbed intensely at his punished scalp and scowled up at his merciless strategist with narrowed amber eyes.

"Hey! I said I was sorry!" Zhou Yu huffed and swept his hair into a rough order, returning the Little Conqueror's look of vibrant displeasure with equal force as he brushed what dust he could from the folds of his shirt and crossed both arms over his chest.

"You are a moron," the swordsman informed his lord flatly, tone just shy of a yell as he ignored the somewhat startled and mildly apprehensive expressions on the faces of their peasant companions. "How many times have I told you to _look_ before you go racing around corners like a juvenile half your age – and by the gods, Ce, I promise there is nothing short of battle that requires moving that fast. Would it completely destroy your inner timetable to _walk_ once in a while?"

Sun Ce just rolled his eyes, shaking the graveled dirt from his chestnut ponytail and clambering easily to his feet as the strategist's harsh words echoed against his ears but failed to garner any visible reaction across his suntanned features. The Sun lord tipped his chin to one side and dropped both hands to rest along his waist, wrinkling his nose at the irritated officer in a well-practiced gesture of dismissal.

"Man, you are just full of lectures today, aren't you? Chill out, Yu. Neither of us broke anything, right? It's not the first time you've ever hit the ground." Zhou Yu scowled heavily at his young commander from beneath the fringe of his disorderly bangs, aggravation twining through his stomach like a coiling sea serpent.

"No, it's not – and with you in tow, I doubt I'll ever have the pleasure of remaining on my feet long enough to accomplish my objectives. If you insist on capering around like an imbecile, that's your business – but please learn to move in a more civilized manner, and spare the rest of us our reunions with the floor."

Sun Ce made a face at him, but his attention had strayed from his infuriated swordsman to the pair of uncertain peasants watching their interaction in silence from a few paces away. The Sun lord scowled at the younger of the two and tapped one foot decisively against the sandy roadbed, his brilliant eyes alight with blatant reproach.

"Well, at least somebody caught you. Who do you think you are, anyway – running in and stealing my lunch like that?"

Shao's eyes flickered like fire in the glittering afternoon sunlight, and he opened his mouth with an undoubtedly surly reply – but Yu Shan cut him off, slamming one hand against back of the youth's neck and snapping his head forward in imitation of a rough bow. The rice farmer bowed to Sun Ce as well, managing to appear sincere and serious despite the fact that only the iron grip on his eldest son's spine kept the boy bent double at all.

"Master Sun Ce – please forgive my son his terrible discourtesy. He's too young yet to know the difference between the right course of action and what his stomach is telling him." The farmer's head bobbed up and down in well-practiced rhythm, executing a series of short bows even as Shao squirmed under his hand and strove for escape from the disciplinary fingers. "He's only eleven, and I'm afraid that his lack of discipline must be considered my responsibility and no one else's. I was not as harsh with him as I should have been the first time he tried something like this…"

The cascade of rueful words slowed to a fading trickle as the Little Conqueror raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, pausing the endless apology with a swift flick of his head. "Hey, whoa – none of that," the young lord insisted decisively. Sun Ce rubbed the back of his head where Zhou Yu's vindictive blow had landed and winced lightly beneath the fringe of his chestnut bangs, letting a slight chuckle slip from his tongue and disrupt the farmer's act of contrition. "I'm not blaming you. Kids will be kids, after all. And that one's _definitely_ old enough to know better, anyway, so don't put his behavior on your own shoulders."

Yu Shan looked mildly surprised at the young gentleman's response, but his son was less impressed, making a face at the victim of his thievery as he shrugged out from under his father's forceful hand and straightened to his limited height, glare as potent as the Sun lord's. "So what if I am?" Shao challenged, shaking his head vehemently and pointing one accusing finger at the young man before him. "I was hungry, and you had something good. You snooze, you lose! Eat faster next time!"

Sun Ce huffed and folded his arms across his chest, shooting the dark strategist behind him a slight frown over his shoulder. "See?" the young officer contested, indicating the errant boy before him with a sweeping gesture. "This is why I have to get things into my mouth as quickly as possible. Even if I _do_ choke on it, at least I get to taste it first!" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"That is hardly the lesson you ought to be taking away from this situation," the swordsman informed his indignant companion, voice unruffled as the cloudless sky above them. But the lord of Wu ignored him and turned back to focus on the farmer's defiant son, his face set in a disgruntled scowl as he glared into the child's slate eyes. Yu Shan moistened his lips a little nervously and stepped forward to stand level with his insolent offspring, tipping his head in obeisance and distracting the Sun lord from his intent.

"Master Sun Ce… even if you do not consider me responsible for my son's ill-advised actions, I will not be able to sleep knowing he has disrupted your vacation in such a foolish manner.

Sun Ce blinked and shot his strategist a wary look, amber eyes obviously curious as to just how much Zhou Yu had revealed to his escort about their mission in Shucheng – but the older man pressed on without pause, reaching one hand into the depths of his loose sleeve and withdrawing a slender cloth bag, which he clenched tightly between his fingers as a small smile flitted across his lips.

"It's not much, but please – accept this as a token of my apology, and forgive Shao his transgressions."

The Little Conqueror took a step back, nearly bumping into his swordsman as the unseen contents of the humble offering clinked in unmistakable metallic cacophony. The young officer shook his head a little hesitantly and raised an open hand in protest, his gaze flickering between the repentant farmer and his obstinate, unmoving son. "Hey, no need for that – it's not that big a deal, honest." Yu Shan took little heed of the unguarded refusal and bowed deeper, matching the target of his apology with patient forward steps.

"If I do not make amends, it will reflect badly on my family in the eyes of the ancestors. Please, gentleman, accept my contrition in the place of my son's."

Shao snorted a little under his breath at the formal admission, and the Sun lord's lightning eyes shot to his unrepentant face, a frown marring his features at the haughty expression sidling across the child's countenance. "Are you really going to let him do this?" Sun Ce challenged, his tone growing harsher as he focused completely on the disinterested thief before him. "You're going to let him pay for you? You're not even going to stand up and take responsibility for yourself?" The boy huffed, lifting an unconcerned hand to brush his bangs back from obscuring his line of sight.

"It's his money. He can do what he wants with it."

Sun Ce's frown deepened with visible disapproval at his nonchalant response, and for a moment the young officer looked about to speak, reproachful words building behind the light curve of his lips – but once more Yu Shan beat him to it, leading Zhou Yu to wonder absently whether the farmer simply had a knack for interrupting people or if he were making a conscious effort to do so. The older man dropped his coin purse heavily back into the depths of his sleeve and allowed a boundless sigh to escape his lungs, meeting the Little Conqueror's stare with a calm intensity burning in his overcast eyes.

"Please allow me to rephrase my apology, Master Sun Ce. If Shao and I return home without making amends, my wife will skin the boy alive – and while this may be something he deserves, I am selfishly concerned for my own welfare should I fail to give you due recompense." The Sun lord blinked, as startled by their escort's honest and unhurried words as his swordsman was to see a self-deprecating smile tugging at the weathered lips. Yu Shan shook his head sincerely. "I can see you do not want money – and in that I can hardly blame you, since it's clear you want for little."

Zhou Yu felt a sting of self-consciousness as the peasant's gaze moved across their riding clothes, nonjudgmental in its almost humorous progression. The farmer held out both hands in open suggestion, allowing a full smile to capture his expression for the first time since Sun Ce had stumbled from the mouth of the alleyway.

"However, you are not at home in Shucheng. Please – allow me to offer my assistance in whatever manner I may. Is there nothing at all that you find yourself in need of? Surely your travels must have left you unprepared in some way or another…"

The Sun lord reached up and scratched almost uncertainly at the nape of his neck, hesitation flashing through the flurry of amber glances shot in his strategist's direction as he fought for a fitting dismissal. "Look… I appreciate the gesture. But you really don't have to—"

Abruptly, Sun Ce's jaw snapped shut, chopping his refusal cleanly in half as his eyes widened thoughtfully and his hand stopped its restless fidgeting along his upper spine. For a long moment, nothing moved – Yu Shan frowned in supreme confusion and Zhou Yu felt his brow furrowing at the sudden consideration spilling like summer sunlight across the Little Conqueror's countenance. Then a brilliant smile split the young officer's face nearly in two, and foreboding dropped like a stone into the pit of his swordsman's stomach.

"Actually… since you brought it up…" Yu Shan blinked. Sun Ce grinned. "Would you happen to have a stable?"

.x.

Life was unpredictable. This was not a misfortune but a simple fact, one that Zhou Yu had learned well – perhaps too well, at times – over the course of nearly twenty-four years, each of which had been painted with its own array of light and shadow. Trial after unexpected trial had brought a measure of cold reserve to the dark swordsman's character; and in general, he had chosen not to trust the appearance of reliability, for who could predict when that ostensibly unbreakable conviction would give way beneath the callous hands of time? Change had yet to show any sympathy for the weave of lives it disrupted.

But through all his skeptical rejection of belief and stability, there was one truth which had proved itself genuine again and again – one truth that he had come to accept, to count on, in every situation he confronted. One truth which, as he stood with his back to the small window and the luxuriant green of the terraced rice fields, the strategist couldn't help reaffirming one more time.

Sun Ce was an idiot.

Of course, the Sun lord was not the first idiot Zhou Yu had ever encountered in his life. He probably wouldn't be the last, either – in fact, the swordsman was occasionally inclined to designate _all_ the officers of Wu full-fledged morons, particularly when they were hell-bent on carrying out whatever brainless scheme his impulsive companion had most recently concocted. But one of the things that made Sun Ce's particular brand of idiocy so uniquely infuriating was that with each of the ill-advised whims came the young officer's unshakable confidence, charisma, and refusal to falter from his beliefs.

Or, put more simply, the stubbornness of a mule.

"That is never going to work," the cynical strategist informed his commander flatly, leaning back and resting his elbows exasperatedly against the rough sill. The Little Conqueror looked up from where he knelt between rice storage bins and favored his companion with an encouraging smile, pausing to wipe a line of sweat away from his temple as he dragged one of the heavy containers across the earthen floor.

"Sure it is. You just wait – I'll get these things in position in no time, and then we'll be all set." Zhou Yu crossed disbelieving arms over his chest and regarded the Sun lord's activity dryly from his position at the window, one eyebrow raised above his doubtful onyx gaze.

"What exactly are you planning to do with those, Ce?" The gigantic earthenware jars were obviously extremely difficult to move, and though the swordsman had been observing his lord's endeavor for the better part of a quarter hour, he had yet to see any coherent objective emerging from the mayhem of storage vessels crowding the center of their current accommodations. Most of the containers had already been stacked and pushed back against the walls as far as they could go, creating a small clearing at the center of the shack where their surprised and mildly suspicious host had agreed to let them stay as long as Shucheng detained them.

Yu Shan had been predictably astonished at the Sun lord's lodging request, and concernedly skeptical of his guests' ability to sleep properly in the half-hearted structure perched almost precariously some distance to one side of the master residence – but Sun Ce was nothing if not determined, and eventually the peasant had been left with no choice but to acquiesce to the Little Conqueror's sudden, bizarre aversion to habitable space. Zhou Yu was not going to admit it – because the last thing his companion needed was any encouragement of his off-the-wall impulses – but after getting a good look at the three insufferable boys and blushing young girl who lived in close quarters within the Yu family's none-too-spacious cottage, he was almost glad to be based inside the crowded hovel instead.

It wasn't exactly a stable – which made a great deal of sense, since a farmer like Yu Shan was far too poor to even consider purchasing draft animals – but the grain storage shed was dirty, cramped, and dark, apparently the only conditions Sun Ce cared to fulfill in his quest for unusual sleeping arrangements. Zhou Yu couldn't help shaking his head as his glance trailed along the close wooden walls, sturdy but unaligned as though perhaps the peasant farmer's three energetic sons had taken a hand in its construction. The ceiling was of poor bamboo wood, its inevitable slats filled with flaking wattle, and to the strategist it seemed a miracle that the dubious construction effort had managed so far to hold up against Shucheng's torrential summer rains.

But despite its appearance, the shack was warm and dry – and precedent aside, Zhou Yu supposed that was all that truly mattered in a shelter. With the majority of the earthen jars pushed into the far corners, there was just ground space for two rush mats and the modestly filled bags of their belongings – and the Sun lord's rough line of rice vessels, though that threatened to encroach on their path to the door with every heaving twist.

Sun Ce frowned at his unimpressed swordsman and tugged emphatically on the mouth of a particularly inert container, cutting a deep line in the dirt floor as he rolled it into alignment with its fellows. "I'm building a bench," the young man answered simply, his amber eyes dark with the late afternoon shadows. "And if you would help me instead of acting all high and mighty, I'd be done already. Get over here – I just have to move a couple more."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes but eventually complied, moving leisurely across the gravel-studded earth and dropping to his knees at the young officer's side with a calculating glance toward the earthen jars. Assuming he understood the objective correctly, his commander had been right about how close the task was to completion – but the swordsman made himself busy anyway, adjusting a few of the vessels into a more linear position and ignoring the brilliant smile sent in his direction. "What do you want a bench for?" the strategist persisted, tapping five mindless fingers against the lid of one oversized ewer. Sun Ce made a face at him.

"To sit on. What did you think I was going to use it for?"

Zhou Yu was sorely tempted to inform the young officer how little time he intended to spend loitering around the stuffy interior of this poor excuse for a lodge during their stay in Shucheng, and how little use they would probably have for such a contraption – but that meant bringing up his family again, and the swordsman felt his jaw clenching tight against the sobering thoughts, letting the Little Conqueror's harmless retort go unchallenged. Sun Ce yanked the last obstinate pot into procession with its fellows and straightened, brushing purposefully at the soil coating his well-worn pants as a customary grin lit his tanned features.

"There we go. Now let's see…" Several quick strides and a brief scuffling search between the storage jars yielded the discovery of one long timber, which the Sun lord hefted victoriously over his shoulder and placed across the top of the aligned vessels with an almost triumphant flourish. Zhou Yu stifled a small smirk as his companion plopped unceremoniously onto his new furniture and nearly overbalanced, both hands flying out at unusual angles to keep him from toppling off of the bench completely; Sun Ce grimaced lightly and ran an idle hand through his scattered chestnut ponytail before the unstoppable grin recaptured his countenance, chasing the shadows of the slowly waning daylight from the contours of his smile.

"Yep. Just perfect. That's all this place needed – a few upgrades." Zhou Yu snorted under his breath, reaching out to slide one hand along the undeniably splinter-infested surface of the bench's seat as the Sun lord readjusted in badly-concealed discomfort.

"Perfect might not be the word I chose. This won't stay together more than a day or two – best case scenario." The young officer crossed both arms resolutely over his chest, glaring up into his strategist's unimpressed features with the customary passion flaring in his eyes.

"You are so negative," Sun Ce accused indignantly, considering his stolid companion from the indisputably uncomfortable base of his first experiment in furniture-making. "What's it going to take to cheer you up, anyway?"

Leaving Shucheng. Leaving Shucheng, and never standing in the oppressive doorway to the Zhou estate again – but the Little Conqueror already knew that and a hesitant knock on the door stopped the swordsman from reiterating it, cutting into their slight disagreement before Zhou Yu could so much as open his mouth. Without waiting for recognition, Yu Shan's graying head emerged from behind the door, surveying the rearrangements to their sleeping accommodations with methodical slate eyes.

"Masters Zhou Yu and Sun Ce? I came to inquire about your progress…" The farmer paused in minor consternation as his eyes caught on the Sun lord's bench, the waning summer light that streamed through the door behind him exemplifying the confusion that swirled momentarily across his wind-swept features – but then it was gone, brushed aside by the return of his unassuming, gracious demeanor. "I see you've made a few changes," the clearly curious peasant remarked, his fingers idly skimming the wood of the meager door. "I hope everything is… satisfactory?"

Yu Shan's dubious gaze suggested that he couldn't fathom what part of the hut could be satisfactory at all, and in that Zhou Yu basically agreed with him. But Sun Ce was undaunted as ever, and he pushed to his feet with one hand lodged between the strands of his disheveled hair and the other skimming the makeshift seat he had left. "Everything's just _perfect_ – right?" Even the young officer's judicious kick at his shin could draw no more than a noncommittal murmur from the dark swordsman, and the Sun lord sighed between his teeth, turning back to their host with a charming grin decorating his battle-worn countenance. "We couldn't ask for a better storage shed."

The farmer blinked at his guest's enthusiastic response and Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, rising from the dirt floor and flicking particles of soil from the folds of his clothes. "We are grateful for your hospitality," the strategist answered simply, tipping his head in a gesture of thanks. "Without your offer, I'm afraid we'd truly be bunking with the horses tonight, and such accommodations would likely not be as comfortable as some of us imagine." Yu Shan smiled a little at the slight jab and Sun Ce stuck out his tongue, making no effort to reign in his childish counterattack despite their position among strangers.

"I assure you the pleasure is mine," their polite host responded dutifully, matching the swordsman's bow with a deeper one of his own. "I only wish I had better accommodations to offer you. But I'm afraid the house is a little crowded, and…" The farmer paused and raised an almost sheepish hand to rub at the back of his slowly graying head, glancing over one shoulder in mild apprehension and dropping his voice to a bare murmur. "Well, my wife was a bit… unenthusiastic… about you gentlemen sleeping so close to Hong, since she is of marriageable age…"

Sun Ce bit back a laugh and Zhou Yu shook his head, unable to help acknowledging the ironic humor of the flustered rage that had flown from the housewife's lips when her husband returned with one misbehaving son and two young officers in tow. Of course Yu Niang hadn't been able to refute the farmer's offer of lodging, but her face had flushed nearly vermillion at the implication that the attractive strangers would be sleeping on her kitchen floor until such time as they chose to remove themselves.

In that, the strategist could hardly blame her – the four children looked like enough trouble to drive anyone out of a hospitable mood without the added weight of her daughter's honor to consider. The three boys, particularly – whom Zhou Yu could not keep straight for the life of him, because they hovered so close in age and were all named in a similar fashion – were the embodied testament to every reason why the swordsman had been so adamant about never having any children. And Hong, who looked to be barely fourteen by her youthful height, seemed to lend credibility to her mother's concerns by the way her cheeks had flushed and her eyes lit up at the sight of the handsome houseguests.

All in all, it had ended up more of a blessing than a curse that Sun Ce demanded the most uncomfortable quarters procurable – though the strategist would have liked to assure the panic-stricken Yu Niang that of all three parties concerned, her own daughter was most in danger of crossing a propriety line.

Yu Shan rubbed his hands together and twisted them in mild anxiety, eliciting a few stiff _pop_s from the aging joints as he wetted his crinkled lips. "I mean no offense, of course, gentlemen – it's just that Niang has always been a bit protective, and I find it easiest to humor her where Hong is concerned. Girls are best looked after by their mothers, after all…"

Sun Ce interrupted the apologetic explanation with an easy laugh, holding his hands up in a gesture for silence as the warm evening sunlight danced cheerfully through his amber eyes. "Hey – no worries. We completely understand." The Sun lord ran five fingers through his messy ponytail and only succeeded in making it more tousled, to the slight annoyance of his stoic strategist. "Everyone's got their standards. You hardly know us, after all."

Zhou Yu was sorely tempted to elbow his companion squarely in the gut for his honest admission – it wasn't likely that statements of that sort would improve Yu Shan's confidence in his hospitality, whatever their intent – but a slight cough from the window interrupted him before he could fully debate the wisdom of getting into a minor scuffle with his wayward commander.

Three pairs of eyes turned to find a curious face peeking through the wooden void, the milky, oval features awash with unrestrained interest. The bright stare which had been studying them all in mind concealment fluttered abashedly at its discovery, and then the figure straightened to its full height, revealing the farmer's young daughter poised with two delicate hands resting on the windowsill like porcelain butterflies. Hong cleared her throat and dropped her gaze to the skin of her tiny palms, sneaking glances at her father's guests from between her thick lashes and dipping her raven-crested head in a graceful bow.

"Mother sent me out with dinner for Masters Sun Ce and Zhou Yu… where would you like me to put it, please?"

Yu Shan looked as though he wanted to reprimand his daughter for her eavesdropping, and Zhou Yu took a step back until he was just beyond the improvised bench, watching the line of flush spreading across the girl's countenance with a measure of veteran apprehension. Hong reminded him distinctly of what Xiao Qiao might have been like in the early stages of their marriage had she been a little more shy and restrained, and he was determined to keep his distance from the peasant's ostensibly star-struck daughter. But the reigning lord of Wu was as forthright as ever, moving toward her purposefully with his customary, beaming grin and receiving a covered basket from the girl's softly trembling grip without so much as a hesitant step.

"Hey, dinner! Just what I was in the mood for. Now let's see…" The Little Conqueror paused in his joyful exuberance and dropped one hand to his hip, oblivious to the worsening scarlet of the young woman's face as he surveyed the shed's interior and brightened perceptibly. "That's perfect! See, Yu – I told you this bench would come in handy!" With an overdone flourish, the young officer plunked their steaming meal onto his creative furniture and smiled earnestly at the three members of his audience, giving Hong an additional wave of gratitude. "Thanks for the care package."

The girl looked like she was trying to choke out some kind of an answer to Sun Ce's unabashed sincerity, but her father got there first, folding both arms sternly across his chest and regarding his daughter from the framing light of the evening-spattered doorway. "Why must they eat dinner out here?" the older man inquired, displeasure sifting across his weathered face. "There's plenty of room for everyone inside." Zhou Yu seriously doubted this, from the very brief glimpse he had gotten of the one-room structure before Yu Niang forced her husband and his uninvited visitors back onto the front lawn – but Hong blushed fiercely and buried her gaze beside her shoes, fiddling with her patched sleeves as the impending sunset brushed her face an even deeper burgundy.

"Mother says… it wouldn't be proper, since I'm engaged. But—" The girl broke off abruptly and bit her lip, casting furtive glances at the two young officers occupying her father's storage shack. Her childish gaze met the strategist's for a moment before darting swiftly away, and Zhou Yu resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the ridiculously transparent display of infatuation. "But I think that's unfair," she continued after a moment, tone considerably subdued as though in apprehension that the peasant's authoritative wife might hear her. "It would be much more comfortable to eat inside, and we'd all love their company…"

Wu's dark swordsman considered just who in that family – the young girl and her cordial father aside – would be at all interested in conversing with himself and Sun Ce, and came up completely blank. But Yu Shan's face had darkened with internal conflict, some unidentifiable emotion coursing to and fro across his features until he suddenly turned and bowed deeply to both officers, his hair bun cord flopping melodramatically across the curve of his head.

"Masters Zhou Yu and Sun Ce. There is no need for you to eat in this unworthy space. Please don't worry – I will have a talk with my wife. There's no reason you couldn't join us for dinner, even if you must sleep in such a poor location as this." A glint of stony resolve had slipped into the farmer's slate eyes, resonating with the brusque determination spilling through his apologetic promise as he shook his head. "I don't know what she's thinking – treating you this way. It's unheard of for a host to demand such separation from their guests, and I won't allow it to stand—"

"That won't be necessary."

Zhou Yu's voice broke through the peasant's lengthy harangue with the precision of cold steel, startling the older man from his thoughts despite the depth of authenticity ringing through his polite assertion. The swordsman was certainly _not_ interested in spending his meal in the cramped company of the young hellions who inhabited the house beside their storage shed, an attitude Sun Ce seemed to concur with if his brisk nodding was any indication, and he was determined to put an end to the idea no matter how badly Yu Shan wanted to play dutiful host. The strategist shook his head again and waved one hand to the shack's interior, which was growing darker by the moment as the sun made its tremulous journey to the unseen edge of the western ridge.

"This is a perfectly appropriate place for Ce and I to take our meal – it's regretful enough for us to take advantage of your kindness for food and shelter without imposing on the order of your home." And by order, the swordsman really meant chaos, which was all that could come of dropping three growing boys in front of a few sparse dishes and letting them go wild. Zhou Yu couldn't even imagine how much worse the mess would become if Sun Ce were thrown into the middle of it, and it wasn't a reality he wanted to experience first-hand – but Yu Shan merely looked confused, rubbing one hand along his stubble-laden chin as though the dark officer's refusal made no sense at all.

"Master Zhou Yu… surely you don't think this diminutive structure can really compare to the pleasures of a dinner table? I don't implicate our home as well-stocked, by any means – but it is clean and homely, and my family would make room for you around our hearth until the end of your stay."

Of that, the strategist had no doubt – his skepticism lay only with how well any of them would survive the experience should he and the radiant Little Conqueror actually be forced to spend large quantities of time in the company of a pack of relentless tater tots. Fortunately, Sun Ce jumped into the conversation with a heartening laugh, letting another of his vaguely inspiring smiles beam in the unconvinced farmer's direction.

"He's right – no need to worry about us. We've eaten in a lot weirder places than this, believe me."

Yu Shan still looked doubtful, and his daughter's expression had fallen to downright disappointed at the unyielding rebuff – but the dithering duo had no way of forcing their guests into the brimming cottage next door, and at last the farmer could do nothing but drop a shallow bow, eyeing his visitors curiously between the strands of aging hair that tumbled into his eyes.

"Is this a custom where you come from?" the man asked half in jest, his tone barely a murmur above the endless stillness of falling evening. "To take as little from your host as he can offer? To refute the norms of hospitality?" Sun Ce laughed, tugging idly on one end of his crimson hair ribbon as his eyes swam with obvious contemplation on the customs of Wu and the warriors who carried them out. After a moment of honest thought, the young officer shrugged and shot his solemn companion a playful glance over one shoulder, shaking his head into the thick summer air.

"Maybe that's our own special habit. But don't worry about it – really. We're seasoned travelers. This is a pretty good place to be spending the night, if you consider the alternatives."

Both commoners' eyes were glowing almost ethereal in the fading summer sunlight, burdened with similar degrees of captivated curiosity – but either the questions weren't that pressing or they were too polite to ask, because at last Yu Shan had no choice but to make another cordial bow and step back into the full force of the slowly gathering shadows that possessed his farmstead, nodding in lingering disbelief to the cheerful Sun lord.

"Well… if you're sure that's all right then, Master Sun Ce…" Sun Ce saluted heartily, smiling energetically at his skeptical host as the man took another step past the off-kilter frame of his storage structure and fiddled with the edge of his well-worn sleeve, both eyes still fixed uncertainly on the lord of Wu. "…I suppose I'll take my leave of you. Do have a pleasant night, the both of you."

"Same to you," the Little Conqueror returned genially, waving off the farmer's respectful bow. Zhou Yu tipped his head in silent response and Yu Shan answered in kind before turning away completely, moving behind the rough-cut wall for just a moment before his face appeared at the window and one hand came up to find Hong's lithe shoulder.

"I'm afraid you and I must bow to your mother's wishes this time. Come – dinner will be getting cold." But the girl remained unmoving except for a light shuffling of her feet, hovering at the edge of the sill as both delicate hands gripped the warping wood in a vague imitation of defiance.

"It's not right to leave them all alone out here, after they've been on the road for so long," his daughter protested, shrugging the warm hand from her shoulder and trying to swallow her stuttering flush as she peered plaintively up into the farmer's eyes. "Shouldn't I eat out here, too? To keep them company? I wouldn't mind."

Sun Ce, who had moved quickly to his improvised bench and begun unpacking dinner as soon as the formalities were over, paused in the activity to give his strategist a halting look – but fortunately Yu Shan was as agreeable to his child's suggestion as the Sun lord and his stoic companion, and he laughed heartily at the struggle for dignified restraint playing out across the young girl's face.

"Oh ho – you should keep them company, should you?" The jovial man dropped a paternal hand onto the crown of her raven-crested head, ruffling the carefully brushed hair with his scoured fingers. "I've no doubt you'd be pleased with such a scenario. But I don't think your mother would approve, when she won't even let them in the door on your account. Now get on – I've had enough lectures today without getting one more for lateness." And so saying, the kindly farmer took his daughter firmly by the forearms and steered her out of sight, ignoring the babble of protests that blossomed from her light lips.

"But Father – you said yourself it isn't fair—"

Zhou Yu remained motionless until the thread of footsteps and mild argument disappeared behind the snap of the cottage door – and then he turned to meet his commander's gaze and had to smile, agreeing with the amusement in those brilliant amber eyes even if he couldn't match the shining grin. The swordsman moved to sit beside his lord on the unswept ground, relaxing back onto his hands as Sun Ce lost control of his snickers.

"Someone's got a crush," he singsonged, finishing his effort to unpack the covered basket and shooting his strategist a smile over one amused shoulder. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Which of us are you implicating?" he asked smoothly, earning himself another chuckle as the Sun lord rubbed his hands together and began picking through their ample provisions.

"I think she likes you." The Little Conqueror's teasing jab accompanied the rice cake he sent winging in his companion's direction through the gradually darkening evening – Zhou Yu caught it easily and scoffed, regarding the homemade pastry with skeptical eyes as he straightened from his slouching position and brushed the dirt from his palms.

"Don't be ridiculous. She nearly lost her head when you smiled at her – you are clearly the object of her affections." The swordsman took a faltering bite of his assigned dinner and chewed slowly, finding himself still lacking an appetite despite his small lunch. The rice cake softened between his teeth as Sun Ce chuckled, chestnut ponytail skipping cheerfully across his silk-clad shoulders as he swallowed a much-larger mouthful of his own meal.

"No way. I'm positive she likes you. You're better looking than I am." Zhou Yu shook his head deliberately, obsidian eyes stalling momentarily on the laughing contours of his companion's handsome face.

"That is entirely a matter of opinion," the strategist dissented, whittling away at the rice cake with a series of unenthusiastic bites. The Sun lord snorted and reached for another stick of spit chicken.

"Yeah – and popular opinion is definitely on my side. I swear every person we've ever met has talked about on your looks. Hell, Xiao even wanted to marry you because you were prettier than me." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the memory of his wife at twelve, at least as excitable and considerably shallower than she remained five years later. Sun Ce reached out and poked his swordsman squarely in the chest with his undecorated chopsticks, grinning triumphantly beneath his cluttered bangs. "How many times has that happened to me? None. So there."

The strategist shrugged and set the rest of his rice cake aside, taking a portion of the chicken before his carnivorous commander could consume all of it. "Appearance isn't everything," he countered easily, ignoring the perturbed look the young officer shot in his direction as the chicken spit made its way to his mouth. "You are far friendlier than I."

Sun Ce wrinkled his nose disgruntledly, pushing a few serving bowls toward his companion's end of the unorthodox table. "You're supposed to eat the vegetables," the Sun lord informed him obdurately, prodding the loosely appetizing cucumbers and cabbage roots with his dexterous chopsticks. "And anyway, friendliness isn't all it's cracked up to be. You've got that cold, mysterious thing going. Girls seem to like that."

Zhou Yu raised an inquisitive eyebrow, onyx eyes meeting their amber opposites in mild curiosity as his dinner paused between the deft hold of his experienced chopsticks. "And is that actually as attractive as it's portrayed to be?" The Little Conqueror stuck out his tongue despite his irrepressible smile.

"Nope – loses its appeal once you figure out that all that aloofness is really just hiding a bad attitude."

It was technically an insult, but the barb lacked any semblance of sting despite its offhand delivery, and the swordsman found himself swallowing a small smirk as he scoffed under his breath. Zhou Yu pushed the vegetable dishes flippantly back in his lord's direction, abandoning his attempt at conjuring an appetite and dropping back to rest on both elbows in the soft summer soil.

"You certainly have your share of irritating character traits as well," the swordsman assured his commander dryly, brushing the long strands of dark hair away from his shoulders. One unhurried foot reached out and tapped the Sun lord's ankle in mild reprimand, accompanying a halfway serious glare sent in the ravenous officer's direction. "One of which is monopolizing whichever dish you most prefer. I'm surprised you haven't come to blows with Taishi Ci over the dinner table, considering how self-serving your seating arrangements tend to be."

Sun Ce made a face, but he couldn't help grinning at his companion's accurate description of mealtime antics in the Wu Territory. "If Taishi Ci got to dinner earlier, maybe he'd get more say in what ended up on his plate. Until then, I don't want to hear it. The first to come is the first to get served in my kingdom." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the poor roof above them and watched his lord's energetic chewing as the last rays of sunlight slipped completely behind the western ridge, covering Shucheng in immediate shadow.

"That's a very survivalist mentality." The Sun lord laughed, forming a charismatic fist around the squished remains of the dumpling he'd been devouring.

"That's right! I don't want any wimps hanging around in my empire." The swordsman raised a disbelieving eyebrow, and Sun Ce sighed, crinkling his nose with a small frown as he acknowledged his strategist's incredulity. "Okay – except the one. But I don't think Shang and Mother would let me throw him out. That kid…" The Little Conqueror broke off and scratched his ear, shaking his head in amused admonishment of his younger brother. "Still a pansy at sixteen. Makes me wonder what it'll take for him to grow a spine. Even Huang Gai's special training didn't do the trick."

Zhou Yu chuckled despite himself at the memory of the Tiger general's most trusted veteran chasing Sun Quan around the practice fields the previous spring, toiling in vain to convince the intimidated youth to try sparring with him instead of Zhou Tai. Despite the encouragement of every member of his family, the youngest Sun child had been decidedly disinterested in trading his lenient master for a more demanding instructor, and had stalwartly refused to partake in the grueling training sessions until Huang Gai abandoned the effort a week later. Sun Quan's original plan of avoidance had been considerably less embarrassing than escape, based primarily around ignoring Huang Gai's attempts to cross blades with him – but after the powerful general accidentally cuffed him on the head with his incredibly daunting mace, the former regent of Xuancheng had settled for simply running away.

His strategist's soft laughter brightened the expression on the Little Conqueror's face, and he paused in his enthusiastic ingestion to regard the dark swordsman with his full attention. For a brief moment, the setting sun – out of sight behind the ridges now, its last fingers of light fading from the blossoming hillsides – was the only thing moving, and silence swept through the storage shed like a storm front. Then Sun Ce grinned in triumph and scooted forward, wheeling himself around until he could face his companion completely over the shadows of the approaching evening.

"See?" The Sun lord's quietly heartening voice drifted across the distance between them like clouds in the sunset sky above, matching the brilliance in his amber eyes. The irrepressible officer shook his head. "It won't be that bad. I'm not going to let it be."

Zhou Yu started at the sudden shift in conversation, one hand shooting instinctively to the five scratches across his cheek – but Sun Ce caught it before it could reach its destination and locked their joined palms against the dirt floor, shaking his head again with added vehemence as the onyx stare regarded him soundlessly. "I promised, didn't I? Don't worry about it." The young man shot his companion a victory sign, gaze never wavering beneath the fringe of his flopping chestnut bangs. "We can do this, Yu. No problem. I mean, conquering Wu was _pretty_ easy – but this thing? Piece of cake."

The swordsman said nothing, watching his commander silently through the gathering layers of twilight that softened each detail of the young officer's features – but he could feel the confident exaggeration tugging at the corners of his lips, and from the answering grin on Sun Ce's face, he must have noticed it, too. The Sun lord released his strategist's hand and turned back to his abandoned dinner, glancing impishly over one shoulder to catch the obsidian eyes with his own as tan fingers regained their half-eaten pastry.

"That's it – keep smiling. Then she'll really go head over heels for you."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the rag, but he couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped his lips as he pushed himself upright and moved with casual strides across the shed's small floor space. The dark swordsman knelt to one side of his sleeping mat and began rifling through his largely unfilled traveling bag, shooting the Little Conqueror an idle glare over his shoulder as his fingers stumbled through the tangle of silken clothing in quest for something more tangible.

"Then I'm afraid you're a lost cause," the strategist returned evenly, frowning a little into the growing darkness as his hand wandered blind amongst the seemingly endless garment folds. "You've had that ridiculous grin on your face since we arrived."

Sun Ce's laughter hardly dimmed the implicated smile, and he ran a hand through his cascading ponytail as his companion finally stopped his sightless search and straightened, a thin case resting in one passive palm. "You got me," he admitted, chewing readily on something that the failing light refused to identify. "Well, who says she has to like just one of us? Two is better than one anyway." Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath as he moved to sit against one of the tremendous storage jars, leaning back into the curve of the cool earthenware and closing his obsidian eyes

"Please, Ce – don't invite the horrors of such a situation. It's bad enough as a crush without her actually becoming serious." The Sun lord snickered to himself, his familiar smile visible even as the dusk high above them began to stream down the rim of the sky, swallowing the last of the day's light in a deep, quiet sigh.

"Oh, come on. You sure you're not in the market for another wife?" The strategist sent him a flat glare, unwinding the long strips of burgundy silk from the thin burden in his lap and smoothing his fingers along the well-crafted bamboo as the casing fell away in his hands.

"Xiao Qiao is more than enough, thank you. Now finish your dinner, and stop inviting trouble you don't actually want to deal with."

And that said, the swordsman lifted the flute to his lips and played a few experimental notes, determined to ignore his companion for the remainder of his dining episode. The lilting cord of melody trailed off into the warm evening air and faded as Zhou Yu raised his head, glancing to the window across from him and counting the stars just beginning to peek through the night's velvet curtain. Thirteen – just a fragment of the pinpoints of light he could imagine flowering all across the sky above them, embroidering the darkness like silver thread and spiraling into the unseen patterns of constellations from each horizon to the others.

The thing about Sun Ce was, he refused to be ignored. The Sun lord snatched the rest of his meal and shoved it carelessly into the basket, crawling across the floor until he reached his strategist's side and plunking back against a neighboring urn with the vanishing light coalescing in his amber eyes. Zhou Yu spared the young officer a passing glance as he dropped the flute into his hands and regarded it silently, his gaze tracing each nick that the delicate crafting blade had left on its pristine surface. The Little Conqueror fished out another dumpling and munched unhurriedly as he watched his swordsman's agile fingers, face cheerful if surprised.

"I didn't know you brought that along. You should have said something."

Zhou Yu didn't want to admit that he hadn't intended to – that if it hadn't caught his attention as he was looking through his scrolls just prior to departure, searching for every document Han Dang might find himself in need of during their absence, he wouldn't have brought it at all. Even after the discovery of the dusty instrument, he hadn't particularly meant to take it with him – it had been some time since the flute last touched his lips, and he wasn't at all sure he was interested in the tarnished, unused sound that would no doubt fill its hollow cavity if he bothered to pick it up at all during their visit. And that occurrence alone had seemed unlikely as he stood in the center of his sunlit office and studied the slight cylinder with preoccupied eyes, because he had never used music as an emotional release and there was too much tension in Shucheng to make playing an offhand activity.

Or so he'd assumed. But in the end, the quiet instrument had slipped into his saddlebag with a few of the reports he'd deemed appropriate to drag along, resting unobtrusively between the layers of riding clothes in its silken case. The swordsman couldn't truly place why he'd picked it up, either – but it was in his hands now, and Sun Ce was looking inquisitively at him through the growing darkness, so there was nothing to do but reply. Zhou Yu shrugged a little stiffly and readjusted against the arc of the rice jar, glancing up to where the shack's open door invited the night breezes into their limited accommodations.

"I didn't think it would interest you," he answered simply, voice low and calm in the dusk shadows. The Sun lord huffed, sounding mildly indignant though the dimness hid his expression.

"You haven't played for me in a long time, Yu – why wouldn't I be interested? You know I like to listen."

The strategist's eyes softened a little at the unintentional compliment, matching the shade of the fathomless sky above them as he toyed with the flute and rested it quietly against his chin. A half-forgotten memory flitted back to him – a much younger Sun Ce propped up beside him, watching in undue fascination as the pale fingers spidered across the plain bamboo surface – and Zhou Yu found himself smiling a little, the old impressions of Shucheng banishing for a moment their recent, more reprehensible counterparts.

"I see. In that case…" Wu's dark swordsman brushed the long hair away from his shoulders and glanced at his commander through the blinding darkness, barely able to follow the contours of the Little Conqueror's face in the weak starlight. "What would you like me to play?"

Sun Ce sighed into a chuckle, flopping sideways and shuffling around until he lay halfway across the strategist's lap, his restive head pillowed against one silk-softened knee. Through the overwhelming shadows, Zhou Yu could just make out his customary cheeky smile and the light shrug that rocked through them both, draping the young officer's ponytail across his thigh. "Come on, Yu – like I can keep any of those pieces straight. It's all just flute music to me."

The swordsman rolled his eyes despite the gesture's invisibility, regarding his comfortably slack commander with a minor glare at his admission of inattention. But he couldn't summon any malice into his gaze – not even as the lord of Wu dragged another edible from his basket and sent a flurry of crumbs across his strategist's lap, soiling both of their clothing with his careless motion. Sun Ce reached up one hand and prodded his companion's cheek with an insistent finger, talking around his full mouth.

"Anything's fine, I promise. Just play already." The entire sentence was muffled by his heavy chewing, and the swordsman gave his lord a stern look from his upright position.

"Talk or eat," he instructed sternly. "And I suggest you talk, as you're going to give yourself a stomachache at this rate. How many of those have you had already, Ce?" The young officer grinned through his mouthful, wrapping his free hand through the loose weave of his dark warrior's draping sleeve.

"Four," he answered mulishly, one eye closed against his strategist's recurring lecture. "And then a bunch of the other stuff. But it's good, and I'm not letting it go to waste. You could've eaten more, you know – done your part for the cause."

Zhou Yu shook his head slowly, dispelling the strands of twilight that followed the night wind and tangled through his dark hair. "I wasn't hungry," he countered cleanly, earning another encouraging nudge from the Sun lord sprawled across his lap.

"And I was. Come on already – play something. I haven't got all night." The swordsman shot his commander an idle glare for his careless demand as he lifted the flute back to his lips. Then he touched the instrument to his mouth and did as requested, letting a stream of thin notes sail into the fathomless darkness that had captured the shed, the farmstead, and the quiescent valley beyond.

For a long time – time Zhou Yu could neither estimate nor remark, for only the movement of the stars spoke of passing seconds – everything but the sound seemed to stop, letting his solitary song sift through the shallow evening air and reverberate within the poor walls. The strategist shifted between first one tune and then another, letting his fingers carry the mixed melodies wherever they chose without premeditation. Sun Ce finished chewing and curled onto his side, wrapping both arms around his swordsman's torso and burying his face in the silk-covered stomach; Zhou Yu watched his shoulders moving easily in time to his breathing and let his eyes trace the curve of the young officer's head, following each trailing strand of chestnut hair to its silent resting place along his thigh. As happened so often beneath the weave of music, the moments ceased to matter, melting inseparably together into a simple amalgamation of feeling – the wind against his neck, the bamboo against his lips, and the warmth streaming into him through the Sun lord's embrace.

At last the strategist paused in his performance, lowering the flute to rest along his side and considering the form in his lap with a silent, unhurried gaze. Sun Ce shifted against him and turned his face until he could meet the unwavering onyx stare, one amber eye cracked open against the wealth of silk pillowing his countenance.

"Yu?"

The swordsman nodded softly in response. For a moment, the young officer said nothing more, watching his quiet features in the motionless midnight shadows. Then the Sun lord sighed, giving his companion an almost sheepish smile as he drew one hand away to scratch guiltily at the back of his neck.

"I really hate to admit this, but… I think I ate too much." Zhou Yu blinked, startled out of his silent reflection by the slightly discomfited smile stealing across his commander's shadowed features. The Little Conqueror winced despite his subdued chuckle. "I do have a stomachache."

In an instant, the moment was broken, and the swordsman rolled his eyes heavenward as Sun Ce pushed out of his lap and settled onto one of the sleeping mats, holding his stomach in minor misery even as he laughed in spite of the complaint. Zhou Yu set his flute carefully to one side and moved to join his companion on the hard floor, granting the Sun lord a solid glare largely devoid of sympathy as he shuffled into a bearable position.

"Ce…" the strategist started, his voice grating across the night air like unsoftened gravel. Sun Ce raised both hands in surrender, shaking his head and swishing his light ponytail against the reed strips that formed their paltry bedding.

"Yeah, I know – you told me so. But I wasn't listening and I'll do the same thing next time, so save the lecture. Besides – this was obviously a fluke. I've never gotten a stomachache from this kind of thing before."

Zhou Yu scowled a little at his candid commander, but the expression was forced to lessen a moment later as the Little Conqueror's hand reached out and found his shoulder, carrying its master's warmth through the suntanned fingers. Sun Ce readjusted his head against his saddlebag, striving for a more comfortable patch of the coarse fabric as his eyes flickered in mild drowsiness and his fingers tightened in the swordsman's shirt sleeve.

"Hey." A bright but sleepy smile made its way across the short distance of sleeping mats between them, meeting the swordsman's stoic gaze with the brilliance of the shining sun. "Thanks for playing for me."

Zhou Yu smiled. Then he watched in familiar silence as sleep overtook the Sun lord, closing his vibrant amber eyes and muffling his deep, even breaths into the rhythm of dreams. When Sun Ce's face had finally calmed, losing all semblance of the emotion that traversed its surface each moment of the irrepressible young conqueror's waking life, the strategist rolled onto his back and considered the ceiling, studying the starlight strung between the poor rafters and waiting for sleep to find him as well.

He was still waiting when the first tendrils of light touched the horizon hours and hours later, signaling the sunrise with their blush and auburn brushes. Zhou Yu rose silently from the sleeping mat, feeling stiff and sore but not rested, and moved quietly around the storage shed, careful not to wake his companion as he smoothed the wrinkles from his clothing and encouraged his hair into a rough order across his tight shoulders.

The swordsman stepped cautiously around Sun Ce's sleeping form and over his far-flung limbs, shaking his head in idle exasperation at the undeniably uncomfortable position his commander had wormed into over the course of the night. Then he moved through the open door and into the burgeoning dawn, leaving the warmth of untouched dreams and the slumbering Sun lord behind him.

End Chapter 39, First Segment

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First and foremost, I sincerely apologize for the length of time this update took. I've actually been writing steadily for the last month and a half, but I really didn't want to end the next chapter with Zhou Yu and Sun Ce still stuck in Shucheng. Unfortunately, as things progressed, the chapter became entirely out of hand in terms of length – therefore, I have decided to do a triple post.

Within the next few days, the second and third installments of this chapter will be updated – so please look for those as well. The text is already written, it simply needs to be edited a final time… in any case, expect quick updates for the next few days, and I will strive to write the next chapter faster (and shorter) than this one. Thank you.

A note for Ever Kitsune: I have done my best to keep up with your stories as well, and to provide feedback where I can – I hope that has been beneficial for you. No, this story is not being discontinued – I sincerely apologize for the long wait. I hope you will continue to enjoy it despite my abysmal updates… thank you as always for your comments.

A note for Sirithiliel: You have a fascinating penname. Thank you for your kind review.

A note for Blue Chihuahua Crimson Flame: Thank you for your considerate review. I'm pleased that you like Sun Ce – he is actually the hardest for me to write in this story, being essentially Zhou Yu's opposite (and thereby the character I have the least in common with). I hope you will continue to enjoy this story in future posts.

A note for Unique Writer: Thank you very much. I'm honored by your compliments of my style. I've always been a little curious: if your dislike the main pairing, what is it that keeps a story like this interesting for you? Again, thank you for your review.

A note for Jen: You caught me. Zhou Yu actually makes comments fairly often about Sun Ce dying a premature death, primarily because even through the constant threat of war, he doesn't think it's going to happen. Comments of this sort are something we say very naturally, and it isn't until something actually happens that they seem to attain meaning. In any case, I hope this chapter was also interesting for you, and I look forward to your perception of the contents of this triple post.


	40. Chapter 39, Second Segment

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

Author's Note: This chapter is the second of a triple post – please make sure you have read the preceding chapter before continuing.

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Secession – Part 38, Second Segment 

"Zhou Yu… you're here rather earlier than I was expecting."

The onyx eyes of the man in question flickered wearily open at the quiet salutation, fighting for clarity as Xan's stony features distinguished themselves from the hazy background of the morning sky. Almost reluctantly, the swordsman straightened a little in his position against the east-facing wall of the main house, rolling the stiffness from his shoulders and blinking sleep away as best he could to meet the young man's charcoal gaze. A long moment of drained silence swept through the broad courtyard, broken only by the twittering cries of songbirds through the untrimmed garden – then a small, perceptive smile slid across his brother's lips, accompanying the loosely sympathetic shake of his stern head.

"I see you haven't slept."

Zhou Yu didn't answer – but he didn't have to, if the lines of fatigue he could almost feel collecting above his cheekbones and marring the skin of his pale forehead were as clear to Xan as they were to him. The hours of lying awake against the rough seams of the sleeping mat – coupled with the hours he had been standing, now, beside the sealed door of his family's residence, waiting for the rising sun to summon them from the confines of their dreams – dragged his breath into its shallow rhythm and flickered exhaustion across his countenance, revealing to the younger man every detail of his unspoken reply. The heir to the Zhou estate cast a quick glance at the cerulean sky above them and then a second back toward the house, shifting the sizable earthen jar he carried from one arm to the other in a vague impression of uncertainty. Then his sharp eyes darted back to the strategist's face, distantly apologetic in the unbroken sunlight.

"I'm afraid Father's not awake yet. He was finding it difficult to breathe last night – it may yet be awhile before sleep releases him. You may continue to wait here, if your like, or you may accompany me on my duties. I cannot say I have a preference in the matter."

He had expected nothing less. Zhou Yu had walked to his family's estate under the steady hand of the mounting dawn, watching as the new day enveloped Shucheng in crimson and ginger, painted the tree-covered hillsides in varying warmths of yellow and golden orange as though by virtue of a tremendous calligraphy brush. He had arrived in the soundless courtyard before the sun even regained its customary white pallor, still glowing saffron from its journey through the underworld – but he hadn't come expecting to see anyone for the many hours that stretched between sunrise and midday. He had simply come because there was nowhere else to go, and his thoughts were already waiting in the doorway of that dim, imposing estate.

The swordsman barely paused to consider his answer, stepping away from the unforgiving wall as though an opportunity to observe the morning chores had been his objective all along.

"I'll come with you."

Xan nodded at the expected response and turned in the direction of the old kitchens without another word, moving in purposeful strides and trusting his brother to follow; two sets of soft footsteps made their way across the unpaved courtyard, marking the sandy soil with the shadow of twin, measured treads. Zhou Yu watched the young host out of the corner of his eye, gauging the unruffled serenity that seemed to flow unchallenged across his simple face – but Xan's features held no more reaction to his unexpected visitor than they had the day before, and at last the strategist returned his gaze to the path beneath their feet, abandoning his futile scrutiny in favor of the glittering gravel that crunched under his heels.

Everything about the house and ample grounds had changed. For a moment, as they moved in shared silence across the length of the unswept courtyard, the swordsman closed his eyes and tried to picture the estate as it had been before – the fine horses tacked between well-plastered stable walls, the vindictive sheen of the tremendous earthen bricks beneath a cascade of summer sunlight, Lady Cai's smooth alto ordering servants to and fro. But he found that it was impossible to reconstruct his childhood without also remembering the unrelenting presence of the Sun family within the high boundary walls, without also adding their voices to the rush of sounds he could almost hear flitting across the grounds in a chorus of whispers. Because Shang Xiang had always loved the horses, and Lady Wu was at his own mother's side as often as not, clutching Quan against her chest and doling out instructions with equal vigor. And how often had he and Sun Ce sparred here, argued here, found themselves tussling through the soft soil to the shouted dismay of whichever adult was nearest?

There was no reliving Shucheng without the Sun family's presence invading his mind. But surely Zhou Fan had to know that, too – surely he couldn't dismiss the long years his property had been home to six children instead of three, to the master of Changsha and his dignified wife. Why then did the frail man refuse to acknowledge the heir of an old friend he had once sheltered and protected, the kingdom that protection had helped to allow? If he would remember fondly neither the time of the Sun family's occupation nor the years since his house became a broken home, what exactly was he holding onto? What did that leave to remember?

"I'm pleased to see Lord Sun Ce did not accompany you this time."

Zhou Yu started, stuttering to a halt as his brother's cool, crisp voice echoed softly along the pebbled walk of the courtyard. Twin obsidian eyes widened at the unexpected sentiment, and his gaze shot to the young man beside him with speed like a storm wind – but Xan did not so much as look at him, ignoring the surprised stare burning into his back and continuing his progress across the sunlit soil until he reached the well a short distance ahead. The swordsman remained motionless for a long moment, limbs frozen in mild disbelief even as the young man before him drew water and filled his thick-walled vessel as casually as though he hadn't spoken at all – then his lips pressed together in a grim line, and Wu's dark strategist moved to join his brother at the stonework rim, his expression detached despite the trickle of indignation flickering against his ribs.

"I didn't realize you also detested him." Zhou Yu's even response echoed against the well and resounded back into his face, damp and cool from the underground reservoir. "Judging by your reception yesterday, I might have guessed you were amenable to receiving him." Xan snorted softly, brushing his raven bangs out of his eyes as the rope fell from his hands and bounced against the cobbled stone of the well's interior.

"Don't misunderstand, Zhou Yu – I am not an ignorant fool like Father." The insult was far more blunt than the swordsman might have expected from the only one of Zhou Fan's sons willing to care for him, but Xan's face was completely impassive, blank as the sky above as he turned away from the darkened spring and met his older brother's gaze squarely. "I harbor Lord Sun Ce no grudge. And his company would certainly not be distasteful to me. If anything, meeting someone of such power is a potential advantage."

The strategist shook his head, a cynical smirk decorating his lips as he matched the young man's pace in the direction of the kitchens once more. "I was impressed with your political tact, Xan. You have a careful tongue." His brother scoffed.

"One could not live in this household these past six years without developing a careful tongue."

Zhou Yu chose not to question him. If their father had been as intolerant as he was now ever since the departure of his eldest children, the strategist had no doubt that caution and largely silence would have been essential to even the semblance of a smoothly functioning household. The dark swordsman's gaze flicked to the high walls of the central building behind them, thoughts of Zhou Fan settling a small seed of uncertainty into his stomach – but he shook the feeling away and focused on his strides, moving in time to his brother's purposeful steps as the kitchen loomed before them, its slate gray seeming even darker against the cerulean folds of the sky.

"That being the case… why are you pleased that Sun Ce did not accompany me today?"

Xan threw him a flat look out of the corner of his eye, readjusting his grip on the water jar and pursing his lips with a severity that seemed to indicate how blindingly obvious he considered the answer. "Not only today," the younger man replied, slowing his pace slightly as the door to the kitchens became visible in the stoic wall ahead. "I hope you do not intend to tow him along for the remainder of your stay. You shouldn't have dragged him to Shucheng with you at all."

The flippant words brought Zhou Yu to a complete stop, his feet stalling against the sand-spattered soil of the neglected courtyard and bringing Xan to a halt with them. The strategist blinked down at his brother in considerable confusion, searching for explanation in the fathomless charcoal eyes that stared back at him coolly beneath the cloudless midmorning sky. Incomprehension furrowed the swordsman's pale forehead as a mild frown settled across his face, coloring his tone almost cautious under the profusion of summer sunlight that sharpened his dark gaze.

"Why?"

It wasn't that the young man was wrong, necessarily. There were many reasons that Sun Ce should have stayed behind in Wu – most of them stemming from his responsibility as conqueror and ruler to a region that was, even now, far from stable. With Xu Gong's recent assassination scheme and so many minor courtiers' loyalty being called into question in the past weeks, Zhou Yu had almost been relieved that the Sun lord would be away from potential backstabbers for a short period – but he couldn't deny the fact that matters were far more pressing in the young officer's empire, and that Han Dang would only be able to function so long as the territory's temporary regent. And then there was Shucheng itself, and the indisputability of the Little Conqueror's eagerness to leave…

But none of those justifications seemed to be prevalent in Xan's mind as he turned to face his brother completely, those same dark eyes filled with stoic incredulity. The young man studied the swordsman's puzzled countenance for a moment in silence before shaking his head, resting the water jar against his hip and shifting his weight in soundless assertion of some opinion his elder brother could not guess. Then the heir to the Zhou estate cleared his throat, meeting the swordsman's uncomprehending stare with a firm scowl.

"Aren't you ashamed?"

Of all the responses he had been expecting, that was not one. Zhou Yu blinked as the soft words shot through his mind like a lightning strike, shattering his anticipation of the young man's vindicated rationale despite the settled tone that delivered them. The strategist opened his mouth to ask for clarification, but Xan beat him to it, straightening to his full height and lifting his chin almost accusatorily as aversion flooded his previously blank features.

"Your father is dying. Even more disgracefully, he has practically lost his mind – as you encountered yourself, his restraint has waned with his grasp on reason." The swordsman's hand shot instinctively to his cheek, skimming the faded scars as his brother nodded forcefully and gestured almost angrily to the courtyard around them. "His estate is in tatters, his grounds overgrown. His wealth has come to nothing in the wake of his illness. His wife is withdrawn and indolent, moving through the rooms without purpose and rarely so much as sharing his company."

The swordsman's eyes widened at Xan's harsh assessment of their mother – his brother's tongue held back none of its stinging sincerity despite the filial devotion his very presence in Shucheng seemed to demand. But the strategist had little time to be surprised before the young man pressed on, one hand motioning dismissively to the kitchens behind him as his coal-black gaze smoldered in the disapproving contours of his face.

"The servants are gone – I released them when it became clear that no visitors would find Father's welcome here. And why should they come, regardless of his blessing? There is nothing here anymore – nothing at all."

The young man stopped abruptly and turned his face away, swallowing the most emotion Zhou Yu had seen suffusing his countenance in countless years, since long before he'd ridden for Jiang Dong with the Sun family. A moment of silence whispered between them, driving the young heir's words into both their ears in unrepentant echoes – and then Xan spoke again, his voice far softer that it had been only an instant before, as though the brief spark of emotion had burnt itself out in his ruthless reply and returned him to his typical unaffected demeanor.

"Ours was a prosperous family, Zhou Yu." The swordsman stiffened at the thread of regret, of wounded pride that he could just detect lurking beneath his brother's tone and simmering in his piercing black eyes. "For generations, we have controlled this valley – I have been recounted the names of our ancestors who were honored as counts and commanders by the Han, and they are not few in number." The young man shook his head slowly, letting the morning light and lingering shadows war across his smooth features. "This… what we have become… is a disgrace. We retain none of our former prosperity – none of our recognition. Our clan is headed by a frail old man, falling to pieces because his idealism was not demolished quickly enough."

There was a bitterness in Xan's voice that Zhou Yu had never heard before – a quiet, resentful note that rang all the more clearly through the soundless summer air. Before he could even register the impulse, the swordsman found himself speaking, his spine stiff with the cold detachment that didn't quite reach his eyes as he scanned the young man's handsome features and the hands he was carefully unclenching.

"Xan…" The young heir looked a little startled to hear his name, and his gaze shot to the strategist's face almost defensively, watching his older brother with wary reserve beneath the fringe of his precisely trimmed bangs. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and swallowed in mild apprehension, directing his flickering stare to the tree-lined horizon of the western ridge as the words from two weeks prior sifted back through his mind, Xing Dao's voice as clear and cold as it had been in Sun Ce's grand audience chamber.

_After fracturing your family…_

Zhou Yu sighed, pressing his lips into a thin line as his eyes refocused on the young man's waiting features. "Do you blame me for what happened here?" Xan started, almost taking a step back at the unexpected question, but the strategist continued undeterred, obsidian stare pinning the young man in place. "Do you believe that if Qi and I had never left… if we had been content in Shucheng… that Father wouldn't have gotten sick? That he would have been worthy of our family's legacy?"

As he finally voiced the words Xing Dao's abrupt visit had left lodged between his ribs, the swordsman felt as though a tremendous weight had lifted from him, carried away on the gentle breath of the morning breeze that swept around them and rustled the brimming leaves of the nearby orchard. Zhou Yu let his shoulders slump from their tensed position and released the soft exhale held between his teeth, watching his young host's flickering countenance as time stood still between them, smoothing the strategist's frown back to neutral and painting his youngest brother's unruffled features with the light of contemplation.

Perhaps everything truly had been his fault. Perhaps it hadn't. In one way, he supposed, it didn't really matter – he was in Shucheng now, fulfilling one last promise to the old man he'd never meant to see again. But there was a part of him that still wanted to know – wanted affirmation one way or the other. Wanted to know whether his goals had truly stripped Zhou Fan of whatever will to life he'd once possessed, leaving him an empty corpse long before illness destroyed his physical strength.

Xan gave him a small, ironic smile, closing his charcoal eyes against the intense cerulean of the unbroken sky and leaning back into the fluttering caress of the wind. "…I was wondering what he said to bring you back," the young man confessed, his long sleeves flickering in the temperate breeze that circled them and then picked up speed, chasing across the courtyard and scattering leaves and loose soil in its wake. The settled heir of the Zhou estate shook his head, a vague impression of amusement flashing through his gaze as he met the swordsman's patient stare above the unpaved gravel. "When Father asked Xing Dao to find you and deliver his message, I warned him that you wouldn't return… and we were all startled to receive your answer. You feel responsible for this, then? For everything that has gone on in your absence?"

Zhou Yu said nothing, but his silence was more than sufficient answer, and Xan chuckled dryly under his breath, free hand abandoning the lip of the water jar to brush his raven hair back in place. The strategist watched his brother's thoughtful smile and waited silently for a reply, solemn and unmoving despite the idle questions drifting from the young man's lips. Finally Xan sighed and turned back to face him, coal eyes sharp with an intelligence beyond his years.

"I cannot give you a simple answer to that, Zhou Yu. If you hadn't left, I suppose Father would not have fallen ill… but it takes a very weak man to crumble when his children leave – to lose heart solely on the basis of their affairs." The Zhou heir's voice was calm and cold, his polite language barely concealing his disrespect. Xan propped his free hand against his hip and moved his gaze to the sky, watching the sun's slow progress as he tapped one foot almost restlessly against the ground. "Perhaps you were the catalyst for his loss of faith – but I do not think you were the cause. Father has always been weak all on his own. And you can hardly take more blame than Qi – it was the loss of both of you that destroyed him."

It was not, perhaps, the unquestioning counter the swordsman had been hoping for – but nonetheless, Zhou Yu released the breath that had gotten patiently lodged between his ribs in expectation of the youth's response, letting the silent sigh slip past his lips and disappear into the quiet courtyard. For a long moment, he watched his brother in silence, measuring the words and the years that spanned between them – Xan stared back at him evenly, meeting the staid onyx eyes without hesitation or anxiety. Then the younger man smirked, dropping his gaze almost sardonically to the impressions of his footsteps.

"You've been gone a long time, Zhou Yu." For a single instant, the strategist thought he could see the shadow of a little boy across the impassive heir's face, flickering through his coal-black eyes like a hint of long-dead regret – but then it was gone, replaced by the impenetrable composure that regarded him coolly from the youth's considerably lesser height. Xan shook his head. "We have become accustomed to your absence. Whatever amends you are seeking to make…"

"That's not why I'm here." His interruption stopped the young man's words in his throat, drawing one thin eyebrow inquisitively into the nonchalant furrows of his brother's forehead. Zhou Yu ran a mindless hand through his hair and fought for an explanation, struggling to force the conflicting emotions within himself into coherent thought. "I just… I couldn't ignore his message."

It would have been impossible to live with that decision, he realized now, though the option had tormented him in Qingshan. To wonder forever what his last return home would be like – to wonder how his presence might have changed the last moments of Zhou Fan's life, how it might have braced that light in his failing eyes. Shucheng was not kind, as he had anticipated – but if nothing else, he knew.

Almost as though cognizant to his train of thought, Xan scoffed a little under his breath, one hand reaching up to tighten the cords that kept his raven bun in place against his scalp. "I'm not certain that was the right choice, Zhou Yu," the young man murmured, glancing astutely up at his elder brother's stoic features. "I think it might have been better for both of you if you had never returned to this place."

Zhou Yu started, his eyes widening at the coldly calculating words. For a moment, he couldn't formulate a response, caught completely off guard by the calm conclusion; then the swordsman pressed his lips together soundlessly, onyx eyes grave with renewed contemplation. His own best interests were a sacrifice he'd hardly considered – but it hadn't occurred to him, in weighing his options, that Zhou Fan might die more pleasantly without him.

"You think it would have been better for Father if he hadn't seen me again?" Xan laughed, a harsh sound that only grew rougher as it circled the courtyard.

"Father? I was talking about Lord Sun Ce."

That was something the strategist had not been expecting, and he blinked at his brother in unabashed surprise as the young man shifted and shook his head, banishing the wealth of sunlight from his coal-black eyes as they adopted a distinctive sheen of cold amusement. Xan studied the swordsman's suitably startled face as the wind came to an abrupt halt between them, slithering against the pebbled ground and softening the young heir's voice with its absence.

"I know we can both remember when he was little more than a muddy brat rampaging through the garden – but Lord Sun Ce has become a powerful man, Zhou Yu. Powerful and influential, whether he realizes it or not." Xan's eyes were almost radiant in their clever criticism, shimmering with the kind of cold calculation Zhou Yu remembered best from the faces of Yuan Shu's fair-weather vassals. "Despite incredible odds – and my own doubts, I assure you – he has managed to unify the Wu Territory, and to hold it for over a year. Conquering China is still an unquestionably far-fetched ambition – but I admit he has impressed me, and surpassed my expectations."

Zhou Yu felt his muscles drawing taut at the undercurrent of condescension gliding beneath his brother's words, and he watched the young man warily as Xan's unrelenting smirk stole across his lips again. "When we were younger, this estate was the largest luxury any of us could fathom – now his holdings comprise far vaster, wealthier palaces throughout the Yangzi plain. None of us expected such things from him. But he has accomplished the impossible, in only four short years of conquest."

The strategist was sorely tempted to remark that Sun Ce had never considered his dreams impossible, and that he had expected nothing less of his own abilities even in childhood – but he kept his mouth firmly shut and gazed into the young man's cynical pitch-black eyes, meeting the unwavering gaze with clenched jaw and wordless inquisition. Xan swept one hand across the courtyard in an encompassing gesture, impassive sincerity capturing his expression again as the young heir shook his head once more.

"A crumbling manor, a fractured family… a dying man who has practically become delusional in his old age." Xan stared up at his brother with unblinking eyes, the sharp contrast between his smooth skin and callous locks of raven hair almost tempering his expression with a vulnerable undercurrent. The young man laughed softly beneath his breath. "This is not where a person of Lord Sun Ce's status belongs any longer. It's insulting, to someone of his prominence."

Zhou Yu watched his brother silently for a long moment, soaking in the complicated weave of pride, strength, and faithlessness that Xan's words embodied. Finally the swordsman sighed and rubbed two pale fingers against his temple, fighting to force his thoughts into coherent order.

"…He wanted to come with me."

It was all he could think of to say, and in a way he surprised even himself with the sincerity of his quiet answer. But the young heir simply scoffed under his breath, unmoved by his brother's honest response.

"Of course he did. But you are his strategist, Zhou Yu – is it not your job to impede the execution of his ridiculous ideas, no matter how grounded they may be in his affection for you?"

Zhou Yu stiffened sharply at the last words, his eyes shooting wide and darting across Xan's face in a search for underlying implication – but the young man's features told him nothing, impassive and silent in their smoothly untanned contours, his gaze hard as polished stone. The swordsman opened his mouth and closed it again wordlessly, an internal war raging through his stomach as he struggled to decide how he could seek clarification of his brother's rebuke – but whatever approach he might have chosen, he didn't get a chance to carry through, because the door to the kitchens burst open without warning and delivered the clumsy form of a hastening young woman to the endless sunlight, one arm clutching a serving tray and the other braced against the sturdy frame.

"Master Xan? Can you please bring the water for—"

As soon as the girl noticed the dark strategist standing beside her intended audience, her eyes widened and her jaw snapped firmly shut, hacking her sentence abruptly in half as she stuttered to a halt across the coarse gravel and stood motionless for a moment, the paradigm of frozen shock. Then almost before the swordsman could register her carefully make-upped features, she turned and raced back toward the kitchen, upsetting the dishes across her serving tray and shouting breathlessly above her dashing footsteps.

"Lady Cai! Lady Cai, there's—"

Once again the heavy door slammed open, smashing back into the stolid walls as Zhou Fan's wife appeared in the doorway, frowning intensely and blocking the wide entrance with her temper if not her physical form. Once more the young woman staggered to a halt, breathing heavily and glancing almost apprehensively over her shoulder as though the unexpected visitor might have been pursuing her across the courtyard.

"Lady Cai, there's someone…"

The girl's voice trailed away as the mistress of the estate stared her down, her mouth pressed into a displeased line that seemed even more severe for the bony contours of her face. Lady Cai folded both arms stiffly across her chest and glared sharply down her nose at the panting young lady despite her considerably shorter height, dignified blue robes flickering around her wiry form like a free-flowing scarf.

"Zhou Huan Su," the woman began strictly, her tone clipped so tersely that the girl shrank from the mere mention of what Zhou Yu assumed to be her name. His mother lifted one lecturing finger and rapped it sharply against the younger woman's skull, drawing an idle wince onto the smooth, pretty features at her chastising tick. "How many times have I instructed you not to shout? And flying around like that – look what a mess you've made!"

Zhou Huan Su directed her attention obediently to the tray in her hands, blushing with shame as she noticed the contents of the beautifully lacquered dishes glistening and slipping all across the serving plate's decorative paint swirls. Lady Cai sighed heavily and raised a hand to massage her wrinkled temples, gesturing exasperatedly to the kitchen behind her. "You are a lady of distinguished breeding, Huan Su – do try to show it a bit more often. Now clean that up – go on."

The young woman bowed humbly and slunk past her scolding elder into the shadows of the imposing doorway, casting the Zhou heir and his silent companion a last look over her shoulder before she vanished completely into the darkness. Lady Cai's fingers left their place against her skin and slumped back to the folds of her hip, the simple motion sharpening her gaze as it swept across her eldest son's countenance in substitute for a greeting – then the graying woman left her perch in the mouth of the kitchens and moved forward to stand at the younger of the two men's side, both hands folded gracefully into her sleeves.

"Well, Zhou Yu… now you've met Xan's wife, I suppose."

The strategist was mildly surprised at learning the girl's identity, and more surprised that he hadn't known of her existence before they accidentally ended up face to face, but his brother merely sighed, one mildly irritated palm reaching up to smooth the raven bangs out of his eyes. "Qi's wife, not mine. She was promised to him shortly after you left for Jiang Dong, but he left her behind when he rode north. Father asked me to marry her as an apology to her parents." The young man sighed, but it was an insensitive sound, matching his idle glance as it flickered toward the shadowed doorway where Zhou Huan Su had disappeared. "Pitiful thing… I think she actually cared for him."

Part of Zhou Yu remained cynical that there was anything to care for about Qi at all – but the larger part of him was more focused on the unfailing coldness of Xan's voice even as he spoke of the broken heart their middle brother had left for a young woman who couldn't be older than sixteen. It was not at all unlike the Qi he remembered to leave his wife behind in the home of faltering parents – when had Qi ever been anything but selfish? But it seemed difficult not harbor even hollow sympathy for her when she had been abandoned so bluntly, and by a man she ostensibly adored.

Lady Cai exhaled softly and shook her head as though to clear it, scattering the strategist's thoughts as her deep gaze flickered between the equally inexpressive faces of her sons and finally settled for returning the younger's stare. "Well, she's yours now, Xan – and I haven't the energy for it, so I'll leave her to your discretion. But if it's not too much trouble, could you have a word with her about exhibiting a little restraint? It's a wonder we've not all become deaf from her shouting by now."

Zhou Yu thought he detected a tiny smirk teasing the edges of Xan's tight frown, but the young man moved before he could be sure, tipping his head in acknowledgement and bowing low to his mother. "I understand. I suppose I'll speak to her now – perhaps she'll listen a little better when she's mortified than she usually does." Xan glanced to his brother and dropped another stiff bow, his charcoal eyes perusing the gravel at his feet even as the swordsman returned his gesture. "Zhou Yu – thank you for accompanying me this morning. I apologize for my rudeness in failing to conclude my duties as escort."

The strategist was a little startled to realize that despite being overwhelmingly polite, his youngest brother's words were not forced, and he found himself slipping into political tongue to match the distant sentiment. "I should not have imposed on you at all, Xan – the fault is mine." Zhou Yu wondered whether speaking to his family in a manner reserved for diplomats and unwanted courtiers was just one more indication of the unending tension between them, or whether it was inevitable between people like Xan and himself – but he kept his face impassive and willed the absent thoughts away, straightening from his bow to meet the young man's eyes once more.

For a moment, Xan returned his stare with a curious emotion flickering through his gaze, too far removed from his natural expression to give away its meaning – but then it was gone, and the young heir with it, pivoting on a crisp heel and moving smoothly toward the shadows of the open kitchen door. Zhou Yu and Lady Cai watched him in mutual silence as his self-assured footsteps trailed away across the gravel – then the graying woman laughed under her breath and the strategist turned to look at her, measuring the ironic amusement that curved her thin lips into a dying smile.

"Poor Xan," she murmured almost to herself, fingers fiddling idly with the trailing edge of her bowed sleeve. "Huan Su is not nearly so bad a match for him as he believes… I can only imagine he'll be astonished to discover how attached to her he has truly become, when he finally realizes it." Zhou Yu glanced in the direction of his brother's retreat, but no one graced the kitchen's doorway any longer, and his mother's sigh drew his attention back to Lady Cai as she straightened to her limited height and regarded him squarely.

"I suppose he informed you that Fan is not well." The strategist nodded a little, his jaw line stiffly set as his dark eyes followed the deep, exhausted circles collecting above the woman's cheekbones.

"Xan mentioned that he hadn't slept peacefully. How is he?"

Lady Cai reached up and massaged her wrinkled temples, any semblance of lingering respite falling from her countenance at the simple question. "Please don't ask me that, Zhou Yu." Her voice was barely above a whisper, and it ricocheted through the courtyard with the hissing sting of fallen autumn leaves. "I don't have an answer. I haven't in years."

Zhou Yu remained silent, uncertain how to respond to his mother's admission and the expression of loss flickering across her face, filling the creases and furrows that time had wrought over the surface of her skin. But Lady Cai's vulnerable honesty did not last long, and she shook herself after only a moment of visible contemplation, catching his waiting gaze with her coal-black eyes.

"I know he asked you to return this morning, Zhou Yu – but he's not in any condition for visitors at the moment, and I have little cause to believe he will be for another few days at least. I'm afraid I'll have to send you away for now."

The swordsman nodded slowly, fighting back the simultaneous flickers of release and frustration that her words incited. Part of him almost wanted to ask his mother to reconsider – to tell her that he couldn't imagine spending another night without at least attempted resolution between himself and his weakening father, thoughts of which had plagued him from sunset to sunrise and banished even the intention of restful dreams. But the rational part of Zhou Yu's mind could see the steel resolution glittering in Lady Cai's eyes, and he knew that arguing would get him nowhere with the sinewy woman, no matter how certain he was that Zhou Fan would gladly ignore his illness if his eldest son's presence were the reward.

Finally the strategist found his only outlet was to bow, letting his hair sweep forward and cover his shoulders as his gaze scanned the sandy courtyard bed beneath him. "I understand. Forgive my intrusion." The dark swordsman straightened and found his mother's eyes again, taking a backward step in the direction of the front gate and glancing quickly to the sun arcing high above his head. "In that case… please tell Father that I will return tomorrow."

Tomorrow, and the day after, and as many days as he could spare – as many as time would give him – to force Zhou Fan to see reason, to make the old man understand the value of his sons' ambitions. His father's worsening illness seemed to indicate that time was running out – but the trip to Shucheng would be for nothing if he left Zhou Fan in even worse temper than the failing man had been without his presence. And if he could do nothing at this moment, the only option was to wait.

Without anything more to say, Wu's leading strategist pivoted and began to walk away – but his mother's voice stopped him, softer and more fragile than he had ever imagined it could become.

"Zhou Yu…

A few pursuing footsteps shadowed his own strides and a cold, callused hand fell onto his elbow, startling the swordsman so badly that he nearly jumped. Lady Cai leaned forward until she could rest her forehead between her son's stern, tense shoulder blades, her heartbeat pulsing against his arm through the subtle grip of her lean wrist. Zhou Yu swallowed hard and didn't move, his feet frozen in place despite the unnerving feeling of her touch on his pale flesh. Lady Cai sighed, and her breath filtering through his silken shirt sent a small shiver down the strategist's back, like a breath of wind stolen from a grave mound.

He could feel her disparaging smile, the futile flickering of her eyes. "I know you never regretted your decision to join Sun Ce. And I can see everything that this life has given you. I don't begrudge your choice, as Fan does. Nor Qi's. I know you were simply following your paths." Zhou Yu could never remember his mother sounding so resigned – she who had been the pillar of the household, the true backbone behind her dithering husband. The aging woman chuckled into a whisper. "He's always been a sentimental fool."

The swordsman said nothing, stock still and unable to so much as relax his stiff muscles under the woman's touch. Lady Cai's grip tightened in the fine fabric of his shirt sleeve and her frail hands clenched into fists. "But I have sometimes wondered… did you ever miss us?"

Zhou Yu closed his eyes as though the imposition of darkness could silence the words he'd never wanted to consider. His mother moved closer, her empty hand securing a fold in the fall of his shirt and holding on so tightly that he could feel the material pulling against his neck. "Did you ever think about us – wonder what troubles your brothers were getting into without you?" The woman's quiet laugh was almost more than he could stand, echoing in his ears like a hollow promise. "We thought of you so often. And not only Fan – we all missed you."

It was the closest Lady Cai had ever come to expressing affection toward her eldest son, and for a moment he held onto the words as though they could undo the desperation he felt trembling through her weak fists. But he couldn't give her a favorable answer – and she had known that as soon as she asked, so it only took a moment of lingering remorse before she stepped away, severing contact with the strategist and leaving his flesh feeling raw where her fingers had been. Lady Cai chuckled under her breath once more and Zhou Yu listened as her footsteps retreated behind him, crunching the sandy gravel with each motion of reluctant withdrawal.

"Promise me you'll be safe," she murmured, just as she had years ago in the darkened doorway of a flourishing audience hall, amid the whickering of Sun Jian's impatient horses – but this time, the sentiment almost seemed intentionally ironic, and the dark swordsman couldn't help his silent sigh as he gazed into the undistinguished contours of the azure sky.

"I will."

It was impossible to tell which of them moved first – an overlapping clatter of rough soil marked her resolute steps toward the kitchen and his even strides in the direction of the sloping path to Shucheng, each one reverberating across the other in a cacophony that echoed against the courtyard's disillusioned structures. Zhou Yu glanced at the main house as he passed, his lips pressed into a tight line and his features set in unwavering granite to match the imposing, ivy-drowned walls. Then he moved beyond the curve of the main entrance and into the freer sunlight of the paradisic valley, determined not to look back until the next sunrise.

.x.

The next sunrise brought him no respite – neither did the sunrise following that, nor the one that marked their third day in Shucheng. In truth, though, they were hardly worth acknowledging as sunrises – the light of daybreak had been mercilessly strangled.

Zhou Yu had hoped, somewhat cynically, that the deceptively seamless façade of his childhood village would be enough to keep at bay the unseasonable weather which had trailed them all the way from Qingshan – but his hope had been in vain. A storm front had flooded the valley's pristine cerulean sky almost as soon as the strategist returned to Yu Shan's cottage after his second, fruitless visit, and it remained firmly entrenched above the shivering trees, spanning from horizon to horizon for four days as it spit rain and sleet across the idyllic landscape beneath the breath of winds firm enough to rattle the small town's walls. Only the dribbling edges of each new dawn managed to break through the clouds at all before being smothered under the force of the brooding squall – and those were barely strong enough to notice, let alone to peel back the curtain of tension that darkened Zhou Yu's eyes and tapped his fingers restlessly against the crooked sill of the storage shed as he stood watching the fickle storm.

All told, it had been five days. And perhaps because of the weather and the overburdened sun lost among the thunderclouds, Zhou Fan's health had not improved at all. The swordsman had made his promised trek back to the Zhou estate during a brief respite from the third day's typhoon, keeping his head down as he rode past the tightly shuttered windows and doors of Shucheng's meager population, but Xan had calmly turned him away, his unruffled voice remarking almost clinically that their father's fever had only worsened and his rasping breaths become more severe overnight.

As Zhou Fan was still in no condition for visitors, the strategist had been given little choice but to retreat to Yu Shan's overcrowded shed, this time with instructions not to return until summoned. _You can't be running around in this weather, Zhou Yu_. The young man's eyes had never changed, not even when his words shifted from a cold account of the dying old man he'd been watching over to concerns for his brother's welfare. _You'll become ill. How would the Wu Empire function with you in poor health? Let me leave a signal for you. I'll hang a lantern along the roof – please do not return until you see it go dark._

It had been nearly three days since those instructions, with the afternoon creeping by even as he stood motionless and stared into the unrelenting rain – but the lantern still shone as brightly as ever, not even flickering despite the wealth of wind and water railing against the imposing manor's face. And with every day that the distant flame continued to burn, the stone of anxiety resting in the stoic swordsman's stomach could do nothing but churn, stiffening his entire form until even moving caused his muscles to snap.

Zhou Yu forced himself away from the damp window and turned back into the relative warmth of the room, obsidian eyes yet darker for the storm-induced shadows that had conquered their temporary accommodations. For a long moment, the strategist surveyed the silent interior before him – twin sleeping mats, the rice storage jars, the few poor dishes left from breakfast – and then he dropped heavily onto Sun Ce's makeshift bench, massaging his firm headache and staring back at the uncovered window as he had been for days.

It wasn't that he truly wanted to see Zhou Fan. The situation was complicated, as he had tried in vain to explain to the lord of Wu and his ever-lessening patience. Even four days outside the old man's presence wasn't enough to erase the memory of his father's passionate ignorance – nor the scars across the swordsman's cheek, which had scabbed but not yet disappeared into his pale skin. It was just that their reunion after six years had been so backward – so counter to his intentions in returning to Shucheng at all.

Zhou Yu hadn't expected to find himself comfortable with the broken remnants of his family – far from it. But he also hadn't expected that returning would only make things worse. The strategist knew his connections to Zhou Fan were completely severed, but he didn't want the old man to die with anger and desperation his last memories of his eldest son, either. Wasn't that why he'd returned to Shucheng at Xing Dao's summons? To try and give his father one last worthwhile impression before he passed into the afterlife? It wasn't a goal he'd accomplished in his first visit – if anything, he had set them back. And that was why he was determined to see Zhou Fan at least once more before he ran out of time.

…Not that the weather was helping. Zhou Yu sighed silently and glanced to the rain-spattered window sill again, gauging the force of the storm from his vantage point at the center of the shack that shook with each crushing breath of wind. The tempest that had descended on Shucheng was the fiercest he'd experienced since almost a year previously, when he and Sun Ce had been in Niuqiao for Xuan's birth. Except that at that time, they'd been staying in a well-fortified palace, surrounded by stable walls and flickering fireplaces, instead of the shoddily braced sides that creaked uncertainly with every overwhelming gust.

The swordsman shook his head a little as a few drops slipped through the intermittently leaking roof and landed at his feet, splattering in the mud that the dirt floor was gradually becoming. Until now, he hadn't truly taken issue with the accommodations the Little Conqueror had stubbornly demanded – but if the storage shed collapsed under the force of the summer typhoon, he was rooming elsewhere no matter what Sun Ce had to say about it.

But ultimately, there was nothing to be done about the weather. Zhou Yu shook himself and stood up, moving toward the small bundle of court documents he had brought with him and carefully protected from the blistering typhoon beneath the hempen cloth of his traveling satchel. There was nothing to be done about his father, either – and as long as both of those elements hovered outside of his control, the swordsman might as well force himself to get some work done. Wu's leading strategist glanced once more out the window as he passed, then closed the shutters with a heavy sigh, abandoning his sentry of the still-burning lantern and leaning down to grab his small pack of belongings. None of the reports were particularly pressing, but someone had to read them nonetheless, and since it wasn't going to be Sun Ce—

"Master Zhou Yu, forgive my intrusion!"

The slamming door and burst of rain-studded storm wind that accompanied the high shout startled Zhou Yu so badly that he missed his intended quarry and nearly tripped, barely keeping his feet as he whirled to face the shack's uneven entrance with wide eyes and one hand leaping automatically to where his sword should have been. The well-worn blade was absent from his hip, tucked away beneath the edge of his sleeping mat – but a moment's breathless surprise proved that it hardly mattered, as Zhou Yu found himself staring into the fluttering eyes of the rice farmer's daughter, soaked to the skin and clutching a shabby basket in both nervous hands. There was a thick line of flush covering the girl's cheeks, and though the swordsman couldn't tell if it were from the cold weather or the simple fact of his presence, he had his suspicions concerning the latter.

Hong said nothing for a moment, breathing heavily under her sopping robe as though she'd been running for all she was worth – then she bent into a deep bow, dripping heartily across the already damp floor. "Mother sent me with lunch!" the young woman explained, and Zhou Yu could see the tips of her ears reddening where they poked through her carefully groomed hair. Hong peeked out between her raven bangs before straightening again, curling in on herself a little as though to escape the strategist's stern scrutiny. "I… I think it's still warm. I tried to shield it from the rain…"

Zhou Yu resisted the strong urge to roll his eyes, forcing his startled muscles to relax and nodding in some semblance of a short bow. "Thank you. It was hardly necessary for you to come out in this weather." Had courtesy permitted, he might have added that he'd prefer she never take it upon herself to run such errands again. But there were some things that simply had to be kept behind one's tongue, particularly when speaking with the daughter of a gracious host.

Hong blushed even redder at his polite response, moving forward with shallow steps to place her bundle carefully atop the makeshift bench at the shed's center and shooting the swordsman covert glances as she twisted her hands together like snaking ropes. "Oh no, Master Zhou Yu – it's no trouble at all, I promise. I – I wanted to bring it to you—" The girl broke off and turned her face away, as though simply changing the angle of her head could hide the tremendous surge of crimson coloring her countenance; Zhou Yu swallowed a sigh. Why did this have to happen _now_, of all times? Why couldn't she have at least waited until Sun Ce returned?

Thoughts of the absent Sun lord darkened the strategist's eyes, and he waved the young woman's words away with a disinterested hand, studying the lumpy provisions package with a severely limited appetite. "As I said, thank you. But please, don't trouble yourself in the future." For a long moment, he said nothing more, watching the flushed young girl who shifted her feet and dug into the dirt with one bare toe as awkward silence settled between them like the fog circling Shucheng's ridges outside. But finally Hong could stand it no longer, and she nudged the rice jars of the bench's support with one slender ankle, her eyes flickering like butterflies between the swordsman and her delivery.

"Aren't you… going to eat?" Zhou Yu blinked, considerably surprised at the impatient question and the young woman's continued presence.

"Are you going to stay?" he countered, a frown capturing his stern expression. The girl blushed yet brighter and lifted both hands to cover her mouth, peering childishly at the strategist above her poor sleeves.

"Well, I… it's so cold and wet outside…"

Zhou Yu groaned internally at the hopeful half-answer – he could imagine few worse fates than spending an undetermined amount of time in the company of the undeniably captivated girl in front of him, but bodily shoving her back into the storm and bracing the door wasn't a solution with any consequences he wanted to incur. The swordsman crossed his arms firmly over his chest and regarded his unwanted visitor grimly, weighing his options carefully before he spoke.

"Are you certain you are not needed inside?" Observations of farm life in only the few days they'd been in Shucheng had proven to Zhou Yu that his assumptions about the number of daily chores required for a peasant family did not nearly cover the extent of reality – but Hong just shook her head, a youthful light shimmering in her bashful eyes as she gazed back at him.

"Mother said I should offer to keep you company… it must be so lonely out here by yourself."

The swordsman wondered idly whether the first part of her statement was a lie – Yu Niang hadn't shown any indication of lessening vigil on behalf of her promised daughter over the course of the previous days. But he couldn't exactly prove the assertion false, and the determination hovering across her mildly pretty face left him very few options. At last the strategist sighed, gesturing to the bundle at his feet and the documents beneath it with a weary hand.

"I was planning to work."

It wasn't a perfect excuse, but it was one he'd come to rely on, regardless of who wanted his company. Unfortunately, it was also one that had never garnered much success – Sun Ce rarely considered his work nearly as worthwhile as whatever the young lord wanted him for, and in that respect Hong appeared to be no different, if her juvenile pout and agitated hands were any indication.

"Oh, Master Zhou Yu – you mustn't work while you eat! Surely you could manage to take a small break… if you work too hard, you'll make yourself ill! Especially when we've had such dreadful weather…"

It was slightly ironic that even a girl who had known him less than a week could already peg him as a severe proponent of overworking. But her astute observation killed the last of the counterarguments his mind had to offer, and Zhou Yu found he had no choice but to sigh, watching the girl disapprovingly as he moved forward and took a discontented seat along the rough bench.

"…If you insist." Wonderful.

Hong's face lit up like the sun at his reluctant acquiescence, and she dropped down beside him on the crowded bench, forgetting her affected dignity as her excitement got the best of her and spilled a full smile across her youthful countenance. The young girl snatched her offered parcel and began rummaging through it at lightning speed, nearly scattering a cluster of dumplings into her soggy lap as she searched diligently among myriad edibles.

"Oh, thank you, Master Zhou Yu – here, let me find—" The young woman broke off to bite her lip and glance shyly up at the strategist between her lashes, quickly returning her gaze to the disheveled basket when she encountered his formidable obsidian eyes. "There are a few special pastries in here – I hid them at dinner last night, so that Sheng and Sui couldn't get—"

"Save them for Sun Ce."

Zhou Yu's response was automatic, and the words surprised him almost as much as they seemed to startle Hong, who withdrew her hands from the bundle as though stung and blinked up at him in silence for a long moment. Then a flicker of hesitation swept across the young woman's face, and the swordsman surmised from the way her eyes failed to meet his any longer that this had been her original intention all along – a plan which only the Sun lord's absence prevented from arising. Hong dug her bare feet reluctantly into the damp soil and turned away from him to stare at the shack's trembling door, flushing brightly at the mention of the young officer whom she had been blessedly unable to seek out all morning.

"…They've been gone a long time already. How long were they planning to stay in the market, Master Zhou Yu?"

It was a question to which the strategist had no answer, partly because Sun Ce rarely had a plan and partly because he had avoided Yu Shan's village-going party – which consisted of three unruly boys, one bored Little Conqueror, and the farmer himself – when it had departed in late midmorning with the intention to take advantage of whatever festival had gripped Shucheng for the past few days in spite of the inclement weather. Zhou Yu hadn't been particularly interested in speaking to his impulsive companion before the group set out on their errand, which was normally a daunting if not impossible objective – but today, Sun Ce didn't seem to be especially interested in talking to him, either, and the lord of Wu had barely muttered a good morning before traipsing through the burgeoning storm with three twitchy tater tots in tow.

Needless to say, the swordsman had dodged Yu Shan in order to avoid being dragged along on what promised to be an unavoidably sopping venture. All this amounted to him having no more idea than the obnoxiously persistent girl at his side when the shopping crew would return from their sodden escapade, though he had also wondered at their long absence as the hours slipped by. No doubt Sun Ce had found some way of holding things up again…

"They must be completely soaked by now," the strategist murmured, far more to himself than his attentive audience. Hong shifted a little at his preoccupied answer and placed a vegetable bun half-heartedly into one of his hands, kicking her feet absently under the bench before she caught herself and forced them still again.

"Um, Master Zhou Yu… M–Master Sun Ce didn't seem very happy when he left this morning."

Her stuttering observation brought a sigh to Zhou Yu's lips, and it escaped into the cold, moist air before he could stop it, slipping through his teeth with a jagged hiss. The swordsman shook his head a little and stared blankly at the shuttered window before them as it shook with the force of the storm, each of the uneven cracks whining under the constant battering of driving rain.

"No… he wasn't."

Which had been approximately why Zhou Yu didn't want to talk to him. And, he supposed, why the young officer hadn't sought him out.

It had been inevitable – as his strategist's mood worsened and the tension straining his muscles became tighter with each passing day, Sun Ce's temper had also degraded, taking any patience that might have remained from their trying journey to Shucheng with it and souring the generally upbeat young man's disposition until he was nearly as callous as the sour warrior they'd left in charge of Niuqiao.

The dark swordsman couldn't blame his companion for his worsening humor – time was wearing on both of their nerves, and the Sun lord hadn't wanted to answer Zhou Fan's summons in the first place. Zhou Yu had tried to keep his brooding under control, but it was impossible to conceal the melancholic ream of his thoughts from Sun Ce when he couldn't help spending most of his day at the storm-crisped window, ignoring the winds that buffeted his dark hair and watching Xan's lantern as it bobbed vibrantly in the distance. With the young officer's short temper came a stinging tongue and considerably less interest in controlling it – and though they hadn't actually quarreled yet, the strategist had a feeling he'd nearly exhausted what little patience his companion had ever possessed with his ceaseless anxiety, a suspicion that found confirmation in the light scowl the Sun lord shot him upon waking that morning and finding the swordsman at his customary post.

_It won't be that bad. I won't let it be._ Zhou Yu shook his head absently and bit back a sardonic smile, ignoring the curious looks he received from the farmer's daughter perched at his side. Sun Ce had tried. But the strategist was well aware how firm his bad moods tended to be, and even the Little Conqueror had his limits. So the young officer had chosen to accompany Yu Shan into the market that day, disregarding the unpleasant weather and the prospect of three hyperactive children for the opportunity to leave the small shack for a few hours. He hadn't asked the swordsman to come with him, and Zhou Yu wasn't interested in going anyway – but it was a mark of how strained things had become between them that the vigorous Sun lord hadn't even tried to drag his companion from the shadowy depths of their damp lodgings.

The strategist exhaled softly and placed his dumpling back into the basket untouched, any appetite he might have conjured vanishing beneath thoughts of his dissatisfied commander. He hadn't been ashamed of Sun Ce knowing anything in a long time, and in that respect Xan had been impossibly far off the mark – but he was beginning to wonder, as time slipped by and thickened the tension hovering through Yu Shan's poor storage shed, whether his brother hadn't been right about the wisdom of dragging the master of Wu back to Shucheng with him.

Apparently deciding she would never get a straight answer from the elusive swordsman, Hong cleared her throat a little and shuffled on the bench, inching mildly closer to her reluctant guest and startling him out of his introspection as she embarked on a monologue instead. "I know Father wanted to go to the market again today, since all of the boaters are leaving tonight – but why did Master Sun Ce have to go with him?" The distressed young woman picked inattentively at her fingernails, tone just bordering on a whine as she glanced up at the reticent strategist through her carefully brushed bangs and pouted heavily. "He's seen the market before, and it's truly not that impressive…"

Zhou Yu refrained from remarking that Sun Ce hadn't been particularly interested in staying near his troubled swordsman that afternoon, and that the young officer was known to follow his stomach implicitly no matter how many times it returned to the same place – but the first part of her complaint caught his attention, and he straightened a little in his seat, obsidian eyes focusing on the girl's face for the first time.

"Leaving tonight? What are you talking about?"

It hadn't occurred to him that Yu Shan's objective for traveling into the heart of Shucheng might have had any more significance than entertaining the Sun lord and his own sons – a daunting enough prospect on its own. But the look of surprise on Hong's face said she was just as startled to be asked that question as he was to be asking, and she fiddled unconsciously with a lock of her raven hair, twisting it around one frail finger until it curled from its own damp weight.

"W-well, the vendors don't stay here. They all work up the river – they only bring supplies down every few months."

Zhou Yu felt his frown deepening as he studied the simple confusion decorating Hong's youthful features, memories of the market from his first survey running through his mind. Inconsistent commerce would explain the enormous number of customers clamoring for whatever they could get their hands on – but it didn't explain the emphasis on simple foodstuffs he'd noticed, especially as Shucheng was a farming village by trade. The strategist watched his fidgeting companion in silence for a moment before speaking again, forehead furrowed with contemplative puzzlement.

"Why do they bring so many provisions with them? There are a number of rice farms here…" Zhou Yu trailed off at the embarrassed flush swallowing Hong's features and dropping her gaze to the damp ground, tightening her hands around the woven basket that rested forgotten in her lap. The farmer's daughter turned her face away from the perplexed swordsman and faced the tightly silent door, her voice soft and regretful when it finally responded.

"…Shucheng is a farming village, as you say – or, it used to be." The strategist started a little at her amendment and Hong shook her head, still refusing to meet his gaze across the scattered delicacies peppering her lap. "Most of the farms aren't being used right now. We've had so many droughts that much of the land won't grow _anything_. Father says we're lucky to be planting rice at all this summer." Her scant fourteen years showed in her eyes as she curled in on herself as though for warmth, clasping both hands in a butterfly knot over her chest as her voice grew almost inaudibly soft. "It's even worse outside the valley. No one can get enough to eat."

Her hauntingly simple statement circled the storage shed like a whipping breeze, echoing in Zhou Yu's startled ears as he stared almost disbelievingly at the young girl beside him. He'd never guessed, viewing Shucheng from the vantage point of the last ridge that sheltered the passive little town, that matters were anything short of idyllic in the valley where he'd grown up. The overwhelming expanse of green terraces had seemed a definite sign of flourishing agriculture – but if what Hong said were true, those fields would be fallow, scattered only with native plants and weeds seeking to destroy the cultivated plots.

It was an enormous waste of arable land – but more than that, the failure of Shucheng's farming culture would have completely sapped its economic stability, forcing citizens to seek outside assistance if they wanted to survive. Suddenly the bustling market scene he remembered acquired an utterly different meaning, and the swordsman pressed his lips into a grim line as Hong shot him a sideways glance and fidgeted with the bundle in her lap.

"Father says…" The girl trailed off and bit her lip for a moment before continuing, shaking her head vigorously and curling her frail hands into fists. "Father says it's a sign. He says Heaven is punishing the emperor for letting Lord Yuan Shao and Duke Cao take control of the country. He says—" Again the young woman cut herself off, shooting furtive glances at the silently attentive face of the officer beside her to judge his reaction. Then she persisted more quietly, keeping her voice low as though the warlords in question might suddenly break down the door and punish her for repeating such a disparaging opinion. "He says the disasters won't stop until we have a new emperor – one that takes care of the people. Because Heaven wants to take care of us, too."

There was something so naïve and hopeful in her tone that Zhou Yu found himself swallowing hard, hearing in her words the despairing, trusting voice of China's entire peasant population. For a moment, the line between them disappeared, and in the poorly fed features of her childlike face the swordsman could see an inescapable illustration of what war and upheaval had done to those without the limitless resources of a prosperous family history. Then the illusion was gone, broken by her halting laugh and the heavy blush that flooded her cheeks at his close scrutiny. Zhou Yu sat back a little and dug his fingernails into the wood of the plank seat, unable to shake the feeling of dark contemplation her words had inspired.

"But that's… that's only Father's opinion, of course," Hong flustered hastily, wringing the cloth of her thin sleeves between ten infatuated fingers as she gazed up into the strategist's handsome face. "It – it kind of seems silly, in a way… that the ancestors in Heaven would be punishing us for someone else's mistakes."

Zhou Yu wasn't sure. It had always seemed to him that ancestor worship centered around the dead policing the affairs of the living, and he guessed that very few of the royal ancestors would particularly care if nameless commoners suffered in the process of conveying their message. The young girl shook her head fiercely, the light of honesty burning in her eyes for the first time as her voice softened and crept beneath the seam of the rain to match his silence.

"If I were a boy, I'd run away from here – I wouldn't stay in a place like this. I'd go join the army, or maybe just live by myself in the forest…" The romantic edge wavered in her gaze for another moment before vanishing, carried away on the wings of a wistful sigh. Hong straightened from her curled position and gave the swordsman what he could only assume passed for a long-suffering smile, her tone adopting the texture of practiced rhetoric as she folded her hands neatly into her lap. "But it's childish to say things like that. As a woman, there's nothing I can do but find a good marriage and hope my husband protects me."

Zhou Yu wondered absently what the women of Wu would have to say about that kind of attitude, Shang Xiang in particular – but something about the creeping undertone of her voice narrowed his eyes in suspicion, and his distrustful instincts were verified moments later as the girl began to fidget madly in her seat, squirming with obvious embarrassment as a new coat of flush captured her cheeks.

"Master Zhou Yu, can I ask… M-Master Sun Ce… how old is he?"

That was almost hilarious. The swordsman restrained himself from rolling his eyes only through extreme force of will, and he gave the young woman beside him a decidedly flat look even as she peered hopefully up at him through her thin lashes. Had he been in a better mood, Zhou Yu might have bothered to approach the situation with slightly more tact – as it was, Hong had already crushed whatever sliver of patience remained from the trials of his father's illness, and he was in no humor to meander toward an eventual confession of infatuation.

"He's married," the strategist answered bluntly, not at all surprised to see the girl's expectant expression shatter at the firm response. Hong visibly shrunk at his steadfast assertion, and for a moment her eyes wavered with a sheen that made Zhou Yu wonder if she were about to cry – but the expression reversed to timid hopefulness after a minute of silence, and the young woman flushed yet brighter as she fiddled with the lunch basket in her lap.

"Well… does he… I mean, would he…" Hong broke off and shook her head as though fighting with her own shyness, and the swordsman was tempted for a moment to stab himself if it would relieve the irritation no doubt swallowing his expression. Then the girl took a deep breath and drew herself up to her full seated height, gazing imploringly up into the strategist's obsidian eyes. "Would he take a concubine?"

Zhou Yu's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he choked on the tail end of his last breath – but he was spared the obligation to answer by the door slamming open once more and a soaked, shivering figure darting inside, one large earthen jar locked between his arms. Hong shrieked in surprise and protest as the cold air swept across them, and the swordsman leapt instinctually to his feet, heartbeat racing with misdirected nerves until the drenched young man gave a familiar holler and shook a plethora of raindrops from his sopping chestnut ponytail.

"Whoo! It is _cold_ out there!" Sun Ce's howl rebounded against the leaking walls of the storage shed as his amber eyes sought their onyx opposites across the expanse of the steadily dampening floor. "Talk about a storm!"

Wu's dark strategist exhaled slowly, releasing the tension that had shot through him at the young officer's abrupt entrance and raising one hand to rub at the pulsing headache behind his temples. "Next time, would it kill you to _walk_ through the door?" Zhou Yu chastised under his breath, earning himself a fierce scowl from the soaking Sun lord.

"I don't want to hear it, Yu. You don't have any idea how freezing it is out there!" The Little Conqueror set his earthenware burden carefully on the ground beneath the window and straightened, quick hands wringing his sleeves and shirt tail across the dirt floor. "If I'd known it was going to be god-awful weather like this, I'd have brought winter clothes instead!"

The swordsman rolled his eyes at his eternally spirited companion and the probable exaggeration, focusing on slowing his alarmed heartbeat and largely ignoring the Sun lord's whining – but Hong got cautiously to her feet and took a step in the direction of her original target, concern coloring her wide eyes and marring her forehead. The young girl clutched the lunch basket tightly to her chest and took a deep breath before finding her voice, one bare foot twisting anxiously through the wet soil.

"M–Master Sun Ce? Are you – are you all right?

Sun Ce started at the soft, insistent voice that had crept up behind him, and he jumped a little as he turned on heel and noticed the attentive young woman at his elbow for the first time. For a moment, the loquacious Sun lord seemed unable to find his tongue – then he gave a short, forced laugh and stepped backward, bumping into the stacked rice jars as the girl followed him in visible distress.

"Oh – hey, Hong, I… didn't realize you were in here." The lord of Wu shot his strategist a puzzled and vaguely disgruntled look, at which Zhou Yu only rolled his eyes, the simple gesture far more than sufficient to convey his meaning as Hong latched one eager hand onto the young officer's forearm and batted her eyelashes up at him from her considerably limited height.

"Master Sun Ce, you're so cold! What if you get sick? I knew Father shouldn't have made you go shopping with him!" A firm pout encased the young woman's face and she tugged heartily on the captive limb, struggling to drag the uncertain commander in the general direction of the storm-battered door. "Come inside – you can sit by the hearth until you warm up. I'm sure no one would mind…" The light of infatuated affection was glistening in Hong's eyes again despite her earlier conversation with the solemn swordsman and the strength with which Sun Ce pulled back against her forceful suggestion, his feet firmly planted as he struggled for the proper refusal.

"Whoa, hang on, Hong – we're not even done unloading things yet. If I get warm now, I'm just going to have to get wet again—"

For the third time within the hour, Zhou Yu was mercilessly startled as the door to the tiny shack burst open and slammed backward into the wall, this time accompanied by the raucous voices of three young boys, who stumbled in with various quantities of bags and small pots clutched in their enthusiastic hands. The youngest boy grabbed at his brother's shirt tail and dogged his sprinting steps as they flew into the trembling hut, yelling loudly enough to deafen everyone within the cramped walls.

"Shao, give that back!"

"Catch me if you can! You snooze you lose, Sui!"

"That's not fair—"

All of the shouting and dashing came to an abrupt halt as Shao, who was leading the pack and dripping just as heavily as the Little Conqueror before him, stopped sharply just inside the storage shed and came to a dead standstill at the sight of the shelter's three occupants. The two younger boys behind him crashed straight into their brother and took the whole pile to the floor, landing with a suitable crash and a chorus of shrieking groans amidst the rice storage jars. Shao moaned painfully from his spot at the bottom of the pile and kicked his next youngest brother in the shin, earning an indignant cry in response.

"Get off, Sheng, you cow!" Sheng elbowed his brother in the stomach and flopped uselessly among their tangled forms, one foot striking the nearest earthen jars helplessly as his coal-black hair became snarled beyond repair.

"Sui, you're crushing me!"

Before Zhou Yu could so much as comprehend – let alone react to – the pile of squawking boys who had landed on his continuously muddied sleeping mat, a final figure appeared in the doorway, framed by the bawling storm as it suddenly picked up speed and rammed headlong into the thin walls. Yu Shan stepped quickly into the storage shed's interior and dodged his sons' flailing limbs with practiced ease, slinging the grain sacks he carried over each shoulder onto the floor and knocking the door shut behind him in one fluid motion. Then the sopping farmer turned his attention to the chaos his guests' accommodations had become, surveying all four of his children with an equally severe eye.

"Shao! Sheng! Sui!" Zhou Yu was mildly amazed at the dexterity with which the distressingly similar names rolled off of his host's adept tongue. Yu Shan dropped both hands onto his hips and leaned down to give each of his boys a stern smack to the back of the head, knocking their faces back toward the creeping mud as he rescued the beleaguered provisions from their reckless arms. "How many times have I told you to be careful when you're carrying pottery? And no running in the rain! What am I going to tell your mother, bringing you home dirty like this?"

Shao struggled to lift his head above the dog pile, meeting his father's glare with one of his own. "We were already wet – what's so much worse about this?" The youth's ornery reply was followed by a sharp yelp of pain moments later as the farmer leaned down and bopped his eldest son soundly on the skull, dragging the boys to their feet with a strong grip in the collars of their ruined robes. Yu Shan's slate eyes matched the rain railing against their poor roof as he shook his head firmly, one dripping arm gesturing flippantly to the door behind him.

"Don't talk back to me, Shao. Now get inside – if the three of you aren't mature enough to carry a few simple jars safely into the storehouse, go back to your mother and explain whose fault it is that you're dripping mud all over her clean floor. Go on!"

Yu Shan gave each of his errant sons a firm shove in the direction of the exit and glowered sternly at them until Shao finally sighed, wrenching open the door with a petulant hand and revealing himself and his brothers to the storm's unabated sting. The two younger boys shared a quick look before racing into the tempest unhesitatingly, covering their heads against the force of the wind and clearly aiming to get inside again as soon as possible – but Shao hesitated, ignoring the waves of water crashing across his small form as he glanced backward over his shoulder and caught his sister's nervous gaze for the first time.

"What's Hong doing here?" the youth demanded, one hand slipping to rest against his hip in a copycat display of disapproval. His father turned to face his daughter as well, one eyebrow arching authoritatively above his unamused eyes as the girl blushed bright crimson and her flickering glance dashed around the tiny shack in search of safe harbor.

"I – I brought Master Zhou Yu his lunch…" It was a feeble response, more so for the basket of edibles she still clutched to her chest with one lithe arm. Yu Shan frowned heavily at his daughter and tapped one foot against the sodden floor, apparently as impressed with her excuse as he'd been with his three sons' conduct.

"Lunch was a long time ago," the weathered farmer scolded, and Hong's eyes darted away from his as quickly as they could, taking refuge in the crowded supply jars stacked against the shed's creaking walls. Her father shook his head sternly and motioned her closer with one displeased hand, reaching out to secure the bundle of food in his own grip as soon as her small, reluctant steps had brought her in range. "And I hardly think Master Zhou Yu appreciates you hoarding his meal where he can't get at it. Get inside with your brothers – stop bothering our esteemed guests. I'm sure they'd like a little peace and quiet, away from all of you hellions."

Hong blushed at her father's offhand dismissal, though whether with anger or shame the swordsman couldn't tell. Then she moved for the door with decidedly dragging steps, pausing as she reached the shack's shaking frame to shoot the dark strategist an unwilling look over her shoulder. As though remembering her manners at the last minute, the young girl pivoted back into the shed's interior and dropped into a deep bow, peeking at the silent officers from between her trimmed lashes.

"Master Zhou Yu – I apologize for troubling you. I… I hope you enjoy your lunch." The salutation trailed weakly through the saturated air streaming past the window's shutter cracks and the wide open door, heavy with the regret and longing still coloring her milk-white features. Fortunately, Zhou Yu was spared the trouble of finding anything tactful to say in return by Shao's harsh laugher – the young boy pointed an accusing finger at his elder sister and stuck out his tongue, screwing his face up in poor imitation of the lovesick girl perched unhappily at his side.

"You were out here without permission, weren't you? _That_'s what you were doing!" Hong's face reddened to match her name at her brother's triumphant crow, but the lithe young woman locked both arms resolutely over her chest and threw her chin into the air, regarding Shao down her nose even as she fidgeted anxiously and the rain swept through the doorway to soak her from head to toe.

"Mother _said_ I could keep Master Zhou Yu company until Master Sun Ce returned – she did! Shao!"

The second protest accompanied a peal of malicious laughter on the part of the young boy, who dodged his sister's half-hearted swipe and ducked backward into the rain, ignoring the storm that instantly swallowed his small form as he smirked wickedly at the young girl and threw his arms casually behind his head.

"Oh really? Well, I'm going to go ask her. I'll bet she'll get really mad when I tell her you were out here all by yourself—"

"Shao!"

Like a pair of rogue arrows, the two children were off, vanishing from the storage shed's doorway with a flurry of splashing footsteps and a cacophony of quarreling shouts echoing through the shafts of the storm. Zhou Yu listened absently to the fading ends of their sibling argument under the heavy hand of the driving rain, and no one inside the rice hut moved at all until another resounding bang announced the arrival of both wayward youths at the cabin proper – then Yu Shan's shoulders slumped and he raised a cragged hand to massage his temples, favoring each of his guests in turn with a small, exhausted smile that didn't quite reach his granite eyes.

"Please forgive me, Masters Sun Ce and Zhou Yu – I'm afraid they can be a bit of a handful at times."

In Zhou Yu's opinion, a handful didn't even come close to describing how troublesome all of the farmer's children had proved themselves to be within the span of no more than ten minutes, but the strategist kept his mouth firmly closed, letting Sun Ce answer with his slightly awkward laughter instead.

"Yeah, well… no harm done. Kids will be kids, and all that." Yu Shan chuckled under his breath and shook his head, five fingers scratching idly at the graying hair behind his ear as he glanced absently toward the swinging door through which his offspring had disappeared.

"You certainly have a positive outlook, Master Sun Ce. If you'll excuse me, I suppose I ought to go receive my lecture as well…" The farmer laughed at his own self-deprecating words and set Hong's neglected lunch basket gently on the seat of the makeshift bench beside him, finding the swordsman's dark eyes as the typhoon wind tore through the storage shed and rustled his uneven bangs mindlessly across his careworn forehead. "I wish you a restful night – as restful as any of us are liable to get, in this weather."

Zhou Yu tipped his head in a short bow and Sun Ce saluted, his undaunted smile bright and sincere despite the tendrils of rainwater still coursing silver down his face. Yu Shan watched them in silence for a moment, the shadow of the storm hiding his thoughts even from the strategist's careful scrutiny – then he too turned away, following the path of his energetic children and closing the door soundly behind him to keep what little part of the storage shed had not already been flooded as dry as possible. Once again the Wu officers stood without speaking and listened to their host's retreat, the swordsman's dark eyes meeting their amber opposites evenly across the dim interior of their damp lodgings. Then a rigid _bang_ split the afternoon air, and Sun Ce smiled, a teasing light swallowing his expression despite the raindrops still hovering along his jaw line.

"Gee, Yu – are you sure you don't want any of those? I'm sure Xiao would be happy to have a couple more for you." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the playful prodding and let a firm scowl capture his expression, more potent for the stinging headache that the four small demons' insatiable shouting had given him.

"I hate children," the swordsman assured his companion soundly, moving forward to drop onto the makeshift bench next to his untouched lunch bundle. The Sun lord chuckled and mimicked him, plopping onto the seat beside him with a light _thud_ and flicking the sopping strands of chestnut hair back over his shoulders.

"Too bad – Yingmei and Xuan are probably going to be just like that someday." Wu's dark strategist sighed and closed his eyes, rubbing at the pressure spot behind each temple with four tired fingers.

"Please, Ce. Don't encourage a bleak future." The Qiao sisters' children were bad enough as infants – Zhou Yu didn't even want to imagine how insufferably irritating they would be when they reached adolescence.

But Sun Ce had caught interest in the game now, and he laughed as he slung one sopping arm around his companion's stressed shoulders, leaning in to whisper in his swordsman's ear. "Can you picture it? Xuan is Lu Meng's kid, so he's definitely going to be a whiner… and I bet Yingmei'll get a crush on you just like Hong did." The ghosting murmur of his snickers brushed the strategist's ear and sent an unwanted shiver down his back, but Zhou Yu merely raised an eyebrow, regarding the young officer flatly out of his periphery.

"Hong is very much not interested in me, Ce – she came here to talk about you." The Sun lord blinked a little and withdrew his arm, puzzlement furrowing his forehead as one hand came up to scratch the back of his neck.

"Me? What did she want to talk about me for?"

The swordsman scoffed under his breath and rose to his feet again, moving to kneel beside their sleeping mats with a few short strides. "She's trying to marry you. She wanted to know if you're in the market for a concubine." Sun Ce seemed to choke a little at this information and Zhou Yu shot him a shrewd look, bundling both blankets into his arms before straightening to return the wary amber stare once more. "You're soaking. Take those clothes off before you catch a cold," he instructed, his tone leaving no room for argument.

But the Little Conqueror examined his dripping sleeves and just wrinkled his nose, returning his strategist's chastising frown with a noncommittal shrug. "Nah… I'm probably going to have to go outside again at some point. No sense in getting more things all wet. They'll dry out on their own eventually."

Even as he said it, a shiver rocked through the young officer and scattered his drenched chestnut ponytail across his damp shoulders. Zhou Yu regarded the young lord flatly and threw both blankets at him, successfully smacking his commander in the face with the lightweight projectiles.

"Don't make me strip you, Ce. I will do it." Sun Ce made a face at him as he shoved the hempen bedspreads away from his sopping features, grumbling under his breath and grudgingly peeling his waterlogged shirt away from his body.

"Fine, fine – have it your way."

The Sun lord chucked the sodden piece of clothing at his stoic swordsman and Zhou Yu caught the dripping bundle easily, turning back to the trembling wall and draping the saturated shirt over a storage jar. Another clump of drowning fabric collided with the back of the head a few moments later, and the strategist glared silently at the ceiling before retrieving that as well, laying the young officer's drenched pants across a second earthen container in some attempt at an improvised drying rack. Then he turned back into the shed's crowded center to find Sun Ce's disgruntled amber eyes and the tongue protruding childishly from his mouth.

"Jerk." But from the way the Sun lord had wrapped both blankets tightly about his body, one swathed around his waist and the other draped like a cloak over his head and shoulders, Zhou Yu had a feeling his stubborn commander appreciated the warmth more than he was admitting. Wu's dark swordsman ignored the familiar insult and moved to stand directly before his companion with a soft sigh, one pale hand reaching up to touch the young officer's unnaturally cold cheek.

"You're still freezing," he observed quietly. Sun Ce frowned up at him beneath the lip of the hempen blanket.

"You're still brooding," the Little Conqueror accused in return. Zhou Yu blinked a little at the unexpected counter – then his lips pressed into a grim line and he shot the shuttered window a backward glance, unable to deny the validity of the indictment. Even through the slats of the shutters, he could see Xan's lantern glowing forcefully, glaring through the shades with a strength that shouldn't have been possible between the distance and the infernal force of the storm.

The Sun lord dragged his strategist's hand away from his chilled features, winding the preoccupied fingers between his own and tugging hard to draw the dark officer's attention back to his discontented expression. "No word yet?" Sun Ce's question hardly required an answer, but Zhou Yu shook his head anyway, obsidian eyes yet blacker for the wealth of clammy shadow settling between them. The young officer sighed. "So stop thinking about it. You're not getting anywhere by dwelling. Come on – Hong brought you lunch, right?" A trademark smile slipped over the lord of Wu's damp features and echoed through his brilliant amber eyes as he squeezed his swordsman's hand. "I'm starving – but I'll share with you, if you want."

Refusal was his first instinct – he still hadn't managed much of an appetite, and the fixation that had been plaguing him for the past three days only seemed to grow more powerful with every hour that Xan's lantern remained stoically lit. But his commander has a point as well – staring through the blistering storm in constant scrutiny didn't put the light out any faster. Zhou Yu watched his companion in silence for a long moment, weighing the pull of the window behind him with the strength of Sun Ce's smile. Then he swallowed a sigh and dropped back onto the bench beside his frozen commander, free hand coming up to rub wearily across his forehead.

"All right, Ce. All right."

A triumphant grin split the Little Conqueror's countenance at his acquiescence, and his tan fist thrust into the storm-ridden air with a small whoop of victory. "All right!" Sun Ce's voice echoed against the waterlogged walls and brought a tiny smirk to the strategist's lips, brightening the young officer's face yet farther as he nodded decisively at his reluctant swordsman. "Sun Ce always wins! Take that, Shucheng!"

Zhou Yu could only shake his head, forcing back the tendrils of anxiety that still threatened his thoughts and focusing on his sunshine companion as the Sun lord ducked across him and snatched the untouched basket lunch Yu Shan had carefully perched at one end of the makeshift bench. The young officer dug through the crumpled cloth wrappings and sorted the dumplings with experienced fingers, pausing only to smile at his dark strategist beneath the fringe of his bedspread cloak before diving back into the varied provisions.

"So what did she bring you, anyway? Anything good?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and let one arm come to rest around Sun Ce's waist, where it pressed the hempen blanket closer to his icy skin in a vague attempt at warming the still-shivering form. He could always count on the Sun lord to think with his stomach more than any other attribute.

"Not me, Ce – she truly only wanted to see you," he reiterated. Which was all for the better, in the strategist's considerably biased opinion – few things could compare to the irritation of a young girl's baseless crush, as Xiao Qiao had taught him years ago. The young officer laughed a little as he shoved a pastry at random into his mouth, chewing avidly despite how cold the dumplings had undoubtedly become.

"Are you jealous?" he teased, poking his swordsman tauntingly between the ribs. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow.

"Should I be?"

Sun Ce took another massive bite of his chosen dumpling and brushed his free hand across his face, grinning despite the flecks of dough sticking to his smile. "I love you," he managed, the words heavily garbled from his extremely full mouth. The dark swordsman rolled his eyes.

"Talk or eat," he instructed, mimicking his command from a few nights previously. The Sun lord shrugged and chomped into the meat bun again, demolishing the palm-sized pastry with only three bites.

"Suit yourself," the Little Conqueror jumbled, licking crumbs off of his fingers as Zhou Yu just shook his head. But nonetheless, he couldn't stop a tiny sliver of a smile from threatening the curve of his stern frown, or the way his arm tightened around Sun Ce's waist when the young officer dropped his vigorously chewing head sideways to rest against his companion's silken shoulder.

Wu's dark swordsman closed his eyes, and for a moment everything seemed to hold still, as though the heavens had paused in their ceaseless twirling and granted him an instant to catch his breath. Zhou Yu sighed into the gathering afternoon and swallowed a mouthful of damp air, feeling the tendrils of the storm sliding down his throat and his heartbeat pulsing in time to the constant spatter of rain above their heads. Then the Sun lord shifted and pressed his cold forehead into the strategist's shirt, the hemp fabric of his blanket scratching idly against the pale skin of his companion's neck.

"Hey… Yu?"

Zhou Yu's eyes flickered open at the quiet voice and found their amber opposites, silently inviting the tail end of the inquiry as Sun Ce straightened and rested his chin along the swordsman's shoulder.

"What would you have done if you'd never met me?"

The strategist blinked, caught off guard by the honest question from his normally flippant companion. Zhou Yu shifted a little and felt confusion furrowing his forehead as he returned the Sun lord's focused stare. "…I don't understand," the swordsman admitted after a moment of silence, prompting another shrug from his remarkably still commander. The master of Wu wrapped one arm through his dark warrior's elbow and tipped his head curiously to the side, studying the strategist's neutral features with unhurried eyes.

"You know… what would you have done? Would you have stayed in Shucheng? Would you have joined someone else – Cao Cao, or Yuan Shu or something?" A small smile slipped across the Sun lord's face as he scratched his bare neck, fingers lingering at the edge of his hempen cloak. "I know I kinda swept you up in this whole conquest thing…"

Zhou Yu let his gaze wander to the window ahead, pressing his lips into a thin line as he considered the questions carefully. It wasn't something he'd given much thought until recently, when the trials with his father made him realize just how offhand his decision to follow the Sun family to Jiang Dong had truly been. There was no way of retracing the paths not taken, and the swordsman couldn't even begin to imagine his childhood without Sun Ce's unceasing, largely irritating presence. What futures had even interested him before the indomitable force of the young Sun lord swept into Shucheng and changed everything? Remembering was impossible. Another moment went by in silence, and then the strategist shrugged, dark eyes slipping back to his quiet commander through the heavy shadows.

"I don't know, Ce." Sun Ce shifted a little at the noncommittal answer and Zhou Yu shook his head, scattering long strands of hair across his windbrushed shoulders. "I don't know where I would have gone. But…" The swordsman broke off and considered a moment longer before letting a soft sigh escape his lips, shoulders relaxing slightly in resignation. "But I don't think I would have stayed in Shucheng."

What would Zhou Fan do if he knew that?

Without warning, the Little Conqueror ducked forward and slipped both arms around his strategist's waist, balancing awkwardly halfway off the bench as he buried his face into the fabric above Zhou Yu's collarbone and sent the lunch basket tumbling irreverently to the floor. The swordsman started at his sudden motion and did his best to readjust, one hand coming up to find the curve of the Sun lord's head as the other braced against the precarious seat beneath them and fought to stabilize his position.

"Ce?" Sun Ce shook his head and burrowed further into his companion's shoulder, tightening his embrace around the dark strategist's torso. For a moment, he said nothing, and his soft breaths straining through the silk shirt were all Zhou Yu could feel beyond the curve of his arms. Then the young officer lifted his head and met the puzzled obsidian eyes above him, a small frown coloring his unguarded expression.

"I don't think I would have liked that," the Sun lord told him firmly, tightening all ten fingers into the cloth of his shirt. Twin amber eyes burned like phoenix flame as Sun Ce shook his head again, damp ponytail flashing messily from side to side across his bare shoulders. "Nope – I'm positive. I wouldn't have liked that at all." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow.

"No? Think of all the things you could get away with if I weren't here to stop you," he countered placidly, his tone rife with quiet teasing. But the young officer refused his insincere answer with another powerful shake of his head, this one so fast that his companion almost worried about the safety of his spine.

"It wouldn't be worth it," Sun Ce declared, holding the strategist's gaze steadily. "No matter how much easier it would have been… no matter anything. It wouldn't be worth it without you."

Zhou Yu blinked as his companion leaned up and bumped their noses together, a customary smile swallowing his countenance and shattering the serious façade at last. "I'd miss you," the Sun lord told him simply, honesty spiraling through his amber eyes.

For a moment, the swordsman could only stare back at his companion, absorbing the unusually sedate declaration and listening to the words echoing through the saturated air around them, echoing back to a cherry tree in his family's yard and a summer night far warmer than this one. Then Zhou Yu smiled, too, winding one hand through the tangled strands of the tireless officer's ponytail and fingering his crimson hair ribbon.

"I'd miss you as well, Ce."

Sun Ce grinned. "Even knowing about how much work you'd get done without me?" he teased, the playful question bringing a look of mock consideration to his strategist's pale features.

"You certainly have a talent for making yourself a nuisance," Wu's dark swordsman muttered under his breath, earning himself a punch to the arm despite his thin half-smile. The Sun lord scowled at him from the few inches that separated them, but the expression barely held against the grin Zhou Yu could see lurking at the corners of his mouth, threatening to ruin the serious pretense if the Little Conqueror lost control of his countenance. The restless young officer tightened his hold and swallowed a creeping chuckle, leaning forward until he could press his forehead to his companion's and the strategist could feel every breath ghosting over his lips.

"Hey – no fair. That's not the answer I wanted." The swordsman met his commander's eyes evenly through the damp shadows and felt his small smile threatening to expand as the Sun lord shook his head. "Well, now I know how you _really_ feel, I guess. Glad to know I rank below a pile of boring scrolls—"

It had been a long time since Zhou Yu cut him off with a kiss. Sun Ce hadn't been expecting it – but that didn't stop him from closing his eyes and responding in kind, tightening his arms around the strategist's back as one pale hand wound through his chestnut hair and pulled him closer. A shiver ran down the Sun lord's spine and vibrated through his swordsman's hands, but Zhou Yu couldn't tell if it were from the kiss or the cold wind leaking past the shuttered window, and the warmth searing his skin at every point of contact told him it didn't matter.

Yu Shan's improvised bench had no back. It was a fact that had completely flown Zhou Yu's mind as soon as his lips touched Sun Ce's – and it didn't matter until the young officer shifted and wrapped both arms around his warrior's neck, deepening the kiss and taking them backward to where _something_ should have been supporting them, but wasn't. A feeling of vertigo-inspired panic gripped the swordsman's stomach for an interminable instant as his hand lost contact with the rough seat and his companion's eyes widened enormously – and then his back hit the mud-filtered floor with a resounding _crack_ and Sun Ce landed none-too-gently on top of him, one elbow jabbing straight into his ribs.

The Sun lord squawked in a highly undignified manner and Zhou Yu gave an involuntary grunt of pain, a wince capturing his startled features – and then all motion stopped, and the strategist found himself staring into the same amber eyes that had been flickering closed moments before, though they held none of their former lenience. Sun Ce blinked down at his newly muddy swordsman for a long moment of stunned silence, and Zhou Yu blinked back, trying not to feel the bruise no doubt already forming along his spine and the awkward position of his legs where they lay tangled through his companion's.

Then the Sun lord began to laugh, and his strategist shoved him off onto the cold floor, rising in one swift motion and straightening his soiled clothing as he struggled to swallow the intense feeling of mortification bombarding every nerve center in his body.

Undoubtedly not for the last time, Zhou Yu cursed the presence of mind that abandoned him so quickly whenever situations like this arose. It was beyond unacceptable to have engaged in something like that in the borrowed shed of a peasant farmer with four young children ready and willing to pop their heads in at any moment – and even more so when Sun Ce was wearing a blanket. Worst of all, he couldn't even blame his impulsive companion for starting it. But the Little Conqueror didn't seem to agree with his self-chastisement, sprawled uncaringly across the floor and snickering to himself even as the swordsman shot him an incredibly dark glare.

The Sun lord rolled onto his stomach and extended a highly amused hand to wrap around his strategist's ankle, holding the stoic warrior momentarily in place with his jubilant fingers. "Yu, come back – I liked where that was going," Sun Ce wheedled, one arm flung haphazardly behind his head in mindless invitation. Zhou Yu scowled and yanked his foot away, turning back toward the sleeping mats on a displeased heel and refusing to acknowledge the series of plaintive taps against his shin.

"Put some clothes on," the swordsman snapped, the customary headache roiling beneath his temples once again as the young lord rolled his eyes and slid leisurely into a sitting position, both arms crossed disgruntledly over his bare chest.

"Put them on, take them off – would you make up your mind already?" The indignant officer's protest barely registered in Zhou Yu's ears, and Sun Ce huffed, clambering grudgingly to his feet and wrapping his bedsheet garments tighter against the pounding wind outside their temporary hut. "And anyway, I don't _have_ any clothes to put on. Those ones are wet and the others are still all muddy from yesterday." A reminiscent scowl swept across the Sun lord's face at the thought, darkening his amber eyes to their shadowed shade as he caught the strategist's mildly affronted gaze at last. "Stupid brat – that Shao kid has it out for me, I swear. He tripped me right into a mud puddle!"

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes heavenward and bent down to reach his traveling satchel, dragging a spare set of clothes from the largely empty interior and flinging it at Sun Ce across the length of the storage shed. "If you didn't argue with him, he wouldn't bother you," the swordsman informed him flatly. The Sun lord rolled his eyes.

"If he didn't bait me, I wouldn't argue with him," he shot back, chucking the first blanket unceremoniously onto his sleeping mat and drawing the compulsory shirt over his head. Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath.

"You're twice as old as he is, Ce – try to exhibit a little maturity."

Sun Ce's extremely mature response was to stick out his tongue at the unsympathetic strategist before him, making a face at his unimpressed warrior across the afternoon's lengthening shadows. "Twice as old just means I've had twice as long to learn the tricks of the trade! I don't think he'll be trying that again – I pegged him in the back of the head with a mud ball. I got his brothers in on it, too, and those kids have way better aim than he does."

The Sun lord threw the second blanket at his strategist but missed, emerging fully dressed once more from the hempen folds and jostling his ponytail into a rough order over one shoulder. Zhou Yu shook his head, wondering absently how Yu Niang's impression of them had deteriorated with the information that one of her guests was responsible for the mud-covered monster her eldest son had become. But his intention to continue the lecture was cut short by the door bursting open yet again and sending a flurry of driving rain across the shack's center, startling both Wu officers and spilling the familiar forms of three clamoring boys into the crowded storage shed.

"Special delivery!"

Shao's unmistakable yell accompanied the sudden path of an unidentifiable object launched through the air from his careless hand – Sun Ce leapt forward and caught it, frowning as the dinner basket bounced against his chest and a pair of rogue chopsticks escaped to fly senselessly over one shoulder. The Little Conqueror found the smirking face of his juvenile rival and scowled, shoving his splayed bangs back out of his eyes as Zhou Yu felt his heartbeat beginning to slow from its momentary spike of alarm.

"Watch it, rugrat!" the Sun lord shot back, earning himself a spiteful face from the eleven-year-old sopping in their doorway.

"_You_ watch it, old man! Next time I won't bring you any dinner at all, and we'll see how you like that!"

"I'm not old!"

Sun Ce abandoned the basket of provisions on his makeshift bench and darted forward to catch the boy in a headlock, wrestling for control as Shao kicked his shins and yapped indistinguishably at him. For their part, Sheng and Sui wasted little time wringing out their robes before they tumbled over one another to get further inside, each of the brothers snatching one of the dark strategist's hands and yanking in discordant rhythm as the babble of their voices resounded against the waterlogged walls.

"Master Zhou Yu, tell Sui he's wrong!" Zhou Yu stared down at the two small hellions that had suddenly latched onto his arms, unable to comprehend both their presence and their words as Sui kicked at his older brother and tightened his fingernails into the swordsman's pale skin.

"I'm not wrong! It's a star, Master Zhou Yu – I know it is!"

Sheng made a face at his brother and shoved the boy hard, nearly disentangling him from the strategist and garnering an earsplitting shriek at the motion. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth against the mind-shattering sound, whatever patience he'd managed to retain through the day's coalescing events splintering as the middle child wrenched his arm again. "He's younger than me, Master Zhou Yu! He's always been stupid—"

"Be quiet!"

The swordsman's shout brought an immediate halt to the tumult of the crowded storage shed as four sets of wide eyes blinked at the normally calm countenance now overflowing with irritation – but practical experience had taught Zhou Yu that the shock factor never lasted long, and he fired into his reprimands before any of the excruciatingly loud individuals could regain their composure.

"Sun Ce!" he snapped, rounding on his own companion first and meeting the willful amber eyes with a narrowed glare. "Stop it immediately! Let that boy go, and quit lowering yourself to his level!"

Sun Ce opened his mouth to protest, but the strategist cut him off, glowering next at the youth trapped between his arms. "Yu Shao! Do not throw anything in a crowded room. You are going to hit someone." Shao stuck out his tongue, still grappling with the Sun lord's unslackening hold around his neck.

"You can't tell me what to do!" the obnoxious youth retorted, elbowing his captor in the gut and finally escaping the headlock to stagger across the shack. Yu Shan's eldest son braced one hand against the rain-spattered doorframe and shivered involuntarily at the wealth of cold air sweeping over him, his slate eyes boiling with indignation. "You're not my father!"

Zhou Yu could not have expressed how glad he was of that accurate statement with ten thousand words, so he didn't try, moving straight to his next reproach without bothering to answer. The strategist glared between his commander and the endlessly aggravating boy with a firm scowl, dark eyes narrowed almost to slits as his building annoyance got the best of him. "And both of you – stop bickering, and I mean _now_. Or if you must engage in such childish conflicts, take it outside!"

A moment of silence followed his irate lecture, and then Shao slid sideways to join Sun Ce along the back wall, leaning up to find the young officer's equally obstinate ear even as he returned the swordsman's glare without flinching. "Your pal's no fun at all," Yu Shan's eldest son informed the Little Conqueror in a mutter, drawing a soft snort from the Sun lord as he folded both arms across his chest and made a face at his strategist.

"You got that right!"

Zhou Yu just rolled his eyes and ignored them, focusing instead on the two younger demons still clamped to his side as Sun Ce and his fair-weather ally exchanged inaudible grumbles. Sheng and Sui both recoiled from his stern gaze, and the two boys withdrew their hands almost as one, considerably more intimidated by the much-taller swordsman and his obviously irritated expression than their brother had been. Zhou Yu sighed silently, lifting one hand to rub at his pulsing headache and thanking every star in the sky above him that he'd never be plagued by children of his own – everyone else's offspring were bad enough all by themselves.

"Yu Sheng and Yu Sui," he began, tone much more level and controlled than his scolding to the older offenders had been. "First of all, it is very impolite to yank on someone, regardless of how badly you want their attention."

The two boys nodded gently, shame clouding their youthful features and digging Sui's foot guiltily into the rain-softened soil of the floor. The strategist wondered to himself, not for the first time, why he always seemed to end up laying down the ground rules for other people's children – but there was no point in lingering on the thought, and he pressed forward with his chastisement before any one of the myriad delinquents could decide to interrupt.

"And if you want someone to understand what you're saying, you must speak one at a time," Zhou Yu continued disapprovingly, sweeping his dark bangs away from strict eyes. "Are you trying to ask me something?"

The swordsman was mildly curious why the young brothers would choose to approach him for information, and not entirely sure he approved of the trend – but Sheng and Sui's eyes had lit up at the invitation, and they immediately began clamoring again, the cascade of syllables echoing unintelligibly against the trembling walls.

"There was this star outside, Master Zhou Yu—"

"It wasn't a star, Sui! It's not nighttime yet!"

Zhou Yu felt his eyebrow twitching at the inundation of meaningless noise, and for a moment he thought his temper was going to snap for the second time in as many minutes – but fortunately Sun Ce decided to offer his assistance, stepping away from Shao and clapping a hand onto each of the younger boys' shoulders. "Hey, take it easy, kids," the Sun lord suggested easily, a light laugh escaping him as he regarded the strategist's heavily exasperated expression. "He's only got two ears – and I think there's going to be steam coming out of them any second now."

The two boys stopped speaking abruptly and gazed up at the dark officer in question, and Sheng swallowed hard as he registered the displeasure floating across their stern guest's uninviting features. He and his younger brother shared a quick look, and then Sui cleared his throat, peering up at the swordsman's tight countenance through childish charcoal bangs.

"There was this light on the horizon – I thought it was the sun at first, but it's too late for that. So then I decided it was a star—" Sheng scoffed at this and shook his head, interrupting the narrative by stepping forward and shaking off Sun Ce's grip on his thin shoulder.

"It _can't_ be a star, Sui – I already told you. It's too early for stars. And anyway, stars don't just go out like that." Yu Shan's second son pouted as he gazed up at the strategist, seeking confirmation in the older man's face. "It just vanished all of a sudden! Stars don't do that – right, Master Zhou Yu? It's gotta be a lantern or something."

A cold shiver went down Zhou Yu's spine at the simplistic description, settling uncomfortably into the pit of his stomach as Sui grabbed his hand again and pulled more softly this time, forcing his attention back to the youngest Yu child as he shook his naïve head.

"But it can't be a lantern either – I told you, Sheng! 'Cause a lantern couldn't stay lit in rain like this, and it's been shining for days—"

Zhou Yu's eyes widened, and his gaze shot to Sun Ce's as the cold discomfort sinking through him suddenly solidified and plunged into his stomach, staggering breath in his lungs and mimicking the revelation swarming the Sun lord's face. The strategist tore his hand from Sui's smaller one and wheeled to face the window, throwing the shutters back and allowing the sleeting rain to drench him in one buffeting breath. Desperately, his eyes searched the gathering darkness, sweeping the valley from horizon to black horizon – but it only took one look to confirm the young boy's words.

Xan's lantern had gone out.

Zhou Yu didn't wait to answer the brothers' question before turning and moving smoothly for the open door – he didn't wait for anything. He wouldn't have stopped at all were it not for the warm hand that caught his wrist just at the border of the doorframe, trapping him inches short of the storm that shrieked and howled as though in demonic greeting. The swordsman could feel his companion's pulse racing through his flesh and pounding in disharmony to his own, but he didn't turn around, eyes already locked on the far-distant estate and the muddied vale standing between them.

"Yu…"

Zhou Yu shook his head, loosing Sun Ce's grip with the same motion and stepping forward into the full brunt of the torrential squall. The rain hit his face like an open slap, drenching his skin and clothing in seconds and closing his obsidian eyes for a long moment of silence before the swordsman began to move, striding across the mired earth so quickly that he was almost running.

"Don't wait up for me."

He couldn't be sure his shout reached the young officer in the doorway, but a flurry of cries followed his rapid footsteps, broken and dampened by the ceaseless rain. "Yu! Damn it, hang on! You can't just—"

The strategist heard no more, rounding the corner of the storage shed and dashing behind the main cabin as he lost control of his pace. His horse was untacked and resting quietly with Sun Ce's beneath a hastily-constructed lean-to against the tiny residence's rear wall – but it only took a moment to sling the saddle and bridle over its startled hide, flustering the animal yet farther as its master swung onto its back and sent it hurtling into the cold storm without preparation. Zhou Yu ducked low to the horse's flank and squinted against the lashing rain as his mount picked up speed, careening toward the silent village with his fingers tightly fisted in the slippery reins.

Perhaps the lantern had just gone out on its own, finally losing its fight against the unrelenting weather – but be that as it may, the swordsman had waited long enough. It was time to move.

End Chapter 39, Second Segment

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As mentioned, this is the second installment of my triple post for Chapter 39. I hope you all read the first installment before this one, otherwise I imagine things would be highly confusing. As a note on Hong's name, 'hong' is the Chinese word for the color red – hence what Zhou Yu meant by _Hong's face reddened to match her name_. Comments and reviews are always appreciated.


	41. Chapter 39, Final Segment

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX)

Author's Note: This chapter is the third and final installment of a triple post – please make sure you have read the preceding chapters before continuing.

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Secession – Part 38, Third Segment 

By the time one set of sopping hooves clattered into the mud-swallowed courtyard, Zhou Yu was soaked to the bone, his normally orderly hair plastered to his face and neck and his clothing ruined beyond any hope of recovery. The dark strategist reined hard in front of the long-empty stable and steered his horse inside with a click of his tongue, looping the bridle loosely over a stall post as he leapt to the sodden soil and ignored the splatters of mud caking his devastated shoes.

He barely felt the rain pouring across him as he stopped to latch the wobbling door, which had deteriorated with the rest of the house from its long period of neglect – and when he turned around Xan was waiting for him in the doorway, an oil lamp casting almost wraithlike shadows across his face. The young Zhou heir didn't say a word as his older brother moved in quick strides across the courtyard and slipped past him into the entrance hall, only waiting long enough for the circle of light to move even of his drenched feet before he pressed on through the empty chamber and into the passage beyond. Doors and covered windows slid by them on both sides as Zhou Yu said nothing and neither did Xan, keeping pace as they retraced their steps from four days earlier and listened only to the spongy tread of the swordsman's footsteps and his lightly labored breaths echoing against the peeling walls.

This time, the strategist registered nearly nothing of the crumbling house's features, and whether from the shadows or the endless pounding rain nothing at all looked familiar. One right turn brought them into the hidden hallway and all light died except for the oil lamp in Xan's tireless hand, bobbing in time to his steps and swinging an unsteady circle of illumination across their quickly moving feet. Zhou Yu watched the tiny tongue of flame twisting and writhing above his brother's fist, decorating the younger man's skin with vapor-like patterns – and then almost before he realized it, the door to Zhou Fan's room opened before them, glowing with the light of dozens of candles arrayed along its dissolutioned walls.

Zhou Yu didn't stop moving until he reached his father's bedside, half out of deference to the knot of anxiety firmly lodged in the pit of his stomach and half out of uncertainty that he'd start walking again if he let himself hesitate. Twin onyx eyes stared unblinkingly down into the failing gaze of the old man wrapped tightly between countless silken coverlets, shivering despite his many layers, and found himself startled to see how much his father had aged in a few short days. Already the deep wrinkles that had covered his face were sinking into drainages, creasing so cavernously that they nearly destroyed the impression of his features altogether.

But nothing could dampen the smile that lit his gumming mouth and the hollow centers of his eyes at the sight of his eldest son standing silently at his side, and one gnarled hand emerged from the blankets to beckon fruitlessly in his direction, straining to capture the smooth pale wrist that was just out of reach. Zhou Yu knelt down and caught Zhou Fan's trembling fingers, swallowing a wince as the callus and frozen skin came into contact with his own. The old man gave a dry, withering chuckle, countenance crinkled with a pleasure that only tightened the strings of weighted reluctance wound so tightly around the swordsman's lungs.

"Yu… there you are. Xan told me you were coming." His voice was so hoarse and feeble it threatened to send a shiver down the strategist's spine, but Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and held it back, nodding softly and watching the charcoal eyes instead.

"How are you feeling, Father?" The question was so soft he couldn't be sure he'd even spoken aloud until Zhou Fan laughed again, tightening his grip on the swordsman's captive hand with an almost giddy smile.

"Wonderful, just wonderful– now that you've come back. Now that everyone's come back."

Wu's dark strategist bit the inside of his cheek to hold back the incredible weight his father's naïve words dropped like a pile of stones onto his shoulders, dragging Xing Dao's words through his mind once more and rekindling the cold fire of responsibility somewhere beneath his ribs. The old man chuckled again and shook his white-crested head, spattering strands of hair across the soiled pillows.

"Said he wouldn't come back here, Qi did – but he's here, too, wandering around somewhere."

A cold spike of alarm shot down Zhou Yu's spine at the words and his eyes darted to Xan, but the younger man simply shook his head, one calm finger reaching up to tap his temple as though in indication of just how far gone Zhou Fan's mind truly was. The strategist pressed his lips into a firm line, trying to still his heartbeat as his father choked on his chortling laughter and nodded decisively to himself.

"Qi always was a precocious child. All three… all three of you were," he assured the silent swordsman, patting his hand and digging his nails unintentionally into the clenched knuckles. "Of course it's natural that you'd be ambitious children."

A sharp cough shot through the old man's words and fractured them, leaving him gasping for breath and setting Zhou Yu's heart racing uncomfortably fast for a long moment before he settled back into the pillows. The once-proud master of the Zhou estate sniffed a little and reached his empty hand up to wipe at the tears struggling down his crumpled countenance, smearing the salt water so that it shimmered all across his yellowed cheeks; the silent swordsman found it hard to swallow for a moment as those crumbling black eyes stared into his, just as decrepit and forlorn as his fallen estate.

"That's how I know I have been truly blessed by the gods," Zhou Fan babbled, more tears leaking down his knotted face. His hand reached out to touch the strategist's cold cheek, startling Zhou Yu so badly as the wet fingers brushed his unhealed scars that he visibly jumped and almost pulled away before he caught himself. But the old man didn't seem to notice, so caught up in his prattling pronouncement that the swordsman wondered if he even considered the words before they escaped his mouth. "I have three capable sons – anyone would want them for advisors and viziers. But all of you…" The strategist felt breath faltering and dying in his throat as Zhou Fan withdrew his hand, smiling the most honest smile he ever remembered seeing on his father's face. "All of you chose to remain here instead – to remain here and live in harmony, to look after my estate and care for your mother…"

Zhou Fan had always been a romantic fool. And as the man's delusions worked nonsense across his tongue, Zhou Yu realized it was his only true crime – all other misunderstandings and insults, every backhand he had given without just cause, stemmed from that one fatal flaw.

The swordsman shook his head and pulled back, keeping hold of his father's sandpaper hand as he rose to his feet and turned his gaze to Xan, seeking some outlet for the incommunicable disorder streaming through his mind. In his younger brother's solemn eyes, he felt the same understanding echoed and amplified, recalling six years of trial through which a shortened childhood had not survived. Zhou Yu wondered, just for a moment, how Xan might have grown up without the burden of a failing father – then two voices down the hall shattered his thoughts, and the strategist turned as another floating oil lamp creased the doorway and illuminated the figures behind it. Lady Cai's cold gaze was familiar, but he didn't recognize the wiry man at her side, who moved in a strange scuttle and snatched Zhou Fan's hand away from him to check the old man's pulse.

"Three strides back, please," the graying figure instructed in a vague snap, glancing at the swordsman over one hunched shoulder. "He's not well." Zhou Yu straightened and took a backward step in surprise, stopping as he felt Lady Cai's bone-thin hand grasp his forearm and the greasy warmth of an oil lamp hovering at his side. Zhou Fan scowled at the stranger beneath his balding eyebrows, trying in vain to free his hand from the concrete clutches.

"Away with you, medic – I've no need of your witchcraft." The medic snorted at that, feeling the old man's forehead and clicking his tongue with practiced disapproval.

"You have if you'd like to live. And even that I cannot promise, if you won't keep calm."

The swordsman felt his brow furrowing at the pessimistic diagnosis, but a light footfall behind him stopped any comment that might have fled his lips, drawing his attention to Xan where the younger man had moved to stand at his shoulder. The Zhou heir caught his brother's obsidian gaze and shook his head again, coal eyes flickering with the oil flame's glow.

"I intended to call you when he recovered from his slight illness, Zhou Yu – but I'm afraid he hasn't shown any signs of recovery at all. Mother recommended I summon you now, just in case…" Xan didn't finish, but he didn't have to – Zhou Yu turned back to the bed and watched his father's failing face, and he understood.

Lady Cai's grip tightened on his arm; her nails dug into his skin like fangs as the graying woman gritted her teeth and spared her eldest son a flitting glance. "That man is the village doctor – he's been tending to Fan ever since he first became ill years ago." Her voice was barely louder than a whisper, and it drew the medic's attention only a scant moment before he refocused on the patient, two fingers pressed to his pale lips in contemplation. Lady Cai shook her head. "He's not certain how much longer…"

As though in response to her words, a hacking cough tore from Zhou Fan's lungs, followed by dozens of its fellows. Zhou Yu stiffened as his father rolled onto his stomach, hiding his face in the wealth of pillows and muting the coughs that dragged tremendous breaths into his lungs and then spit them uselessly back out. The medic sighed and straightened from his diagnostic crouch, studying the small family cluster with a scowl and gesturing flippantly to the exit.

"Too much excitement. You'll all have to leave – at once, mind." The strategist felt a stab of desperation striking his stomach at the untempered dismissal, and for a moment he stared into the authoritative man's eyes, warring internally between acquiescence and refusal. He had only just arrived. He hadn't even gotten a chance to explain everything to his father – to explain what Wu meant, and what that kind of a dream was worth, and how sacrifices had to be made. What if he left now and lost the last chance?

Xan and Lady Cai stepped away obediently at the medic's words and retreated to the shadow of the doorframe, hesitating only once they realized the dark swordsman had not accompanied them. The square-chested man at Zhou Fan's bedside regarded the reluctant strategist with a fierce glower and opened his mouth to reiterate the command – but Zhou Yu stepped past him and ignored the squawking demands as he leaned over the dying man's bed to brace both hands against the weak mattress.

"Father."

The forceful syllables dragged Zhou Fan's head from between his pillows, and his watering beetle eyes blinked furiously as he stared up at his eldest son and gave a last resounding cough. The strategist winced as the stagnant air swept across his face, but it was not enough to deter him. There wasn't time for everything, so the swordsman just chose the words he'd least intended to say, closing his eyes against the uncertain burden of guilt resting in the pit of his stomach and churning with each of Zhou Fan's staggering breaths.

"I'm sorry – for disappointing you."

For a moment, the light of recognition seemed to shine on the old man's face, brightening his features with a single burst of unobstructed clarity. For just an instant, as he stared into the coal-black eyes so similar to his own, Zhou Yu felt as though he were staring into the eyes of the man his father had been – the whole, sensical man, who remembered everything, and who understood the impact of his words. The man who had taught him to play the flute, to write, who had brought the Sun family willingly into his home and sheltered them as he did his own…

But then it was gone, and only the shattered pieces of the Zhou family head were left before him, barely strung together at the seams. Zhou Fan lifted an ignorant hand and patted his eldest son's shoulder, a thick smile slipping across his withered face once more.

"Don't talk foolishness, Yu," he advised in a low, slipshod tone. "You have always been my greatest pride and joy. I could not ask for more in a son."

It was too far. Too far from sanity – too far from the first time he'd said those words, eight years earlier, and even then it had been a lie. Zhou Yu drew back from his father and pulled away, letting the old man's wrinkled hand fall from his shoulder as another set of bony talons grasped his wrist and dragged him back from the edge of the crumpled cot.

"Come away, Yu." Lady Cai's voice was as firm as her grip, so tight around his arm that he almost felt his fingers going numb. "There's no sense in talking to him any longer. He's lost his mind."

And she was right. So the swordsman didn't bother to protest, turning away from the fading old man and following his mother's austere steps out of the room. Xan pushed the door closed behind them and the sound echoed heavily down the hallway, but Zhou Yu did not so much as flinch, his eyes focused on the shadowed floor ahead of him. Lady Cai and Xan's oil lamps bobbed on both sides of him as the three figures made their silent way down the corridor, more like strangers than family who ought to have been grieving together. The strategist felt his mother's grip on his wrist wither and die as they reached the main passage, and he walked on alone, leading the unsteady circles of light into the entrance hall and out under the roof's solemn eaves. He stopped just short of the storm, not bothering to turn around as he watched the windswept rain glimmering in the light of the oil lamps.

"When he dies…"

It seemed like such a cold thing to say that he hesitated in the middle, letting the words trail away and soak into the swiftly falling evening. But Xan saw no reason to pause, and his calculating voice broke through the cascading torrent in simple completion of the intended request.

"I'll darken the lantern again."

Zhou Yu nodded silently. Then he moved across the flooded courtyard, leaving his mother's gaunt hands and his brother's empty eyes behind him without a backward glance.

.x.

It hardly seemed possible, given the scant distance between them – but in the time it took to reach Yu Shan's cottage from the forbidding Zhou estate, night had fallen completely, swallowing whatever feeble daylight had been struggling through the clouds until then. Zhou Yu slowed his horse to a gentle trot as he crested the dripping terraces and came within vague sight of the cabin's silhouette, squinting against the force of the rain in a vain attempt to trace any light that might be leaking through the humble dwelling's shutters. But the house was dark, as was the storage shed beside it, and the strategist was forced to conclude that everyone had chosen to retreat early that evening, most likely curled beneath their hempen blankets in an attempt to retain what little warmth the weather allowed.

Zhou Yu sighed as he dismounted beneath the small lean-to and untacked his mount, drawing a curious look from Sun Ce's horse where it rested against the cottage wall – then he jogged across the sodden lawn and pushed open the door to the tiny shack, a quiet sigh escaping him as the rain disappeared from his shoulders at last. The swordsman shook himself and began to wring out his sleeves, stopping abruptly as a figure he hadn't noticed in the darkness suddenly rose from the makeshift bench and stood regarding him in silence, its profile just as displeased as those blazing amber eyes had to be.

The strategist straightened a little and returned his companion's soundless stare, shivering as tendrils of rainwater slipped down his spine. Then the Sun lord shook his head and chucked something at him, the bundle identifying itself as a hemp blanket when it collided with his drenched warrior's face. Zhou Yu blinked at the coarse fabric in his arms for a moment, and then a heavy sigh escaped his lips, drawing his eyes back to Sun Ce's unhappy expression where it hid between the night's thick shadows.

"Ce…"

The Little Conqueror turned on heel and dropped onto his sleeping mat, pulling the second blanket across his lap before rolling onto his stomach and refusing to meet the swordsman's eyes at all. "Goodnight," the young officer snapped, burrowing into the folds of his arms as though they could truly act as substitute for the warm shoulder that usually formed his pillow. Zhou Yu ground his teeth together, tension and irritation sparking beneath his ribcage as he pulled his sopping shirt over his head and dropped it haphazardly across the seat of the improvised bench.

"Tell me why you're angry." His blunt order echoed across the small shack, resounding between the endless chatter of raindrops above them and drawing Sun Ce back to a sitting position with one smooth movement.

"Angry?" Even through the distance and the shadows, the strategist could see the frustration burning in his commander's eternally expressive eyes. "No way, Yu – angry is when you get touchy about Xiao's kid. Angry is when you give me the cold shoulder because you're all stuck in your work. This time, you've seriously ticked me off."

Zhou Yu raised a callous eyebrow, studying his companion's stiff posture as he wrapped the hemp blanket noncommittally around his torso to soak the lingering dampness from his skin. "Fine. What have I done to tick you off, then?" The Sun lord snorted and flopped back onto his reed mat, one arm thrown listlessly over his passionate eyes.

"You not knowing is the worst part of all," he bit out, the harsh reply spattering across the storage shed to land at his swordsman's feet. Sun Ce rolled over and threw the blanket over his head, hiding his unruly mop of chestnut hair and the aggravation tensing every muscle in his body. "I don't want to talk about it, okay? Leave me alone."

How many years of arguments had taught them that letting the conflict fester never made things any easier? Zhou Yu scowled as he stalked across the shack's crowded floor to jerk the blanket away from the young officer's face, earning himself a yelp and a potent kick to the shin as the cold air found his commander's face again.

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" the Sun lord practically shouted, dodging his strategist's seeking hand as the stiff fingers closed around his wrist and dragged him onto his back. Sun Ce had never been a weakling and Zhou Yu had no choice but to accept a powerful knee in his stomach as he held onto his vigorously struggling companion and pulled him halfway upright none too gently, earning himself a fierce glare and another blow to the ribs. "Get off, Yu!"

The dark swordsman glowered down at his commander with equal impatience building behind his eyes, tightening his fingers around the young officer's wrist to hold him in place. "Talk to me," he demanded again, the stern request drawing a harsh laugh from the precariously captured officer.

"_Talk to you?_" Zhou Yu winced at the sheer volume of the Little Conqueror's disbelieving echo, wondering absently if the Yu family would be woken by their argument or if the driving rain was enough to cancel the sound. Sun Ce shook his head fiercely and pushed the strategist off at last, propelling him a few steps backward across the damp ground with a shove against his chest. "You are the last person in the world I want to hear that from, Yu! I'd get more response talking to a brick wall than I do when I talk to you!"

The swordsman scowled, annoyance festering between his lungs as he regained his balance and met the Sun lord's challenging glare through the stormy shadows. "All right," he snapped, straightening sharply as he turned for the door. "Forget it, Ce – forget I said anything."

He only got two steps before an overwhelming force on his arm stopped his progress, impelling him down to the unforgiving ground with a resounding _crack_ as his skull found the floor. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth against the spurt of pain at the base of his neck – but in an instant he'd forgotten all about it, as Sun Ce's fuming face came into view above him. The young officer took hold of his shoulders and shook him hard, amber eyes burning with frustration.

"See? That's exactly what I'm talking about! Just brush me off again!" The strategist felt his jaw set as he pushed the Sun lord away and regained a sitting position, glaring at his equally incensed companion.

"You said you didn't want to talk," Zhou Yu spat, one hand shoving his wet hair away from where it clung distractingly to his neck. The young officer huffed, crossing both arms over his borrowed shirt.

"I don't want to talk! I want to punch your lights out and be done with it!" The strategist scoffed under his breath, one hand clenching into the hemp blanket that had fallen from his shoulders.

"What's stopping you, then?" The swordsman's sardonic response shot across the space between them like a clash of thunder, sparking something almost wild in the Sun lord's amber eyes. "You've never been shy about using your fists before."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the promised blow landed hard on his jaw, knocking him backward as the full force of the seething Sun lord followed it and pinned him to the ground, both taut hands holding the Little Conqueror above him as Sun Ce shook his head violently, chestnut ponytail flashing from side to side in the overwhelming shadows. Zhou Yu winced as he bit his tongue hard, the familiar taste of copper sliding across his throbbing inner cheek as his companion panted angrily above him and filled the shed with a series of resounding shouts.

"What is your problem, Yu?! Why do you always have to be so damn cold?" The strategist raised on silent hand to touch his cheek, fingering the swelling and the raised scars littering his smooth skin as he stared into the Sun lord's smoldering eyes. "How long have I been here, huh? How long have I been trying to help you out? Could you throw me a bone once in a while?!"

Zhou Yu blinked as a flicker of defenseless honesty shot through Sun Ce's gaze, catching on the shadows that littered his tan features and the stark scowl swallowing his expression. The young officer shook his head again, fingers tightening almost painfully into the flesh of his swordsman's shoulders.

"We're in this together – I've told you that a million times! So why are you still pushing me away?!" Confusion furrowed the strategist's forehead, but he didn't get a chance to ask, any words he might have spoken drowned under another forceful shout. "You think it was funny to walk out of here without saying anything – without even _hinting_ what was going on inside you head? I can't read your mind, Yu – and you don't tell me a thing! How am I supposed to help when I don't have any idea what you're thinking?"

Zhou Yu felt a frown consuming his expression at the emotional tirade, and he shook his head as best he could from his trapped position, one hand clenching into a fist at his side. "I didn't ask for your help—"

"Don't." The firm interruption killed the rest of the swordsman's statement, and Sun Ce gritted his teeth as he glared squarely into his strategist's irritated eyes. "Don't even go there, Yu. Don't _ever_ dismiss me like that."

Zhou Yu opened his mouth in a snappish retort, but once more the Sun lord cut him off. "Do you have any idea how frustrating it is to be here?" the young officer challenged, his tone rising back to shouting pitch as he gestured vaguely to the night-swallowed shack around them. "You're not happy, and I'm not happy – and I don't even think your family's happy! Your father can't stand me, and he's not feeling much better about you, as far as I can tell, so why are we—"

"He's dying, Ce!" Zhou Yu surprised even himself with the vehemence of his interruption, his voice ricocheting in considerable echo against the rain-pounded walls. The strategist shoved himself up onto his elbows and slammed one arm into the young officer's torso, knocking him sideways onto the reed mat as his onyx eyes found their amber opposites again and glared right back. "He's a selfish fool, but he's dying – does that mean nothing to you?"

"I don't make excuses for people, Yu," Sun Ce hissed, one hand lingering at his side where the swordsman's blow had landed and the other reaching out to snatch his companion's shoulder again. "I don't care if he's your father, and I don't care if he's dying – what should that matter? We are who we are! We make our beds and then we have to sleep in them! Why should that be any different for him? What'd he do to deserve your pity?"

Zhou Yu shook his head hard, dislodging the young officer's hand and regaining his feet with a single smooth motion, unintentionally drawing the Sun lord to an upright position as well. The strategist glared at his commander evenly through the pounding shadows and gritted his teeth, ignoring the blood that still clung to the inside of his lip. "You don't understand, Ce—"

"Damn right I don't!" The Little Conqueror's vibrant shout cut him off, accompanied moments later by two tan hands gripping his forearms and a pair of burning amber eyes mere inches away. Sun Ce's gaze was narrowed to a fierce glower, but the swordsman could see an undertone of desperation beneath all the layers of frustrated anger. "How am I supposed to understand when you won't tell me what you're thinking?! Talk to me!"

Zhou Yu turned his face away from his companion's infuriated countenance, glaring into the far corners of the storage shed as his hands tightened into fists at his side and he returned the Sun lord's earlier sentiment in a deadly cold murmur. "It doesn't matter, Ce. Just let it go, all right? Leave it alone." The young officer growled low in his throat, but the strategist kept his scowl fixed on the trembling walls around them, on the drops of rain leaking through their poor roof and the howling wind outside. "I shouldn't have brought you here. They need you in Wu, and this is my problem, not yours—"

"Damn it! Look at me!" A harsh shove accompanied the heated shout, and Zhou Yu's eyes widened as he stumbled backward and found himself slammed into the waterlogged wall, two clenched hands still tight around his forearms. The swordsman stared into his commander's blistering gaze as Sun Ce shook his head ferociously, nose to nose with his dark warrior so that they shared each angry breath. "Look at me, Yu! Look at me and tell me what you see!"

The strategist frowned, annoyed confusion marring his forehead as he glared into the burning amber eyes and struggled to understand his companion's demand. The shadows of the stormy night blocked out everything in the small shack except the glowering features of the young officer in front of him, and at last Zhou Yu had no choice but to sigh, the cross sound escaping his lips and brushing the Sun lord's face like a stray gust of wind.

"I see you," he snapped. But the Sun lord shook his head again, tightening his grip on the swordsman's arms as the wind picked up speed and slashed through the gaps in the poorly constructed walls.

"Not just me! It's us, Yu – it's everything we've worked for together! Wu, and Jiang Dong… all that time we spent with Yuan Shu just so we could get a foothold." Zhou Yu blinked as his commander unexpectedly let go, stepping back to regard him through the clinging shadows as a simple, almost uncertain frown slipped across his face. Sun Ce sighed, the soft sound more powerful than his shouting had been. "We're in this together, Yu, and we always have been… that's what matters, isn't it? They need _us_ in Wu, not just me. Isn't that more important than anything else – than any of this? What we've worked for together?"

In his shadowed amber eyes, the strategist could see all of the tension of the evening – all of the tension from the entire journey, all of the reservations Xing Dao's abrupt visit had left behind – waiting for an answer. Zhou Yu watched his expressive features in silence for a long moment, turning the words over in his mind and letting the flame of angry confrontation flicker inside his ribcage. But before he could formulate his answer, a sharp sound from outside the storage shed drew his attention, snapping his fighter's instincts into motion as the Sun lord's eyes shot to the shuttered window as well.

"Did you—"

"Shh."

Sun Ce clamped his jaw shut at the swordsman's firm hiss, and for a moment neither of them moved, standing a short distance apart in the silence and listening intently to the unreadable noise outside. Zhou Yu felt his brow furrowing intensely as the rhythmic slopping sounds sped up, becoming first more distinct and then almost inaudible as whatever it was moved further away from the cabin and shack complex; the strategist turned on heel and pulled the window's shade mutely apart, exposing his bare torso to the wind and rain once more as he leaned on the sill and peered through the burgeoning storm. A warm hand found his shoulder as the Little Conqueror appeared at his side, glancing outside as well and shielding his eyes from the rogue raindrops windblown their way.

"What is it?" Zhou Yu shook his head at the hoarse question, eyes narrowed as he struggled to make sense of the dim shapes obscured by the fog swiftly falling across Shucheng as night deepened and chilled the condensing air.

"I don't see any—"

"Yu, look!" A pointing finger accompanied the Sun lord's hasty interruption, and with a start the strategist managed to pick out a small figure running along the hillcrest in the direction of the central village. The young officer's eyebrows drew together in puzzlement as he spared his swordsman a quick glance, craning his neck to get a better view of the swiftly moving shadow. "That looks like Shao… where the hell's he going in weather like this?"

Zhou Yu could only shake his head, his gaze fixed on the minute figure as it vanished behind the rolling edge of the slope. An excited tap to his shoulder drew the swordsman's attention back to his companion, amber eyes alight with curiosity and intention above a considering frown. "Come on – let's see what he's up to," Sun Ce whispered as he took a backward step toward the door, snatching his still-damp shirt from the shopping expedition and winging it into the strategist's arms. "Maybe he's on an errand or something."

Zhou Yu made to protest, considerably less than eager to throw himself back into the climatic maelstrom beating at their door and beyond certain that they were both going to end up with serious fevers if they spent any more time outside – but no matter how reasonable his objections, they found no opportunity for voice as a warm hand latched onto his wrist and dragged him toward the exit without waiting for agreement. The swordsman barely got the borrowed shirt over his head before his impatient commander shoved open the plank door and revealed them both to the spitting storm.

"Ce, wait!" The cold rain stung his swollen cheek as the howling wind swallowed his words, gritting the strategist's teeth against the icy summer tempest as he shoved dripping bangs out of his eyes and tried in vain to stall the Sun lord's pace. "We don't even know where he's going!"

Sun Ce snorted, the familiar expressive sound getting trampled beneath their rushing footfalls as he pulled the swordsman after him in a near run, careening down the path that led to Shucheng and slipping unsteadily on the muddy slope it had become. "I know! That's why we have to hurry! We'll never find that kid again if we lose him now!"

Part of Zhou Yu wanted to tear his arm from the Little Conqueror's grip and ask if his impulsive companion even remembered that they were in the middle of a tremendous argument – but the other part kept his mouth shut and reluctantly shadowed the racing strides, slipping into silent contemplation as he watched the sopping ponytail ahead of him slapping back and forth across the young officer's shoulders. The terraces leveled out and brought them even of Shucheng's huddled structures as the swordsman shook his head, flinging futile drops from the hair plastered to his neck while the Sun lord's words echoed through his mind.

_Isn't that more important than anything else – than any of this? What we've worked for together?_

The strategist gritted his teeth, listening to the joint cacophony of the roiling storm and Sun Ce's hapless footsteps splashing across the unpaved rivers the tiny village's streets had been reduced to under the endless rain. Then he shook the lingering syllables away, forcing them to the peripheral edge of his thoughts as the alleys and side paths of his native town opened like a maze in front of them, the mist making it impossible to see more than a few feet ahead. If the young officer wasn't willing to finish their argument now, then his answer would have to wait – along with all the other words that had gone unsaid in the wake of a sudden distraction. But the swordsman refused to leave the conflict permanently hanging, and he knew his commander would feel the same as soon as his curiosity was assuaged. One way or another, they would have to come to a resolution.

Zhou Yu pushed his pace until he was running in equal stride with his rash companion, dark eyes considerably less than pleased as the seemingly inexhaustible rage of the shrieking gale. "Can you see him?" the strategist shouted, fighting to make his voice heard above the sound of wind and water crashing around them. Sun Ce scoffed.

"Are you kidding? I can't see anything! I'm following my instincts." The swordsman rolled his eyes, coming to an abrupt halt at the junction of two major streets and skidding a little in the puddle that had occupied the intersection's center.

"Ce, wait." A forceful hand on the Sun lord's wrist brought him to a stop as well, and the young officer wrinkled his nose as he slid unsteadily through the deep mud that had effectively swallowed Shucheng's streets. Sun Ce glared at his stalwart companion, but the dark warrior ignored his displeased expression and shook his head. "Don't be an idiot," Zhou Yu ordered, his voice drowning beneath the insatiable wealth of water. "Let's think about this. Where would he go?"

The lord of Wu huffed, stamping his feet impatiently and shivering against the frigid wind. "How would I know? That's why I said we've gotta follow him, Yu! He could be headed anywhere in this village!" The strategist frowned heavily at him, crossing both arms over his soaked chest.

"And if we run all over the village without any idea where we're going—"

"You got a better idea?" the Sun lord shouted, and his swordsman wasn't sure if the volume had more to do with overcoming the tempest or a return to honest anger. "We're sure as hell not going to find him hanging around here!" Zhou Yu scowled as the wind swept another wave of rainwater into his face, one irritated hand dashing the dark bangs away from his eyes as best they would go.

"Think, Ce! When you were out with him this afternoon, was there anywhere that he—"

Suddenly the strategist stopped, the question dying on his tongue as Yu Shan's words from their very first meeting came spiraling back to him. _He always hides down by the river dock, though I couldn't hope to explain why…_ Zhou Yu snatched his commander's hand and took off running again, dodging the streams and oceans collecting beneath his feet and drawing the young officer behind him with staggering arhythm.

"Hey! Yu, what—"

"The docks!" the swordsman shot over his shoulder, obsidian eyes never leaving the mired path ahead. "Yu Shan said he likes the river docks!" Sun Ce's pace lurched back into familiar stride, and he pulled even with his companion to give the strategist a disbelieving look.

"The river? Is the kid nuts? That thing's gotta be flooding like crazy in this weather!" Zhou Yu shook his head, castoff spattering from his drenched hair as he ducked right and headed straight west toward the edge of the village with the storm catching him full in the face.

"I don't know, Ce – but if he's half as much of an idiot as he seems to be, we'd better find him."

Through a mesh of childhood and recent memory, the swordsman led his lord through Shucheng's deserted, typhoon-swallowed streets, blind from the fog and the sting of raindrops bombarding his squinted eyes. The Sun lord said nothing more, keeping pace at his side and splashing thoughtlessly through the puddles that littered their route. Wu's dark strategist ducked down the thin alleys and wound between the silent hovels of Shucheng's disheartened streets, his mind racing ahead of their echoing footsteps.

Yu Shan wouldn't have sent his son out on an errand alone in this weather – especially not without the matter being so urgent that the information couldn't help spreading even to his houseguests. Which meant Shao was off on some business of his own. But where was an eleven-year-old boy going in such a hurry when no one else in the entire town was willing to be outside? The questions yielded no answers, and Zhou Yu pushed the useless thoughts away to focus on his route instead, anxiety building in the pit of his stomach and superseding the lingering impression of their argument as the rain poured yet harder and their spraying footfalls ricocheted in mounting cacophony against the walls of the poor cottages.

Like a great white sea, the vast cloud of mist marking the river and the open street bordering its rushing banks opened up before them, bleaching the air until the swordsman could hardly see his own feet through the wealth of fog. He could hear the angry stream straight ahead, the hissing of water over unexpected obstacles confirming Sun Ce's guess about the downpour's flooding effect. Zhou Yu wheeled left and began to run down the length of the unpaved plaza leading to the port, retracing Yu Shan's course of five days earlier. They hadn't actually gone all the way to the docks, since Shao had accidentally stumbled into them along this stretch of permanent shops, and his own memory of Shucheng's poor trading center was extremely fragmented. But surely it couldn't be too far ahead—

"Yu!" The swordsman stopped instinctively as a sopping hand grabbed his shoulder, pulling him to a halt just short of the intersection where they'd collided several days previously. The Sun lord panted a little as he jabbed a thumb at the fog to their right, catching his strategist's sodden eyes through the cascading tempest. "Listen – you hear that? What's that sound?"

Zhou Yu swallowed his own heavy breathing and willed his heartbeat to stop pounding in his ears, concentrating in the direction the young officer had indicated – then his eyes narrowed in confusion as a series of crackling creaks split the air, drawing a nod of confirmation from his dripping companion. The dark swordsman shook his head a little uncertainly.

"I'm not sure, Ce – it sounds like a boat—"

Like a flash of lightning, Hong's words from earlier that afternoon flew back to him, widening his eyes despite the stinging rain that pelted his features and howled in his ears. _I know Father wanted to go to the market again today, since all of the boaters are leaving tonight…_ Zhou Yu stared hard into his commander's eyes, weighing that information against all the other senseless pieces floating through his mind. Sun Ce shuffled impatiently against the cold wind and shook his silent warrior's shoulder.

"Yu? What is it? You've got that strategist look on your face again." Zhou Yu almost smirked at the designation, but he shoved the feeling away and began moving away, walking as quickly as his stride allowed in the direction of the rasping scrapes the young officer had noticed. As they had moved down the street, the river must have been growing further and further to the right, because either the mist was muting the sounds of the boats or there was still a fair distance between them…

"It's the traders." Sun Ce blinked at his answer, falling into an easy jog beside his swordsman and pushing their pace through the obscuring fog.

"Traders? You mean the festival guys?" Zhou Yu shook his head.

"It wasn't a festival. Hong told me they bring supplies down this river every few months – they probably turn around when they hit the Yangzi. That's why Yu Shan took you back to the village today – he wanted to buy a few more things before they left town." The Sun lord frowned, almost tripping as he skidded across a sizable puddle and splashed mud up to his knees.

"But what's that got to do with Shao?" the Little Conqueror demanded, chestnut ponytail sopping black across his shoulders. "I mean, we were just down there this afternoon! And the kid didn't seem like there was anything he wanted…"

The swordsman sighed, shaking his head again and dropping into a light run to match his companion's stride. "I don't know – but if he's not with them, I don't know where else to look."

For a long moment, they ran in silence, the contrasting tempo of their breaths the only sound breaking through the driving beat of the rain. Then Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed in concentration and he slowed to a walk, struggling to make out understandable shapes as the glow of lanterns and the shadows of unseen figures began to appear through the thick fog. It only took another moment for the shadows to gain definition, and abruptly the strategist found himself at the base of a plank bridge leading to the deck of a flat, covered boat, three more of which flanked the principal vessel on each side. Lanterns flickered along the river skiff's low rim, shaking as the bow dipped and rolled in the grip of the fast-moving current.

Now that he was close enough, the swordsman could tell that the creaks Sun Ce had detected were coming from the land lines, wrapped around mooring posts and straining to hold against the overflowing river's pull – the river had already overcome its banks and spilled onto the open dock, pooling beneath the gangplank only a few feet away. Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line as he watched the swelling water. At this rate, it wouldn't be long until none of the planks were long enough to reach the boat without being submerged—

"Hey, buddy!" Sun Ce's shout surprised his companion as much as it startled the tradesman jogging casually across the skiff's deck, and the drenched man paused awkwardly between the line of lanterns, squinting through the rain to make out the figures some distance away. The Sun lord waved for a moment to cement his attention before cupping a hand around his mouth, his shout echoing across the rippling water. "You seen a kid around here?"

The sailor's mouth moved in what might have been an answer, but it hardly mattered –even as the young officer spoke, a man the height of a small house and twice as bulky staggered down the gangplank of the next boat over, yelling unintelligibly and clutching a scruffy, struggling mop under one massive arm and a lantern in the other. Even through the rain and the endless mist, Zhou Yu recognized the farm boy's voice as his hollers resounded across the river fleet, drawing a few curious observers onto the well-lit decks.

"Lemme go, you big oaf! Put me down!"

Shao tried to kick his giant captor in the knee, but his legs only managed to flail uselessly behind him, unable to reach the tree trunk limbs moving purposefully to all sides. The boatman glanced around as he reached the base of the ramp and then caught sight of the Little Conqueror and his exasperated companion, his great pounding strides unmuffled by the rain as he moved to stand before them and dumped the youth unceremoniously at their feet. Shao yelped upon hitting the muddy ground and tried to squirm away, but Sun Ce dropped into a crouch and secured a hold on his slippery shoulder, preventing the boy's escape as Zhou Yu stared into the tradesman's beady eyes.

"This your stowaway?" the giant barked, his slurred voice rumbling across the unpaved plaza and flickering the lantern flames. The strategist sighed under his breath, rubbing absently at the headache once again building behind his temples.

"Essentially."

Shao wriggled in the Sun lord's grip and elbowed him in the gut, managing to regain his feet with a highly indignant expression plastered across his drenched features. The youth shook his head viciously and stomped his foot, an action which made Sun Ce wince as the muddy splatter caught him in the face.

"I'm not your anything! And I'm not a stowaway – I'm a real passenger!" The lord of Wu laughed as he straightened back to his full height, one hand locking into the collar of the boy's drowned robe and the other trapping his weak fists in a single grip.

"A real passenger, huh?" the young officer challenged, holding Shao easily despite his potent struggling. "You check that out with your father first?" At the mention of Yu Shan, the boy went completely rigid, turning to stone in Sun Ce's hands and staring wide-eyed at the swordsman behind him. Zhou Yu raised a noncommittal eyebrow, returning the youth's almost desperate gaze as the boatman cleared his throat and sniffed suspiciously, fastening both arms over his chest with the security of iron bars.

"Don't take passengers," he growled, spitting across the gangplank and wiping a dripping hand across his mouth. Shao squared his shoulders before rummaging around in his sopping sleeve, pulling a small bag triumphantly from the folds of the ruined fabric as a victorious smirk lit his childish features.

"See?" he crowed, waving the tiny bundle back and forth in front of the man's knobbed nose. The strategist felt his eyes widening as the contents of the parcel clinked familiarly, echoing the muffled jingle of coinage across the inquisitive tradesmen arrayed on every deck. "I brought passage! So let me on, you ogre! I'm a paying customer—"

"Whoa, hold it right there!" Sun Ce swept forward and caught the troublesome child in a headlock, eliciting a squawk from the captured youth as he snatched the miniscule purse out of his hand and peered at it through the curtains of rain soaking them both. The young officer shook the small bag to and fro, frowning as a louder jangle confirmed its contents. The Sun lord shared a look with his swordsman over one shoulder, ignoring his prisoner even as the boy kicked him squarely in the shin and struggled to bite his arm, screeching like a miniature banshee.

"Let me go! I hate you – why do you always have to ruin everything! I wish you'd never come to Shucheng at all—" The Little Conqueror's face hardened in a scowl, and then he flung the diminutive purse to his stoic warrior, spinning the hostage to face him and clapping two tough hands onto the boy's writhing shoulders.

"Okay, munchkin – three questions!" Shao's jaw clamped shut at Sun Ce's rough words, his eyes wide with shoddily concealed worry even as he stuck his chin out defiantly. The lord of Wu held up three fingers, counting down with each rapid inquiry that left his rain-spattered lips. "Where are you going, _why_ are you going, and where did you get that money?"

Zhou Yu could see that the youth's lips were trembling, but he put up a fight anyway, twisting madly in the displeased officer's grip and digging his nails into the Sun lord's arms where they held him captive. "I don't have to tell you anything—"

"Shut up and talk!" Whatever patience a week's frustration and their earlier argument had left Sun Ce with was clearly exhausted, and his amber eyes flashed dangerously as he shook the boy's shoulders, shattering rain from both of their soaking forms. "I'm not in the mood for games, tater tot, so let's have it straight this time!"

Shao stared up at the fuming lord in uncertain insolence for a long moment, his courage clearly warring with his caution – and then the boy let out a vicious cry and kicked the tonfa master in the ribs, staggering backward out of his hold as Sun lord doubled over and clutched his abdomen. "I said let go!"

Zhou Yu was tempted to aid his companion before anything else, but the awkward angle of the youth's backstep indicated how close he was to fleeing, and the swordsman snatched his arms instead, turning the child until his back was braced against the strategist's stomach and gripping his small biceps as tightly as he dared. Shao struggled viciously, but he'd lost the element of surprise, and even a merciless heel jammed into Zhou Yu's foot did nothing to weaken his hold. Sun Ce coughed a little and straightened slowly, rubbing his gut with a painfully resentful hand.

"Low blow, squirt – you already got me there once today."

The dark strategist frowned a little, regarding his commander evenly through the torrents of rain flashing between them and wondering just how strong the blow had actually been – but Shao was wriggling again, this time spitting words along with his futile wrenching.

"Fine, I'll talk! What do you think I'm doing, you big moron! I'm running away! And I don't care where I go, as long as it's not here!" Some of the boy's fire seemed to die as he finally admitted his intentions, and he slumped back into the swordsman's hold, his soaked bangs trembling a little as he shook his head. "I hate this place… I'm sick of being a rice farmer and I'm sick of being poor!"

It was hard to be sure through the drowning downpour, but Zhou Yu thought he could see tears collecting in the youth's inherited slate eyes and glimmering in the unsteady lantern light as he sniffed slightly. "I hate Sheng and Sui fighting at dinner because there's never enough, and I hate it most of all when Father gives me the last dumpling because I'm the oldest." Shao shook his head violently, chasing the softer words away as his voice returned to its former echoing yell. "So I'm leaving! They won't have to take care of me anymore – I don't need them to! I don't want their help anyway! I'll be fine all on my own!"

The strategist was surprised at the guilt and desperation that joined the defiance riddling his prisoner's tone, and Sun Ce blinked in equal shock, regarding the boy guardedly through the curtains of wind-whipped rain that separated them. But it didn't take the Little Conqueror long to recover from his initial astonishment, and he marched forward to grab Shao's shoulder after only a moment of contemplation, expression darkening back to blatant disapproval as he caught the child's startled gaze with his unusually serious amber eyes. The Sun lord shook his head, sopping ponytail slumping like a soaked rag from one side of his neck to the other and scattering raindrops into the continual downpour.

"Okay, kid – then explain the money." Shao started at the challenge, meeting Sun Ce's gaze for only an instant before his flitting glance dashed away and sought refuge between the heavy layers of fog consuming Shucheng. The young officer huffed, brushing his bangs away from his eyes as a knowing half-smile swallowed his lips. "Yeah, that's what I thought. You took that from your father, didn't you?" The boy slumped a little, curling back into the stoic swordsman behind him as the lord of Wu crossed his arms over his chest, his words blunt and harsh in the lashing wind. "Looks like you still need his help, after all."

Shao's eyes flashed fire at the accusation, and he renewed his fruitless fight against Zhou Yu's tireless hands, struggling to reach the unwanted lecturer with his weak fists. "Shut up! You don't know what it's like! You've always had money – you've always had people around to help you! You don't know how hard it is to do things all by yourself—"

Sun Ce moved so fast that his strategist almost didn't see it coming until the youth was yanked callously from his grip, one tan fist tightening in his poor collar and lifting him almost off of the ground with muscle strength alone. Shao gasped as he came face to face with the blazing eyes of the Sun lord, and his jaw instantly clamped shut, cutting off the rest of the words he'd been planning to shout and stuffing them back down his throat as the young officer stared him down, letting a moment go by in silence before he began to speak.

"Look, pal." Shao shrank from the deathly quiet voice, and Zhou Yu stiffened a little in his position behind the limp youth, studying his companion's features with experienced eyes as Sun Ce shook his head. "You want to talk about money? Fine. But whatever money can buy you isn't worth a _cent_ if you didn't earn it for yourself."

The force of the railing storm above them seemed to flash in the Sun lord's eyes as he glared straight into the boy's frightened face, his jaw tight against the screaming tempest. "Did you think about what your father was going to do with that money? Did you think about him trying to feed Sheng and Sui when he's short that much cash? Your sister's getting married, brat – what's he gonna give her husband? The farm? Then how's he supposed to feed anybody?"

Now Shao's eyes truly were overflowing with tears, and he struggled half-heartedly against the young officer's grip as the harsh words flooded his childish ears, stirring the anger that was always his first reaction. "I don't have a choice!" the boy shouted, kicking his feet uselessly back and forth above the unpaved ground and fighting to swallow his sobbing undertone. "Everything costs money, and I have to get out somehow! I don't want to be here anymore! Let me go, Master Sun Ce! Let go!"

But with all the agendas fueling Sun Ce's firm grip, letting go was not even a remote possibility, and he dragged the youth closer instead until they were almost nose to nose. The Little Conqueror shook his head once more, and Zhou Yu watched silently as every instant of his twenty-four years shot through the flaming amber eyes, igniting coals of displeasure at the center of each iris.

"If you want to make something of yourself, rugrat, I'm behind you all the way. Two hundred and sixty percent." Shao blinked back his tears and looked up at the almost inaudible statement, his countenance rife with confusion and uncertain rage. Sun Ce met his flailing slate eyes evenly, his free hand forming an empty fist at his side.

"But you don't sacrifice other people to get where you're going, kid. Especially not people who've taken care of you." The Sun lord ground his teeth together and raised his vacant fist, gaze never leaving the youth's trembling features. "You want to make something of yourself, you have to do it with your own two hands. And until you know how hard that is… don't tell other people they've got it easy."

For a long moment, the only sound in the entire port was the hammering rain and the creaking of the skiffs as they pulled at their land lines. Zhou Yu stood soundlessly and watched the hardened contours of his companion's countenance, remembering every scar he'd earned and every tear that had ever wound its way down his determined face, as the boatmen looked on in silence and Shao struggled to control his creeping sobs. Then at last Sun Ce sighed and lowered his hand, setting the farmer's eldest son back on his feet and reaching up to ruffle the boy's sodden charcoal hair.

"Come on, kid." Shao blinked up at the young officer as a real smile conquered his expression at last, driving away the serious visage so fast that it seemed like a trick of the flickering light. The Sun lord dropped a simple hand onto the youth's shoulder and gave a soft chuckle, shivering almost in time to his words as a fierce gust of wind circled the group and tore through their saturated clothes. "It's freezing out here. Let's go home before we all die of pneumonia."

Shao's deep gray eyes wavered as he gazed up into the lord of Wu's easing expression, shuddering where he stood and shedding raindrops in all directions, and for a moment Zhou Yu thought he was going to leap forward into Sun Ce's open arms and simply fall apart. But instead the child did something utterly unexpected – he shot between the two officers and careened headlong into the fog, vanishing down the riverbank in the opposite direction from the boats and Shucheng proper. The strategist shared a startled glance with his commander as the tonfa master's jaw dropped – and then the Sun lord turned and dashed after him headlong, slipping on the wealth of puddles and leaving his swordsman frozen in the middle of the port.

"Shao! Shao, wait up! Hey, kid—"

"Sun Ce!" But Zhou Yu's shout was just as vain as his companion's, and the dark warrior could only watch in alarm as the racing figure disappeared ahead of him, chasing Shao's steps under the cacophony of the worsening storm. Wu's leading swordsman swallowed a second call and the sigh that came with it as he pivoted on a quick heel, snatching the lantern out of the enormous boatman's hand before he too tore across the uneven plaza, aiming for the vanished shadows of his lord and the escaping child as his stolen light flashed unevenly across his feet.

"Thief!" The tradesman's distinctive rumble chased his footsteps down the artificial bank of the river, accompanied by a higher warning in the melding voice of several boaters.

"Hey, you! It's dangerous—"

"Don't go that way! The water level's still rising—"

And then the strategist could hear no more, the rain and the wind swallowing their well-meaning words and driving him erratically forward through the muck of the drowning mire. Zhou Yu kept his eyes fixed on his feet, staying a good distance from the lapping edge of the river and trusting the irregular circle of the lantern's light to land his steps in wet pockets of ground instead of hidden wellsprings as he left the heavily traveled port behind. He couldn't see Sun Ce or Shao through the dense, unyielding fog that was even thicker the closer he got to the tributary – but at least it was easy to trace their path, heavy footfalls having trampled the grass and reeds almost to ground level. The swordsman gritted his teeth in worry as he noticed their track angling closer and closer to the roaring river, and he picked up speed, shouting as loudly as his short breaths allowed.

"Sun Ce! Shao!"

"Here!"

The nearness of the response surprised him, and Zhou Yu came to an abrupt halt as a figure distinguished itself from the billowing fog, heading in his direction and skidding to a stop once it reached his side. The Sun lord pointed on ahead of them and leaned both hands on his knees, squinting against the rain as he fought to catch his breath.

"He went that way – but I couldn't see a thing, so I lost him around the next corner." Sun Ce shook his head and straightened again, dashing his waterlogged bangs out of his eyes. "Damn that kid's got a pair of legs! Was he raised by rabbits?"

The strategist pressed his lips into a thin line, staring through the mist that blocked their path and lifting the lantern a little higher in a futile attempt at better visibility. "He's frightened. And he's heading for the water, so we'd better catch him. Hurry."

The young lord didn't need telling twice, and the Wu officers set off at a dead sprint, Zhou Yu slipping easily into the lead so his stolen light could illuminate the ground for both of them. The rain came down in sheets around and across them, threatening the oil flame within its veil, but the swordsman pressed on without hesitation, crushing the long river reeds beneath his rushed footsteps as he traced Shao's singular path through the wide expanse of mud. Twice his feet stuck in the ever-advancing mire, and twice Sun Ce gave a short yelp as he sunk past his ankles in an unforeseen patch of sludge – but the two warriors did not so much as pause in their endless search, two pairs of eyes scanning the banks to their left and glancing occasionally at the viciously swirling water on the right. Zhou Yu ground his teeth together and hoped with all his might that the boy hadn't made a mistake, misstepping along the bank and falling into the current that would be much too strong to swim—

"Yu!"

Instantly the strategist stopped, years of war at the Sun lord's side halting his feet the moment the Little Conqueror's shout left his lips. Sun Ce gestured up ahead to where the bank disappeared in a thicket of cypress, their sturdy boughs trembling under the force of the rain as they reached tentatively across the river – and there was Shao, clinging to the thick trunk of the third tree down and struggling to make his way around it as his tiny hands dug into the bark for some impression of security. Zhou Yu's heart stopped as the boy's foot slipped and plunged into the racing water that was only inches from his tenuous route, but Shao's grip held, and the youth stopped moving as he hugged the trunk desperately and buried his face in the rough bark.

Without a second thought, Sun Ce shot forward through the fog and reached the cypress grove, drawing the child's attention with his movement and his voice. "Hang in there, kid! I'm coming!" Even as he spoke, the young officer was clambering through the twisted boughs and gripping the gnarled trunk of the first tree with slippery hands, reckless and unsteady in his progress. The dark swordsman cursed his companion's rashness and chased after him, coming to a necessary halt as he reached the grove and realized he couldn't climb after the Sun lord with a lantern in one hand, and that leaving the lantern behind meant losing the only light they had—

"Go away!" Shao's voice was as unsteady as his hands, digging into the drenched skin of the cypress as he struggled to move farther down the bank. "I told you to leave me alone!" Zhou Yu's eyes skimmed quickly across the back of the grove, seeking a way through the tangle of trees that didn't involve clambering along the slippery riverbed. There was a small break in the copse wall just beyond the waterfront line, but whether it continued deep enough to be useful was something he couldn't know without trying…

Wu's leading strategist took a deep breath and threw himself into the gap between the trees, wincing as sharp branches found his exposed skin and clamping his free hand around the prolific boughs to propel himself forward over the slick ground. He fought his way closer to the bank until only one set of trees separated him from Sun Ce, who was making his way far too quickly across the contorted cypress roots. One foot slipped and sent the Sun lord up to his waist in the swift-flowing river, shooting Zhou Yu's heart straight into his throat before the Little Conqueror regained his balance and pulled himself into the tree boughs again, no wetter for his brief swim than the rain had already made him.

Sun Ce laughed a little as he wiped sopping bangs away from his eyes, amber gaze flickering like firelight in the unsteady lantern. "Come on, midget, don't do this!" His almost offhand shout echoed over the water, making Shao tremble yet harder as the determined officer clambered into the second tree and almost lost his grip on the trunk. "It's all fun and games until somebody goes in the river – and if you think it's cold now, I swear this is _nothing_ compared to that water! You sure you're up for a swim?"

Zhou Yu pushed his way forward through the tangled boughs of the reluctant grove, keeping pace with the Sun lord as he crawled deftly through the second tree and reached the edge of the third, pausing as the child shrunk back from his extended hand into the net of the lower branches. Shao's eyes were wide and he shivered violently, squeezing the trunk of his chosen obstacle as the young officer crawled yet closer. Sun Ce sighed heavily and wrapped one arm around the third tree's protruding limbs as the other reached for the boy's soaking shoulder, smiling despite the endless rain pelting his face and the raging river just beneath him.

"Come on, kid – give me your hand."

Shao bit his lip, quivering as he closed his eyes and hid his face against the rough bark, refusing to move even as the Sun lord shuffled forward and found he couldn't get between the last rungs of the tree's oppressive boughs. Zhou Yu watched him anxiously from behind the curtain of cypresses, close enough the see the beads of sweat collecting across his forehead but too far to touch him.

"Ce, be careful."

The young officer laughed at his companion's familiar command, his fingers digging into the flesh of the third tree as he leaned as close to the frightened child as he could get. "I'm fine, Yu." The swordsman didn't believe him, but there was nothing he could do except push his way a little farther through the unyielding branches, lifting his lantern to illuminate the Sun lord's steps. Sun Ce once more extended his hand, drawing the stranded youth's eyes up to his own burning amber as he smiled.

"It's gonna be okay, Shao. Come on. Trust me, buddy."

The boy shook his head, clinging to the cypress trunk as sobs racked his tiny form and any hint of defiance vanished. "I'm scared!" The pitiful cry echoed across the river and through the grove behind him, pressing Zhou Yu's lips into a grim line as his commander chuckled under his breath.

"I know. But I'm not gonna let anything happen to you – that's a promise." Shao blinked back his tears, face splattered with cold and fear as he returned the Sun lord's unwavering gaze. Sun Ce stretched his arm as far as it would go, leaning precariously across the web of tangled boughs. "You've gotta give me your hand, Shao. Then we can go home, okay? Just give me your hand."

For a long moment, the child remained unmoving against the thick trunk, his fingers shaking dangerously as tears coursed down his cheeks and melded with the rain. Then finally Shao tore one hand from its grip around a secure branch and threw it into the Sun lord's palm, sobbing in terror as the tan fingers snapped tight around his wrist and pulled him back toward his soaking rescuer. The youth's feet slipped on the snarled roots as he moved, and his cry of pure fear rang against the sloping valley sides and straight through the billowing fog, but the Little Conqueror had an arm around his waist and the other wound firmly through the tree boughs, and the boy's progress toward the river stopped with one sliding step. Sun Ce smiled over his shoulder at the worried strategist trapped inside the grove's interlocking walls, hands tightening into the child's ruined robes as he winked through the driving rain.

"It's okay, Yu – I got him."

Zhou Yu heartbeat refused to ebb, racing through every vein in time to his short, anxious breaths. Shao sniffled and buried his face in the young officer's dripping shirt, all of his immature bravado well and completely drowned by the raging storm. The Sun lord shook his head and patted the boy's back, drawing the petrified slate eyes up to his own as he cocked his chin back up the bank.

"Let's get out of here, squirt." The youth swallowed hard, judging the slick roots and slippery branches behind them with frozen terror. Sun Ce gave him an encouraging smile. "You can do it. I'll be right behind you – don't worry." Shao stared at him for another moment in hesitation, searching for reassurance in the cheerful amber eyes – then Yu Shan's eldest son drew himself and slithered out of the young officer's arms, clambering slowly and unsteadily through the menacing snare of cypress limbs. The lord of Wu slid into step behind him, following the boy closely and giving him advice as they scrambled into the second tree, the dark swordsman shadowing them from inside the grove.

"There you go, rugrat, hold onto the big branch – whoa, watch that root!" Shao staggered and cried out as his foot caught on a protruding core, scraping his palm against the trunk's rough bark. The Sun lord dropped a steadying hand onto his shoulder and gave a hard laugh, focus coalescing in his eyes as shook his head. "Come on, kid… you can do this. It's just a little farther."

The youth was sobbing again, but he swept a hand across his eyes and stumbled forward through the pouring rain, staggering over the root again and clinging to the trunk of the tree. Zhou Yu's heart leapt into his throat at the boy's uncertain footing, relaxing only slightly as he wound his hand through the thick branches and regained his balance, the Little Conqueror close on his heels. The strategist forced himself to breathe out, watching in borderline panic as the small group began to move again and the rescued child reached the border of the first tree at last. It was only a few more steps, and then they'd be back on the mud of their inward trail, far from the leaping tongues of the overflowing stream and the slithering roots of the cypress—

Shao slipped.

With an earsplitting scream, the boy lost his footing and then his balance, crashing into the river and disappearing with an enormous splash. Zhou Yu's eyes shot wide and his heart completely stopped – but adrenaline almost burst the stalled core as Sun Ce dove after him without a moment's thought, disappearing beneath the black glass of the water with an even greater smash.

"Sun Ce!"

But his shout was useless, utterly unable to reach the vanished officer – just as he was, caged behind the thick cypress overgrowth. Zhou Yu turned and ran as fast as he could back through the grove, ignoring the boughs that tore at his flesh and assaulted him from every angle as he followed the bank and kept his eyes locked on the rushing course of the river. He couldn't see anything – not a hand, not a shoulder, not the struggling of an underwater swimmer. It was as though the water had swallowed them in one swift breath and pulled them beneath its silted rockbed—

With a burst of renewed rain, the swordsman stumbled out the other side of the cypress grove, staggering to maintain his pace as he landed on mired earth instead of tree roots once more. Almost at the same instant, a gasping form hit the surface of the water, breaking above the river's swirling depths in a flurry of coughing. Zhou Yu almost lost his balance as he recognized Sun Ce's drenched features, and his adrenaline shot straight to his feet, pushing him forward fast enough to beat the current as the Sun lord bobbed up and down and errant swells crashed over his head.

"Ce! Hang on!"

The strategist wasn't even sure his lord could hear him above the roar of water in his ears, but it didn't matter – he forced himself faster and pushed ahead of the current-captured officer, dashing a shortcut through a bamboo copse to beat a bend in the river. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth as he noticed how high the bank was becoming – already he wouldn't be able to reach the water from the top level, and the lower shore was all quagmire mud. But the swordsman kept running, casting quick glances over his shoulder to keep an eye on his sputtering companion and the small boy clutched against his chest as they rode the river tide, bashing between storm debris and the unseen obstacles of the bed below them.

_Think._ The command hardly helped, but Zhou Yu forced his eyes back to the ground ahead of him, scanning the peeling edges of the rising bank for any form of solution._ There has to be somewhere_—

The earth beneath him gave way, and the strategist fell down a slick embankment, rolling as he hit the ground and hissing against bruising ribs as the lantern tumbled out of his hands to flicker feebly a short distance away. Completely covered now in frigid mud, the swordsman shoved himself up on his hands, blinking as he discovered that he'd stumbled into a hidden shallow covered with clumps of juniper and water shrubs. The river was only a short distance away from him, and perhaps an arm's length down—

"Yu! Over here—"

The spluttering cough widened his obsidian eyes, and Zhou Yu pushed himself to his feet, searching the river in panic and watching as the bobbing form of his struggling companion headed toward him in the grip of the current. A quick glance confirmed that the sides of the embankment were just as steep as the slope he'd fallen down, with no chance of climbing out before Sun Ce had been carried past him—

The strategist yanked his borrowed shirt over his head and tore it roughly in half to form a long strip of soaking cloth, plunging into a crouch on the sopping ground. His hands were shaking from the cold, but Zhou Yu bit his tongue to force them still, knotting one end of the fabric to a heavy juniper base and the wrapping the other around his ankle so tightly he could feel his foot losing circulation. Then the swordsman slid forward on his stomach, straining against the makeshift anchor as his ribs hit the edge of the bank and his arms stretched as far as they could go across the swirling river. He could see the Sun lord struggling to swim toward his side of the stream, but there was no way of knowing if it would be far enough. The bundle of soaking figures swept closer and closer, fighting the current just out of reach, just upstream from his position—

Sun Ce grabbed for his strategist's arms and missed, dunking himself and Shao back under the river from his flailing effort, and Zhou Yu's heart dropped into the pit of his stomach as they vanished from sight.

His hands shot beneath the surface of the frigid water and found fabric, and he pulled with all his might, dragging the Little Conqueror back above the surface by the shoulders of his slippery shirt. The young officer gasped as air reentered his lungs, and his swordsman ground his teeth together as he latched onto his commander's arm instead of the shifting cloth, feeling the surge of added weight all the way through his anchored leg and down the juniper trunk as he brought the soaking pair to a tenuous halt.

Sun Ce coughed and looked up at him through the raging storm, his amber eyes shimmering in the light of the fighting lantern, and the adrenaline in Zhou Yu's system shot through his muscles once more, desperate to pull his struggling companion from the jaws of the racing river. Wu's dark strategist reached out and grabbed hold of Shao's collar where he was nestled against the Sun lord's chest, dragging the youth backward out of the water and shoving him roughly onto the bank behind him with a force his right arm should not have managed alone.

The boy fell to the side in a fit of coughing, crumpling into a ball and shivering beneath his dripping robes as the mud soaked into him and stained his chalk-white skin. Instantly Sun Ce's freed hand clenched around Zhou Yu's elbow, and the swordsman turned back to the water to meet his commander's gaze again, pulling the young officer forward until he could get an arm around his waist.

For an interminable moment, Zhou Yu struggled to pull him up the high bank, fighting for control with the swelling river current. Blood from his bitten tongue slipped through his teeth and down the corner of his mouth, vanishing under the pressure of the shrieking storm – and then with a burst of adrenaline the strategist locked his arms beneath the Sun lord's and hurled himself backward, pulling his commander's back against his chest and writhing up to his knees to draw the sopping warrior out of the water.

Sun Ce's feet scrabbled for a hold against the mud-caked slope as Zhou Yu dug his knees into the mired earth and ground his teeth together, dragging them both away from the edge of the river as the rain pounded across his straining features. Then they fell back in a tangled heap, landing thoughtlessly amid the sludge of the crumbling embankment. The swordsman winced as a jagged rock dug into his shirtless back, but he had no will to move, both arms wrapped around the young officer's torso as tight as they would go and his lungs struggling to draw breath from the saturated air.

For a long minute, no one moved, and the only sound was the angry hiss of the wind and rain slapping the river surface ahead of them. Then Sun Ce gave a breathless laugh, turning his head to rest against his strategist's bare chest and blinking up at him with sodden amber eyes.

"Your heart's beating… so fast…"

Zhou Yu ran a pale hand through the sopping strands of his chestnut ponytail, obsidian gaze flickering across the drained contours of his companion's face.

"You scare me to death, Ce."

Sun Ce smiled, content for a long moment to close his eyes and lie still in the swordsman's arms. Then at last the lord of Wu pushed himself up onto his elbows, clambering unsteadily to his feet and glancing around the muddy bank before nodding almost anticlimactically to his comrades.

"Well… what say we get home, huh?" The comment drew a sniffle from the shivering boy hunched a few feet away, who rubbed at his wavering eyes and choked on a sob as Zhou Yu rose gingerly to a sitting position and began unfastening the anchor cloth from around his ankle.

"I'm sorry, Master Sun Ce…"

The Sun lord laughed, leaning down to ruffle the boy's plastered hair with a mindless hand. "Hey, no harm done," he assured the youth easily, shrugging under the force of the typhoon winds. "Just one more adventure to add to the list. You've gotta experience as many things as possible in life, tater tot – and this was a new one."

Wu's dark strategist scoffed as his pulse gradually returned to normal, straightening to his full height and releasing the ruined fabric to the confines of the juniper bush. "Hardly. You've been swept away in a flood before," he reminded the young officer, memories of their campaign against Lu Kang invading his thoughts. Shao's eyes went wide as saucers, and he pushed himself excitedly to his feet, gazing up at the Little Conqueror with new respect as all trace of his tears evaporated.

"You were in a flood?!" Sun Ce laughed at the boy's eager response.

"Sure was. That was a good adventure, too – right, Yu?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, moving to stand at the youth's side and catching his attention with a hand on his small arm.

"I'll carry you home." Shao nodded in some attempt at gratitude, but his gaze was preoccupied, and he accidentally stepped on the swordsman's fingers as the dark warrior knelt down and Yu Shan's son clambered up his back to latch both arms around his neck. The curious child peered over his stoic shoulder from piggyback position as the Sun lord retrieved their fallen lantern, his slate eyes glowing with fascination.

"What happened? Did you fall off a boat? Were there sharks?"

The young officer chuckled, catching his companion's flat look across the muddied expanse, and then Zhou Yu began to move, shaking his head as they climbed carefully up the slick embankment to reach the higher path. He could practically hear Sun Ce's ego inflating with the interest of his audience, confidence and exaggeration echoing through the mist around them as the small group moved slowly back toward Shucheng, the lantern flickering in time to the lord of Wu's words.

"It all started when the great warrior Sun Ce had to save this weakling named Lu Meng from a forest ambush…"

.x.

When they finally arrived back at the diminutive cottage, it was to great excitement and anxiety. It hadn't taken Yu Shan very long to realize his eldest son was missing, and in the hour that had passed since their heedless chase through the storm-swallowed streets, the family had all reached a fevered panic, which became all the more potent when Sheng and Sui discovered that their houseguests were missing as well.

The rain was pounding without respite as they reached the top of the terraces that marked the Yu family property, and at the sight of the three figures the farmer and his frantic wife had rushed from the well-lit structure to meet them halfway across the grounds. Shao was still shivering as they pulled him worriedly from the swordsman's back, but by now any traces of fear had left him completely, banished by the tales of the Sun lord's fantastic exploits – which the young officer in question was more than willing to recount.

"Shao! Where on earth have you been?" Yu Niang's voice was shrill with panic as she clutched the soaking boy to her equally sodden chest, nearly strangling him in her frenetic ferocity. Shao coughed a little and pushed away from his mother's terrified arms, a brilliant smile taking hold of his sopping features as he bounced on the balls of his feet, eager to relate the story of his own adventure.

"I fell in the river!" the boy announced, glowing with an odd kind of pride as Yu Niang's hands flew to her mouth and her husband's face lost its color. "Sun Ce saved my life! Master Zhou Yu, too!"

The Sun lord laughed a little and scratched the back of his head, almost self-conscious at the unabashed praise coming from the child his act of heroism had completely won over. "It was nothing," the young officer countered with an easy shrug, but his unshakable smile seemed to destroy whatever effect his words achieved, and Yu Shan fell to his knees in a full bow as his wife snatched their son again and clutched him between her terrified arms.

"Master Sun Ce! That you would do something so incredible for a boy of our poor means is – it's unimaginable! We do not deserve such charity!" The Little Conqueror took a step back, holding up both hands in a gesture of surprised surrender as the rain bombarded the entire company and splattered mud across Yu Shan's hunched form.

"Whoa, hey – like I said, it wasn't a big deal. The kid just fell in, so I jumped—"

Yu Niang fell to her knees beside her husband, drawing a sharp yelp from Shao as he was nearly dragged into the dirt as well. "Master Sun Ce! You risked your own life to save our son?!" The Sun lord took another step away from the grateful farmers, glancing apprehensively between the host and his formerly unfriendly wife as they dipped their heads in a flurry of repeated bows.

"Well, I guess, but—"

Yu Shan leapt to his feet, covering the short distance between them at a speed startling for a man of his age and grabbing Sun Ce's hand in his own wrinkled fingers before dropping into a kneel once again. "Master Sun Ce! How could you put yourself in danger so recklessly like that?" The peasant's question matched the undying admiration shining in his slate eyes as he bowed fiercely, his chin snapping up and down in almost painfully fast gestures of reverence. "Had I known a man of such virtue and bravery had requested lodging, I would never have allowed you to sleep in our lowly shed! How can we ever repay you for this incredible debt? What could I give you to equal kindness this great?"

Yu Niang did not follow her husband's advance, but she picked up the train of lamentation nonetheless, rising back to her feet and wrapping both arms around Shao's highly indignant form. "Master Sun Ce, you must forgive me – I have been so rude in my treatment of you the entire time you were my guest. Had I known what lengths you were willing to go for my son, I _never_ would have forced my husband to lodge you outside! Knowing what kind of a character you possess, I would have been honored if you took an interest in my daughter!"

The young officer looked downright alarmed at this newest declaration, and he shot his silent strategist a look over one sodden shoulder, frowning at the motionless warrior behind him. "Hey – you mind helping out here?" Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his bare chest and swallowed a slight smile, indifference raising a cynical eyebrow.

"The great warrior Sun Ce deigns to ask for assistance?" Sun Ce stuck out his tongue.

"You're just jealous 'cause you don't have as many stories," he accused, making a face at the swordsman behind him and turning back to his groveling host with a measure of uncertainty capturing his expression. Wu's dark strategist rolled his eyes, but he took pity on his irrepressible commander anyway, stepping forward as a cold burst of wind swirled the screeching storm across the group and sent a shiver down the Sun lord's spine. Zhou Yu's movement drew Yu Shan's gaze up to his calm features as the dark warrior shook his head, dismissing the open offer and Yu Niang's vaguely worrying pronouncement with a soft wave of his hand.

"Your gratitude is understandable. But you have already given us food and shelter for five days without asking anything in return, and to demand anything more would be inappropriate."

The swordsman's carefully polite response made the farmer hesitate, and Zhou Yu continued before their eager host could come up with a suitable counterargument, one chilled hand reaching up to rest against the equally frigid contours of Sun Ce's back as his obsidian eyes hardened beneath the cold rain.

"All I ask now is that you take Sun Ce and Shao inside and put them before the fire as quickly as possible – they've both been into the river, and are likely to take ill if they remain wet much longer." Yu Shan started at the sensible request, and he rose swiftly to his feet, startling the Sun lord again with the speed of his movements.

"Of course – forgive me, Master Zhou Yu. Please, come inside at once – all of you. Hong has been warming tea, and Sui can gather the blankets…"

As he spoke, the farmer took hold of the young officer's shoulders and steered him toward the lamplight spilling from the cottage's open door, where his other three children were waiting anxiously and peering at the commotion through the curtains of rain. Yu Niang had already gone on ahead, clucking at Shao under her breath and fussing over his drenched features with the passion only a panicked mother possessed. Zhou Yu let his hand slip from the Little Conqueror's back as Yu Shan guided him across the grounds, and the loss of contact made Sun Ce stop, pausing in his steps to glance back over his shoulder at the unmoving strategist.

"Yu? What's the matter? Aren't you coming inside, too?"

The swordsman shook his head, a tiny smirk threatening the corners of his lips despite the railing storm that buffeted them from all angles. "I think I'll put a shirt on first," Zhou Yu muttered, tossing his head in the general direction of the glowing residence.

The Sun lord blinked for a moment, clearly baffled – then his eyes fell on the figure of the farmer's daughter in the doorway and an impish grin lit his face, chasing the night's icy wind away with the simple power of his smile. "You sure?" he teased, earning a confused look from the peasant at his side. "You look pretty tough with all those scratches on your chest. I think girls like that."

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath, glancing idly down at the shallow wounds the cypress grove had inflicted, only thin lines of red against his pale flesh and nothing at all compared to the various scars that wars for conquest had given him. "My point exactly," he replied smoothly, catching the young officer's gaze once more. "Now get inside before you actually do freeze to death."

Sun Ce smiled, one hand coming up to scratch the back of his neck as his amber eyes burned into their obsidian opposites through the endless rain. Then the Sun lord laughed and turned away, moving toward the cottage at Yu Shan's side as his final reply echoed through the shrieking storm.

"Fine, have it your way. But come inside soon, okay? You're just as wet as I am!" Zhou Yu watched his companion's retreating back until the two men disappeared behind the hovel's swinging door, lamplight streaming through every crack in the structure's walls to make the raindrops glisten like pearls of jade – then he turned away and entered the storage shed, sighing in relief as the numbing sting of the rain disappeared from his bare skin.

For a moment the swordsman went no further than just beyond the door, soaking in the silence and calm of the shadowed interior. Wu's dark strategist swallowed a heavy breath and brought one pale hand up to massage his temples, onyx eyes slipping closed against the weight of the night's long excursion as he willed the tension from his shoulders and eased into the soft sounds of the rain above him. Then Zhou Yu sighed and forced himself forward once again, retrieving his still-dripping shirt from the seat of the Sun lord's makeshift bench and regarding it silently through the darkness of the expelled storm.

It was over now – Sun Ce was safe, and warm, and the incidental blows to his own torso were the worst damage anyone had sustained. But no matter how frightening the reality, it was always worse to think about what could have happened, after all of the adrenaline had vanished from his veins and his pulse had settled back to normal. What could have happened if he hadn't been able to reach Sun Ce in time, or if he hadn't been strong enough to pull him out of the water…

The swordsman shook his head, a self-depreciating smile settling across his lips. The Sun lord would tell him that there was no point in thinking about the worst case scenarios – that he was invincible. But Zhou Yu knew there was no such thing as invincibility, and it was his companion's claim to that impossible state that scared him the most. The strategist slipped the damp shirt over his head and pulled it straight as well as he could, turning back to face the door as he shook droplets of rain from his soaking form.

If the Little Conqueror insisted on being reckless, he would just have to make sure he never missed – never once let the carefree hands slip through his fingers. But between combat for territory and the never-ending political battleground of Wu that sometimes sent them in different direction, the swordsman's worry lingered in his stomach, painting his expression preoccupied as he pushed the shack's weak door open and surrendered himself to the rain once again. Zhou Yu stared up into the invisible clouds as the storm pelted his face with the force of a thousand tiny hailstones, feeling the wind cold against his exposed neck and hoping absently that the weather wouldn't be nearly so inclement on their way back to Wu – then he shook himself and headed for the cottage at a loose jog, his feet sinking in the mired earth with every rapid step.

The distance between the storage shed and the Yu family's dwelling was very short – but nonetheless, he didn't make it. The strategist was only halfway between the equally meager structures when a familiar sound stopped him in his tracks, drawing his attention away from the light of the glowing residence and back in the direction of Shucheng. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed as he swept the rain away from his face, struggling in vain to make out anything through the fog and downpour clouding his vision. There was only one thing he knew of that could make that sort of rhythmic pounding, but that didn't explain what a galloping horse was doing in Shucheng so late at night, or why it was careening up the terraces in his direction—

The swordsman's obsidian eyes widened as the rider suddenly came into clear view, soaked to the skin and exhaling steam with each heavy breath as he crashed heedlessly up the muddied hillside. Zhou Yu dodged left as the racing animal tore across the Yu family grounds and stopped abruptly just in front of him, hooves flashing through the stolen light as the rider leapt from its back and hit a kneeling position in one fluent movement, managing to grab his mount's reins on the way down and hold the panting, jerking creature captive at his side.

"Lord Zhou Yu! Urgent message for yourself and Lord Sun Ce!"

The strategist stared at the kowtowing man in startled silence for a moment, unable to process more than the whickering of his and the Sun lord's curious horses at the new arrival and the heavy breathing of the messenger before him. Then he shook himself and stepped forward, slipping instantly into political mind frame as he met the rider's raven eyes through the force of the storm and his expression became deathly serious.

"Please wait a moment. Sun Ce is—"

But the cabin door bursting open behind him and spilling four figures into the squall invalidated his words before he could finish, and in a flurry of dashing footsteps the Little Conqueror was at his side, one hand taking hold of his swordsman's drenched shoulder.

"Yu? What's going on?"

Zhou Yu shook his head, unable to give the young officer any more information than he already had – but the envoy took his cue well, and he dipped his head in another bow before straightening to his full height, absently brushing the raindrops from his bearded chin. Yu Shan's family looked on in shock as the messenger wrapped the reins tighter around his wrist and pulled a validating seal from his pocket, dropping the cold stone solemnly into the grim strategist's hand.

"I bring an urgent message from Lord Taishi Ci. Liu Xun has moved to invade our territory at Liyang – we are holding him back for now, but morale has been steadily declining as our supplies diminish, and we will not last long. Lord Taishi Ci requests your immediate assistance."

His message delivered, the envoy dropped into another kneel, his head bowed in the traditional style and all the more wilted for the weight of the tempest pounding across his neck. Zhou Yu shared a look with the instantly grave commander at his side, their eyes exchanging the messages of battle and strategy they had become so accustomed to over the course of the conquest of Wu. But there was another aspect to the blazing amber this time – an unanswered question that flickered in his even gaze, the truncated end of their argument…

_Isn't that more important than anything else – than any of this? What we've worked for together?_

Sun Ce stepped forward, breaking eye contact with his swordsman and drawing the messenger's glance to his tight lips. The Sun lord shook his head as the rain fell in steady sheets around them, soaking the entire gathering and making the envoy's waiting horse shiver beneath its sweat-drenched coat.

"Tell Taishi Ci we'll come as soon as we can. But Yu's father is dying – that's what we're doing here. And we're not going to leave until—"

"No."

The young officer halted abruptly at his strategist's simple interruption, blinking amber eyes turning to find their obsidian opposites through the flashing storm. Zhou Yu shook his head soundly, one hand brushing the soaked strands of dark hair away from his face as he stared evenly into his companion's confused countenance and a tiny smile pulled at the corners of his lips.

"Wu is more important than this, Ce… more important than anything. There's no need to wait – we'll move immediately to aid Taishi Ci."

Of course it was. It always had been. He'd told Zhou Fan the exact same thing – he'd left Shucheng for the same reason. The swordsman didn't know why he'd hesitated in his answer earlier – but from the shining grin that lit Sun Ce's face at his unwavering words, he knew the Little Conqueror didn't mind the wait. The Sun lord laughed under his breath, and the easy sound forced Zhou Yu's lips into a full smile as well, dispelling whatever aspects of their argument had been lodged like gravel between his ribs. All of the unsaid words vanished from the back of his mind, taking the lingering bitterness with them, and once again the warmth of his sunshine companion was all the dark warrior could feel, stronger than the wind and the slashing rain against his sodden skin.

For a long moment, no one moved, watching the lord of Wu and his loyal strategist as unspoken messages flashed between their entwined eyes. Then at last Sun Ce shook himself and nodded hard, jumping into action as he slammed one fist against his open palm and wheeled to face the Wolf general's courier.

"Okay – we'd better get out of here, then. Yu and I only have a few things to grab… dress the horses, and we'll be right back," he instructed smoothly, gesturing to the lean-to a short distance away with one ardent hand. Taishi Ci's envoy dipped his head in quick acknowledgement and spun on a mud-slicked heel, heading for the animals in question with purposeful military strides and drawing his own mount efficiently behind him. The Sun lord turned back to his swordsman and nodded again, unable to stop that charismatic smile from capturing his lips as he stared into the equally untroubled obsidian eyes. "Let's go, Yu. Taishi Ci's pretty bad-tempered, but he wouldn't call for help unless it was serious."

Zhou Yu nodded as well, matching his companion's pace as the young lord moved decisively toward the unlit storage shed – but they hadn't gone two strides before Yu Shan stopped them, stepping forward from his huddled family and glancing between his guests with an understandable degree of uncertainty coloring his graying features. "Master Sun Ce… please, what's going on here?"

Shao piped up as well from somewhere between his mother's protective arms, adding his own demanding inquiries to his father's softer ones and peering around Yu Niang's sagging sleeves in delighted curiosity. "Why was he calling you Lord Sun Ce? Lord of what?" As always seemed to happen with small children, the farmer's son had almost more questions than his own tongue could handle, and they spouted from his lips like the flowering blossoms of a late hibiscus, dodging the raindrops and halting both officers in their mud-ridden tracks. "Who's Taishi Ci? What's Liyang? And what's Wu? Where are you going?"

Sun Ce's smile took on a mildly awkward element, becoming just a little forced at the corners as he surveyed the tight knot of the Yu family clustered against the side of their hovel, Hong and Sui's heads peering out the front door to observe the spectacle without getting wet. Then Zhou Yu sighed and the Little Conqueror ran a hand through his sopping ponytail with a light shrug, his motion as candid as the answer slipping in slight amusement from his strategist's lips.

"Lord Sun Ce, pacifier and ruler of the Wu Territory to the southeast. Taishi Ci is one of our officers, and Liyang is his protectorate. And that's where we're going."

The swordsman shook his head a little, considering Wu's southernmost county and the Wolf general's commandery as Shao's jaw nearly hit the ground and Yu Shan's face lost what little color the cold storm winds had allowed it to retain. He'd had a feeling Liu Xun would become trouble if Sun Ce was out of Wu for too long – perhaps it was just a blessing that his incursion was coming now, at the end of their long journey rather than the beginning.

The Sun lord shook his head, shooting his strategist a cheeky smile over one shoulder as he rubbed his chin thoughtfully and brushed his drenched bangs out of his face. "Pacifier and ruler of the Wu Territory, huh? I think I like it. Can we carve that somewhere?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"Don't let it go to your head," he advised flatly. But their peasant hosts were anything but helpful in that regard – Yu Shan and his eldest son dashed forward simultaneously across the treacherous ground, one to drop into a deep kowtow and the other to snatch the young officer's arm.

"Lord Sun Ce! Forgive my offenses!" The farmer's voice was almost desperate in its plea, and his slate eyes shone with far more moisture than the night's unending storm as he gazed imploringly up at the startled lord of Wu. "Had I known… your name sounded familiar, but…" Shao cut his father off, yanking hard on Sun Ce's wrist and dispelling the older man's fumbling, anxious words with his childish enthusiasm.

"You mean you really are a warrior? You didn't make that stuff up?" The Sun lord frowned a little at the backhanded insult, but the boy pressed on before he could summon a snappy retort, youthful eyes shining with an adoration they'd lacked a scant few hours earlier. "Are you the emperor?" The boy's breathless question brought another brilliant smile to the young officer's lips, and Sun Ce laughed as he ruffled Shao's sodden hair beneath a casual hand.

"Not yet, rugrat – but I'm going to be."

His bold pronouncement held the entire company in silence for a long moment as the peasant family stared open-mouthed at their previously unremarked houseguest, captivated by the warmth of his charming smile and stunned by his steadfast conviction. Zhou Yu watched their hosts in silence, studying the light of admiration flooding each of the small boys' eyes and the awed respect flushing Hong's bashful cheeks under the pressure of the whisking wind.

Times were hard, and the power struggles far removed from the citizenry they were truly struggling over – and chances were that the star-struck children before him would never again lay eyes on one of the men striving to control their very existence, let alone find another willing to sleep in their storage shack and save their brother from a flooding river. In that respect, Sun Ce truly was one of a kind – and regardless of the level of idiocy that came with that reckless, open character, Zhou Yu had to smile a little as he watched the confident grin lighting his companion's countenance. Perhaps the unique light the Sun lord spread to all those he touched was worth the troubles that came with it… perhaps there was something believable in that unfounded optimism after all.

_Willing to sleep in their storage shack…_

The sudden wayward thought dropped a cold weight into the strategist's stomach, and his eyes narrowed as he spun on a quick heel, whirling to face the lean-to where Taishi Ci's envoy was busily saddling their uncertain, pawing horses. "Soldier! A moment please!"

His shout rang across the poor grounds like a crash of forgotten thunder, startling the man's gaze to snap back to his between the shafts of plummeting rain, his hands still preoccupied with one creature's reins. The swordsman frowned, studying the Wolf general's obedient messenger intently through the midnight storm.

"How did you know where we were staying?" Zhou Yu demanded, a slight twinge of apprehension flickering through his words. The courier scratched his ear and shrugged a little.

"I thought you'd be staying with your family, my lord, so I stopped at the estate first."

A shiver that had nothing to do with the icy gale ran down the swordsman's back at the mention of the crumbling residence, and even Sun Ce stiffened a little at his companion's side. But the messenger didn't seem to notice, pressing on with his explanation as he fastened the bit into the second horse's unwilling mouth and coughed sharply into one raised hand. "The master said I could find you here… and he told me to ask why you hadn't heeded the lantern."

At this second relation, the man's face assumed a distinctly perplexed expression, matching his helpless shrug and the stamping of artless hooves through the seeping mud. But Zhou Yu's eyes had gone incredibly wide, and before he could stop himself he spun back in the direction of Shucheng, staring toward the hillside where his family estate should have been glowing with the light of a single, vigilant oil lamp and illuminating the overgrown garden behind it.

It only took an instant to ascertain the messenger's reply. Xan's lantern had gone out.

Like a tremendous sigh, the darkened lantern came to rest in the strategist's stomach, pressing his lips into a thin line and releasing the anxious fists the courier's words had given him. Zhou Yu stared blankly at the invisible estate, now completely lost to the night's fierce tempest, and let his eyes fall closed with quiet acceptance.

Zhou Fan was dead, then.

It seemed so simple – so straightforward compared to the struggle for survival that Sun Ce and Shao had enacted only an hour earlier, compared to the frantic beating of his heart as he'd stared into those drowning amber eyes and struggled not to let go. Why was there such a difference between the two circumstances, when they led to the same end? Why had the thought of losing the Sun lord to that raging river shot tremors of terrified adrenaline through every muscle in his body, when news of his father's death brought only peaceful resignation? There wasn't an easy answer.

"Yu."

Zhou Yu's eyes flickered open at the light touch on his forearm, and he turned back to meet his companion's unguarded gaze through the curtains of ceaseless rain. Sun Ce nodded softly.

"You should go. Go see them."

The swordsman blinked, more than a little surprised at the honest encouragement radiating from his commander's easy smile. Zhou Yu shook his head in mild confusion, reaching up to brush the sopping hair away from his pale face. "No… it doesn't matter, Ce." His voice was so soft it nearly disappeared under the rain, but there was a steel core to his tone that never wavered. "We need to get to Wu. He's dead now – he has no need of me any longer."

But the Little Conqueror simply shook his head, dropping both hands reassuringly onto his strategist's sopping shoulders as his smile grew stronger. "Not for him – for you." Zhou Yu stared into the vivid amber eyes as Sun Ce nodded, his drenched ponytail bobbing over one shoulder. "Go on, Yu. I'll wait for you. Promise." The lord of Wu leaned closer and cocked his chin at the shivering family behind him, a slight sheepishness coloring his covert whisper. "I think it's going to take a little while to clean up here anyway – these guys look like they need another explanation. So just go. I'll meet you there, okay?"

For a moment, the swordsman couldn't summon a response, any refusal that still lingered on his tongue going silent at the sincere smile that had captured the young officer's countenance. Then a quiet sigh escaped him, and the strategist felt his own lips quirking upward slightly at the corners to match the Sun lord's confident expression, one pale hand reaching up unconsciously to brush the chestnut bangs out of his companion's amber eyes.

"Thank you, Ce."

Sun Ce grinned, shaking his head and dispelling Zhou Yu's touch as he pushed the swordsman backward a step. "What are you waiting for? Get out of here already!" The strategist did as instructed, walking backward toward the lean-to and bowing smoothly to the Yu family even as his gaze stayed locked squarely on the Sun lord's beaming face. Then Wu's dark swordsman turned and entered the slight construction with purposeful strides, startling Taishi Ci's messenger as he caught his horse's reins and mounted the uncertain animal in one smooth motion.

"My lord?"

Zhou Yu glanced down to meet the envoy's raven eyes and nodded sharply, dismissing the man's curiosity in a series of quick orders. "Don't let him linger too long. My business won't take more than a quarter hour – please wait for me at the fork that leads back to Wu." The soldier nodded, and his commander hesitated for a moment before shaking his head and issuing one last condition. "And under no circumstances whatsoever is that girl to come with us. Understood?"

The messenger blinked at this final demand, but Zhou Yu had already administered two sharp kicks to his horse's flank, and the animal shuddered out from under the temporary roof at an unwilling run, leaving its comrade behind to shoot through the crushing rain in a loose canter. The strategist ducked low against the heaving flank as they reached the edge of the Yu family grounds and dashed down the side of the flooding terraces, each hoofbeat sounding only as a splash across the waterlogged path that led into the heart of Shucheng.

As the tiny, huddled hovels flashed by along both sides of the puddled road, the swordsman took one last look at the childhood streets he never intended to visit again – but the fog dulled the lines of the crumbling cobbles and even as he rounded the corner leading to his family estate, the forms of Shucheng's feeble dwellings had already slipped from his mind, lost in the haze of the unrelenting rain. And then almost in the blink of an eye, the courtyard was in front of him, empty but for one wraithlike figure who waited just beneath the wings of the rising eaves.

This time, there was no hesitation. Zhou Yu reined to a stop beside his brother and jumped smoothly to the ground, his landing echoing in soft splash around the forgotten court. Xan accepted the reins without question and the strategist moved past him into the entrance hall without waiting for escort or lamplight, and only his own footsteps followed him down the long, shadowed corridors. Lady Cai stood motionless at the door of her husband's room – her slight bow was all the conversation they exchanged as her eldest son crossed the threshold and stepped into the candlelight bathing the crumpled cot. This time as the swordsman stood looking into the silent, cragged contours of his father's face, there was nothing but neutrality arresting his expression and nothing but emptiness in the pit of his stomach.

Zhou Fan's features almost seemed perturbed in their eternal resting lines, his lips just slightly pursed as though a matter of menial importance had troubled him at the moment of his death. Zhou Yu regarded his father's corpse in silence for as long as it took one of the tiny candles along the wall to flicker and burn out – and then he turned away, moving for the door with unhurried steps.

Zhou Fan was a romantic fool. Perhaps the world of the ancestors would bring the perfection that life had denied him – perfection that could not coexist with human will.

"Be safe," Lady Cai murmured as he passed her, not pausing in his unwavering strides even as his calm voice ricocheted along the hall in answer.

"I will."

Within moments the night air had swallowed the light of the candles, spilling darkness across his feet once more and hiding the house he hardly remembered. The corridor slipped by to each side and vanished into the darkness behind him, almost as still and steady as his obsidian eyes. Xan had not moved from his place beside the front door, and as the strategist emerged from the depths of the crumbling manor his brother returned his reins wordlessly, watching in silence as the dark warrior mounted his horse and wheeled toward the exit of the courtyard with a simple click of his tongue.

It was only as Zhou Yu studied the path ahead and prepared to kick the charger into motion that his brother spoke, a quiet statement that slipped through the raindrops to stall in the swordsman's ears.

"The moon is coming out."

And indeed a circle of hazy light in the clouds above seemed to verify the young heir's words, as though the moon were fighting for freedom beneath the smothering chains of the heavily entrenched storm. The strategist shook his head, spattering raindrops from his sopping form as he shared a last glance with the younger man beside him, their equally black eyes meeting across the mired gravel.

"Perhaps the storm is breaking."

Xan smirked, directing his gaze back to the squall-swept heavens. "Safe journey," he murmured, the sound barely louder than the patter of rain across the broken manor. Then Zhou Yu's heels struck the horse's flank, and he shot off across the courtyard, leaving the estate behind him in its brooding decay. The garden flashed by as the steady beat of hurrying hooves carried him down the hillside and along the extensive entrance path, but Wu's sodden swordsman had eyes only for the fork ahead – the intersection of Shucheng's main road and the Zhou family transect, where he could already see the distant silhouettes of two riders…

The strategist's mount staggered to a halt as it reached the sloping junction, stamping uncertain hooves at the abrupt stop and whickering quietly to the equally drenched forms of the other two horses. Taishi Ci's messenger looked similarly unsure at the silence that settled across their small group as soon as the echoes of gravel hoofbeats had rolled to a stop, and he glanced between his commanders in tentative protest, shivering a little from the cold rain that refused to ebb in its cascading downpour. But for a long moment, Sun Ce said nothing and Zhou Yu did the same, watching the unnaturally solemn contours of his companion's face as the long journey's trials shot between them.

At last a warm smile worked its way across the Sun lord's face, and his serious expression vanished beneath the sound of an amiable chuckle.

"You ready to go home?"

Zhou Yu just nodded. As one, both officers kicked their horses into motion, setting off in the direction of Wu at an equal pace and drawing the startled envoy behind them. As the path sloped steeply uphill toward the crest of Shucheng's bounding ridge, the Little Conqueror laughed, a customary grin open and unguarded on his cheerful face.

"It had better not be raining in Liyang!" the young officer shouted to his dark companion above the ream of cantering hooves. "I'm way past sick of this!" Zhou Yu chuckled a little under his breath at the useless demand, even as the Wolf general's messenger at their backs struggled to answer over the deafening wind and the clap of the horses' hooves through the saturated air.

"When I left, my lord, Liyang was actually very dry – but that was a week ago, so I can't promise—"

"_Wait!"_

The high shout accompanied the sudden streaking movement of a shadow from one side of the road straight to the middle, both arms outstretched in an attempt to block the entire surface of the swiftly narrowing road. Sun Ce reined so abruptly that his mount reared up and strove to throw him off, deadly hooves flashing through the rain-spattered air only inches from the small form that had stopped them, and Zhou Yu was forced to run his own charger off the road to avoid collision as his veins burned with instant adrenaline. The Sun lord cursed brightly but managed to keep his seat and force his animal back to the ground, fighting with the struggling reins as his shouts shattered the noise of the storm.

"What the hell are you _doing_, kid?! You got a death wish or something?! Get out of the road!"

The child said nothing, shaking but resolute as he took a step forward – and then another yelp escaped the young officer, this one of the same utter shock that flooded his swordsman's face as the boy's features finally became visible through the curtains of stinging rain.

"Shao?! What the – what are you doing out here, rugrat? Isn't one near-death experience a night enough for you?!" Sun Ce's startled words were harsh and jagged as they hit the frigid air, but they didn't make a dent in the determination swallowing the youth's expression and clenching his small hands into stubborn fists.

"I'm going with you!" Yu Shan's eldest son yelled, his shout echoing against the storm clouds that roiled high above them. "Please, Master Sun Ce! Please take me to Wu!" The Sun lord balked, shaking his head in flat rejection as the child rushed forward and grabbed hold of his sopping pant leg.

"No way, kid. Not only no, but hell no. Now get home – you're seriously going to freeze to death if you don't dry off." Shao looked like he wanted to cry, but just shook his head instead, banishing his threatening tears as he yanked obstinately on the young officer's ankle.

"You have to take me with you! I didn't bring any money this time, Master Sun Ce – I didn't bring anything! Sheng can have my blanket, I told him so! And I don't like those chopsticks anyway!" The trembling youth wrapped his arms around the Little Conqueror's leg and held on tightly as Sun Ce looked to his strategist, exasperation flooding his normally cheerful expression.

"A little help here?" the Sun lord requested, one hand pushing down against the boy's head to prevent him from actually clambering onto the back of the pawing horse. Zhou Yu's brow furrowed as he watched the struggling child, onyx eyes darkening with suspicion at the string of simplistic arguments.

"You told Sheng you were leaving?"

Instantly Shao stopped scuffling, shrinking under the young officer's restraining hand as he met the swordsman's sharp gaze. Then the boy drew himself up straighter and made a face at the stoic warrior, sticking his tongue out and yanking as hard as he could on Sun Ce's forearm as though to drag the lord of Wu from his saddle.

"I told them all! And they said it was okay – even my mother!" A halfway clever smirk darted across the youth's childish features as he beamed up at the Sun lord, clutching his arm as tightly as his weak fingers allowed. "You wouldn't take any gifts with you, so I told them to send me instead – that I'd be your page! And even Father said it was a good idea, since we didn't have anything worth giving you anyway…"

Shao's countenance became slightly unsure as he noticed the pair of unimpressed expressions occupying the Wu officers' faces, and he shrank a little beneath the strategist's hard gaze, still refusing to release Sun Ce's hand from his pincer grip. "So I took the shortcut across the fields, because I knew I could beat you here – and so you have to take me along, Master Sun Ce! I already told them I was going!"

The Sun lord gave a short laugh, shaking the eager boy off and reclaiming his arm with one swift jerk. "Well, I guess you'll just have to go back and tell them you lied, then. Because you're sure as hell not coming with us." Shao's eyes filled with tears once again, and the young officer groaned, rubbing a tan hand against his forehead as he glanced down into the wavering slate gray eyes. "Look, buddy – I know you want to have adventures and all, but this isn't—"

"It's not about the adventures!"

Sun Ce stopped abruptly as the youth let go of his leg and took a step back, shaking his head violently from side to side and dashing a hand across his eyes to banish the tears of rejection sliding down his smooth cheeks and mixing with the driving rain. Yu Shan's eldest son looked up at the Sun lord imploringly, trembling with cold and determined adrenaline as he repeated his assertion.

"It's not about the adventures at all! It's about you, Master Sun Ce – I want to go with you!" Sun Ce started at the declaration, caught off guard by the boy's words as his small fists shook under the pounding rhythm of the rain against his tiny form. Shao sniffled and met the young officer's eyes evenly through the shrieking storm. "When you first came, I thought you were just a dumb tourist – but I know better now! I know you're really brave and really strong… and I want to be just like you, Master Sun Ce!"

Zhou Yu felt his breath catch in his throat at the unguarded assertion, and he could see the Sun lord was just as surprised as he. Shao shook his head again and stomped one foot into the mud of the puddled road. "I want to survive a flood, and I want to beat a hundred thousand enemies in battle, and I want to conquer China, too – just like you! I want to jump into rivers and save people just like you do!"

The child's voice took on a note of pleading as he moved forward and took hold of the Little Conqueror's hand again, more softly this time, and buried his face in the cloth of his sleeve. "I want to learn how to fight, and how to ride a horse, and how to be a hero… I want to learn everything from you. Please, Master Sun Ce… please take me back to Wu with you."

Sun Ce said nothing for a long moment, staring down at the crest of the youth's head where he clung to the ruined silk sleeve with the same tenacity as he'd gripped the river cypress – and then the Sun lord sighed, his free hand coming up to run through his sodden hair and scatter the chestnut strands across his shoulders.

"I can't, tater tot." Shao sniffled and looked up at him, his slate eyes pitiful beneath the weight of the tempest, but the young officer just shook his head. "I'm flattered and all – really. But I've got a country to run, pal – I don't have time to teach you those things. I've got a dream and I'm not giving it up – not ever. Sorry."

For a moment, Shao was quiet, simply holding onto the drenched silk and considering Sun Ce's refusal in silence. Then the boy drew himself up and glared at the Sun lord from the full extent of his limited height, determination flashing across his youthful features and banishing the tremors of cold the wind sent down his spine.

"I don't accept that!" The young officer blinked, and his strategist's brow furrowed in slight irritation as Shao slammed one small fist into his palm. "I refuse to be left behind! I'll follow you. I'll run right after you, all the way to Wu if that's what it takes! And I mean it – I'll run the whole way!"

The child's eyes were blazing with a fire they'd never held before as he stamped his feet through the thick mud, scowling at his hero between the slatted sheets of rain. "You don't have to take me along, 'cause I'm coming anyway! And you don't have to let me into your palace – I'll crawl over the walls and get in! And you don't have to teach me anything, Master Sun Ce – I'll watch you and learn it all on my own! I don't need your permission! This is _my_ dream, and I'm not giving it up either! I'll do it with my own two hands, just like you do!"

Sun Ce crossed his arms over his chest and regarded the boy with a firm frown, his patience wearing thin at the continued obstinacy which, in Zhou Yu's possibly biased opinion, was remarkably similar to his own. "You're a real pest, aren't you?" the Sun lord accused, and Shao stuck out his tongue, any semblance of pleading gone from his expression. The young officer huffed. "I knew you were a brat the minute you took my food. No means no, kid – what part of that—"

"Lord Sun Ce." The Little Conqueror stopped abruptly as the insistent voice of Taishi Ci's envoy broke through his continued rejection. The messenger bowed as both commanders glanced back at him, his raven eyes shifting with respectful impatience to the road ahead. "I apologize sincerely for interrupting – but as I said, Lord Taishi Ci was in desperate need of assistance when he sent me, and we shouldn't delay. In the interest of solving this quickly… couldn't you simply send the boy to your wife?"

Sun Ce blinked, and Shao's expression became slightly worried at the measure of consideration that slipped across the Sun lord's face at his soldier's suggestion. "Da? I don't know… she's already got a kid, and so does Xiao…" Yu Shan's son glanced warily between the three mounted adults, his gray eyes flashing with badly concealed concern as the young officer rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Then Sun Ce snapped his fingers and straightened in the high saddle, a full smile creasing his face at last. "You're right! She'd probably be great with a stubborn rugrat like this! And Lu Meng could teach him how to fight, since they're all in Niuqiao right now…"

Shao took a step backward in alarm, releasing his hold on the lord of Wu's sopping sleeve and shaking his head in visible anxiety. "Wait, Niuqiao – I thought we were going to Liyang. And I don't want to learn from Lu Meng – you said he was a weakling!" Sun Ce grinned, the customary expression chasing all remnants of gravity from his endlessly amused features as he surveyed the distressed boy at his feet.

"Well if he's a weakling, you're a kitten, kiddo. It'd be good for you to start with someone a little softer than me for an instructor anyway." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the arrogance quickly consuming his companion's tone as the young officer laughed and gestured casually over his shoulder. "It's up to you, squirt – you can go or you can stay. But we're leaving now, so if you're coming along, hop on the back of that soldier's horse – and no whining, or I'm definitely leaving you behind."

Both Shao and the Wolf general's messenger looked distinctly displeased about the riding arrangements, but the boy allowed himself to be pulled up behind the envoy anyway, only grumbling a little as he wrapped both arms around the older man's waist and tucked his face into his coarse garment to escape the rain. Then Sun Ce laughed again and shot his swordsman a shining grin, slamming both heels into his horse's flank and setting them off along the road at a fair clip.

"Homeward bound it is!"

And so it was with one additional passenger that they finally crested the last ridge and the valley slid into obscurity behind them, vanishing under the haze of the rain that began to lessen almost as soon as they'd cleared the silent vale's rim. Zhou Yu's eyes found their amber opposites through the waning drizzle, and the Sun lord shot him a brilliant smile, reaching up to brush the soaking bangs from his forehead as the wind rushed past them and sung like the stars lost far above them. The strategist shook his head.

"What are you going to tell Lady Qiao?" he asked, voice raised to overcome the sounds of the fading storm. Sun Ce just laughed.

"I'm going to tell her turnabout is fair play!"

The swordsman chuckled under his breath. Then he ducked low to the flank of his galloping horse and let the folds of Shucheng slip away to the west, content to leave the village behind him once and for all. Content to abandon the past that meant so little compared to his future.

_Isn't that more important than anything else?_

Zhou Yu smiled. It almost was. But the most important of all was Sun Ce himself, and the open, shining smile that he would follow anywhere – the smile he would never let slip through his fingers.

End Chapter 39

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	42. Chapter 40

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX to a very minor extent).

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Secession – Part 39 

False dawn.

From the countless hours he had spent watching daybreak across rice fields and silent villages in the planting season, Chen Hao knew there was at least an hour of darkness left before the sun hit the horizon – but it was hard to believe that when the world seemed to have gotten so bright in so little time.

A wide band of crimson had spread along the lip of the sky, and it looked the way fire felt, melting effortlessly into the orange and golden-yellow bands that had appeared above it and acted as a graceful barrier between the black earth and the twilight sky beyond. The clouds above him looked like the skeletons of angel wings in their grayed, sifting fragility, sweeping the lingering stars into a featherless flight as they seemed to stop moving all together – almost as if they too were waiting for sunrise.

Every moment brought another flicker of brightness into the shadowed sky, but the building light only made it seem colder, and Chen Hao shivered as he scooted closer to the fallen general, his hands trembling with exhaustion and icy adrenaline. Zhou Yu was shivering as well, and his eyes were tightly closed, forehead furrowed in the concentration of keeping his body still against the rough wood floor as he took a deep breath and began again.

"Within two weeks… we had reached Liyang."

The general's faltering murmur echoed softly against the wagon's blemished sides, seeming even starker for the vague definition that the emerging light added to his drained features. Chen Hao leaned down to catch the soft words falling from his lips, and had to resist the urge to flinch as Zhou Yu's tired breath brushed against his ear.

"But it took… almost a month… before we secured the region. Wan was… Ce and I had conquered it for Yuan Shu, but… he chose Liu Xun as regent instead. He was dead, though… by the time we attacked. Yuan Shu, that is."

The general paused for a moment, swallowing hard and wincing at the pain even such a small motion caused – but Chen Hao felt his brow furrowing, and for the first time in many hours, it was not solely out of concern for his fading commander. A vague memory from far earlier was tugging at the back of his mind, a faded recollection of the first time Liu Xun's name had crossed the thin, parched lips after the battle for Xuancheng… the soldier shifted slightly and twined his fingers through the chilled folds of his rejected jacket, drawing those weary onyx eyes open as he cleared his throat.

"My lord, forgive me, but…" Chen Hao shook his head a little, the raven strands of his hair scattering once more across his shoulders and invading his charcoal gaze. "I thought you said Lord Sun Ce didn't defeat Liu Xun until the spring of 200…"

Zhou Yu blinked, staring up at his subordinate with unguarded surprise flooding his expression and lodging in the pre-dawn shadows that still littered the contours of his pale face. "…Did I? When was I…?"

In his struggling obsidian eyes, Chen Hao could see that the general did not remember mentioning the attack on Wan at all. For a moment, they shared an even gaze, revelation slipping between them and dropping like a great stone into the soldier's stomach. Then Chen Hao shook his head viciously and pulled back from the fallen strategist, chasing his question away as the angel wings of the summer clouds watched him silently from the darkened sky above.

"Forgive me, my lord – I must have been mistaken. I shouldn't have said anything." The soldier squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to meet his commander's solemn, resigned gaze through the lightening air. He couldn't think about it. He wasn't wrong – he'd only remembered because Zhou Yu had mentioned that Wan was Sun Ce's last great victory, and he had wondered when in 200 the Wu king had… Chen Hao bit his lip and ground his fists into the poor fabric of his coat, the conscious lie racing through his rushed assurance. "I must have confused the date—"

"Don't." The general's icy interruption chopped the apology in half, snapping his subordinate's jaw shut. The wounded commander shifted and repositioned his injured arm against his chest, wincing at the motion but glaring hard at the soldier's startled countenance nonetheless. Zhou Yu shook his head, dark hair trailing like a whisper across the warped floor boards. "Don't humor me, Chen Hao."

Chen Hao swallowed hard, shivering a little at the rasping sound of his name across the heavily chapped lips. The general's voice had deteriorated again, so close to a hiss with every word that the soldier knew he wouldn't be able to hear anything at all if he moved even a few inches farther away – but nonetheless, there was a deathly serious undertone to the failing command that made its audience cringe. Zhou Yu shook his head again and coughed into the crook of his uninjured elbow, bringing his eyes back to his hesitant subordinate in grave authority.

"I made a mistake… my apologies. In spring… Li Shu was already Wan's regent by then. We defeated Liu Xun in autumn."

Confusing details. It was something his commander hadn't done until now – every piece of the long narrative had seemed to be sharp and clean in the general's mind, each falling into place with a precision that brought the entire story to cohesion. But if Zhou Yu had misplaced the battle for Wan in his internal chronology, what else might have tumbled out of line? It was that unanswerable question that locked Chen Hao's eyes with the half-lidded, exhausted obsidian as Zhou Yu cleared his throat, flecks of red spattering his lips and showing only as black stains in the creeping morning light.

"Is there… any more water?"

The soldier started, surprised for a moment at the request cutting through the ream of their slight confrontation as the general licked breathlessly at his dry lips. Chen Hao turned to fumble behind him, searching for the forms of the two canteens he had been filling in the stream when the sunrise made its initial subtle statement. His hand stumbled across the empty form of the first and knocked the small container aside – the second yielded only slight splashing at his concerned shaking, and the soldier turned back to his commander with the answer written across his face. Zhou Yu sighed and lifted one hand to wave the matter away, closing his dark eyes against the gradually lightening sky and the last stars woven between the ragged folds of the clouds.

"Never mind. It doesn't matter. I need to… keep going."

Chen Hao turned and cast a lingering glance out the back of the wagon, watching the hill behind them and the darkest edge of the heavens in consideration. For a long moment, as the general struggled to swallow and the sounds of his labored breaths ricocheted throughout the small wooden vehicle, the soldier kept his thoughts to himself, weighing the coming dawn against the exertion he could hear running in undercurrent to Zhou Yu's faltering lungs. Then he turned back to his commander and shook his head, drawing the attention of the faltering onyx eyes to his thoughtful countenance as he rose to a crouch and swept the poor canteens into one hand.

"It's all right, my lord – it won't take more than a moment to get the water." They were still trapped in the middle of the stream, after all – though for how much longer, there was no telling. Once the drivers returned with their heavily startled horses, there wouldn't be another chance to fill the canteens until Han Ni Castle, and by then… Chen Hao shoved the anxieties away and nodded in some vestige of reassurance, meeting his commander's eyes evenly as a backstep increased the distance between them. "I'll be right back," he vowed quietly, one hand finding the skeleton of the wagon's sides and gripping the warping wood against his chilled palm.

Zhou Yu looked as though he wanted to speak, but for the first time that night, the soldier didn't give him a chance, turning and leaping back into the frigid stream before the general could find his stammering tongue. The cold water made him grind his teeth together, just as shocking upon his second landing as it had been with the first – but once again he paid it no mind as he dutifully filled the thin canteens, a small, regretful shake of his head the only indication of his resigned thoughts.

There were so many things he wanted to ask – so many parts of the story of Shucheng that inspired his curiosity. He wanted to ask what the journey home had been like with the young Shao in tow, and how the boy had adapted to life in Niuqiao – whether he had gotten along with the elder Lady Qiao and her baby, which would have been crawling at least by then, and whether his opinion of Lu Meng had changed after meeting the warrior face to face. He wanted to ask if the final visit to his shattered family had left the general any more at peace than he had been upon arrival – whether he'd ever heard from Xan and his mother again. How long it had taken before the nightmares of losing Sun Ce to the racing river receded from his mind…

But there was no time. Chen Hao shook his head again and straightened, both canteens full to brimming with the silted water, and brushed the charcoal bangs from his eyes with the heel of a dripping hand. There wasn't time for the kind of detailed inquiry Zhou Yu's narrative always inspired – and beyond time, his commander barely had the energy to tell his story straight anymore, let alone wandering off on irrelevant tangents.

So he was just going to have to imagine – the soldier closed his eyes and pictured a fortnight-long ride back to Wu, the childish bickering that Sun Ce and Shao would surely not have abandoned simply because they left Shucheng behind them, the youth's disappointment at being split from his hero on the way to Liyang. The dusty road scattering beneath the hooves of two determined horses, bearing their riders ever closer to an ally in danger and the next step toward completing an impossible dream…

Chen Hao shook himself and set both canteens carefully into the wagon's bed, pressing his hands against the sturdy wooden foot and preparing to vault inside as well. Perhaps there was no time anymore for the miniscule moments that had brought so much color to Zhou Yu's story – but there was more of the story nonetheless, and he had promised to listen all the way to the end, no matter how soft and weary his commander's voice became.

"Chen! Need a hand here!"

The shout somewhere behind him startled the soldier badly enough that he lost his footing, relinquishing his grip on the wooden end board and slipping on the moss-strangled river rocks. His back came to an abrupt halt against the wagon's weathered side, and Chen Hao found himself staring up the steep hill that had brought them to their crash landing in the shallow stream – but the slope was no longer empty.

Through the darkness of coming morning, the soldier could discern the vague definition of blank silhouettes moving down the hill in his direction. The burgeoning light showed him one limping infantryman with an arm slung around his uninjured companion's shoulders and two horses trotting uneasily beside them, shying from the scrabbled patches of gravel that coated the ridge's side. The first man seemed to stumble a little, and Chen Hao took an unconscious step toward his comrades as his own shout echoed across the riverbed.

"Are you all right?"

The uninjured soldier beckoned as best he could with his chin, coming to a halt as the horses tossed their heads a little as though in vague consideration of breaking free from the man's tenuous hold and his companion nearly slipped again on the unsteady gravel. Chen Hao could see the man's mouth moving in response, but he couldn't hear the distance-softened words as he began to move at a light jog, clearing the stream within a few paces and making his way up the shadowed hill to where the driver waited. The thin underbrush nipped at his heels as he pushed himself up the steep slope, breathing a little heavily at the sheer altitude of the ridge's solemn face – but he kept going without pause, and within a minute he had reached the overburdened infantryman, leaning forward to sling his injured comrade's free arm over his shoulders.

"What happened?" Chen Hao staggered a little as the driver released his hold on their fellow soldier and the entire weight of the wounded man fell across his collarbone, but he latched one limb around the thickly armored waist and managed to keep them both upright despite his increased burden. The infantryman clicked his tongue to the horses and struggled with their bridles, holding the animals in two focused hands now as he shook his head.

"He fell out on the way down – sprained his ankle, maybe. I'm going to hitch the horses up again – you help him back to the wagon from here."

And without another word, the man broke into a steady jog, urging his draft animals into a slight trot as the gravel hissed beneath his feet and momentum carried him down the slope. Chen Hao blinked as the driver disappeared from his side, and then he exhaled softly, securing his hold on the wounded soldier and moving far more slowly down the side of the ridge.

"Hold on. We'll be down in a minute."

The injured man laughed a little, his slight amusement manifesting as a truncated chuckle that accompanied his limping, uneven steps down the graveled slope. "I could make it alone, Chen – nothing's broken." Chen Hao shook his head, moving gingerly for fear of bashing his comrade's wounded limb into the small clusters of groundcover, which had done nothing to halt their progress on the way down the slope but now seemed to be catching his pant leg with every movement.

"It'll be faster this way. We should hurry – Lord Zhou Yu is…" The soldier shook his head and swallowed hard, forcing the words he didn't even want to consider into his mouth and through the cold air before he could dispel them again. "He's fading. I don't know how much longer…"

The wounded driver coughed under his breath, his expression almost a vague impression of admiration as he lifted one hand to rub at his furrowed, concentrating forehead. "He's still alive? After that fall, I thought he'd be dead for sure."

The words seemed uncharacteristically cold, especially given how the infantrymen in charge of guiding the wagon had yielded to Zhou Yu's opinion earlier in the journey, and Chen Hao felt himself pausing midstep, his attention diverted from the treacherous hillside to the neutral contours of his comrade's intent countenance. Almost immediately the man's face settled back from mild disbelief to pained attention, studying each slippery step before he set his injured foot against the gravel. For a moment, Chen Hao willed the words away, forcing himself to focus on their progress toward the stream and its captured vehicle, where he could already see their comrade fighting with the broken harnesses. But another minute of silence proved his uncertain curiosity too great, and Chen Hao cleared his throat, maneuvering both of them carefully around a protruding shrub as his voice interrupted the pre-dawn stillness.

"Lord Zhou Yu… he's very… strong-willed." Not nearly as strong-willed as his long-vanished companion, from all the stories that had left the general's tongue – but the soldier couldn't find another word for the grim, iron-wrought determination that had been spurring the fallen legend's narrative forward despite the wounds that just kept worsening. Chen Hao shook his head quietly. "I don't think he'll die yet – not until we reach Han Ni Castle."

It was all he could hope for – that despite the raw bleeding of his throat and the coarse pulse that had been rising and falling unsteadily since their unexpected crash, the commander would keep going, would keep holding off the dawn until every last facet of the story had tumbled from his lips…

But the wounded driver at his side just laughed, a coarse sound that grated uncomfortably against Chen Hao's ears as he caught the man's sideways glance and the sardonic shake of his head. "Strong-willed?" The infantryman kicked a patch of gravel away from his feet and chuckled under his breath, his voice shading harsher again as the horizon's glow intensified and the remaining stars began to gleam like diamonds, brighter for their fading companions. "Strong-willed doesn't have a thing to do with it. He's been shot – all the will in the world won't fix that. I'm surprised he didn't give it up a long time ago."

There was something vaguely insulting about the driver's observation, and Chen Hao felt himself stiffening under his comrade's limp arm, his grip tightening a little harder than intended against the fabric of the gnarled tunic. The wounded soldier noticed his shift in demeanor and gave him another hard look, an ironic smirk marring the curve of his lips as heavy breaths panted in and out of his lungs and the slope began to level out beneath them.

"Don't feel too sorry for him, Chen. All these hours we've been traveling, back the same damn way we came… all for him. His dead body, more like – even if he makes it to Han Ni Castle, he won't last." The driver shook his head again, locking his elbow tighter around his comrade's rigid neck and pushing himself down the hill with a little more vigor as his tone adopted a note of unsympathetic honesty. "I don't know what you've been doing back there all night – but before you get too attached, think about this. If you or I had been shot instead, they would have let us lie where we fell – sent a consolation salary home at best. But these generals…" The infantryman shrugged, staggering a little and leaning heavily against his crutch's shoulder. "I guess getting special privilege isn't new for them."

In a way, it was true. But Chen Hao felt the will to argue fluttering between his ribs anyway, and only concern for an expedient departure kept it down, pressing his lips tightly together as he forced his eyes to the stream ahead and let his comrade's words vanish into the slowly dawning air. The infantryman at his arm either didn't notice his lack of response or simply didn't care enough to press the issue, and silence slipped between them again, broken only by the occasional hiss of gravel beneath their stumbling feet and the hesitant whickering of the horses they could hear beyond the rim of the wagon. Chen Hao bit his tongue to hold back a wince as they hit the river's icy drifts, and he reduced pace to help the injured driver carefully across the slick stones, his mind tumbling even as his tongue remained staunchly silent.

Of course the man was right – no journey would have been made to attempt the salvation of a normal soldier shot below the breastbone. And Chen Hao knew that if the arrow had struck him instead of Zhou Yu at that critical moment, the legendary general probably wouldn't even have noticed in anything more than a clinical sense, too accustomed to war and sacrifice for one more soldier to make a difference. But part of him wanted to argue that their commander had earned his special status – that he had stood at Sun Ce's side for so many years and fought for the power he now wielded at the head of Sun Quan's empire. That perhaps his elite lineage had been a foothold into the higher ranks, but that the general wouldn't have made it without everything that had filled his narrative for the long hours of midnight – focus, and intelligence, and unwavering faith in the conqueror who had captured Wu in a few short years…

Perhaps it wasn't even true. Perhaps anyone of gentry class would be treated so carefully in the hours before their death. But Chen Hao knew he would never be able to see Zhou Yu in a neutral light again – because it was only after knowing someone's story that their death began to mean anything, and having heard that story the person behind it became an unshakable character, a living impression that never receded.

That, at least, the general had accomplished – he had given Sun Ce's death, and his own, a meaning they had never held before. A meaning that Chen Hao almost wished he could share with someone else, spread to everyone who'd ever heard their names – so that suddenly, as they had for him, those names began to mean something.

"You got him all right, Chen?"

Chen Hao blinked and refocused his thoughts as they rounded the wagon's end, sliding a little on the mossy stream bed and coming within sight of the second driver at the same time as his shout ricocheted through the slowly lightening air. The man raised one hand to dash a bead of sweat away from his temple and motioned his comrades forward, cocking his chin toward the horses behind him. Chen Hao released his wounded companion to lean against the wooden side and cast a quick glance at the nervous animals, each pawning worriedly beyond the structure's head.

"Everything still works?"

Chen Hao couldn't help the note of anxiety that crept into his voice, eyes flickering between the serious contours of the driver's face and the traces that held the horses in place, swaying with every movement of the swishing tails. It seemed impossible that the straps could still be usable after their tremendous crash – but the infantryman only shrugged, jabbing one thumb at the rough harness assemblage behind him as he moved to support their injured comrade. He motioned Chen Hao to an opposite position with a flick of his chin.

"We got lucky. Buckle snapped, but it looks like all the pieces are still working – I tied it off. We're set to go." On a silent count to three, both soldiers heaved their wounded companion into the front seat, and his uninjured foot scrabbled against the front board for a toehold, fighting to assist the two men despite his considerable level of exhaustion. At last he was in position, and the second driver shook his head, dropping his hands back to his side and lowering his voice with them. "Lord Zhou Yu was asking for you. Guess you'd better get back there."

Chen Hao blinked a little at the information, and then his eyes widened at the forgotten promise of a short absence and soothing stream water. He only gave a quick nod before pivoting and striding quickly to the back of the wagon, every splashing footstep echoing in his ears. The canteens were still just where he'd left them, resting silently against the back panel of the vehicle's footboard, and Chen Hao vaulted into the rickety structure with a single fluid motion, collecting the small containers and feeling the scrutiny of a piercing gaze along the contours of his face.

"Forgive me, Lord Zhou Yu," the soldier murmured, keeping his voice low half out of concern for the open ears of the drivers and half as an instinctual response to the grim, almost lifeless features that startled him once again in their pale concentration. Chen Hao scooted as close as possible to the fallen legend, offering one of the canteens in two cupped hands and meeting the grave obsidian eyes evenly despite the slight frown marring his commander's expression. "The other men needed my help."

Zhou Yu shook his head, chasing the mild disapproval from his countenance as his hair whispered across the ragged floor. "It's not a problem," he muttered, voice so quiet and tattered that Chen Hao could barely make out the words despite his proximity. The general's eyes seemed disoriented, and they flickered across his subordinate's face in hesitant transects as he swallowed hard and fought to collect his words in a sensical order. "I was only… uncertain were you had gone. I meant to continue…"

Chen Hao bit at the chapped skin of his lips and tipped the canteen forward, watching through the slowly brimming light as a thin stream of dully sparkling water slipped from the rim and trickled into his commander's mouth. Zhou Yu choked slightly, and a line of blood-tinged water slid down his chin as he struggled to force the drink down his throat, coughing with a sharp wince that ground the soldier's teeth together.

There was no time – no time at all. They had to keep going, or the general wouldn't make it. Chen Hao shook his head and leaned closer, inching his ear toward the fallen strategist's faltering lips; Zhou Yu caught his cue and picked up the thread of the story again, driving himself forward despite the weakness of his faltering tongue and the fading light in his half-lidded eyes.

"Soldier… have you heard of Zhuge Liang?"

Chen Hao started, completely caught off guard by the mention of the enemy strategist who had haunted camp whispers ever since the battle for Chi Bi two years prior. He himself had not participated in the famous naval skirmish, of course – the fight for Jing would have been his first important battle, had a rogue arrow and the desperate narrative on the lips of a dying man not interceded. But he had heard rumors from the senior soldiers – murmurs of a man with the power to bend nature to his will, and a mind at least equal to that of Wu's greatest strategist, if not one step beyond… tales of the anger and jealousy the famed Sleeping Dragon had stirred in the mastermind of Chi Bi's flame-wrought victory.

From the stories, Chen Hao would have expected almost blinding rage and resentment to be shading Zhou Yu's face at the mention of his hated rival, but the general's expression remained entirely neutral, gauging his subordinate's hesitant reaction with an experienced, unhurried gaze.

"I assumed as much. And you are obviously familiar with my… dislike for him as well." Chen Hao bit his lip at the glint of steel that had invaded his commander's eyes, running in undertone to the stoic obsidian and the ironic smirk that quirked his mouth upward slightly at the corners. "I suppose that, at least, is well-known throughout the ranks."

It didn't make sense. Zhou Yu was not the embodiment of jealous fury he had been constructed to be – that much, the soldier could ascertain from the softness of his voice if nothing else. But if Zhuge Liang as not the pinnacle of the general's ire, why had he been portrayed as such? And why had fables of that eternal envy spread to every one of Sun Quan's squadrons, even fueling disgruntled murmurs that the campaign in Jing was a product of the Wu strategist's insatiable desire to destroy his rival – a meaningless sacrifice of common men for one stab of revenge. Part of Chen Hao didn't want to risk interrupting the narrative's progress for fear that the general lacked the strength to complete his story as it stood even now. But Zhou Yu did not speak again and a long moment went by in useless silence, and at last the soldier found no choice but to clear his throat.

"My lord…" The dispassionate onyx eyes flickered to his hesitant, curious expression, watching wordlessly as his subordinate sought the proper phrasing for his question. Chen Hao shook his head uncertainly. "…Do you hate Zhuge Liang because he's an enemy? Or is it… do you have a personal grudge of some kind?"

Zhou Yu's forehead furrowed in concentration, and he stared hard at the soldier before him as an incidental frown captured his features, chasing the calm disinterest from his pale face. "Hate?" The general considered a moment longer before a small, acquiescent shrug rocked through his shoulders, brushing the long strands of hair effortlessly against the weathered floorboards. "I suppose that's the correct word. I hadn't thought of it in those terms until now."

Chen Hao blinked, more than a little surprised at the response to his careful question – but before he could ask for clarification, the wagon gave a tremendous shudder, shaking from the wheel spokes to the arches of its wall supports and distracting both occupants to the trembling structure around them. With a clap of uncertain, waterlogged hooves and a series of slight clicks from the driver's tongue, the vehicle finally began to move, pulling away from the wild, lurking mud of the riverbed and creaking across the cobbled stones that paved the shallow stream.

A sigh of relief escaped Chen Hao's lips as the wheels hit solid ground once more and the horses pulled into a steady trotting pace, their tossing manes becoming more visible with each fraction of definition the prowling dawn brushed across the landscape. By the time he turned back to the general at his side, Zhou Yu was speaking again, explaining his cryptic answer without having to be asked.

"If you're asking why I tried to kill him—"

A sharp cough tore his commander's words in half, and the general turned away to bury his straining mouth in the crook of his elbow. Chen Hao snatched one of the small canteens, waiting for the fit to subside before he encouraged a little of the silted liquid down the fallen legend's throat. Zhou Yu nodded in what might have been gratitude and winced at his harsh swallow – but then he pressed on, undaunted by the worsening pain.

"…He serves Liu Bei. And he may one day become a threat to Wu. I failed…" Another cough. Another wince. Chen Hao bit his lips to ragged skin and watched his struggling commander through the gradually building light, helpless to so much as ease his pain. "I failed in that attempt. But that was… an intent I would harbor for anyone who serves an enemy of my lord."

Zhou Yu shook his head and paused for a moment, seeming to listen to the steady _clop_ of the hooves ahead and the rasping rotation of the wheels behind. Then the general sighed a little, wincing as the wagon bounced viciously against the countless bumps of the meager road.

"But in terms of hating him…"

Chen Hao watched in curious, guarded silence as his commander's face hardened, some unreadable emotion tightening his jaw line and tensing his tone despite its faltering weakness. Zhou Yu's thin exhale slipped through his teeth halfway between a hiss of anger and a hiss of pain, and in the end his subordinate didn't know if it were truly either.

"Until you know someone, Chen Hao, you cannot hate them." The simple statement in conjunction with his name startled the soldier badly, and he straightened in stiff surprise before forcing himself back within range of the faltering words. The general swallowed a sharp cough. "You may dislike the idea they evoke in your mind, or dislike their actions or the viewpoint they represent… but until you truly encounter their character, you cannot hate them for who they are."

The wagon jostled around them and Chen Hao watched as the angel clouds grew more brittle in the twilight sky over his head, dark like shadowed crystal and as vague as the light of memory shining in Zhou Yu's eyes. The fingers of the general's uninjured wrist wrapped mindlessly through the chilled folds of his battle tunic, perhaps seeking a stability that his voice lacked as the explanation continued.

"You might guess that in the short period of time Zhuge Liang and I met during the battle for Chi Bi, there was not long enough to become acquainted with his true character. In that, you would be wrong… there are some people whose personalities simply bloom upon first meeting, and you need look no farther than…" A sharp intake of breath and the accompanying cough cut his commander's words in half, but Zhou Yu refused to stop for long, keeping firm eye contact with his subordinate. "…than the surface. But even if he had lacked such a character, I knew every facet of his exact personality, because I had already encountered something like it in an only slightly less dangerous individual."

Chen Hao blinked, but Zhou Yu's eyes had shifted their attention to the sky, detached from their audience in the weave of the past. A quiet sigh brushed the general's lips, and that one small sound seemed almost more regretful than the words that followed it.

"Sun Ce would have given anything to accomplish his dream. In some ways, that was his greatest asset. He never wavered from his goal, no matter what odds he encountered. But in other ways… that determination caused him a lot of trouble, and led to a lot of stupid decisions." Zhou Yu coughed and turned his face away to hide the blood flecking across his lips – but the soldier saw it anyway, and swallowed hard as the fallen legend shook his head. "That single-mindedness made him easy to take advantage of, if you knew the proper approach… and though that kind of insight was rare, we encountered someone with such intellect during our conquest of Wan. Her name was Lady Li Fei Zhi, a woman who encouraged as much suspicion toward one's allies as one's enemies."

Chen Hao started, shivering a little as a tendril of pre-dawn air trickled down his spine and meshed with the whispering echoes of his commander's hoarse voice. "A woman?" Zhou Yu smirked.

"The lust for power does not resign itself to men, Chen Hao. A woman may have just as much ambition as her husband, if not more. It's more difficult for them to seize, however… which only means they must be far cleverer than the average minister. Such was the case with Lady Li. And of course… what made her the most dangerous was the ease with which she played on Sun Ce's impatience, and directed him precisely according to her will."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The leaves had begun to fall.

There was something about the crisp air that followed summer's fading footsteps that always made autumn seem more absolute, as though the cold tendrils of wind slipping through the gardens and open windows were announcing the change of season with every breath. It was possible that the colors added to that impression – the visual cacophony of reds and golds shifting like scales across the ground were hard to ignore, ruffling with the soft breeze and crunching underfoot whenever one ventured into the arms of the whispering wind.

It was autumn's transience that made it so unique as a season, and the endless transition toward winter was visible everywhere – even in the view from the office window, where one pair of obsidian eyes was observing the murmuring tree boughs and their patches of debitage above a stack of ruffling papers.

Zhou Yu sighed softly as his glance flitted between the flame-colored branches of the birch trees in the garden outside, each one just beginning to bare its boughs to the pale sky that summer had left behind. Autumn had come to Liyang right on the heels of the strategist and his commander – and though fall just south of the Yangzi often brought the drizzling rain that eventually turned into sleeted snow, the prefecture had remained remarkably dry since their arrival, perhaps as some sort of concession for the tempest that had beset them in Shucheng.

The swordsman had to admit that he actually enjoyed the change. The weeks leading up to early winter – and with that, his birthday – had always been his favorite time of year, for the crackling contrast and swift transition that the colder air seemed to bring if nothing else. There was something about the sharp lines of the falling leaves and the folded contours of the sky that just made him want to be still, quietly watching the world as it turned…

"That's it – I can't take it anymore! I'm officially dying of boredom!"

…But apparently, it was not an inclination that afflicted everyone.

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the melodramatic exclamation and turned his attention to the restless form sprawled haphazardly across his floor, one impatient foot tapping the wood of his desk and the other flopped over the carpet at what looked to be a highly uncomfortable angle. Onyx eyes found their amber opposites and held the even stare for a long moment, and then Sun Ce groaned, rolling onto his stomach and kicking his feet through the soft air that his strategist's open window pulled from the crimson garden.

"I gave it my best shot, Yu – but I'm going to tear my hair out before I read one more word of those damn reports, and that's a promise."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow, glancing quickly at the pile of documents strewn over the floor at his companion's side. He could discern a flurry of ink marks across one of the wooden scrolls, but that looked more like the product of an absent hand than any real application, and the rest of the reports were blank, probably an indication of just how much attention the Sun lord had given them in the first place. Zhou Yu exhaled softly and set his brush down against the table, careful not to smear any of the notes he'd been making on his own considerably larger pile of intelligence before the leaves and the Little Conqueror distracted him.

"I thought you wanted to help me finish these, Ce." Sun Ce made a face, sticking his tongue out at the calm strategist behind him and driving his toes forcefully into the rug.

"Yeah – I did. Until I remembered that there's nothing more boring than how much grain Cheng Pu's taken from this city and that county and blah, blah, blah… if this is what you do all day, it's no wonder you're always in a bad mood!"

Wu's dark swordsman rolled his eyes at the mild insult and propped his chin against one hand, watching the restless young officer as he slumped onto his back and scowled vaguely at the ceiling, obviously less than enthusiastic about completing the reports as he had promised. Zhou Yu had been fairly certain from the beginning that his commander's dedication to the task at hand would last about as long as it took to get through the first few sentences of Cheng Pu's admittedly dry summaries – and in that, his gut feeling had proved right, if the scowl souring Sun Ce's expression were an apt indication. The young lord huffed under his breath and stretched disgruntledly above his head, waving one accusative hand at the scrolls beside him.

"This is so annoying! We've been here, what – two weeks already? And we haven't gotten to fight anybody at all! We're just stuck in this place doing heaps and heaps of paperwork!" The Sun lord blew his errant bangs out of his eyes, running bored fingers through the tangled chestnut strands before his arm flopped listlessly back to the rug. "We're supposed to be taking out Liu Xun, not messing with a bunch of stupid reports. Why can't we just march on Wan and get this over with?"

Zhou Yu sighed heavily, rubbing at the customary hint of a headache where it lurked behind his pale temples. "Please, Ce – don't make me repeat the entire courtier assembly."

It was a rare event when Sun Ce took counsel with people other than his strategist, aside from accepting the occasional input of individuals who were more than just voices in an overcrowded congregation hall. But shortly after his arrival in Liyang, the Little Conqueror had gathered those ministers nearest the prefecture's central city and asked their advice on his impending invasion of Wan. Zhou Yu was fairly sure he'd only done it because he wanted to charge straight into Liu Xun's territory without so much as concocting a plan of attack, and his swordsman had met that idea with a resounding negative – which was generally the case when the young officer came up with his own strategies.

But the impulsive lord's attempt to overrule his objections through popular opinion had ended in a mildly ironic fashion, from the strategist's point of view, when every minister in assembly raised their voices to shoot Sun Ce's plan to pieces with even more vehemence than his swordsman had done. The result was a sulking Sun lord and a few days of intermittent complaining, which Zhou Yu had endured principally because he was irritated with his own inability to devise a strategy for the conquest of Wan. The strategist had been attempting to clear his thoughts with a little busywork, turning the problem over in his mind as he skimmed the reports from less conflicted regions of Wu.

Of course, getting anything done with Sun Ce on hand was impossible – the sharp frown that had captured the Sun lord's expression announced his firm intention of halting any progress they'd been making, and a tiny sigh escaped Zhou Yu's lips as the familiar debate began again.

"I don't see why we can't just give it a shot," Sun Ce grumbled, locking both arms behind his head in a makeshift pillow and kicking his agitated feet through the crisp afternoon air. "I know we're at a disadvantage, but we could always—"

"The supply line's overextended." The strategist glanced up only briefly from the surplus report he was studying, well aware of his commander's argument before the words even cleared his mouth. The young officer stuck out his tongue and propped himself up on his elbows, and Zhou Yu watched as his companion rolled into a sitting position and draped his demoralized arms across the desk's crowded surface.

"Well, what if we tried to—"

"We don't have the troops for a siege," the swordsman interrupted again, pausing to sweep the long strands of dark hair from his shoulder before his efficient brush returned to the crumpled document. Sun Ce huffed, reaching out to snatch his strategist's spare pen and twirl the bamboo shaft between his impatient fingers.

"Okay, fine. Then let's—"

"The main city of Huan is too well fortified for a simple charge, and too far from here as well," Zhou Yu interjected firmly, a soft sigh and hard look accompanying the words as he abandoned his distracted report to meet the Sun lord's hopeful eyes. "We don't have rams prepared for storming the city, we don't have the element of surprise as the only logical approach to Huan is through the valley pass above the village, and we don't have rafts to ferry our troops across the tributary." Sun Ce's shoulders slumped a little with each counterargument to his pending points, and the swordsman regarded him with an unyielding frown, tapping his brush absently against the table as he studied his commander's dissatisfied face. "It's not going to work. What part of 'no' aren't you understanding, Ce?"

The Sun lord made a face at his companion, drooping toward the smoothed wood until his forehead met the desk's support and rested there in obvious disagreement. "I hate you," the young officer told him flatly, earning himself nothing but a shake of the swordsman's head. "No, no, no, no, no – that's all you ever say. Why can't we use one of my plans, huh?"

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the plastered ceiling above them. "Bring me a plan with some strategic merit, Ce, and I'll consider it. But as long as your ideas are based on luck and suicide stands, you're going to keep getting a no." Sun Ce grimaced and buried his face in one limp sleeve, only the glimmer of his unhappy amber eyes peering over the folds of his simple robe to glare fiercely at their unwavering onyx opposites.

"Bah." The Little Conqueror kicked the side of the desk again, earning himself a severe glare from the man trying to use its flat, stationary surface for the piles of tedious documents that always seemed to be his responsibility. The Sun lord flicked his pilfered brush back and forth in restive fingers, a mildly exasperating action that drew his strategist's eyes as the young officer wrinkled his nose. "Bunch of boring old men trying to tell me how to conquer a province… what do they know anyway? I don't think most of those guys have held a sword their whole lives. Probably wouldn't recognize a battle plan if it came up and bit them."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow, silently inquiring whether he ought to consider himself included in this abrasion of common sense and experience, but a heavy-handed knock interrupted the banter before Sun Ce could indicate his answer one way or the other. Both warriors glanced to the office door as it slid back and revealed the familiar face of Liyang's protector, his thin hair knotted in a careful bun along the nape of his neck and a customary frown darkening his expression. Taishi Ci snorted under his breath as he studied the room's quiet interior, tossing his chin toward the abandoned pile of scrolls that littered the strategist's floor and gazing hard at the impatient officer so obviously responsible.

"Given up already, Sun Ce?" The Wolf general shook his head derisively, mocking his commander from the safe distance of the doorway. "I told you reading reports took more intellect than you've got between your ears."

Sun Ce made a face at the mild insult, pushing himself up from his slouched position across the crowded desk and brushing the carpet dust from his knees. "At least I tried," he shot back, sticking his tongue out at his unrepentant recruit and jabbing an idle thumb over one shoulder at the mess of documents that still surrounded his swordsman. "Judging by how long we've been locked up in here doing your backwork, you didn't even go that far. Have you just been blowing off your paperwork for the last three months?"

Taishi Ci's ears turned an unusual color of crimson, and Zhou Yu swallowed a slight smirk as the warrior's flustered irritation seemed to indicate that the Sun lord was essentially correct in assessing his bureaucratic efforts. The Wolf general shifted his weight from one foot to the other with a light scoff, a hand settling onto his hip in firm detachment.

"I've been busy. There are a lot of time-consuming things—"

"No one has time for reports, Taishi Ci." The dark swordsman's voice stopped the gruff recruit halfway through the dismissive excuse, and his obsidian gaze pinned the mildly embarrassed hazel of the general's eyes silently in place. The stream of bickering halted under the unruffled weave of his words and his piercing stare. "Myself as much as the rest of you. But each of these reports requires reading – and in the future, I would appreciate a bit more diligence in that department."

As thoughtful as it was for Taishi Ci and the rest of Wu's loyal officers to save their busywork and shove it into the strategist's lap at the every opportunity, Zhou Yu was going to have to consider implementing a clerk system if the warriors themselves continued refusing to assist him – the work was simply becoming too much on top of his other duties. It was times like this when the swordsman truly realized how unmanageable the flow of reports and messages between Wu's principle cities had become; he had spent the better part of the previous fortnight scouring every document Taishi Ci had carefully set aside and ignored, but more work remained, and the flow seemed to lack a corresponding ebb. Not that losing sleep over Wu's affairs was anything new…

But the Wolf general only tipped his head in a stiff bow, clearly skeptical about the value his own attempts at ordering policies might prove if he bothered to apply himself in the future. "I apologize for that, Lord Zhou Yu. But there were a number of things I thought you might consider worth looking over…" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the blatant exaggeration of mundane documents, but he accepted the vague apology anyway, waving one hand dismissively above the scattered pages.

"It doesn't matter. Is there something we can assist you with, Taishi Ci?" The Wolf general was not one to simply stop by for a visit, being considerably less that sociable and even moodier since their arrival in his protectorate. A slight movement from the muscled warrior confirmed his guess, and Taishi Ci nodded slowly, a mildly awkward manifestation of his errand playing out across the hardened features.

"Two things, actually. First… I'd like to ask your advice concerning Liyang's districting."

Zhou Yu suppressed a small groan at the thought of the incredibly tedious, time-intensive task he'd set the Wolf general to completing more than a week earlier. With that objective on hand, he'd be occupied for the better part of an hour at least, and that meant an hour spent in the warrior's mildly abrasive company – but Taishi Ci was apparently not finished, and he shrugged a little as one strong, thick thumb indicated the Sun lord, his voice regaining its defining arrogance.

"And I can't imagine why, but there's a pair of fools out here who'd like to talk to Sun Ce – a courtier and his wife. If you're not too busy being utterly unproductive, I suggest you consider obliging their company – on the other hand, I'm sure those scrolls could still benefit from your expert opinion."

Sun Ce pushed away from his companion's desk and made a face at the insolent general in the doorway, arms folded across his chest at the trivial insult. "I don't want to hear it, Taishi Ci. If you think this is so easy, _you_ can finish the rest of them! And don't knock my guests, anyway. Bad enough that they had to suffer your ugly mug without getting bashed on the side."

Taishi Ci looked as though he would have liked to return the bickering banter, but Zhou Yu cleared his throat and stopped the retort before it could begin, drawing the powerful hazel eyes to his own for a long moment before the Wolf general relented and his gaze flew to the open window in avoidance. "Have it your way," the warrior muttered, his tone coarse with mild irritation. "But I doubt they'll resent me very much once they've actually had a chance to see what an imbecile they're dealing with."

The Little Conqueror stuck out his tongue in a fashion very fitting and dignified for the ruler of a sizable empire, and the swordsman rolled his eyes, pushing himself smoothly up from his stool and moving to stand beside Sun Ce in front of the overcrowded desk. "I'm sure your opinion is appreciated, Taishi Ci. But perhaps you should let them decide that for themselves. May I assume they're waiting in the audience hall?" The Wolf general shifted in mild discomfort, apparently not catching the sarcasm in his superior's tone under the preoccupation of his answer.

"Actually, they were unusually eager, so… they're waiting out here in the hallway." Zhou Yu started a little and exchanged a quick look with his commander, who blinked into the surprised obsidian for a moment before his countenance darkened.

"In the hallway? You mean you've been badmouthing me to their faces all this time?" Taishi Ci smirked a little, which was enough of an answer for his superior – Sun Ce waved his hands vehemently in the direction of the door, a sharp frown souring his expression. "Get out of here already, would you? Leave socializing to the professionals and get back to work! I don't pay you for your snarky mouth, you know."

The Wolf general huffed and took a step back as ordered, but he paused with one large hand resting on the doorframe to catch the swordsman's serious eyes again. "What about the districting, Lord Zhou Yu?" The carefully concealed undertone of uncertainty in his voice made Zhou Yu sigh, and he brushed a pale hand across his forehead as though the contact alone could forestall his impending headache.

"Gather whatever you need and meet me in the study – I'll come as soon as we've finished with this." Not that Sun Ce truly needed help greeting the no doubt fawning courtier and his assuredly aimless wife – but anything that delayed the tedious task and mildly grating company he was agreeing to could only be for the better. Taishi Ci bowed slightly and backed out into the corridor, vanishing from sight even as his rumbling voice resounded against the walls of the small, efficient office.

"Sun Ce will see you now. Though there's still time to reconsider if you're not particularly interested in conversing with an idiot."

"Taishi Ci! I told you to beat it!" The Sun lord's passionate shout pulled a small smirk across his strategist's face; he could hear their highly irreverent companion retreating down the hall in a meter of hurried footsteps, a pleased expression undoubtedly dominating his arrogant features. Sun Ce huffed and glared irritably at the doorframe in place of his general, shooting his swordsman a look just long enough to illustrate his displeasure with a childish scowl. "Stupid fish! Nobody asked for his opinion anyway! Why's he always have to go and run his mouth like that?"

Zhou Yu carefully refrained from remarking that the young officer was no better at keeping his tongue in check, and that both he and the Wolf general tended to be blunt as bricks in whatever commentary they were giving. He turned his attention to the door instead as a quiet hand appeared around the edge of the wooden frame, fingers as uncertain as the voice that followed them.

"Honorable Lord Sun Ce? Can we… come in?" The hesitant question matched the face of the inquirer as it appeared gradually behind the shifting barrier, two deep eyes and a thin moustache perched tentatively above a set of wiry lips. The courtier blinked apprehensively at his sovereign as the master of Wu laughed a little and seemed to dismiss Taishi Ci from his mind entirely, a customary smile replacing the irritated expression as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Sure thing," the Little Conqueror encouraged, a shrug interrupting the cascade of his chestnut ponytail. "But it's just Sun Ce, all right? 'Honorable Lord' is a real mouthful."

The man started a little at the informal invitation, his features betraying that he had half-expected to be turned away without meeting the Sun lord at all; then at last he tipped his chin in an acknowledging bow, coal eyes grazing the carpet in almost flustered humility. "Of course we don't mean to interrupt, but… well, if you're sure, my lord…"

Slowly at first but with building momentum, the door slid open the rest of the way, revealing the courtier in full where he stood awkwardly half in and half out of the room. But however nervously the attendant wound his hands together, it was the form behind his that caught the strategist's attention, hovering almost capriciously at his shoulder with two hands wrapped persuasively around his arm.

The woman had to be his wife – which was a little surprising in itself, given how few noblewomen in the swordsman's experience were concerned with meeting the men their husbands served. Instantly Zhou Yu could tell there was something unusual about the lady in his office doorway – she outshone the minister at her side the moment she became visible, and not only because she was lovely. Living with the Qiaos had long since cured the dark warrior of any weakness to beauty, though he'd never had much interest in beautiful women to begin with, and the lady's silk garments and make-upped features were not particularly extraordinary. But it was the tiny smirk artfully half-concealed behind her satin fan and the intelligence burning in her brilliant eyes that narrowed the strategist's gaze, stirring vague suspicion in his stomach as her husband spoke again.

"Honorab… Lord Sun Ce, please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Li Shu – I hail from Danyang Province in the east." The man bowed so low that he was practically bent in half, his thin hair sweeping forward to rest across the clearly nervous shoulders. "I am beyond honored to make the acquaintance of such a successful warrior."

Sun Ce smiled – the same smile that always came with the recognition and respect his exploits had won him from nobles throughout the region, the smile that made his officers dedicated to his cause every time it shone through. "Li Shu, huh? And who's that?" An indicative finger accompanied the unguarded question, and Li Shu started a little, glancing quickly over his shoulder as though he had forgotten the woman behind him before he composed himself and bowed again.

"This is Li Fei Zhi, my lady wife – she hails from Lujiang Province. She… she sat with me during the council session last week, my lord, and has been anxious to meet you ever since."

Lady Li lifted her fan a little higher and dropped her eyes as though in shame, an action that made the Sun lord blink even as he scratched nervously at the nape of his neck – but Zhou Yu's gaze narrowed, caught on the thin curl of a smile he could just discern behind the satin curtain hiding the woman's expression. Lujiang Province was the larger region encompassing Liu Xun's Wan – and it was highly unusual for a wife to attend her husband's political assemblies. In fact, the strategist wasn't even sure unprofessional visits of that kind were allowed, though he'd never given the matter any thought before – and he couldn't help studying Lady Li intently as oblivious courtesy colored the minister's expression. But the woman's coy movement and her husband's explanation had distracted the Little Conqueror, and he straightened in his stance, eyeing Li Shu curiously from the edge of the teeming desk.

"Wait – the council session? You mean you were one of those guys who shot me down?"

The tips of Li Shu's ears became slightly flushed, and he rubbed a self-conscious hand across his smooth-shaven chin. "I… well, I suppose that's one way of putting it, my lord. Actually, that's why I'm here – I wanted to speak with you about the invasion of Wan, if you have a little time for the unworthy suggestions of your servant."

Sun Ce's face had taken on a hopeful sheen at the mention of a move to conquer Liu Xun's stronghold, but the light of experience dampened his optimistic expression as he studied the courtier's respectfully quiet countenance. The Sun lord frowned a little and crossed his arms over his chest.

"You're still not going to agree with me, are you?" Li Shu flushed in embarrassment and dropped his eyes to the carpet as he shifted at the perceptive inquiry, one foot flexing from heel to toe under the strain of his mild discomfort.

"…No, my lord. But I do have another plan you might consider…"

Sun Ce appeared nonplussed, clearly still bitter about the dismissal of his favored idea by Li Shu and his comrades a week earlier. "What kind of a plan is it? Another one of those supply train attacks?" The courtier shrunk a little from his sovereign's question and Zhou Yu shot his companion a flat look, chastising the undisguised honesty riddling his tone – but Lady Li spoke before either of them, her smooth voice capturing the impulsive officer's attention with its gentle purr.

"Lord Sun Ce, please consider what my husband has to say – he has worried himself ceaselessly ever since the assembly, striving to create a strategy that would meet your approval while keeping you safe from harm…" The woman's eyes sparkled fiercely as she shook her head, her expression calm and neutral – but the swordsman got the feeling she was laughing, her amusement contained to the hidden contours of her lips. "He hasn't slept a single night, burning the lamp late in his eagerness to please you. Please do him the honor of considering his plan, my lord – my husband is a highly intelligent man."

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed sharply. Li Shu was not highly intelligent – probably a mediocre mind at best, a fact that his hesitance and approach had displayed immediately. It was his wife whose cleverness couldn't be denied, even upon first meeting – and the strategist was willing to bet that whatever plan the courtier was presenting had actually come from the crafty woman at his side, though he was possibly not even aware of that himself. Lady Li returned his stare evenly across the terse distance, features perfectly blank as she curled around her husband's arm like a cat, feline in the lilting echo of her voice and the angle of her neck.

The swordsman gritted his teeth. He had never liked cats.

Sun Ce seemed a little unsure how to respond to the woman's demure request, and he glanced back to his stoic swordsman before shrugging slightly, meeting the eyes of the diligent minister again as his wife slipped gracefully behind her fluttering fan. "Well… sure, I'll hear you out." A small smile recaptured the Sun lord's countenance, though it appeared to do little for Li Shu's confidence. "Hit me with your best shot," the young officer invited, jabbing a thumb at the strategist beside him. "I'm pretty much game for anything that gets us Wan, at this point – but Yu's a little pickier, so it's his veto you have to watch out for."

Li Shu glanced at Zhou Yu's stern features before refocusing on the Little Conqueror, seeking reassurance in a friendlier gaze than the one currently sparring with his wife's. The swordsman kept his attention firmly on the woman draped across the courtier's shoulder even as the attendant began to speak, his words rising and falling in time to the rhythmic fan beside his ear.

"…As you wish, my lord. You see, I was under the impression… that is…" Li Shu wrung his hands together and shot the dark strategist another fleeting look, apprehension coloring his amiable countenance even as he drew himself straighter with a deep breath. "Liu Xun's main city of Huan sits along the arm of the Yangzi – an offshoot of that river runs just south of the city itself. Most of Huan's provisions come east from upriver. Now that Yuan Shu is dead, many of his retainers have been seeking refuge in Wan, and I have heard that he is short supplies for all of his new subjects. If we could gain control of the river farther west than Liu Xun's territory and interfere with their supply line from there, we might be able to weaken Huan enough to bring success in battle."

Sun Ce's thoughtful expression announced that he deemed the suggestion worthy of at least a little contemplation, but Zhou Yu shook his head, dismissing the farfetched strategy almost as soon as the minister had stopped speaking. "I'm sorry, Li Shu – but your plan is not feasible."

Every person in the room turned to look at him, and the swordsman thought he saw Lady Li's eyes narrowing a little in annoyance as her husband's shoulders slumped. The Sun lord glanced at his companion and tipped his head curiously to one side, chestnut ponytail skipping across his neck. "Why not, Yu? It sounds pretty good to me." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"Your impatience makes you overeager, Ce. Think – even if Liu Xun is short supplies, we don't have any more troops for a siege than we had when Taishi Ci first suggested the idea. And without sufficient personnel, we remain unable to capture the city."

Sun Ce frowned at his severe strategist, visibly disappointed that he wouldn't be marching on Wan in the next hour – but Lady Li only straightened at her husband's side, matching the warrior's hard stare even as her voice cooed into the courtier's ear with deceptive fawning. "Master Strategist, please forgive my boldness in daring to speak before yourself and your sovereign – but my husband has not yet described the most brilliant part of his plan."

Zhou Yu wondered if it were as obvious to the others present that every word leaking from the woman's veiled lips was a carefully constructed fallacy. But the Sun lord's expression was mildly interested and Li Shu had only flushed at her facetious praise, dropping his eyes to the floor as she continued her purring counterargument.

"Once Liu Xun's supply line has been interrupted, he will become desperate to secure provisions. At this time, disguise one of your officers as a tradesman. Liu Xun will be willing to open his gates if he believes it will alleviate the city's suffering… and when he does, your men masquerading as merchants can set Huan ablaze. It won't take very long to conquer the city if its protectors have already been defeated by the flames."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow, his posture stiff with cloaked distrust. "You appear to have given this a great deal of thought," the strategist murmured, his words polite despite the steel invading his obsidian gaze. Lady Li lifted her fan almost to her eyes.

"I am only relating my husband's proposal," the woman insisted modestly, though the ghost of a coy smile running beneath her words told a different story. Zhou Yu felt his jaw set as her taloned hands tightened around Li Shu's gracious sleeve. "I know nothing of politics myself, Master Strategist – it is his brilliance that inspires my words, not my own. It's only that he's too modest to display his full talent in the presence of powerful men like yourselves…"

Li Shu's face nearly matched the autumn colors outside the open window, each word from his wife's lips flushing a deeper shade of claret across his mortified cheeks. "Fei Zhi, hush," he instructed weakly, one hand covering hers where it rested possessively in the crook of his elbow, and the woman obliged, settling for a fiercely challenging stare in place of her insincere flattery. Sun Ce once again glanced to his strategist, amber eyes seeking the approval that had eluded him for two long weeks – but Zhou Yu only shook his head, dismissing the Little Conqueror's hopes before they could even leave his tongue.

"Be that as it may… I'm afraid I still cannot condone your strategy." The Sun lord slumped, and Lady Li's eyes became sharp, tracing the contours of his face with curt scrutiny as the dark swordsman continued. "In order to cut off supplies to Huan, we would have to control the river trade far upstream, as you mentioned. Not only does Liu Xun's territory stand between ours and the necessary pincer point, but we have no allies in that region – Huang Zu is, if anything, an enemy."

A memory of the general who had once served Liu Biao shot through the swordsman's mind – the man who had orchestrated the ambush resulting in Sun Jian's death. Zhou Yu wasn't sure how the cowardly warlord had come to control a large portion of the central Yangzi, but he knew the Sun lord's campaign would find no assistance in the west, and he had a feeling Sun Ce himself would not be interested in seeking alliance with his father's murderer. One of the reasons for eliminating Liu Xun was to begin an attack on Huang Zu as soon as Wan was secure…

Lady Li's expression did not change, but her eyes had become intensely displeased, burning with irritation even as the strategist bowed to her husband and shook his head calmly. "Thank you for your dedicated effort, Li Shu – but we cannot use such risky tactics in this case. You have my apologies."

Li Shu almost looked relieved at the firm dismissal, and he returned the swordsman's bow amicably, rubbing bashfully at the thin tails of his moustache. "No need to apologize, Lord Zhou Yu – I didn't consider my proposal as thoroughly as I should have. Such a simple mistake…"

Sun Ce shifted a little and drew the strategist's attention back to his stubborn features, a small scowl bothering his lips. "Isn't there any way we can modify it?" the young officer asked, amber eyes shining with almost reckless eagerness. "Couldn't we cut their supplies off from somewhere else – or set Huan on fire another way?" Zhou Yu fixed his companion with a firm stare.

"You are going to have to be patient, Ce. If we rush into Wan without a proper strategy, we will fail to defeat Liu Xun – and probably lose more men than we can replace. We have to find a viable approach before we march, no matter how much you'd rather take your chances."

The Sun lord made a face at him and crossed both arms over his chest, turning back to their visitors as though in illustration of the refusal to yield that had kept him in Liyang for the previous weeks. "See? Like I said – he's picky. Anybody got another idea?"

Li Shu only shook his head, appearing slightly ashamed of his fruitless visit to the master of Wu – but Lady Li straightened on his arm and studied the young officer closely, a sliver of epiphany lurking in her cunning eyes. Then the woman's fan slipped slightly to reveal the winning smile that had captured her expression, and she shook her husband's shoulder, blushing so succinctly that Zhou Yu could only assume the crimson dusting her cheeks had been planned for effect.

"Shu, could Lord Sun Ce give us a tour of the estate? You promised I'd be allowed to visit the gardens this time…" Li Shu recoiled a little at his wife's request, his features highly embarrassed once again as he glanced back toward the Sun lord and his stoic companion.

"I – I'm afraid I may have promised her that, my lord – since she was so obliging in coming along today. I simply cannot keep any confidence about my words without her…" The courtier shook his head soundly, banishing the admission even as Lady Li dug her fingers through the sleeve of his robe and watched the Little Conqueror like a cat preparing to pounce. "Of course, I'm sure you're tremendously busy, my lord – please, think nothing of it. We can tour the gardens ourselves, can't we, Fei Zhi?"

His wife pouted at the question, dropping her eyes to the floor as the slowly flickering fan concealed her mouth once again. Zhou Yu ground his teeth together. The swordsman couldn't fathom why Lady Li wanted Sun Ce to show them the grounds, but he was sure he wanted to prevent it, and he had a feeling her intentions had little to do with the autumn-brushed trees of the garden itself. If Lady Li were half as clever and underhanded as the strategy she'd proposed, it would be safest to keep her away from the young officer and his escalating impatience…

But before the minister's wife could even begin to protest her husband's decision or the strategist cement it, an easygoing laugh broke through the conversation, matching the lighthearted smile on the Sun lord's face as he shrugged aimlessly. "Well, why not? I could show you around. This place isn't much to see, though – are you sure you want a tour?"

All eyes snapped to Sun Ce's amiable features, and Zhou Yu thought he saw a flicker of triumph skirting Lady Li's expression before composure suffused her countenance once more. The woman shifted hopefully on her husband's arm, satin fan fluttering like her eyelashes as she returned the young officer's obliging gaze. "Oh, would you, Lord Sun Ce? A tour is so much more enjoyable when the master of the estate can accompany you." The Sun lord scratched the back of his neck a little unsurely, oblivious to the tight line of his warrior's jaw and the almost conniving curve of the lady's lips.

"It's not really mine. Taishi Ci just picked it up as headquarters when he came south, and I've only been here a few weeks—"

"No matter." The woman's quick, offhand dismissal interrupted his protest with a simple smile, taking control of the situation before the master of Wu could so much as blink. Lady Li tilted her head cheerfully to one side and waved the young officer's words away with her shimmering fan. "Master Taishi Ci seemed a bit uncouth. We'd much prefer your company."

Zhou Yu stiffened a little as Sun Ce laughed easily, accepting the compliment without even a trace of hesitation. "Uncouth, huh? I guess that's one way of putting it. Well, I can't blame you – I wouldn't want a tour from him either." The Sun lord turned to fix his dark companion with an unsoftened grin, slapping one hand onto the warrior's shoulder in lighthearted teasing. "Lucky you – getting to spend all afternoon with him. I'll leave that districting stuff to you."

The swordsman's mind worked very fast, searching for a reason to keep the young officer away from Lady Li's undetermined intentions – but nothing came to him, and he was forced to settle for a stern glare that Sun Ce ignored. "Isn't there something more important you should be doing?" he asked, his tone the consistency of gravel. But even as he spoke, he knew the Sun lord's answer – because there was nothing pressing at all in Liyang, and that more than anything fueled his commander's desire to march on Wan immediately. Sun Ce laughed.

"Like what, paperwork? I said it already, Yu – I'm way past done with that. Don't worry about it. You go get some work done, and I'll go take a break. Deal? I'll catch ya later."

Zhou Yu's jaw clenched, obsidian gaze sliding sideways to find the brilliant, predatory stare hovering in the doorway. If there was no way to go with them and no way to stop them from going…

"Ce." The Little Conqueror was halfway to the door when a pale hand on his shoulder halted his progress, bringing the amber eyes back to blink at his stoic companion as the strategist shook his head. "Don't rush into anything," he cautioned quietly, keeping his gaze locked on the young officer's confused features. "We will defeat Liu Xun – it's just going to require a little time. Don't make any impulsive decisions. All right?" Sun Ce just stared at him for a long moment before he found his voice, his normally unbothered forehead furrowed in blatant incomprehension.

"What the hell are you talking about, Yu? I swear – I never understand more than half of the words coming out of your mouth."

Zhou Yu shook his head, glancing momentarily at the clever woman prowling his office doorway and challenging him to accuse her openly of the suspicions lurking between his ribs. Lady Li raised a delicate eyebrow and the swordsman glared into her cunning eyes, dropping his hand from his commander's baffled shoulder and finding the Sun lord's gaze once more.

"Just… be careful."

Sun Ce scowled. "Be careful of what? The garden? Hey – what aren't you telling me?"

But the dark warrior didn't answer, already moving across the room and heading for the corridor. As he slipped past the pair of guests blocking the exit, he could almost hear the quiet scoff that a satin fan was vigilantly concealing, and the woman's eyes met his in a kind of self-satisfied triumph. Then the hallway opened before him and Zhou Yu moved through the afternoon shadows in the direction of the study, forcing his footsteps away from the lord of Wu and the lady who inspired vague foreboding in the pit of his stomach.

As the rooms of Taishi Ci's headquarters flashed by on both sides, the strategist tried to dismiss the uncomfortable feeling his encounter with the minister's wife had ignited, shaking the memory of her clever smile from the forefront of his mind. Lady Li was intelligent, true, and probably not through trying to get her way, but…

But that was the real problem. What did Lady Li want? Her husband had struck Zhou Yu as the type of man who simply tried his hardest in the service of whatever noble happened to employ him – haplessly, by the looks of it. But a cunning mind like his wife's did not toil aimlessly, and there was a sharpness to Lady Li that suggested a definite motive. Still, the whole situation failed to make sense. What could the woman want from Sun Ce that was worth concocting battle strategies and dragging her husband through the gardens of Liyang's principal residence? The swordsman couldn't think of a logical payoff for her efforts, and he shook his head in abrupt irritation, increasing the length of his strides and startling the servants moving soundlessly through the estate's main corridor with his shadowed scowl.

All people worked toward their own best interests. It was not an opinion but simply a fact, one Zhou Yu had learned after long years of dealing with foreign envoys and a chorus of selfish courtiers. He had a feeling Lady Li was no different in that regard than every other person whose path he had crossed in his nearly twenty-four years – but if that were the case, what interest was the woman pursuing? Was the entire situation simply an attempt to win her husband a little glory, recognition amongst the bobbing heads of the attendants whose names and faces were practically interchangeable?

Or was Sun Ce her true objective? Li Shu had mentioned her presence at the council session the week before – perhaps the brief strategic meeting been long enough to fuel some kind of deluded affection for the young officer? But as soon as the thought had crossed his mind, the strategist knew that was not the case – the impression of an objective predator was too strong in her eyes for the intention to be based on love, however distant. Nor did Lady Li seem the type to be easily smitten. But what options did that leave?

Before he could reach at an answer, the dark swordsman arrived at the study, and he was forced to abandon his irritated contemplation for more practical matters as the door slid back beneath his hand. Taishi Ci was waiting impatiently inside, maps of Liyang open on the table; his two large hands were braced on either side of the parchment and his expression crinkled with hard concentration, the image of a diligent officer where he leaned across the vast diagrams. At Zhou Yu's entrance, the Wolf general straightened and scoffed under his breath, both arms coming to rest in a thick knot over his chest.

"There you are. I was wondering if you'd forgotten about me and disappeared off somewhere with your guests."

The strategist was decidedly not in the mood for the man's unfailingly sharp attitude, and his unrelenting glare said as much, meeting the hazel eyes evenly despite their considerable discrepancy in height. "I warned you that it would take a little while to fulfill my social obligations, Taishi Ci." The warrior's tone was as cold as his expression, and he moved smoothly past the powerhouse officer to scan the scattered documents with a practiced eye. "Next time, consider yourself more than welcome to begin without me."

Taishi Ci watched in silence for a moment as one pale finger skimmed down the well-worn lines of ink, studying the names of diminutive towns and forcing the swordsman's attention to the task he'd reluctantly agreed to assist. Then the Wolf general shifted, watching his superior with a calculating eye. "You seem preoccupied." The casual observation made Zhou Yu blink a little, and his obsidian eyes came up to find the unconcerned hazel as his comrade shrugged. "Has something gone wrong? Any complications?" The strategist shook his head firmly, as much to convince himself as in answer to the other officer's question.

"It's nothing." Taishi Ci snorted.

"Does that mean it's personal?" His question earned him a sharp glare before the swordsman returned his gaze to the maps, absorbing the texture of the paper beneath pensive fingertips.

"I don't bring my personal problems to work, Taishi Ci. And I'd thank you to focus on the task at hand and leave your curiosities about my affairs to a time when they won't interfere with more pressing responsibilities."

His voice was thick with cold warning, but the Wolf general had never been intimidated by his lord's strategist before, and his inquiry persisted despite the warrior's indisputable response. Taishi Ci's hands slid to his hips and Zhou Yu could feel the granite stare scanning his features, trying to discern a more detailed explanation from his silent countenance.

"So this isn't about Sun Ce?"

The swordsman gave an irritable sigh, straightening from his scrutiny of the province maps and regarding the obstinate officer flatly above the cluttered table. "Taishi Ci, I believe I asked you to drop it."

The man did not budge, his countenance riddled with stubborn interest that refused to wane despite the chilling glare defining Zhou Yu's expression. At last the strategist rolled his eyes and relented, turning back to the slew of materials and staring distractedly at a policy scroll in a largely failed attempt at nonchalance.

"…If you must. I am only slightly concerned about Lady Li – can we get on with this?"

Taishi Ci smirked a little, though the swordsman couldn't tell if the expression had its origin in his successful persistence or in some form of sadistic enjoyment regarding others' displeasure. The Wolf general nodded softly to himself, each bob of his head igniting a small spark of irritation beneath the dark warrior's ribs.

"Lady Li, is it? I imagine you would be concerned. She seemed rather keen on meeting Sun Ce, after all." Zhou Yu sighed again, the exhale grating across his teeth as his irritation increased tenfold with every snide remark escaping the brash officer's lips.

"I meant in a strictly political manner." The strategist paused for a moment and felt his brow furrowing in a return to suspicion, unable to ignore the uncomfortable feeling the courtier's wife had stirred in his stomach. "She seems… ambitious. Perhaps even dangerous." And that was still the oddest part – what could Lady Li hope to gain from assisting Sun Ce's campaigns for conquest? Nothing more complicated than money and favor? Or if not, what was the woman truly trying to accomplish?

But Taishi Ci only snorted under his breath, one hand reaching up to knock his low ponytail back in order from a disheveled tangle across his broad shoulders. "She's only a woman, Lord Zhou Yu. How much of a threat could she truly present?" Zhou Yu shook his head at the flippant response.

"I would caution you never to make such remarks in Shang Xiang's presence, as she is likely to remove your head in answer. As it is, I have asked you repeatedly to let the matter go – do so immediately, or I'll leave the district work in your more than capable hands."

The Wolf general straightened in surprise at the deadly serious tone, looking mildly taken aback and at least a little offended, and for a moment the swordsman wondered whether his comrade would truly drop the conversation so easily. But his uncertainty about districting apparently outweighed his desire to pry, and Taishi Ci resigned himself to the politics of governance with a small huff, his large form slumping just slightly under the disappointment of the strategist's unyielding tongue.

"As you wish. But we're not in a position to begin at any rate – I couldn't find the manuscripts that record Liyang's taxation. They're missing from the library."

Zhou Yu frowned a little, picturing the library cases in his mind. He could have sworn the tax manuscripts were present, because he remembered using them only days before in his calculations of how much surplus the region could afford… the swordsman sighed and shook his head, raising one hand to rub at his quickly developing headache.

"No, they aren't. I must have misshelved them when I finished with the summaries. I probably put them in with the grain reports…" The strategist pushed away from the table and turned back toward the hallway, gesturing over his shoulder to the mess of documents Taishi Ci had managed to procure. "I'll return as soon as I've found those. In the meantime, please at least _start_ dividing the province into counties. I hope you'll be able to do this on your own next year."

The Wolf general didn't reply, and for a moment Zhou Yu hesitated in the doorway, waiting in silence for a protest he had assumed would be instantly forthcoming. At last the powerful officer shifted, his feet scratching lightly over the rug as his eyes burned into the swordsman's shoulders.

"Lord Zhou Yu…" The pensive tone of the older man's voice caught Zhou Yu's attention, and he turned back to meet the serious hazel eyes, mildly surprised at the solemn contemplation that had suffused the general's face. Taishi Ci frowned. "Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps you work too much?"

The strategist sincerely did not want to hear that, particularly not from the man whose blatant avoidance of paperwork had trapped him behind his desk for the better part of a fortnight – but he only shook his head, a small smirk capturing his thin lips.

"You sound like Sun Ce."

Except that Sun Ce was generally much louder and more obstreperous in his complaints, and more adamant about a change of pace as well. But Taishi Ci remained firm, his heavily muscled arms coming to rest across his chest in severe sincerity.

"Perhaps he's right. Have you considered finding an assistant?" Zhou Yu scoffed.

"If you find me an assistant, Taishi Ci, I will hire one – but at present, I have far more than enough to do without conducting interviews as well. Get started – I'll return shortly." And with that, he was gone, pausing only to slide the door closed behind him before the corridor made its customary progression beneath his feet and he moved silently into the depths of the estate.

_Has it ever occurred to you that perhaps you work too much?_

Zhou Yu shook his head, an ironic smile flickering across his lips at the memory of the Wolf general's honest question. Neither the brawny officer nor his commander seemed to understand that work was not optional – it all had to be done somehow, and as none of them seemed interested in lending a hand, there was little choice but to do it himself. An assistant wasn't a bad idea, but finding someone both diligent and intelligent was a feat the swordsman had deemed nearly impossible over the course of his life, and the possibility that such a person existed in the vicinity of Wu was even less plausible. The strategist sighed a little as he entered the library and stepped behind the wall of cases, studying the hand-inked titles with cynical eyes. More likely than not, everyone capable of fulfilling his qualifications had been swept into imperial service almost from the cradle…

There. Zhou Yu shook his head as he bent to retrieve the thin bundle of papers from the bottom shelf, wondering idly just how hard Taishi Ci had actually looked for the tax manuscripts. It didn't sound terribly uncharacteristic for the man to use slight disorganization as a way of avoiding—

"Anyway, this is the library. Like I said, it's not much – just some politic junk Taishi Ci's been keeping around."

The swordsman's eyes widened as the unmistakable voice of his spastic companion floated through the doorway, preceding a trio of footsteps and a polite, indistinguishable sound of approval from the minister still accompanying him. Zhou Yu glanced between the slats of the carefully stacked books to see the party of three perched between the door frames, equally bored eyes surveying the shelves and cabinets that filled nearly every available corner of the small wing room.

Sun Ce lifted a hand to scratch hesitantly at the back of his neck, and from the young officer's unchanging expression, the strategist knew the overflowing bookcase had concealed him from sight. Which was probably best, as he'd promised Taishi Ci a swift return and anything involving the troublesome guests was likely to take a fair chunk of time… Zhou Yu turned on his heel and moved quietly toward the opposite side of the room, choosing the secondary door for an exit as the Little Conqueror's voice resounded against the unimpressive walls.

"I guess we can go look around the garden next, if you want. Everything's pretty much dead, but…"

The Sun lord's disinterest was evident even in his attempt at an amiable statement, and Zhou Yu shook his head a little in silent amusement. The strategist paused just shy of the back door to give the shelves a final cursory glance in case the Wolf general had forgotten anything else important. He could hear Lady Li's fan bouncing cheerfully against her delicate chin as her shoes scuffed the tilework, clear indication of a sharp pivoting movement that his ears detected even though his eyes did not.

"I'd love to tour the gardens, Lord Sun Ce – autumn has such wonderful colors, especially here is southwestern Wu…"

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the ridiculous assertion, turning back toward the door with a slight shake of his head. He highly doubted that the shades of fall were very different in Liyang than in Lady Li's home province of Lujiang, which was truly just across the river, and for a moment he wondered whether he hadn't read the courtier's wife wrong after all, misinterpreting flighty intensity for a stricter goal. But the woman's next words stopped him just shy of the corridor threshold, stalling his steps and freezing one hand on the well-worn doorframe.

"But I'm afraid I left my parasol outside the office when Master Taishi Ci brought us to see you. I certainly can't go outside without it – I can't imagine what the sunlight would do to my skin at this time of year. Will you fetch it for me, Shu?"

The swordsman stiffened, listening to the stuttered surprise that formed her husband's startled response. "Your parasol… I don't remember seeing one, Fei Zhi. Are you certain you didn't leave it in the wagon?" The woman laughed a little, the simple sound conveying an image of her fluttering fan by impression alone.

"Of course I brought it inside. You promised to show me the gardens today, Shu… I couldn't risk chancing the sun that way. I only leaned it against the wall so it wouldn't be in the way when we greeted Lord Sun Ce. It's my favorite parasol, too – you will get it for me, won't you?"

Zhou Yu frowned, eyes hardening as he stared into the half-darkness of the hallway before him and listened to Li Shu's hesitant shuffling. Lady Li had certainly not had a parasol with her – she hadn't come any farther into the office than the open doorway, and if an umbrella had been leaned against one of the walls in the corridor outside, he'd have tripped over it on his way to meet Taishi Ci in the study. But Li Shu was not conscious of the strategist's thoughts, and all he could do was chuckle a little, his affection for his wife outweighing the slight embarrassment brought on by her feigned forgetfulness.

"Well, if it's truly that important… you don't mind waiting, Lord Sun Ce? It shouldn't take but a moment…"

An easygoing laugh was the young officer's answer, and the strategist gritted his teeth, seeing the clever, self-satisfied eyes lurking behind that satin fan as the courtier relented. "Nah – not a problem." The phrasing was so familiar that even with his back turned Zhou Yu could picture the small shrug and radiant smile that went with the words. "We'll be right here. Take your time." There was a brief pause as the swordsman could imagine the gracious minister bowing to his sovereign, and then a lone set of footsteps sounded down the hallway, echoing softer with each step. Lady Li's voice chased her husband's retreating form and echoed through the small room in effortless cheer.

"Thank you, Shu! Sorry to be so much trouble!"

In a moment the noise of the attendant's measured strides faded altogether, and Sun Ce laughed again, the sound no more uncertain than usual despite the ostensibly awkward position he had stumbled into. "Well, I guess it's just you and me for a minute – sorry about that." But as soon as the words were out of his mouth, the entire feeling of tension in the room intensified, deepening as Lady Li's tone changed abruptly from a high and carefree salutation to a dark, murmuring purr.

"Not at all, Lord Sun Ce. I'm glad I finally managed to get you alone."

Zhou Yu's head snapped back in the direction of the Sun lord and his guest, and he took an involuntary step toward them, every muscle in his body tight with heightened distrust. He could practically see the startled expression sweeping the Little Conqueror's countenance as a soft step announced the woman's approach, no doubt leaning toward the young officer as only the fan kept her smile in check.

"What are you talking about?"

Sun Ce's blunt question did not seem to deter Lady Li in the slightest, and as another silken footstep slid across the tiled floor, the strategist found himself almost involuntarily at the bookshelf, staring through the crooked lines of texts and manuscripts to identify the baffled look on his commander's face. He replaced the taxation documents soundlessly on their sill. The minister's wife shook her demure head and glanced carefully away, her fan making slow, unruffled passes back and forth above her mouth.

"Ever since the council session last week, I've had something to discuss with you. But I couldn't bring myself to speak in the presence of my husband, or anyone else for that matter – I know they would never understand me as you will. Of course, if you request it of me, I'll hold my tongue and not trouble you with my thoughts…"

The Sun lord looked a little uneasy about the proximity his guest had managed to gain in a few short words, and he stepped back a little from the covertly cunning expression decorating the woman's face. But Zhou Yu could tell his companion was curious as well, and it only took a moment before Sun Ce shook his misgivings away and found his voice again, more interested by the mild mystery in the lady's words than the stealthy delight resonating in her eyes.

"…So, what is it? What did you want to talk about?"

Lady Li sighed, and the swordsman felt his jaw tensing at the delicate, dramatic sound as the minister's wife paused in her perpetual fanning to meet the young officer's eyes. "It concerns Liu Xun, my lord. My husband has explained the strategic difficulties of Wan to me, but… if there's any way of expediting the campaign against him…"

Through the gaps in the bookcase, Zhou Yu could see the woman's hands flat and peaceful against the folds of her skirts, completely composed even as her silver tongue threaded its way into the Little Conqueror's ears. Sun Ce huffed and shook his head, the intense amber of his eyes just visible between the slatted volumes.

"Yeah, I wish. But you heard Zhou Yu – we can't move until we've got a plan. And at this rate…"

The strategist ground his teeth together, shifting silently to gain a better view of the conversation in the library doorway. The Sun lord's impatience made him an easy target for irresponsible encouragement, especially the well-crafted, furtive encouragement that Lady Li seemed to favor. It was a weakness the woman must have picked up on as soon as Li Shu first put forth the strategy she'd concocted – or perhaps she'd known that even before her arrival, having noticed the obstinate course of the young officer's will during the council session the week before. Whatever her source, the minister's wife had clearly planned carefully; her eyes darted away from Sun Ce's, the impression of shame and humility perfectly matching her script.

"I didn't mean to suggest you do anything reckless, my lord – of course I'd never ask you to put yourself in danger. It's only that…" The flickering fan hid her tiny smile, so clear to the swordsman from his covert viewpoint but invisible to gesture's target. Lady Li's bright eyes gazed up at the master of Wu in raw entreaty. "I know Master Zhou Yu could never understand. But I beg you, Lord Sun Ce – you must remove Liu Xun from power as quickly as possible."

'As quickly as possible' was nearly always a battle strategy that invited trouble with open arms, one of the many reasons all of Sun Ce's ministers had vetoed his straightforward attack with such vehemence. It was only a shame that 'as quickly as possible' also appealed so neatly to the Sun lord's nature – the young officer shifted and took an almost involuntary step toward his guest, studying her shadowed features as curiosity replaced whatever lingering uncertainty had captivated his expression.

"Why's that? I mean, I'm game and all, but…"

Zhou Yu shook his head sharply, silently chastising his impulsive companion for the lack of restraint that even six years of war had failed to teach him. Lady Li's internal triumph flashed through her eyes, but her countenance as a whole remained unchanged, vulnerable and serious behind the curve of her satin fan. The woman sighed again and let her bangs swing forward to interrupt the line of her vision, releasing Sun Ce's gaze in a convincing portrayal of shame.

"I'm mortified to have to ask you for military action on the basis of my affairs alone, my lord. But in this case, I must admit that my reasons are… personal."

The Sun lord blinked as the courtier's wife glanced up to meet his eyes again, and even from his position behind the bookcase Zhou Yu could read the supplication that had suffused her expression, increasing the power of her words tenfold with the simple impression of helplessness.

"My husband mentioned that Lujiang was my native province. In fact, I was born in the city of Huan, when Lu Kang still controlled the region." The swordsman started a little at her quiet admission, and he could see similar surprise flooding the Little Conqueror's face, amber eyes widening as the woman continued. "When I married, Li Shu brought me back to Wu with him. That was almost ten years ago, so of course I never lived in Huan after Liu Xun came to power. But my sister…"

At the mention of her female relative, Lady Li's eyes became even brighter than before, and she looked away from the young officer with a turn of her head so sharp that the pins securing her carefully coiled hair quivered and threatened to fall from their decorative perch. A small frown bothered Sun Ce's lips as he leaned toward her almost unconsciously, completely entangled in the web of her artful words. "Your sister?" The woman bowed her head.

"My sister is three years younger than I. She married one of Lu Kang's highest officers, so she remained in Wan even after Liu Xun took over. All of her letters speak of how horribly cruel Liu Xun has been to the people of Huan – he taxes them more than they can afford, especially now that he has accepted Yuan Shu's denizens into his territory. His greed knows no bounds, my lord – he mistreats his people in the name of his own pleasure. And my sister said his excesses are without limit – he even steals married women from their families for his selfish enjoyment."

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed dangerously, his dark glare locked on Lady Li's convincing features as the Sun lord watched her in silence. There was no telling whether the courtier's wife actually had a sister – but the swordsman was fairly certain that the girl's existence aside, she would not be able to read, much less write letters with sufficient protection and privacy to dare defaming the ruler of her city. Even the Qiao sisters hadn't received proper schooling in their father's house – and only the boldest political families dared to openly criticize their masters in a time when kings were as likely to behead their opposition as ignore them… Lady Li's fan flickered as though to ward the strategist's mistrustful thoughts away, hovering above her idly smiling lips with the delicacy of a butterfly.

"If this were all, Lord Sun Ce, I would never dare to voice my concerns to you. But a few weeks ago, the letters stopped coming… I'm deathly afraid of what toll Liu Xun's poor ruling may be taking on his citizens." The minister's wife shook her lovely head in simultaneous pleading and uncertainty, coils of raven bangs bouncing softly against her smooth forehead as she captured the Little Conqueror's gaze again. "I am not asking you to move on behalf of my sister, my lord. I've come to you for the sake of everyone in Wan – all of the people who deserve to be conducted by a talented, powerful leader. A leader like you."

Sun Ce straightened in surprise at the unexpected compliment, and Zhou Yu felt his lips curving in a cynical smile, forced to acknowledge the woman's clever tongue despite the dangerous situation her words threatened to build. Playing to the Sun lord's arrogance had never been a losing tactic yet. The young officer's amber eyes blinked down at his guest as her almost hypnotizing fan wound its way slowly back and forth, shielding her expression from the afternoon sunlight and stirring the long strands of his chestnut ponytail.

"…I could do better than he has."

The swordsman ground his teeth together, holding back an exasperated sigh as his companion's fatal flaw – a tremendously swollen head, which had only worsened with age and military success – spurred a wisp of cunning confidence across Lady Li's face. The woman nodded gently in time to the movement of her practiced wrist.

"Of course you could, Lord Sun Ce. You have been – and Wu is a much larger region than Wan. As you can govern Wu with unfaltering grace and compassion, how simple would it be to add Wan to the fold of your conquered territories?" The courtier's wife let her gaze trail coyly away from the Sun lord's features, and Zhou Yu could imagine a purring feline in her place, flicking its tail with the unruffled content of a cat toying with its prey. "After all… Wan should be yours already, should it not? Wasn't it your army that chased Lu Kang from the region three years ago?"

Sun Ce stiffened sharply, and his strategist's glare intensified in suspicious surprise at the offhand comment. "How did you know that?" the young lord asked, his tone tight with a metallic edge that his swordsman had come to recognize as offense. Lady Li snapped her fan closer to her lips and let a slight shrug roll through her shoulders, silk robes trembling casually around her slight form.

"It's common knowledge, my lord. Everyone knows Yuan Shu passed you over for promotion and gave the protectorate to Liu Xun instead."

If nothing else, the Sun lord's ego was in working order – a scowl slipped across Sun Ce's tan features and furrowed his forehead, both hands tightening into loose fists at his side. "Everyone?" The woman raised a delicate eyebrow behind the safety of her satin screen.

"I meant no offense, my lord. I was only trying to remind you that you have a claim to Wan already." Lady Li leaned closer to the young officer and Zhou Yu felt his jaw clenching, more at the murmured poison his ears barely caught than the change in proximity. "Many in Wan consider you their sovereign already. They know it's only a matter of time until you depose Liu Xun and bring order back to the province. But I worry that they may begin to lose faith…"

From the Sun lord's tense posture and the tiny smirk touching the lady's lips, the swordsman could tell Lady Li's plan was working perfectly – perhaps even better than she'd imagined. The Little Conqueror shook his head and stepped back from his guest's conniving encouragement, his gaze flitting to the library windows as though in search of the inspiration that had eluded his officers ever since his arrival in Liyang.

"And we're still just sitting here after two weeks…"

The woman smiled. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth. Somehow, from the wings of a performance it was always so easy to see the strings.

"Of course, I didn't mean to rush you, Lord Sun Ce." The careless dismissal brought the young officer's amber eyes back to the courtier's wife, and she shook her head smoothly, the corners of her lips barely twitching behind her satin shield. "I understand there's nothing you can do at present. You cannot act against the advice of your ministers, after all."

Sun Ce frowned at the implication, and his strategist's glare became almost murderous as the woman's words threatened the already miniscule control Wu's advisors held over their impulsive master. Lady Li merely let her gaze sift to the floor and raised her fan a little higher, her expression a portrait of disappointment except for the flickering smile still invisible to her host.

"Please don't trouble yourself on my behalf, my lord. I do understand that these things take time… the vessel of politics rarely moves quickly enough for those who await its grace." But the Sun lord shook his head, impatience apparent now in every muscle and the normally carefree contours of his face.

"I need to get in there – why can't anyone come up with a strategy? If we don't take Liu Xun down now, there's no telling how long it'll be…" The restlessness in his words made Lady Li sigh, but Zhou Yu could see her slowly straightening to her full height, unwinding from her mirage of vulnerability to catch the tonfa master's anxious eyes as she nodded.

"It does seem a bit regrettable, Lord Sun Ce. Liu Xun is already short supplies, and his cities cannot be at their usual stability, considering all of the citizens newly arrived in his territory… but perhaps there's no way to exploit that disadvantage after all."

Sun Ce shifted in place, shaking his head as though to clear it as one hand rubbed mindlessly at his elbow. "There's gotta be a way – this is too good an opportunity to pass up. And I'm so sick of just sitting here waiting for a battle plan to fall into somebody's lap!"

Even through the slats between dust-encrusted manuscripts, the swordsman could tell his commander was becoming agitated, the cumulative impatience of weeks of inaction furrowing his forehead. The Sun lord looked as though he was ready to begin pacing at any moment, his restless energy almost visibly overflowing – but Lady Li remained completely composed, watching the young officer with predatory eyes as her carefully considered words pushed the master of Wu closer and closer to an impulsive explosion. The courtier's wife tilted her head gently to one side and watched her host closely, fan lingering just shy of her mouth.

"I don't intend to step out of line, Lord Sun Ce, but… what would you do?" Sun Ce blinked, looking both surprised and puzzled by the question as the lady brushed her fan back and forth; Zhou Yu felt his eyes narrowing at the pure cunning radiating from the deceptively courteous noblewoman in the doorway. Lady Li gave a gentle shrug. "If you were in Liu Xun's position, my lord – not enough food, too many subjects, an ally only to the southwest… what would you do? I cannot even imagine how one would approach such a harrowing disadvantage."

The strategist felt his glower deepening, and he wondered how exactly the woman had learned of Liu Xun's allegiances – but the Sun lord didn't seem to notice her uncanny political information at all, his complete attention focused on the offhand inquiry. "I'd attack someone else. Survival of the fittest – if you're not going to fight, you get out of the way. But Liu Xun's not like that… he's a coward. That's why he's just been picking at my border for the last year instead of coming right out and facing me."

Lady Li raised a lithe eyebrow, the very image of exquisite surprise behind her rhythmically tapping fan. "Attack someone else? But my lord, wouldn't that leave the city undefended?" Sun Ce frowned and ran a quick hand through his hair, mussing the chestnut strands even more with his mindless gesture.

"Yeah, I guess – but that's why you make alliances. So there's always someone around to watch your back." The woman sighed heavily and let her eyes drop from their brilliant, hopeful expression, losing contact with the young officer's gaze as she shook her head in almost mournfully.

"Then there's truly no way of getting past Liu Xun's guard. I had hoped that you would know of some manner of relaxing his watch, Lord Sun Ce, to allow even the chance of victory… please forgive me. I shouldn't have mentioned my concerns at all – I've only wasted your time."

But Sun Ce was caught now, and even the false humility coating Lady Li's words didn't dent his enthusiasm and impatience, both emotions rising in equal measure. The Little Conqueror slammed one fist into the wall behind him, startling both tacticians and jolting his swordsman into a full standing position behind the high bookcase, obsidian eyes diving back to a glare at the Sun lord's emotional, unrelenting determination.

"No way – I'm not giving up! There's gotta be a way into that city. All we have to do is…"

The courtier's wife studied him closely, her fan flitting in measured strokes against her lips as a frustrated scowl suffused the young officer's expression. Then the noblewoman let the ghost of a disillusioned exhale escape her, attention returning almost reluctantly to her host's troubled features. "But if there's no way of reducing Huan's resistance to you, my lord… is there truly _nothing_ you can do? No message that might be sent to weaken Liu Xun's vigilance? Nothing you could say to put him off guard?"

Zhou Yu stiffened at the carefully worded question, watching in concern as Sun Ce frowned and shook his head slightly, amber eyes lost in contemplation. "Well, there is… I mean, I could propose an alliance, but…" Lady Li straightened a little and captured the Sun lord's gaze with her own, drawing his distracted gaze to her untroubled, encouraging features.

"An alliance? And he wouldn't be expecting an attack from Liyang, if you became his ally?" Sun Ce shifted and scratched idly at the back of his neck.

"Yeah, but… that's very underhanded." The woman raised a delicate eyebrow.

"Liu Xun is a very underhanded man, my lord. He mistreats his people, and he stole Wan from you through his friendship with Yuan Shu – at what point does he no longer deserve your moral consideration?"

So many emotions played out across the young officer's expression that Zhou Yu found himself unable to interpret a single one, locked away from the Sun lord's tumbling thoughts by the bookcase and the clever woman between them. Lady Li pressed on before her host could respond, keeping him off guard with the feigned innocence of her conniving, careful tongue.

"Just supposing you did choose to send a message… why would Liu Xun want to ally with you at all, my lord? What could you give him to gain his trust?"

There was such a multitude of possible answers to her question that for a moment Sun Ce's tongue seemed to stall, unable to choose between the myriad of advantages Liu Xun had been assaulting their border for the better part of a year in order to gain. The swordsman ground his teeth together as he glared at the brilliant woman, every word weaving more tightly around his oblivious commander – attacking an ally wasn't something the young officer would ever have considered on his own, but somehow it seemed to fit Lady Li's character perfectly. Finally the Sun lord shook himself and brushed the tousled bangs from his eyes, shrugging as the bewitching fan oscillated serenely back and forth.

"Well, anything, pretty much – but what could we give him that would help us take Huan…" The preoccupied statement was slightly chilling in its objectivity, and Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, reading all too clearly the woman's clever influence in the impatient contours of his companion's face. Sun Ce shook his head sharply and slammed a fist into his palm, his agitation taking physical form as his mind refused to provide the answers he sought. "Damn it! All we have to do is get him out of that city – then the whole thing's a piece of cake! But Liu Xun's not stupid enough to leave his back open—"

"Unless, perhaps, he didn't think he was?" The young officer stopped abruptly at his guest's interruption, and the strategist felt himself straightening, a tiny spark of inspiration lighting in the back of his mind as Lady Li waved the words away with her agile fan. "Pay me no mind, my lord – I was only thinking aloud. How could one go about convincing a ruthless warlord like Liu Xun to leave his city unprotected? It was a foolish thought."

But the woman had finally spoon-fed the master of Wu enough of her scheme for his mind to catch the flickering tails, and Zhou Yu watched with solemn fists as the Little Conqueror straightened abruptly, his amber eyes taking on a new flash of insight. "Hang on a minute. Maybe we could do it – maybe we could get him to leave his guard down."

The courtier's wife feigned dutiful surprise, her eyelashes fluttering as she gazed up into the absorbed countenance of her unsuspecting host. "How, Lord Sun Ce? You told me Liu Xun is a coward – someone of his sort wouldn't dare extend his neck for fear of having it cut off. Certainly he'd be careful about defending Wan." Sun Ce nodded hard, the rapid movements snapping his neck up and down as piece by piece the plan came together in his mind.

"Right. But if I were his ally, then he'd be expecting _me_ to watch his back…" The Sun lord scratched distractedly at his ear and let out a short, frustrated laugh, his building restlessness echoing through the curt exclamation. "This isn't my department – where's Zhou Yu when I need him? I know he could figure this out in two seconds!"

The swordsman straightened in his position behind the bookcase, studying his companion's preoccupied features as his mind twisted the strategy and strung the components together, working automatically despite his distrust of Lady Li's ambitions. If Liu Xun accepted the alliance – a questionable proposition by itself – the man might be convinced to join them in a campaign; but what sort of attack would draw the warlord from his fortified capital while still leaving Sun Ce's forces free to conquer his territory? They had no more troops for this new battle plan than they'd had for the others, and if Liu Xun could not be coaxed from the safety of his city, the alliance would bring them nothing but delay…

All the shattered slices of Lady Li's strategy fell together in his mind a moment before the matching sound of surprise escaped the young officer's lips, widening his amber eyes as their obsidian opposites narrowed in a burst of intense understanding. Of course – it was so simple. Sun Ce had practically stumbled into the same thought earlier on, the woman's careful words leading him along a thread of convincing contemplation—

"I got it!" The Sun lord smashed his fist into the callused skin of his palm once more, a smile threatening his distracted expression for the first time in the long conversation. His chestnut ponytail skipped across his excited shoulders as the master of Wu found his guest's eyes and held her gaze again, features betraying how completely she had managed to manipulate him. "I know how we do it! Gods, that was so easy – why didn't I think of that weeks ago?"

Lady Li's lips twitched behind their satin shield, but her countenance remained open and naïve, chin tipped slightly to one side as though the impulsive lord's words hadn't echoed the epiphany she'd been leading up to all along. "Lord Sun Ce, what do you mean? What have you got?"

Sun Ce's smile was now a full-fledged grin, brightening his face with the same intensity that snapped Zhou Yu to his full height behind the bookcases, his thoughts churning ahead of his commander's words as approaches and trajectories flashed through his lightning mind. "How we get Liu Xun out of Huan. It's so simple! If I send a message to ally with him, then he won't be expecting my attack – and he's short on supplies, right? So what if I encourage him to attack one of the rich cities along Wan's border, maybe… I don't know, Zhaisang or…"

Haihun. Zhou Yu felt his nails biting into the skin of his palm as the geography of the river valleys flashed through his mind, pausing on an independently governed settlement just south of Pengli Lake. The city was the perfect location to draw Liu Xun away from Huan, guarding a bend in the Yangzi approximately equidistant from Wan and Liyang. And in that case, an army could be poised to attack Liu Xun along his march, while the main force attacked Huan during its master's absence…

"But why would Liu Xun feel secure in marching, my lord?" Lady Li's coyly innocent voice broke through the strategist's thoughts and dragged him back to the present, drawing the dark stare to her powder-dusted cheeks as she shook her head in mock incomprehension. "Wouldn't he doubt the success of his campaign, if his supplies are truly so depleted?"

But Sun Ce was off and racing with the idea now, each word closing the ropes of the woman's influence tighter around him. "That's what I can offer him – help in his campaign. He won't worry about succeeding if he's got allies coming. And if he thinks I'm on my way to meet him, he'll be even less prepared for an attack on Huan—"

"My lord, that's wonderful!" The courtier's wife pulled herself straight and let her fan flutter as fast as the quivering leaves outside, her eyes bright but predatory as her elated exclamation ricocheted throughout the room. Lady Li reached out to drop a warm hand onto the young officer's arm, winding her fingers into the silken shirt as her voice melted into cheerful praise. "You've done it, Lord Sun Ce – you've devised a way to defeat Liu Xun! You truly are incredible!" The Sun lord smiled and scratched his ear, obviously pleased by her exaltation despite the slight awkwardness of his posture.

"Nah, it was nothing—"

"No, my lord – quite the opposite." The courtier's wife shook her head and let her lovely coils of hair bounce carelessly against her ears. "In the council session, not a single one of your ministers could provide you with a strategy for invading Wan – but you didn't need them to. You've done it all on your own. I should have expected no less of the man who carved a prosperous empire from the wilds of Wu."

Sun Ce's grin was unstoppable, growing steadily brighter with each flattering compliment that passed the woman's lips, but the torrent of admiration snapped Zhou Yu out of his battle thoughts and back into his right mind, dispelling the distraction her clever words had begun to inflict even on him. The swordsman's eyes narrowed sharply as he listened to his commander's laughter echoing through the library, his glare focused on the tiny, subtle smile that still played across the lady's make-upped lips. He had almost forgotten, under the power of a promising strategy, that every move the Sun lord was making played straight into Lady Li's cunning hands, and that there was still no telling what the minister's wife was truly after—

A shadow of concern swept across the woman's face, and her tightening hold on her host's forearm brought Sun Ce's attention back from his excited triumph to the worried contours of her lovely countenance. Lady Li bit her lip and let her gaze drift to the ground beneath her silken shoes, her voice instantly solemn with deliberate uncertainty. "But Lord Sun Ce… what about the council? What if they don't agree to your strategy?"

The Sun lord blinked, meeting his guest's eyes evenly above the curve of her fan. "The council? Why wouldn't they?" The courtier's wife shook her head a little and batted her satin accessory against her chin.

"Well, they didn't approve of your idea last time, my lord. They didn't seem to trust you to conduct your own wars…" The Little Conqueror's forehead furrowed sharply, banishing his lighthearted smile under the doubtful shadow of a vague frown.

"It's not like that – of course they trust me. But it's their job to help me decide on the best course of action—"

"_Help_ you decide?" Lady Li raised an impassive eyebrow, her demure features exhibiting only neutrality. "I was under the impression that they simply told you what to do."

Sun Ce stiffened at the insult, and Zhou Yu gritted his teeth as the Sun lord's ego flared across his obstinate features. The devious woman knew all the right buttons… "Nobody tells me what to do," the young officer insisted sharply, his hands curling into light fists at his side. "This is my kingdom – I can do what I want to. It's the council that has to listen to me, not the other way around." Lady Li's fan flickered like a silent chuckle above her adroit lips.

"Are you certain? It didn't seem that way during the session last week. I only worry that you'll be powerless…" The Sun lord clenched his jaw and shifted a little, his amber eyes hard with determination and wounded pride.

"Don't worry about it. They'll do what I tell them – and even if they oppose this idea, I'll go ahead with it myself. It's time to stop sitting around."

The strategist pressed his lips into a thin line behind the bookshelf, watching his companion's resolute features between the dust-covered tomes. Lady Li seemed to have thought of everything. It would be nearly impossible now to dissuade the master of Wu to abandon her strategy without making the disagreement into an attack on his freedom of action… Zhou Yu silently cursed the cunning woman and her powers of manipulation, recognizing the traditional stubbornness that had overtaken his commander's expression. Lady Li sighed a little and dropped her hand from Sun Ce's arm, letting her fan slip just slightly to show a glimpse of her sincere smile at last.

"That's wonderful to hear, Lord Sun Ce… I cannot thank you enough for this. I can rest easily in my heart knowing Liu Xun will soon lose control of Wan completely." The courtier's wife dipped her head in a light bow and let a jeweled laugh fall from her lips, stepping back from her host with honest cheerfulness brightening her lovely features once again. "Well, I can't imagine what's keeping my husband – poor man gets lost in his own house sometimes. I suppose I ought to go find him before he wanders off who knows where…"

It seemed rather callous to insult Li Shu for his inability to find a parasol that hadn't existed to begin with, especially as the man was clearly still ignorant of the deception – but the Sun lord only blinked, one hand tugging distractedly at the strands of his crimson hair ribbon. "Didn't you want to see the garden?" he asked, the unguarded confusion in his voice making Zhou Yu roll his eyes at his companion's sheer oblivion. Lady Li laughed again and waved a dismissive hand.

"Don't concern yourself with that, Lord Sun Ce – I'm sure Shu and I can find our way around the grounds alone. I wouldn't want to deter you from carrying out your ingenious strategy…"

At her transparent reminder, the young officer started a little and snapped his fingers, countenance instantly occupied with the details of his battle plan once more. "You're right – I've gotta find Zhou Yu. He can help me hammer out the details." The Little Conqueror smiled at his guest and took a step backward into the hallway, restless energy already guiding his movements. "You can find your way back to the office, right? I could walk you if you want—"

Lady Li chuckled and waved him off again, this time with her painted fan, the slight motion providing glimpses of her smirk behind the fickle satin. "Don't give me another thought, Lord Sun Ce. Just go find your strategist and get everything finalized – you have many more important things to attend to now than showing a simple court lady through your corridors. Do give Master Zhou Yu my regards, won't you?" Sun Ce grinned, his expression irrefutably preoccupied.

"Yeah – I'll do that. Man, is he gonna be surprised by all this!"

Zhou Yu felt his lips curving into a cynical smile. Surprised? No. But the situation had left him wary, and an uncomfortable weight settled into the swordsman's stomach as he wondered whether it would even be possible at this point to sway the Sun lord from Lady Li's cunning, deceitful strategy.

The minister's wife smiled in a slightly disarming way, her eyes bright as burning coals above the lip of her fan. "Yes… I'm certain he will be. Have a good afternoon, Lord Sun Ce. And thank you once again – for listening to me."

As though banished by her words, the eager officer turned on heel and set off down the corridor with one last smile, the speed of his footfalls increasing steadily as the echoes grew softer and further away. The strategist cursed his impulsive companion in his mind, knowing how drastically the young man's stubbornness would amplify in his excitement – and then a voice drew his attention from the disappearing footsteps, the words as delicate and sharp as butterfly wings as they circled the silent library.

"For shame, Master Strategist – it's very discourteous to eavesdrop on others' conversations uninvited."

Zhou Yu stiffened at the sound of his title purring from that calm, careful tongue. Then the swordsman smirked and straightened to his full height, stepping out from behind the bookcase to meet the woman's eyes evenly across the sunlit room. The dark warrior shook his head.

"I suppose I cannot deny that, Lady Li. But if eavesdropping is underhanded, I would be forced to label your own tactics positively demonic." Lady Li smiled.

"We all have our methods, Master Strategist. This is simply mine." The swordsman's eyes narrowed, analyzing the smooth contours of her unhurried features as the fan flicked lazily back and forth, far more indolent now that it had nothing to hide. A moment of silence passed between them before Zhou Yu spoke again – but it was not a peaceful silence, sparks and daggers shooting between the sharp gazes of the two tacticians locked in rivalry.

"What is it you want?" The hard question fell from the warrior's lips without delicacy, matching the unforgiving line of his stern frown as his obsidian eyes drilled into hers. Zhou Yu shook his head, dark hair whispering over his back in imitation of the autumn wind outside. "I have a little trouble believing you'd assist Sun Ce out of mindless charity."

Lady Li's fan snapped abruptly to its closed position, revealing her entire expression for the first time as a current of gravity consumed her previously flighty countenance. The courtier's wife tossed her head in the direction the Sun lord had taken, an offhand scowl catching her full mouth and roughening her reply. "I want the same thing we all want, Zhou Yu – power. I just have to work a little harder for mine than people like you." The strategist felt his forehead furrowing at her straightforward answer, dislike and vague confusion spreading through the pit of his stomach.

"And Li Shu's power is not enough?" Perhaps it wasn't much, but the woman's husband was a minister in Sun Ce's court – more than many noblemen could hope for in the wartorn times of the fallen Han. But Lady Li only scoffed, snatching the end of her fan in one palm and holding the accessory tightly as though it might spring open of its own accord if given the opportunity.

"He doesn't get things done quickly enough. I don't want to be a court wench, Master Strategist. I want real power – the power to rule. And if he's not going to give me that…" A sloping shrug rocked through her slender shoulders. "Then I'll take it for myself. Lord Sun Ce has simply proved to be the quickest means to that end."

Zhou Yu felt his glare deepening at the callous words, and he squared his posture unconsciously, his form stiffening to a fighter's stance as he returned the woman's piercing stare. "What makes you so sure he'll give you that power?" But it was a weightless question, and the courtier's wife laughed, a harshly metallic sound despite the amusement captivating her expression.

"What makes you think he won't? You saw him dash out of here as clearly as I did, Zhou Yu – Lord Sun Ce is an impulsive fool, and his reckless heart is more than willing to follow where my desires lead if it will put a sword into his hand. He will take my advice, and then he will appoint my husband governor of Wan. It's as simple as that." The woman's smile was far from kind, slinking across her features like the flickering tail of a lurking feline. "You still think you can talk him out of it?"

The strategist gritted his teeth, too intelligent by far to deny the bewitching power the lady's words had exerted over his commander. "I'm still going to try," he ground out, every word as hard as slate as it slid between his teeth. Lady Li scoffed under her breath.

"You'll fail. I am good at what I do, Zhou Yu – and the more you pull him your way, the more he will slip in mine. Go on – tell him he has to listen to you. See how much of a fight he'll put up as soon as you threaten his power to do as he pleases." Zhou Yu's mind told him that she was right, but he kept the admission back, watching the beautiful woman with narrowed eyes as she splayed her fan aimlessly and examined the decorations with familiar disinterest. "I have my claws in deep, Master Strategist. A few simple words aren't going to be enough to dislodge my hold on him."

The swordsman bit back a glower and kept his composure with considerable difficulty, watching his rival tactician through the angry slits his eyes had become. "And you think I'll just let that go – let you pull him around on your strings?" The thought of Sun Ce – passionately free even when it led him to stupid mistakes – being led around by the nose made Zhou Yu grit his teeth and darkened his glare, twin onyx eyes boring into the noblewoman's unconcerned features. Lady Li chuckled, an unpleasant sound that grated against his ears and echoed between the bookcases.

"Hardly. You wouldn't be doing your job if you allowed him to be misled so easily, would you?" The courtier's wife smiled beneath her brilliant eyes, tapping her open fan against one silken shoulder. "No, Master Strategist – I expect you to try and persuade him to your viewpoint and to fail. And then I expect you to do what you can to throw insignificant roadblocks into my way until Wan is safely under my control and your commander moves on to his next fleeting whim."

Zhou Yu scowled, as angry with the woman's portrayal of his impulsive companion as a helpless puppet as he was with the reality of the puppeteer's influence her words had earned. Lady Li clicked her tongue and held up a hand to forestall the retort that hadn't formed yet across his tongue, her clever eyes mimicking the flights of migrating birds as they glanced from his features to the diminutive library around them.

"Before you completely lose your composure, Zhou Yu, I have a suggestion to make."

The strategist stiffened in his sparring posture, every muscle taut as though the woman might suddenly spring at him in a physical assault – replace her poisonous words with something more tangible. But the minister's wife did not move, merely flicking her fan back and forth in the very embodiment of unconcern.

"You and I have little reason to be enemies, Master Strategist," Lady Li murmured, her words as soft as the motion of her rippling hand. The woman favored him with an unkind smile, the corners of her lips quirked upward just enough to suggest insolent amusement. "Sun Ce wants to conquer Wan and I want to rule it – I can give him that province, and you cannot. Not fast enough."

Zhou Yu bristled, his jaw tightening at the careless insult, but Lady Li raised a silencing hand, waving away his irritated offense without so much as a triumphant smirk. "Don't be childish. You could try to get in my way, I suppose, and no doubt your close connection to Sun Ce would be something of a thorn in my side… but rather than that futile exercise, I'd like to make you a deal."

Zhou Yu had no interest in compromise. There was little he wanted more than the throw the woman kicking and screaming out of court and try to pull the spider threads away from his commander one by one, reversing her manipulation and the baffled fog it had dropped across Sun Ce's mind. But Lady Li had been one step ahead of him the entire way – and though the swordsman was not going to give into her designs without doing his best to dissuade the Sun lord, success did not seem likely. In a concession to her impressive twist of words, the dark warrior raised a solemn eyebrow, returning her gaze evenly above the sweeping satin of her laughing fan.

"A deal?" The courtier's wife smiled.

"A simple one. Give me my kingdom, and I'll give you your king back."

Zhou Yu wished his ignorant companion could hear the callous, calculating words leaking from her cunning lips. But Sun Ce was long gone, and his most trusted advisor could only fix their guest with an unrelenting glare, obsidian eyes glowering into their potent opposites as he shook his head slowly.

"You—"

"I am ambitious, Zhou Yu," the woman interrupted sharply, her words growing harsher and more jagged with every syllable. "Nothing more and nothing less. It has taken me a decade behind the curtain of my husband's ignorance to rise this high, and I will not sit by and wait for his long years to end in genteel poverty. Nor will I let you get in my way. Do not make me drive a rift between you and your Little Conqueror – I promise it would be unpleasant for both of you."

The strategist's eyes flashed fury at her scalding words, and his own finally rose in his throat, hard and unchecked beneath his grating tone. "I should take what you're doing straight to your husband—"

"Leave him out of this."

Zhou Yu blinked as the woman's voice suddenly became cold, her words hardening to icicles and losing the eternally amused edge they had harbored before. For a moment, the library descended into silence, both tacticians regarding each other with an even, unrelenting glare. Then the swordsman raised an eyebrow, his mind already latching onto the weak point that his reply had accidentally uncovered.

"…So you do have a heart, after all."

Lady Li scoffed, her satin fan bothering the line of her lips and ducking between the bitter words of her response. "Shu has his uses. But I warn you against involving him in my private affairs – remember that I have a hostage as well, Master Strategist. I suppose in that respect we're even, are we not?" Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed at the calm assertion, but a sincere smile tugging at the corners of the lady's mouth stalled his irate response. The courtier's wife shook her head almost in confession, a sliver of honest vulnerability creasing her countenance for the first time. "…I'm fond of him," she admitted at last, her tone no harsher than the beating rhythm of her fan. "We have been together a long time now."

The strategist paused, caught off guard by the quiet sentiment – unbidden, thoughts of himself and Sun Ce flashed through his mind, fifteen years of conflict and camaraderie and everything else suffusing his thoughts as he studied the woman's small smile. But in an instant the mirage was gone, and Lady Li's features were as callous and cunning as they had been before.

"Let me warn you once again. I'll be as simple as possible this time." Her voice was little more than a silken growl, prickling uncomfortably as it found the warrior's stoic ears. Lady Li's fan flickered like the flames of a sullen fire. "Do not get in my way, Master Strategist. I will crush you."

The swordsman said nothing for a long moment, his lips pressed into a firm, dangerous line as he met the woman's determined eyes. Then at last Zhou Yu shifted and straightened in his soldier's stance, holding her gaze from his superior height.

"Consider your intentions understood. But I have a warning as well." Lady Li smirked, but the strategist's tone had become deadly serious, drawing her flitting glance from the shelves behind him as he ground his teeth together. "I am going to do everything in my power to stop Sun Ce from following your strategy for conquering Wan. If I cannot… I will not tolerate attempts to influence him beyond the allocation of this province into your husband's hands." Zhou Yu's eyes were dark with threat against his pale skin. "Use your forked tongue to reach any farther than that, and I will take your power away from you."

Lady Li scoffed, her lips cynical in their spare smile. "Take it away from me? That seems a bold claim to make, Master Strategist, when you cannot stop me from getting it in the first place."

The swordsman's features remained neutral despite the open taunt. "Perhaps. But I would remind you that you are a woman, and that you should take that into consideration concerning your position politically." His words made the courtier's wife chuckle.

"You think being female makes me less powerful?"

Zhou Yu shook his head. "No – I think it makes you more powerful. But in doing so, it makes you more vulnerable as well." Lady Li's eyes narrowed at his somber admonition, and she snapped her fan to its full extension, turning on a quick heel to face the deserted corridor as the accessory flew to her painted lips.

"Forgive me, Master Strategist – but I truly must find my husband. I can't imagine what's taking him so long. Perhaps we can continue this conversation at another time?" Wu's dark swordsman said nothing, meeting her backward glance as the ghost of a smile lilted across her face and matched her brisk chuckle. "Lord Sun Ce must be simply frantic by now, unable to find you anywhere. Or I suppose he could simply be taking steps toward the capture of Wan on his own."

Zhou Yu's glower darkened, and the woman let her eyes slip away from his, preceding her soft steps into the corridor. The strategist watched her vanish behind the doorframe before moving almost involuntarily after her, pausing at the border of the hallway to gaze after her train of trailing silk.

"Lady Li." The minister's wife paused at his quiet summons, peering back over her shoulder with the fan fluttering beside her cheeks. Zhou Yu's hands tightened to loose fists at his side. "I'm not certain I want you ruling Wan," he intoned softly, brushing a contented smile across the noblewoman's lips.

"You could do far worse," she assured him smoothly, turning back down the corridor and letting her slight footfalls scatter her words. "And in any case… it doesn't look like you have much of a choice, does it? Do give Sun Ce my regards." With that, she was gone, disappearing around the next corner and leaving the irritated warrior motionless in the library doorway.

Zhou Yu clenched his jaw and stared after her echoes, his face hard but uncertain as he turned the female tactician's words over in his mind. Lady Li was too intelligent to be easily pushed aside – and the more he thought about it, the more he realized how difficult it would be to dissuade the Sun lord from falling directly into her hands, especially now that the ideas had been given so long to simmer in his impatient mind. The swordsman ground his nails into the skin of his palms. That a minister's wife had been able to manipulate the master of Wu in a single conversation…

"Lord Zhou Yu! There you are!"

Zhou Yu started at the sound of his name, and he wheeled back into the library to see Taishi Ci leaning against the doorway of the back entrance, his face a mask of intense aggravation. The Wolf general crossed his arms over his chest and scowled at his superior officer, one foot tapping in rhythmic impatience against the coarse carpeting.

"How long does it take you to find a single blasted document?" the warrior cursed, one hand coming up to jab a sharp thumb over his shoulder. "I've been sitting in that study room for an hour without getting anything done – more of a colossal waste of time than I can afford for something as useless as districting. If this is how you do all your paperwork, no wonder it takes you so long to—"

Three strides took the swordsman back to the bookshelf, and with the fifth he had reclaimed the tax manuscripts and shoved them roughly into his comrade's stomach, silencing the older general with his swift movements and the stack of papers impeding his diaphragm. Taishi Ci blinked down into his onyx eyes as Zhou Yu ground his teeth together in some semblance of a growl, releasing the documents to the other man's startled hands.

"Sun Ce. Where is he?" The Wolf general frowned.

"That idiot? He came into the study just a few minutes ago – said he was looking for you, but he just took off again when I told him to check the library. He was out of breath, too – looked like he had something important to discuss with you. Why?"

The strategist just shook his head, stepping back from his comrade and moving smoothly into the corridor beyond him without acknowledging the puzzled hazel eyes. "Do the districting yourself," the swordsman shot over his shoulder. He could hear Taishi Ci sputtering indignantly behind him, and he increased pace as the general's words thundered after him down the hallway.

"I don't know how, Lord Zhou Yu! Get back here – don't drop this into my lap without so much as an explanation! Lord Zhou Yu!"

The dark warrior did not look back, his hard footsteps against the wooden floor of the corridor matching his raised voice. "It's about time you learned, Taishi Ci. And this is too complicated for an explanation." His words resounded against the plastered walls as Zhou Yu ducked into the next intersecting hallway and left his comrade far behind. Lady Li suffused the swordsman's thoughts as he began moving almost in a loose jog, covering the familiar distance to the room Sun Ce had chosen with the woman's bold pronouncements ringing through his mind.

_Give me my kingdom, and I'll give you your king back…_

The bedroom door slid back beneath his hand and collided artlessly with the wall behind it, making the Little Conqueror jump where he knelt at his half-height table with scrolls and ink stones littering the space before him. Amber eyes locked with their obsidian opposites in surprised silence for a long moment, not a word finding the Sun lord's startled tongue. And then a brilliant grin swept across the young officer's face, and Zhou Yu felt his heart dropping into his stomach as his companion leapt from the floor and raced to meet him, Lady Li's confident warnings echoing in his apprehensive ears.

_I have my claws in deep, Master Strategist…_

"Yu! Where did you go? I was looking everywhere for you!" Sun Ce's eager hands latched onto the fabric of his swordsman's sleeve and pulled heartily in the direction of the crowded table, his face shining with an excitement it hadn't held in weeks. "Come on – it's perfect! I thought of a strategy for invading Wan, Yu – we can do it! We can finally take Liu Xun down!"

For a moment, Zhou Yu was at a complete loss where to begin, staring down into the flashing embers of his commander's eyes as his tongue staggered over the dissuasion he hadn't had time to plan. Then the full extent of the Sun lord's words registered in his mind, and he sent another silent curse at the courtier's wife who had played her game so carefully that the young officer had no idea the strategy was not his own. It was a brilliant stroke – persuading the master of Wu to abandon his own plan would be immeasurably harder than if she'd simply handed the suggestion to him fully formed.

Sun Ce was still talking energetically, dragging his serious, preoccupied companion toward the chaotic desk and gesturing spiritedly with his free hand. "It was so simple, Yu! We've been overthinking this for weeks! We don't need more troops to overcome the difference in numbers – we just need Liu Xun to have less! As long as Huan is empty—"

"Ce, stop." Zhou Yu pulled back against his companion's hold and held his ground halfway across the room, drawing the Sun lord to a halt as well. The young officer rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, but nothing could dim the ecstatic energy coursing through him, and he bounced on the balls of his feet in idle restlessness.

"I know, I know – start at the beginning. Sorry." The Little Conqueror shook his head so fast that his chestnut ponytail flashed back and forth and slapped his shoulders, crimson ribbon almost becoming a flat streak. "But this is huge, Yu! If it works, we could be marching on Wan in a week!"

The strategist forced himself to think quickly, staring into his commander's elated eyes and hearing Lady Li's words whispering at the back of his mind in a sinister shadow of their short conversation. More than anything, he wanted to simply shake the impulsive officer by the shoulders and impale reason through his mind, with the flat of his palm if necessary. But if Sun Ce was already attached to the strategy – which seemed evident in the absolute enthusiasm swallowing his face and shooting sparks through every word – his swordsman would have to be more careful with his attempt at diffusing the clever tactician's plan. Losing the Sun lord's ear now would be tantamount to approving Lady Li's strategy himself. But how to avoid setting off his companion's temper—

"Yu, are you even listening to me?"

Zhou Yu blinked as his lord snapped a few times in front of his face, drawing his attention back to the impatient amber eyes before him. Sun Ce scowled at him, but it was a fleeting expression and the eager grin suffused his countenance again almost before the strategist could reorient himself to the young officer's explanation.

"Okay – so it's like this. Right now Huan's completely secure. And with all of Liu Xun's army stationed in that city, we're never gonna get past the gates. So all we've got to do is get him out of there!"

The swordsman bit his lip, anxiety tumbling between his ribs as the Sun lord became visibly more excited with every word that left his mouth. Lady Li was correct – her plan had completely enraptured the ruler of Wu. Zhou Yu shook his head a little, searching for an angle that might estrange his commander from the woman's demonic influence.

"Ce—" But the Little Conqueror was rolling now, and the explanation came faster and faster, his words jumbling so that had his dark warrior not already known the strategy, he might not have understood.

"So it's simple, Yu – we send him a letter like we want an alliance. And then we say we'll help him attack somebody else! And when he's left Huan – bam! It's as easy as that. There won't be anybody left to get in our way if he's taken his army out of there." Sun Ce's smile widened, his face veritably beaming with anticipation. "You see? We can do it, Yu – we can definitely take Wan. No more sitting around Liyang waiting for a chance to fall out of the sky – let's make our own chance!"

Zhou Yu said nothing for a long moment, his obsidian stare locked on the tan features as one rejected approach after another flitted through his mind, none of them strong enough or clever enough to unwind the strings Lady Li had wrapped around his oblivious companion. The Sun lord shifted, searching for some sign of approval in his swordsman's silent features.

"Well? What do you think, Yu? Will it work?" The strategist hesitated, pressing his lips into a thin line and regarding his commander seriously.

"…It's very underhanded," Zhou Yu answered at last, hoping the repetition of Sun Ce's own words would stir some kind of restraint in the impatient young officer. But the master of Wu only shook his head a little, tightening his hold on the silken sleeve.

"I know. But I don't think we have a choice, Yu – this is the only plan we've got. We can't wait any longer to take Wan. We've been in Liyang for two weeks already, Taishi Ci's been here longer, and nobody's coming up with anything – if we get stuck here, who knows how long it could take to get past Liu Xun! How are we going to take down Huang Zu and everybody else if we're holed up in here?" The Sun lord turned a little to gesture toward his overflowing desk. "I already got a start on my letter to Liu Xun. If we send that out tonight, we could be moving in no time! Think about it, Yu!"

The swordsman gave his companion a hard look, matching the intensity in his fervent gaze with cold steel. "I told you not to make any rash decisions, Ce—" Sun Ce rolled his eyes.

"Oh, come on! What's wrong with this idea, Yu? You really don't think it'll work?"

There was a note of injury in the young officer's undertone that prickled down Zhou Yu's spine, revealing once again just how effectively Lady Li had woven her own ideas into the impulsive commander's psyche – the Sun lord's frown was just as disgruntled as it had been a week earlier when the council dismissed his idea of a straight assault on Huan. His dark warrior sighed, lifting one hand to rub at the headache already building behind his temples.

"Whether it would work or not, I don't think the qualification of a good strategy should be how quickly it can get you onto the battle field. If we march into Wan without sufficient planning, it's only going to take longer. I'm certain the proper tactics will reveal themselves in time, but you're going to have to exhibit a little patience—"

"I'm done with patience!"

The restless energy that had been building in Sun Ce ever since their arrival in Liyang – the same restlessness that had made him such an easy target for Lady Li's wiles – vaulted the young officer's voice into a near shout, narrowing his amber eyes in a sharp scowl. The Sun lord threw his free hand into the air in a dismissive wave, encompassing the entire room in the arc of his irritated arm.

"How long are we going to just sit here and let Liu Xun pick at us, huh? We came to help Taishi Ci protect this place, but we've just been sitting on our hands, wasting time. Liu Xun's not making a move, and we can't wait around here forever – so if we can't charge straight ahead, what are we going to do? Do you have a better idea?" Zhou Yu ground his teeth together, glaring straight back at his commander as the young officer's temper quickly deteriorated from excitement to frustration.

"I told you, Ce – you have to give this some time." Sun Ce shook his head vehemently.

"I don't, Yu! Because I have a perfectly good strategy right here, and if I use it I can take Wan in just a matter of days. You said to bring you a plan with some strategy in it, and I did! Admit it – this is better than going head-on, better than Li Shu's plan, better than anything we've come up with so far. So why can't we just go with my plan for once?"

The swordsman said nothing, and his companion groaned, shaking the stoic warrior with two hands fisted in his shirt. "Look, I know it's low – but this is war, Yu! Sometimes everything's not gonna work out with a pat on the back. Does that mean we give up when it comes to making a choice? Them or us, Yu – that's how it goes! That's what conquest is about. You think I'm choosing the wrong side?"

They were off to a bad start. Sun Ce was already agitated, a fact as visible in his expression as in his argument. The strategist shook his head slowly, keeping his voice level in an attempt to bring his commander back from his emotional reaction as he returned the Sun lord's stare.

"No, Ce. I just think you're choosing for the wrong reasons. This isn't like you." The young officer rolled his eyes, posture stiffening with sharp exasperation.

"No it's not, Yu. You know what's like me? Charging straight in and letting the chips fall where they may! But if nobody's going to let me do things my way, then I'll find a different one!" Sun Ce released his companion's sleeve and crossed both arms over his chest, his eyes darker for the irritation consuming them. "How many times have I told you I'll do whatever it takes to conquer China, Yu? Sometimes this is what it takes! I'm not going to let Liu Xun get in my way just because things aren't as easy as they used to be."

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a firm line and did not reply, his mind warning him that he was doing more harm than good every time he opened his mouth. But the Sun lord hated silence, and after a moment he lost what tenuous patience had remained after weeks of waiting, both arms shooting forward to grab his warrior's shoulders.

"Come on, Yu – that land should be ours anyway! You remember, don't you? Capturing Wan for Yuan Shu?" Sun Ce shook his head and a small smile creased his passionate features, bringing a stab of sunlight to the anger that had conquered his expression. "We already took Huan three years ago. We stood up on the wall and joked about throwing Lu Meng off, because he was being such a spoilsport. Remember?"

He remembered. It had only been a few weeks after the young officer's encounter with the flooded Yangzi, a few weeks after an argument somewhat similar to the one they were having now had driven the Sun lord to throw himself into the path of immeasurable danger… Sun Ce shook his stoic strategist a little and stared into the obsidian eyes opposite his own, his smile fading back to a serious frown as the swordsman chose not to echo his memory.

"We've done this. Yuan Shu should have given us Wan a long time ago – but he put Liu Xun in there instead. And look what he's done with it! That guy shouldn't be ruling at all. He's bad news!"

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, recognizing the clear thread of Lady Li's deception in his commander's words. "According to whom, Ce?" The Sun lord seemed somewhat startled by his companion's grave inquiry, and he took a step back, releasing the swordsman's arms as the dark-haired tactician shook his head. "Liu Xun may not be a pillar of virtue, but accounts from the realm don't portray him as a tyrant. What makes you certain he's unfit to rule Wan?"

The courtier's wife flickered almost visibly across the young officer's face, but in the end he chose a different track, both hands clenching to loose fists at his side. "I could do it better – I could rule Wan better than he is." Sun Ce's assertion glowed like windswept cinders in his eyes. "I could do it better because I'm not afraid to take chances. If my people were starving, I'd go out and do something about it! No matter if it meant attacking someone stronger than me – no matter anything. That's what it means to be a ruler!" The master of Wu paused in his answer and shifted slightly, watching the emotionless contours of his companion's countenance; then a shrug rolled through his shoulders, knocking his ponytail askew. "And besides, Li Shu's wife said—"

Finally. "Li Shu's wife?" Zhou Yu straightened in his stance and raised an eyebrow, regarding his commander sternly as the young man's words stuttered to a stop. "Are you sure she can be trusted?" the strategist asked quietly, his tone like gravel even to his own ears. But Sun Ce just frowned, confusion furrowing his forehead.

"What? What do you mean? Why couldn't she be?"

Lady Li's skill was downright infuriating. The swordsman shook his head hard, finding his own patience running thinner and thinner at the utterly uncomprehending look in the Sun lord's eyes. Dodging around the subject wasn't getting him anywhere. Perhaps it was better to just speak his mind, and hope that the anger and indignation that followed his opinion could be transformed into a victory. Zhou Yu scowled, his obsidian gaze narrowed in irritation as his tongue finally moved on its own.

"Because she's cunning and power-hungry. She's wrapped you around her finger, Ce – can't you see you're being manipulated?"

The effect was instantaneous. Sun Ce's face soured under a wave of insult, and every muscle in his body stiffened as he stared back at his strategist, his eyes puzzled but guarded. "What are you talking about, Yu?" the young officer demanded, his fists tightening as his words split the close air. "What do you mean manipulated?" The swordsman gritted his teeth.

"I mean that everything she said to you is part of a means to an end. She wants to control Wan – that's all. And she's playing off of your impatience to get that." The Sun lord drew himself straighter, his scowl deepening as he matched his warrior's heavy glare and the creases across his forehead grew deeper.

"Everything she said to me when? What are you talking about?"

Zhou Yu hesitated. But by the look on his companion's face, their argument was escalating without hope of deferment anyway, so there was probably no sense in keeping his admission of eavesdropping to himself. Wu's dark strategist bit down on the inside of his cheek, focusing his mounting tension to that small release.

"…I was in the library, Ce. I was getting a book for Taishi Ci, and I accidentally overheard part of your conversation." It had begun as an accident, anyway. Sun Ce's jaw dropped, complementing the wide amber eyes that narrowed again almost immediately and the fingers curled tightly into his palms.

"You were… you were in there?" Zhou Yu nodded softly, but the young officer's jaw snapped shut in annoyance despite the small movement, his glower darkening in obvious frustration at the swordsman's revelation. "Well why did you make me explain the strategy again?! Why did you make me run all over looking for you? Why didn't you just join us if you were going to listen in like that—"

"That's not the point," the strategist snapped, interrupting his lord with the exasperation-shadowed syllables and severing the string of angry questions. Zhou Yu shook his head hard, meeting his commander's incensed eyes through the line of his scattered bangs. "Look – I watched her the entire time she was speaking with you. She was smiling, Ce – smiling behind her fan as she led you straight to her strategy. She was even smiling when she told you about her sister."

As he spoke, the swordsman could imagine the woman's cunning smirk in his mind, lurking just behind the arc of her satin fan. Sun Ce scoffed, his arms refolding stiffly across his chest. "Oh, smiling – is that what we're using to gauge bad intentions these days? What does that make me – evil itself?"

Zhou Yu ground his teeth together at the mocking reply, and the Sun lord took a step forward so that he was almost nose to nose with his strategist's glare, hands clenching and unclenching restlessly as they fell back to his side.

"Maybe she was just happy that someone was finally going to do something about Liu Xun – maybe this is the answer to all of her problems. Maybe she was glad to have someone finally listening to her. Maybe she's just a happy person in general! I know that's something _you_ wouldn't understand, but—"

"It wasn't that kind of a smile," the swordsman spat, picturing again the smug expression that had been so thoroughly concealed from the young officer – but Sun Ce only laughed, a short, sarcastic sound that lodged like ebony in his companion's ribs.

"Oh yeah – because you've always been so good at reading people. I'm sure that between the two of us, you'd know if someone was telling the truth better than I would."

The scorn stung, and Zhou Yu took a step back from his commander, dark eyes narrowed nearly to slits in his aggravation. Part of the strategist wanted to return the jab with an equal blow about his lord's ignorance and idiocy in the face of Lady Li's devices, but he forced the words back with difficulty, turning his head to glare at the chaotic desk instead.

"Look, this doesn't matter. The point is… if you use this strategy, you'll be directly under her thumb. She had everything planned out ahead of time – every question scripted. She just manipulated you into the right answer—"

"You don't know what you're talking about!" A fist in the fabric above his heart brought Zhou Yu's gaze back to his irate commander, who had moved so close that the fire in his eyes was almost palpable as he clenched his hand around the shirt cloth. Sun Ce shook his head hard, his ponytail dashing from side to side and clipping his ears in its erratic path. "She didn't know anything, Yu! She was asking questions because she didn't know! She didn't even know what an alliance was until—"

The swordsman took a step back and knocked the young officer's hand away from his shirt, glaring icicles at his furious companion. "You're wrong. She pulled you into it, Ce – she counted on your impatience and she used that against you. If you had a damn sliver of restraint—"

"I'm not being manipulated!"

The Sun lord's shout seemed to shake the walls, rattling the partially open door so that Zhou Yu wondered idly how far down the corridors their argument could be heard. The master of Wu scowled at his strategist across five feet of distance that felt so much farther, his fists trembling at his side with a level of pent-up emotion that had become visible with his increasing rage. The swordsman stared into his commander's eyes as the fuming retort crackled between them.

"I'm not! This is my idea, Yu – no one else's!" Sun Ce shook his head again, his voice rising a notch with every word that escaped his lips until the volume was almost unbearable. "Why's it so impossible that this strategy is mine, huh? Why are you the only one who can come up with a plan? You think I can't run my own country – my own wars?"

Zhou Yu's eyes widened, Lady Li's confident sarcasm flashing through his mind. _Go on – tell him he has to listen to you. See how much of a fight he'll put up as soon as you threaten his power to do as he pleases._ The swordsman took a step toward his fuming companion and raised a pacifying hand, a belated attempt to stall the most dangerous possible quarrel the minister's wife had arranged. "Ce—"

But Sun Ce was having none of it. The Little Conqueror glared at him and took a step backward to match his forward movement, keeping their separation the same as his yells rebounded through the borrowed room. "Well I can! I can run my own country, and I can think of my own battle plan, and I don't need you or some stupid council looking over my shoulder to make sure I do it right! This is _my_ dream, and _my_ empire, and I'm going to conquer Wan with my own two hands!"

The strategist scowled, irritation burning in his veins at his companion's stubborn delusion and his patience quickly evaporating. "You're not conquering Wan for yourself, Ce – you're conquering it for her. She's going to take it back just as soon as she's given it to you." The young officer stomped his foot, the impact disappearing into the rug but the emotion behind it standing out clearly on his face.

"No one's giving me anything, Yu – I'm taking it for myself, just like I always have! And I'm going to conquer China because I stood up and took it, not because I waited around for someone to hand it to me!" Sun Ce's voice leveled back to a bearable volume as his words came to a stop, and Zhou Yu regarded him silently as the Sun lord shook his head slowly, never losing eye contact with his stoic swordsman. "I'm not waiting anymore. Not for anything. There's so much I want to do – how am I going to get that far if I let somebody like Liu Xun get in my way?"

The dark strategist sighed, raising a hand to rub at his forehead where the argument had rekindled a familiar headache. "Ce…"

"No!" The edge was back in the young officer's tone, but his voice remained low enough that its echoes vanished quickly against the bedroom walls. Sun Ce tipped his chin up defiantly and watched his unwilling warrior with adamant eyes. "I'm going, Yu. This is my army, and my kingdom, and I don't need your permission."

Zhou Yu stiffened at the blunt statement, but the Sun lord ignored him, pressing on as his amber eyes drilled into their onyx opposites. "I'm using my strategy and I'm taking Wan, and I'm sending this letter as fast as I can get it down. I'm going no matter what you say. I'll do it without you, if that's what you want – but I'm doing it, as soon as I can. I'm sick and tired of waiting." The young officer tipped his chin casually to the side, watching his companion with hardened eyes. "All I want to know is, are you going to help me or not?"

The swordsman pressed his lips into a tight line, his irritation matching the master of Wu's piercing stare. His first spiteful instinct was to say no – to abandon the Little Conqueror to the folly that would no doubt stem from his rushed decision. But if Sun Ce truly was proceeding with or without him…

What would happen if something went wrong at Huan? What if Liu Xun returned too early, or the city was stronger than they imagined? What if the Yangzi flooded again? Could he really watch the disappearing tail of the Sun lord's horse and call whatever came afterward a product of his commander's own stupid decisions? Could he leave it at that and divorce himself from the consequences? It would be the first time he'd ever let Sun Ce go to battle alone by choice, and he'd be placing fifteen years on the miracle of the young officer's charmed luck – fifteen years of trial and triumph and that certain smile that was so far from his companion's lips now.

At last Zhou Yu shook his head, his obsidian eyes cold but resigned in his face. "You're going to get burned, Ce," he warned softly, running an absent hand through his dark hair. "She's going to take the reins of Wan right out of your hands as soon as you've got them…" The Sun lord shifted a little, his jaw tight.

"Is that a yes or a no?" Sun Ce persisted flatly, crossing his arms over his silken shirt. The strategist sighed.

"It's a yes. I just want you to know in advance… that I am not going to hold my tongue when she takes what you've worked for away from you." The young officer shrugged, his features neutral but his tongue still callous from their argument.

"Fine by me. You can be as pessimistic as you want. I just don't want to hear about it, all right?"

The swordsman's eyes narrowed, grinding his teeth together as a current of residual annoyance flickered through him under the fan of the tonfa master's words. Lady Li's voice bothered the back of his mind, sounding almost more pleased than she had originally, as though her echoes knew of her triumph even before the woman herself.

_Do not make me drive a rift between you and your Little Conqueror…_

Clearly, she already had. But Zhou Yu had to wonder, feeling the separation between himself and his companion now, how much worse the lady's poison words could make things if she chose to use them in such a fashion. Twin amber eyes turned away from his as Sun Ce moved to kneel once again at his short desk, retrieving the ink brush and considering his letter with deep concentration.

"You can do whatever you want while I finish this – then we'll send it, and talk to the council after that. Deal?"

The strategist rolled his eyes at the young officer's careful avoidance of his ministers until after the plan was too far along to backtrack – but he chose not to comment, watching the Sun lord carefully instead and turning the situation over in his mind. Lady Li had done her damage – and as far as the invasion of Wan was concerned, she had beaten him. Sun Ce was an idiot and playing directly into his hands. But if the swordsman couldn't mend the frayed edges of their relationship now, he'd have no power to impede the courtier's wife in her designs at all. Zhou Yu took a calming breath and shoved his lingering aggravation to the back of his mind, moving to stand at the impulsive officer's shoulder.

"Haihun."

The Sun lord blinked up at him, chewing idly on one end of his ink brush as confusion carved deep furrows into his brow. "What?" The strategist shook his head, dropping into a crouch at his companion's side.

"Haihun. When you suggest that Liu Xun attack another city to procure supplies – suggest Haihun, not Zhaisang. Haihun is closer to Wu – Taishi Ci could take a division around Pengli Lake and cut him off. If we accomplish that, we could control all of Wan with the attack on Huan."

Sun Ce stared at him for a moment, absorbing the tactical advice with a partly open mouth. Then a vague wisp of annoyance suffused the young man's face, and he scowled at his dark warrior behind the fringe of his chestnut bangs, free hand dropping to his hip.

"You really were in the library, weren't you?" Zhou Yu sighed, plucking the ink brush from his commander's mouth and retrieving a blank sheet of parchment from the raucous piles swallowing the short table.

"Yes, I was. Look. You see where Zhaisang is in comparison to Huan?" His words followed the sketch map quickly forming beneath his practiced brushstrokes, a diagram of the three cities and the large lake between them curling across a long line that represented the Yangzi River. "Haihun is on the other side of the lake. If we get Liu Xun that far from Huan, there shouldn't be any way he can interfere with our invasion."

The Sun lord said nothing for a long moment, studying his strategist's solemn expression with stubbornness teasing his tan features. But at last the young officer's ambition won out against his pride, and he rubbed thoughtfully at the bridge of his nose, unconsciously streaking his skin with a line of ink from one stained fingertip.

"If Liu Xun advances on Haihun, he'll be out of the way. But we're still going to have to get inside Huan – and across the river, too. How did we do that last time?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and swiped his thumb across his companion's nose, holding up his ink-blotched fingerprint to the Little Conqueror's startled gaze.

"Idiot. How many times have I warned you to watch where you put your fingers when you're doing this?" Sun Ce frowned and rubbed energetically at his face, only succeeding in muddying the precise line into an oily blotch – his swordsman decided it was a lost cause and sighed softly. "I'm not sure. I'll have to give the actual invasion some thought. We won't have Yuan Shu's boats this time, and there's also the matter of Liu Xun's alliance with Huang Zu. If he doesn't trust you, he may call for reinforcements even if he chooses to march on Wan…"

The young officer's countenance became serious again, his lips pursed slightly in contemplation as eight years of military experience flashed through his eyes. Then at last Sun Ce shook himself and a familiar smile fell across his face, matching the hand that came up to slap his strategist on the back.

"Well, let's not worry about that yet. First we've got to make sure Liu Xun agrees to everything, right? The sooner we can send this letter off, the better." The Sun lord elbowed his companion as though to chase his solemn expression away with the nudging contact, then grabbed another brush and started in on his letter again, bracing one arm against the table as he wrote and reading aloud in a half mumble. "Care of Liu Xun, master and ruler of the region of Wan in eastern China… man, I hate this formal stuff. You have to skip the first six lines just to know what they're talking about!"

As the young officer leaned forward over his work, brush moving absently across the wooden scroll, Zhou Yu's thoughts turned to the cunning woman and her clever smile lurking somewhere in the Liyang estate. Just as Lady Li had predicted, the invasion of Wan would proceed under her terms, and the master of Wu was just as blind to her influence as when she'd begun. Now the question became how to limit that influence, and how to uphold his second threat once Huan had been defeated…

Ink stain or not, the swordsman would not allow Sun Ce's empire to be stolen. It was time for another strategy.

End Chapter 40

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I think this chapter actually took a while, but for some reason it feels like it went very quickly. The conclusion of this arc will be up as soon as I finish it – we're getting to final projects in school, however, so that may be slightly longer than this update required. Nonetheless, comments and criticisms are always appreciated – thank you all for your continued audience.

A note for Symphonia Alchemist: Thank you for your review. I'm glad that you're enjoying the wealth of superfluous details that seem to end up in every installment. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, and that you will continue to enjoy this story as it progresses.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Please don't worry – I received your review just fine. I'm glad you liked the tri-part post. Yes, Sun Ce's death is indeed coming closer, and I find myself making references to it more often in the text… regardless, thank you as always for reviewing, and you have my word that I will not discontinue this story, the unpredictable hands of fate notwithstanding. Please devote your time to your schoolwork – I'd hate to think I was interfering with that.

A note for Sirithiliel: I also like how your penname looks – it seems elfin to me. And perhaps I am a little hard on Lu Meng, but I have a feeling he'd simply use that as another opportunity to complain, if he knew. Thank you again for your considerate reviews.

A note for X Donnie Darko 7: Thank you for your kind review. It's always nice to hear from people who have been enjoying the story, whether they choose to review regularly or not. I hope that my portrayals of Zhou Yu and Sun Ce do not disappoint you throughout the course of the story, and that you continue to enjoy both the style and the plot of my fiction. Thank you again for your comments.


	43. Chapter 41

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX to a very minor extent).

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Secession – Part 40 

It was incredible how much of a difference ten days made. In the time it took for Sun Ce's letter to Liu Xun to vanish westward in the hands of a trustworthy courier and the council to come to some semblance of composure concerning their lord's impulsive actions, nearly all of the leaves had fallen, some flitting to the ground of their own accord and some ruthlessly shaken from the boughs by heavy gusts of wind. Now there was hardly a patch of ground that lacked the brittle leaves, and they covered the paths of the garden in a carpet of rust-colored crackling, twisting like great rivers of bronze away from the covered corridor that bordered the house on all sides.

Autumn seemed as though it had barely started – but already Zhou Yu could feel winter's approach in the cold breeze that swept through the grounds, shivering his sleeves and ruffling through his hair as he sat on the top step of the mud-brick staircase leading into the garden. The wind slipped through the cracks in the pile of scrolls beside him and whistled softly; the sound complimented the muttering of the sliding leaves and the rhythmic tapping of the ink brush against his knee as the strategist sighed, regarding the document before him with tired disapproval.

It had been worth a try – but changing location from the confines of his office hadn't actually brought the dark swordsman any inspiration, despite the significant upgrade in scenery. Zhou Yu swallowed another sigh and redirected his attention to the garden, letting the rustling leaves all around him dispel the image of the scroll's pervasive arrows and triangles.

The document draped across his lap was a map of the flood plain surrounding Huan – and it was this element of policy, as opposed to the usual governance drivel, that had prompted a change in setting. The warrior had hoped that the endless stack of reports crowding his desk was responsible for his conspicuous lack of a worthwhile strategy for the upcoming invasion – but clearly, interfering busywork was the least of his problems. The swordsman deposited his ink brush on the brick step and rubbed his eyes, the heel of each palm chasing the imprint of Liu Xun's valley capital from his exasperated mind.

In all his years as a tactician, first for Sun Jian and later for his impatient son, Zhou Yu knew he must have devised thousands of battle plans, including a great number that never came to fruition for some detail or another. He was the leading strategist of Wu for a reason, and it was not because of a habitually fallow mind. But despite it all, Huan was giving him trouble. Every time he studied a map of Liu Xun's capital, tracing the Yangzi tributary and the valley plain with experienced eyes, it was as though the part of his mind responsible for innovation went completely blank, defeated by Wan's landscape before the incursion even began.

A fortified city, a wide plain, a flanking array of forested hills – Huan's surrounding topography was not particularly unique. Nor was it particularly challenging in terms of an assault – provided Liu Xun truly chose to march on Haihun, taking the city could simply be a replay of the same overpowering frontal attack they'd used three years ago. In the conquest of Wu alone, Zhou Yu had concocted and instigated too many city captures to remember; taking one had become practically routine. But the city was not the problem – the problem was the river.

"Whoa – looks like somebody could use a break."

The strategist blinked and dropped his hands back to the cold brick beneath him, glancing over his shoulder to find the familiar amber eyes that were watching him congenially from a door to the interior hall. Sun Ce smiled and moved onto the covered walkway, ponytail bouncing across the fabric of his practice tunic as he strode easily toward his seated companion. Zhou Yu raised a hand to rub at his customary headache and glanced back to the map spread over his lap.

"Perhaps. But needing a break and deserving one are entirely different problems, and I'm afraid I haven't completed enough work yet this afternoon to warrant any distractions."

The answer was meant in part as a warning, but the Sun lord refused to heed, laughing as he dropped his hands onto the swordsman's shoulders and drew the obsidian eyes up to his again. The Little Conqueror shook his head, tendrils of his chestnut hair falling forward past his shoulders to brush the dark warrior's head.

"I'm going to guess that was supposed to be a 'go away.' But you've worked too long already – your brain's going to turn to mush if you don't knock it off. You didn't even spar with me today."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, flicking dark bangs out of his face as the young officer plopped down beside him and leaned back on his callused hands. "I sparred with you yesterday," he countered, retrieving his brush and idly darkening the outlines of Huan's fortified walls on his slatted map. Sun Ce huffed, sliding onto his back and draping both arms beneath his head as he wrinkled his nose at the clear cerulean sky.

"Yeah, sure – yesterday. What was I supposed to do today, huh? I had to go find Taishi Ci – and he's been in a really bad mood ever since you made him do the district stuff. I'm going to have bruises for a week!"

The swordsman almost smirked at the thought of the livid Wolf general who'd been audibly stomping through Liyang's central estate for the past ten days, his usually gruff countenance even more disagreeable than was customary. In Zhou Yu's opinion, Taishi Ci had gotten no less than he deserved – completing the districting alone could hardly compare to the weeks worth of paperwork he'd left piled on the office desk. A soft tap on his knee dispelled the strategist's idling thoughts, and the onyx eyes flitted back to their amber counterparts as the Sun lord frowned.

"You should be sparring every day too, you know. Practice makes perfect." Zhou Yu scoffed.

"No, Ce – I should be sparring every other day, as we've been doing for the past nine years. And if you would calm down enough to sit still, you wouldn't be sparring every day either."

At his undeniably accurate observation, Sun Ce sighed and rolled forward, hunching over his knees and gazing up at his companion from a slouched sitting position. The young officer shook his head again, running a hand through his windswept hair before he wrapped both arms around his legs.

"I don't get it." The Sun lord's comment was as simple as the nudging elbow that found his swordsman's stomach. "Why am I the only one excited about this battle? We're going to do it, Yu – we're really gonna get Liu Xun out of there! But all you want to do is sit around reading reports. What's wrong? Don't you want to take Huan?"

Of course he did. The problem had more to do with the vehicle through which Huan was being taken – namely, the clever woman who had been floating politely in and out of the palace for the last week with her hapless husband in tow. Lady Li hadn't spoken to Zhou Yu directly since their confrontation in the library, but she hadn't bothered to keep her tongue in check when she praised Sun Ce on his strategy and his quick action, her eyes openly laughing behind her fan every time she caught the strategist's gaze.

But despite their argument, the Little Conqueror was just as clueless about his fair-weather flatterer as he had been when her strategy was first proposed, and Zhou Yu hadn't bothered to bring it up again, knowing that any criticism at this point would only sour the young officer toward his advice when the battle actually came. He held the words back now as well, sighing as he picked a lesser concern for his reply.

"Taking Huan is exactly the problem, Ce. I've been studying this map for days, but I haven't come up with anything even mildly feasible for a battle strategy." The swordsman snapped his knuckles against the wooden slats to emphasize his point, and the young officer beside him shrugged, one warm hand settling along the crest of his shoulder.

"So stop thinking about it. It'll work itself out, Yu – it always does. As soon as we get a letter back from Liu Xun, we'll march out of here, and you'll have the whole trip there to brood about it. You come up with lots of good strategies on site. Why are you so caught up in this one?"

The strategist massaged his temples, swallowing the sigh that rose in his throat. "It's never as simple as you make it seem. We can't march on Huan without any concept of a structured approach. If something were to go wrong…" Sun Ce shook him lightly, drawing the obsidian eyes back to his from their solemn contemplation of the stubborn scroll.

"Hey – come on. When Liu Xun agrees to the plan, he'll be leaving Huan mostly helpless. So any kind of a leg up beyond that is just a bonus. You're getting ahead of yourself, Yu – first we have to get there, _then_ we can plan an attack."

Zhou Yu raised a stoic eyebrow. "_I'm_ the one getting ahead of myself? Liu Xun hasn't even agreed to the alliance yet, Ce – it's been ten days, and we've received no word. Liu Xun may have simply disregarded your strategy as soon as it was presented to him."

The Sun lord frowned a little and mock-punched his companion in the arm. "Hey… watch it. I like that strategy." The swordsman stiffened at the rebuke, hearing again the strings of Lady Li's manipulation ringing through his commander's words. But Sun Ce didn't seem to notice the tension in his companion's shoulders, and a customary smile flooded the young officer's features once again. The master of Wu shrugged, scuffing his heels against the stairs as the cold autumn sun shone onto their faces. "And he'll agree to everything – no problem. He'll step right into it. We've got nothing to worry about there."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the Sun lord's mildly irritating confidence, but he chose not to respond, poring over the map instead and flicking the brush back and forth between his pale fingers. The Little Conqueror huffed, slumping onto his back and sprawling across the rough floor of the walkway.

"Fine, fine – ignore me. You can be moody if you want to." The strategist could practically feel his companion making a face at the back of his head, and he glanced over his shoulder long enough to meet the exasperated amber eyes before returning his attention to the scroll. Sun Ce shifted and began to hum in his off-key fashion, and the dark warrior found his pen tapping in time to the familiar song as he returned to the contours of Wan and forced himself to focus.

The problem was the river. The tributary to the Yangzi, which rejoined the main waterway beyond Pengli Lake, lay perhaps a mile south of the city, easily within sight but too far to worry about flooding in years of average precipitation. The bank of the river that led toward Huan was a fair incline, reaching the level of the city's plain after a short climb; the southern bank was worse, the river jutting into a range of low mountains almost as soon as the water gave way to stone.

It was for this reason that approaching Huan became such a complicated procedure – the river impeded southern and eastern assaults in its curving bed, too fast to swim and too deep to ford, and from Liyang a northern approach was nearly impossible. When they had first taken the city for Yuan Shu, the lord of Izhou sent them down the river on a fleet of flat boats in the first place, so reaching the northern bank hadn't been something the strategist gave any thought at all. But Sun Ce's forces rarely engaged in naval warfare, and few boats had been commissioned at all during the conquest of Wu. And that aside, what naval craft there were had all been sent to Xuancheng to aid in reconstructing the shipping trade that ran through Sun Quan's city, and were therefore out of reach for how quickly the Sun lord wanted to move.

Zhou Yu sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, marking a possible location for their main camp onto the predominately untouched scroll. If they managed to cross the river, it would be wisest to camp behind the flurry of tree-covered hills that surrounded Huan on three sides – from that position, an assault could proceed in whichever direction seemed the most vulnerable. But then again, what good was planning an approach if they couldn't get to the rolling plain in the first place?

"Hey." The swordsman blinked and glanced over his shoulder as an insistent hand tugged on his long hair, tan fingers tangled through the dark strands and just brushing his back. Sun Ce cocked his head to the side and smiled, pulling more softly once he'd gained his strategist's attention. "Relax, okay? We'll figure something out. This isn't doing you any good – I'm sure you'll have a great idea as soon as we get there. So just lighten up, Yu. Don't let it get to you."

Zhou Yu swallowed back a familiar rebuke concerning the young officer's dubious understanding of proper strategy, and then rubbed his forehead, considering the map for a long moment before laying his ink brush to one side. "All right, Ce," he muttered, rolling the wooden scroll between two hands and dropping it carelessly next to the others. Perhaps the Little Conqueror had a point – he wasn't getting anything done in any case. Sun Ce grinned.

"That's better. Besides, I'm getting bored just sitting here. Let's do something." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, already spreading another of the policy scrolls over his bent knees. He met the amber gaze with a flat backward glance.

"I am doing something." The Sun lord rolled his eyes.

"Work doesn't count. Leave that for Taishi Ci – it's all supposed to be his anyway." The swordsman rolled his eyes.

"You know as well as I do that whatever I leave for Taishi Ci is not going to get done at all. I intend to finish these reports before dinner. If you're truly that bored…" One pale hand retrieved a second scroll and dropped it unceremoniously onto his commander's stomach. The action earned him a moan of protest from the young man, who curled into himself and shoved the offending document off of his practice tunic.

"Noooo… Yu, I said I was so done with paperwork!" Zhou Yu sighed.

"It isn't paperwork. It's a letter from Niuqiao. I don't know how it ended up on my desk, but it's addressed to you."

His words made Sun Ce straighten, and the surprised lord leaned up on his elbows, mussed bangs falling into his eyes as his tangled ponytail skipped around his shoulders. "A letter? Who's it from?" The strategist shook his head, one hand moving unconsciously to sweep the chestnut strands away from his companion's eyes.

"How do you manage to keep yourself a mess no matter what you're doing?" he asked, his voice harsh with a criticism that didn't match the tips of his fingers against his commander's skin. The Little Conqueror glanced upward and blew his bangs out of the way as best he could, only succeeding in undoing his warrior's careful arrangement. Zhou Yu sighed under his breath. "I didn't read it, Ce. I wasn't intending to go through your mail."

Sun Ce rolled back to lie flat against the mud-brick walkway, retrieving the scroll with a lazy smile and holding it above his head. "Yeah, sure. It just _happened_ to end up in your hands instead of mine." The strategist glanced heavenward in mild exasperation as the young officer unfurled the scroll with a flourish, the wooden slats clacking as they tumbled over each other and dangled like a poor curtain from his hands. The Sun lord tipped his head to one side and began to read, one eye closed against the cerulean expanse above them.

"'A letter intended for Lord Sun Ce, conqueror and ruler of the Wu Territory…'" Sun Ce paused to smile at his silent warrior, the expression tugging in unabashed pride at the edges of his mouth. "You know, I never get tired of hearing that." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, but he set his own scroll aside and turned until he could see the Sun lord's face without twisting his head, watching the flicker of pleasure that crossed the young officer's features as he continued.

"'I am writing this letter to assure you of our health and happiness, and to request after your own'… blah, blah, blah, weather's been good… 'I wish I were in Liyang instead – everything up here's really boring. I don't like Master Lu Meng because he doesn't let me do what I want to, and I don't know why Mama and her sister put up with him.'"

The dark swordsman smirked, and Sun Ce chuckled, running a leisurely hand through his scattered hair. "Welcome to the club, rugrat – the rest of us have been wondering that for years." Zhou Yu shook his head, leaning back on one palm as his shoulders relaxed under the amiable conversation.

"He can't have learned enough script yet to write all that himself… Lu Meng's last letter said he was resisting lessons almost as much as staying within the grounds." The Sun lord rolled his eyes.

"Can you blame him? He's cooped up with Lu Meng all day – not to mention those two tiny kids. I'd want to get away, too."

The strategist couldn't help a flare of sympathy for Shao as he thought of the Qiao sisters' infants, quickly approaching one year of age and beginning to walk already, according to the last correspondence from Niuqiao. Lu Meng had always been bad-tempered and his letters were never particularly pleasant or conversational, but he sent reports every few weeks nonetheless to keep the master of Wu informed about his northern border – and with that, about the two children who were apparently working past their monosyllabic ramblings and into full speech. Every time a letter arrived from the sour general, Zhou Yu found himself infinitely grateful for the simple distraction of Liyang – no matter how complicated and uncertain the situation with Liu Xun had become, anything was better than being in Niuqiao with the rapidly maturing toddlers.

"At least he seems to have taken to Lady Qiao," the swordsman replied after a moment, and Sun Ce shrugged into a smile.

"Yeah – well, she took to him, too. I guess she and Xiao really love kids, huh? Don't know why." Zhou Yu had no answer to that, and he leaned back on his hands to study the young officer's face in silence, watching the bright amber eyes as they read quickly up and down each of the slats in turn. The Sun lord huffed and swung the letter idly back and forth. "Not a whole lot interesting in here after that… Huang Gai's been in and out, envoys and stuff… 'Master Lu Meng is a really awful trainer'…" The dark warrior scoffed, the autumn wind rustling through his long hair and dashing the strands across his shoulders.

"We can hardly fault him for that. Lu Meng has never had social grace to speak of – I imagine he has no concept of how quickly to train a child." Sun Ce laughed, leaning up onto his elbows and laying the letter casually aside.

"You could have just gone for the throat. Lu Meng has no idea how to do anything with children."

The swordsman shook his head. "Unfortunately, that's not entirely accurate, Ce. He knows how to have them, which is perhaps the most troublesome skill of all."

The Sun lord snorted, rolling up fully into a sitting position and depositing his crumpled scroll on top of the strategist's neat pile. His arms slumped forward over his raised knees and he tipped his head to one side, an impish grin curving beneath his laughing eyes. "It's not knowing how to have kids that's the problem, Yu. It's opportunity. You do realize they're all in Niuqiao together, right?" Zhou Yu paled slightly at the question, and Sun Ce snickered, reaching out to poke his companion in the chest with one teasing finger. "Didn't think that one through all the way, did you?"

The swordsman frowned, batting his commander's hand away and rearranging the pile of scrolls to busy his suddenly apprehensive mind. "Xuan is only ten months old. He's undoubtedly still breastfeeding." The Sun lord shrugged, his smile never waning.

"Yeah – for now."

The implication bothered Zhou Yu more than he cared to admit, and he rose from his seat on the stairs, his mind occupied with memories of Xuan's birth and the complicated knot of relationships and public appearances that birth had formed. Surely Xiao Qiao didn't think that just because she'd had one child, her husband would be all right with claiming another… but then again, the young woman hadn't truly worried about his permission the first time, and Lady Qiao was not going to stop her sister on the strategist's behalf. Perhaps there was a way to move Lu Meng out of Niuqiao before anything untoward happened…

Sun Ce blinked as his companion began to gather the scrolls into his arms, the wooden spirals falling between folds of silk and resting against his chest. "Hey… where are you going?" the young officer asked, stretching above his head and grabbing the swordsman's sleeve almost as an afterthought as his arms fell back toward the floor. Zhou Yu shook his head.

"I told you, Ce – I intend to finish these reports before dinner, and that isn't going to happen in your company. I'm going back to my office, where I can actually get something done." The Sun lord groaned, pushing to his feet as well and tugging his stoic warrior in the direction of the garden instead.

"Yu, come on… none of that stuff is urgent anyway. Can't you take the afternoon off for once?" Sun Ce smiled, the cheerful expression seeming to trap the autumn sunlight across his features. "Take a walk with me instead. It's gonna be winter soon, and then you won't want to go outside at all, 'cause you're picky about the cold." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, but his companion persisted, pulling insistently on the captured silk as he took a backward step down the stairs. "Come on. Work can spare you for one day, right?"

The strategist considered. The Sun lord was technically correct that none of his scrolls were particularly pressing, and he couldn't actually deceive himself that he wanted to return to the uninspiring confines of his office when the afternoon was so temperate. But Taishi Ci was a terrible procrastinator, and nothing would get done in Liyang once they marched for Huan. If he didn't finish the reports now, there was no telling how long it would be before the various ministers who had written the protector of southern Wu actually got an answer to their requests and inquiries…

The swordsman sighed softly, staring into the fervent amber eyes across from his as he shifted. "Ce…"

"Lord Sun Ce! Master Zhou Yu!"

The echoing call and a flurry of footsteps down the covered walkway interrupted the dark warrior before he could make up his mind, and both officers of Wu turned in the direction of the salutation, Sun Ce's hand falling habitually from his strategist's sleeve. The attendant made his way swiftly through the afternoon shadows, reaching his sovereign and bending into a low bow before delivering his news.

"My apologies for bothering you, my lord. But a messenger's just arrived – he requested to speak with you immediately."

Instantly Zhou Yu's shoulders stiffened, and the Sun lord straightened at his side, his previously carefree hands tightening into fists. The swordsman shared a quick look with his commander, and he could see the same thought dashing through those amber eyes as had taken hold of his own mind. It had been ten days – could this be the signal their attack had been waiting for? Part of the strategist couldn't help hoping it was a false alarm – that Lady Li's tactics would fail, and he could break the woman's dangerous grip over the master of Wu without ceding Wan to her ambitious clutches. But the other part of him knew that the sooner they marched, the sooner her feline tongue would be away from the Sun lord, and the sooner he could find a way to destroy her influence…

"Let's go. Lead the way," the Little Conqueror ordered, his voice light despite the tension so obvious in the features of his handsome face. The page bowed again and pivoted easily, reversing his steps down the brick corridor without hesitation; the leading officers of Wu fell into step behind him, Sun Ce's eyes fixed straight ahead and Zhou Yu matching pace at his side.

The walked in silence, nothing but the ricochet of their footsteps announcing their presence – but nonetheless, heads began to peek out of the doors they passed along the way, as though the feeling of tension and anticipation was enough to draw Liyang's occupants all on its own. Taishi Ci stepped into the hallway and made to speak, but the Sun lord's raised hand cut him off, quieting the undoubtedly unrepentant questions before they could begin. Zhou Yu didn't know when all of the advisory council had returned to Liyang's primary residence, but courtier after courtier appeared at the corners and intersections of the corridor. They flanked the procession on both sides like a trail of guards, whispering among themselves with barely audible voices.

Sun Ce said nothing to the people they passed, only smiling when they drew near the audience chamber and a pair of familiar faces hovered at the back of the crowd – the swordsman glared hard at Lady Li before he turned away, following his commander into the hall and letting the high doors fall shut behind his heels. But the image of her brilliant eyes lingered in his mind, a satisfied smirk just teasing the edge of her modest fan where she lurked behind her husband's shoulder, as though she alone already knew what news the messenger brought. In truth, the strategist couldn't be sure she didn't.

The audience chamber in Liyang was nothing compared to the halls in some of Wu's grander palaces, but it was an impressive room nonetheless, its high ceiling and pillared walls carefully plastered and decorated with murals. The long rugs of coarse knots leading from the interior door stretched before them to the feet of a small cluster of men, two guards with halberds in their sturdy hands standing a short distance behind the messenger. Zhou Yu recognized him as the man they had sent to Wan more than a week before – he was dusty from the road and he shifted as though his legs were nearly too tired to stand, but there was a dedicated light in his eyes nonetheless, and he bowed deeply at their approach.

"Lord Sun Ce. Please forgive my appearance – I have only just returned, my lord, and remembered your orders to report immediately…" Sun Ce waved the apology away, smiling a little despite the seriousness running through his eyes.

"Hey, no problem – I don't give points for dressing up. Glad you made it back." The courier bowed again, clutching a satchel in one fist as his free hand rubbed nervously at his bearded chin.

"Forgive my long delay, my lord. I hadn't expected Liu Xun to answer immediately, of course, but… he deliberated over your message for a great many days, holding council again and again with his trusted advisors." Zhou Yu's jaw tightened at the report, and he could see the Sun lord frowning in concentration, calculating the chances of his proposal's acceptance with each word from the envoy's lips. The man before them bowed again and stepped forward, offering his satchel to the young officer from a full kneel. "I do not know what he wrote, my lord, but he has sent a response. I pray you find it satisfactory, and find it in your heart to excuse my tardiness."

Sun Ce reached forward and accepted the bag, loosening its clasp and digging through the contents as a short laugh fell from his lips. "Don't worry about it – really. Nobody's blaming you. It figures Liu Xun'd take forever to make up his mind…"

One impatient hand emerged from the satchel clutching a scroll in five tight fingers, and the Sun lord glanced over his shoulder to meet his swordsman's eyes, their gazes debating the outcome of the message without a need for words. Zhou Yu shifted and straightened in his place a few steps behind the young officer, twin obsidian straying to the tight contours of the unobtrusive document in his commander's hands.

Sun Ce slid one finger along the bamboo slats and removed the braided tie cord. "All right. Let's see what we've got here…" The Sun lord smiled at his strategist, a vaguely teasing light flitting across his features as he waved the scroll back and forth. "You wanna bet on it one way or the other?" The dark warrior said nothing, Lady Li's devious smile slinking once more across his mind and deepening his frown. The young officer rolled his eyes. "Fine, fine… we'll just open it. Spoilsport."

But despite his careless words, Zhou Yu could see that his tan fingers were tense against the spiraled wood. The Little Conqueror whipped the scroll open with a clacking flourish and held the document in fisted hands, his quick eyes scanning the careful, rolling script that ran down each slat of the long-awaited letter. The swordsman took an involuntary step forward, watching his companion's expression and tightening his hold on the cluster of documents filling his arms.

Then a brilliant smile swallowed Sun Ce's face, and the dark warrior felt the weight of resignation drop into his stomach.

"All right! We did it!" The scroll fell forgotten to the floor as the Sun lord whirled to face his swordsman, every feature of his face brimming with exhilaration. "He took the deal, Yu! He's marching on Haihun as soon as he gets our return message – his army's getting ready to move right now!" Sun Ce laughed and clenched his free hand into a victorious fist, a confident smile brightening his eyes. "I knew it would work. Now all we've gotta do is move out – we can take Wan in no time!"

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, his mind already far beyond the fictitious alliance and the warlord who had been manipulated as easily as his opponent by the clever words of a cunning tactician. It was Lady Li's second triumph. And as she had been right about so many things to that point – and so adept at moving the politicians of Wu according to her designs – it seemed as though there would be little chance of keeping Wan from falling into her hands…

"Come on, Yu!" The warrior started as a warm hand landed on his shoulder, accompanying the eager words and the bright amber eyes meeting his from a good deal closer. Sun Ce laughed under his breath and gave his swordsman a little shake. "We have to call the war council. As soon as we spread the news, we'll send out another letter. And then in a few days—"

Zhou Yu swallowed. A few days. A few days to determine a strategy for taking Huan – and, more importantly, for stopping Lady Li before all of Wu came under her control.

.x.

The night before their march to Wan was not a pleasant one.

The weather in Wu was a constantly fickle creature, as impossible to predict as it was to tame. Autumn had been bursting with the crimson of fallen leaves and the golden sunlight of remembered summer, warm enough that walks in the garden were still a considerable form of entertainment – until a few days previously, when the climate suddenly took a turn for the irritating and drizzling storm clouds swept over the southern region of Wu.

The rain had arrived right on the heels of Sun Ce's messenger, and had he been a man who believed in omens, Zhou Yu might have taken it as a bad sign – a reminder of the underhanded ends through which their approach of Huan was being constructed. But the swordsman had never put much stock in the supernatural, and he didn't now, lying on his side and listening to the rain beating down beyond his window. The blankets around him were barely enough to keep away the chill of the storm, and the canvas of his mind, which refused to be still even half an hour after he had surrendered his reports in favor of rest, could not seem to summon sleep. The strategist shifted and rolled onto his back, staring blankly at the ceiling above his bed with a small frown bothering his lips.

Usually, his insomnia was a product of anxiety. He couldn't deny that tension was a principal factor in this case as well. But he had a feeling that just as powerful as the stress of an empty strategy and a conniving court woman was the tumbling, restless body that rolled back and forth beside him, sighing between motions and occasionally shoving one elbow or the other into his unoffending ribs.

"Mm…"

Sun Ce tossed and turned at his right, monopolizing the center of the bed with sharp knees and the path of his fidgeting form. A brief moment of silence passed before he was moving again, discontented with the hub of blankets and pillows that surrounded him. At last the young officer huffed and rolled onto his stomach, holding himself up on his elbows. Zhou Yu could just see his eyes shining between the scruffy bangs obscuring his forehead, and he watched in silence as the Sun lord extended one hand and poked him in the chest.

"Hey. You awake?"

The swordsman rolled his eyes, turning over so he could face the tonfa master fully. "If I hadn't been, you'd have woken me anyway, wouldn't you?" Sun Ce smiled a little, his hand tracing absent patterns in the silk of his companion's sleeping robe.

"So you were." The strategist glared at him, stretching above his head and working the kinks out of his neck.

"No thanks to you. If you would calm down and hold still for a few minutes, I might be able to get some sleep. Which we both need," he persisted, interrupting his commander as the young man's mouth came open, "seeing as we're marching on Huan tomorrow. And I know you won't get any rest once we've begun the campaign."

It was unfortunate that the Little Conqueror had never adapted to the hard ground and cold mats that his conquest demanded. That fact had never stopped his progress, or even dimmed the charismatic smile on his face during the endless battles for Wu – or Jiang Dong, in younger years. Nonetheless, Zhou Yu could practically see the impending circles underneath his companion's eyes, preparing to color his cheekbones soot until the campaign was over. Sun Ce sighed, kicking his feet a little; they rustled between the bedclothes like tumbling water.

"I can't sleep," he muttered, shifting first one way and then back the other. The swordsman rolled his eyes.

"Of course not – you're moving around. No one could sleep if they were squirming like that. And I can't sleep either, so stop it."

The Sun lord made a face at him, drumming his fingers against the pale chest. "Don't give me all the credit. You couldn't sleep even if I was completely out of it. You're stiff as a board, Yu – nobody can sleep all tensed up like that." Zhou Yu scoffed, running a quick hand through his splayed hair.

"There's nothing wrong with being still. At least I'm not disturbing you." Sun Ce huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as best he could.

"Yeah, but you're not helping either. I'd be fast asleep already if you would relax a little – but your shoulder's hard as a rock! How am I supposed to sleep on that?"

The strategist gave him a flat look. "You have a pillow," he reminded his companion impassively. Sun Ce stuck out his tongue.

"Sure – but it's cold, and I don't want to use it. Why can't you just mellow out for once? Do the world a favor."

The young officer gave one more decisive kick and flopped onto his back, glaring at the ceiling between the folds of his ruffled chestnut bangs. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes but said nothing, choosing to ignore his commander's childish display in favor of the rain coming down hard above them. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, watching the shadows flitting across the room and listening to the constant patter of drops beyond the window. Then Sun Ce exhaled quietly and rolled onto his side again, facing his swordsman across the battlefield of tangled sheets.

"Hey… Yu?" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, saying nothing as the Sun lord reached out and took hold of a lock of his hair. Sun Ce twisted the dark strands around his tan fingers as he sighed, scooting closer to the motionless warrior and resting his cheek against one bent elbow. "Why can't you sleep?"

The simple question caught the swordsman off guard, and he blinked a little before glancing back to the ceiling, a soft breath drifting between his teeth as he raised a hand to rub his forehead. A better question might have been what factor _wasn't_ impeding his ability to rest. Between the lack of a distinct strategy for capturing Wan and Lady Li's cunning smile – invisible behind the artful curtain of her satin fan – and all the other assorted complications of conquest, there were almost too many worries on his mind to name them all. But the strategist settled for his stock answer, meeting the inquisitive gaze as a tiny, exhausted smile slid across his lips.

"It's just the river, Ce. The river outside Huan. I'm concerned about crossing it." Sun Ce rolled his eyes, tugging on the hair he had captured not quite hard enough to cause discomfort.

"That again? Sheesh, Yu – I thought I told you to give that a rest days ago." Zhou Yu shook his head, a light shrug rolling through his shoulders.

"You did. But I haven't solved the problem yet, so I can hardly let it go, regardless of your instructions." The Sun lord frowned, tugging harder and drawing a slight wince onto his companion's features. The young officer inched closer to him across the mattress.

"Well, that's not right. I'm in charge here – aren't you supposed to do whatever I say?" The strategist scoffed.

"Except in cases where your orders go against either of our best interests. And as this is one of those cases, I have taken it upon myself to ignore you."

The Little Conqueror scowled and kicked at him, an attack his shins dodged by virtue of years of practice. The scuffle brought a slight smile to both of their features, and Sun Ce sighed as he twirled the strand of dark hair around his finger, curling it over his knuckle while he made a face at his stubborn warrior.

"Figures. Isn't that the kind of thing that gets people beheaded?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, dragging his lord's fingers away from his hair and winding them between his own.

"I'm certain that would be preferable to what you're doing now. Stop pulling – it hurts." The Sun lord stuck out his tongue again, the expression so familiar that even the night's darkness, only worsened by the storm, could not conceal its childish sentiment.

"Jerk." The swordsman said nothing, and his commander sighed into the rain-studded silence, smiling through the shadows as his bright eyes found their onyx opposites. "Look – it's not going to be a problem. As soon as we see Huan, you'll get that strategist look on your face and stop talking in complete sentences, just like you always do." Zhou Yu scoffed at his companion's assessment of inspiration, but he said nothing, massaging the skin of the young officer's palm with an absent thumb. Sun Ce shook his head. "I'm not worried at all – I believe in you. Why can't you do the same?"

The strategist studied his lord in silence, letting the words echo in his ears for a moment before a quiet sigh escaped his lips. Zhou Yu released the Sun lord's hand and rolled onto his back, watching the young man out of the corner of his eye. "If you believe that, why are you so restless as well?" he asked, his voice half accusing and half grudgingly curious. Sun Ce grinned, scooting closer to the strategist and poking him between the ribs.

"Because I'm excited, Yu. We're marching out tomorrow – finally! We're going to have Huan under control in a day or two…" Zhou Yu snorted, shaking his head against the pillows.

"We'll _reach_ Huan in a day or two, Ce. I doubt the leaders of the city will simply throw open their gates in surrender as soon as they've spotted your banner." The young officer shrugged, folding his arms behind his head and smiling up at the ceiling.

"Okay, so four or five days, then – maybe more if it's a hard fight. Who cares? I'm looking forward to it. You know how long it's been since our last battle?" Zhou Yu started a little, pressing his lips into a grim line as snippets of the preceding five months flashed through his mind, Shucheng and Qingshan coloring the faded landscape of his memory. The strategist sighed under his breath, running a hand through his scattered hair.

"I'm sorry, Ce. I know my father…" The old man had taken more than his share of time, stalling them in a city the Sun lord hadn't wanted to revisit from the start. But Sun Ce only shrugged, interrupting his warrior's apology with the simple motion as his gaze trailed back to the ceiling.

"Nah. These things happen, Yu. It's not a big deal. Just…" An enthusiastic smile recaptured his again, brightening his features through the damp shadows of the throbbing storm. "I'm glad to get back into it, you know? We took the summer off, but now we're moving again. I'm chasing my dream again. It feels good."

Zhou Yu listened to the energetic chuckle brushing his commander's lips, a quiet exclamation that only hinted at the depth of emotion rushing across the young officer's features. Sun Ce curled onto his side and met his swordsman's onyx eyes, one hand reaching out to settle over the warrior's quietly beating heart.

"We'll get Liu Xun out of there in no time. After that, we can move on Huang Zu – send him packing. He shouldn't be running a kingdom anyway. Then we'll go south, all the way down to the coast. And we'll just keep going until we've got it all – the whole country." Sun Ce's eyes were blinding in the dark as he slid forward and wrapped his arms around the strategist's torso, pulling Zhou Yu onto his side as well. He inched closer until their noses were just barely touching. "We can do it. You and me together – nothing's going to get in our way."

As though summoned by his confident declaration, Lady Li flashed through the swordsman's thoughts, her predatory eyes lurking in the back of his mind and tensing his muscles beneath the familiar sheets. Zhou Yu's mouth came open instinctively and then closed again, just catching the words before they hit the night air – words about the power of clever women and their silver tongues to defeat both officers with nothing more imposing than well-scripted sentences. Sun Ce frowned at his hesitation, and the young lord inched closer, squeezing his swordsman as puzzlement marred his brow.

"Yu?"

Zhou Yu shook his head, shoving Lady Li out of his thoughts as he refocused on the young man before him. "It's nothing. Only…" The strategist let a small smile steal across his lips, as soft as the pale hand reaching up to sweep the wrinkles of curiosity from his companion's forehead. "The speed with which you make decisions and take action is frightening," he intoned seriously, just a sliver of teasing undermining the words that made Sun Ce blink in surprise. "You truly deserve the title 'The Little Conqueror'."

The Sun lord grinned at his leading strategist, accepting the compliment with another laugh. One hand came back to rub across his face, his other arm tightening around the warrior's back. "Of course I do. Today it's Liu Xun – tomorrow, the world!"

His free hand punched the air in time to his confident words, a gesture that made Zhou Yu shake his head. The swordsman dropped an arm across his companion's waist and pulled him closer; Sun Ce didn't complain, wrapping his fingers into the warm silk of his companion's sleeping robe as the strategist's sigh scattered his chestnut bangs.

"Tomorrow is a little soon for the world, Ce – I'm afraid dawn is only bringing a long ride. Go to sleep, all right? Save a little excitement for tomorrow." The Sun lord smiled, burying his face in his swordsman's chest so that the soft fabric muffled his teasing reply.

"Hah. Liu Xun's nothing but mincemeat – nobody can get in my way. I'm invincible, remember? Maybe I will conquer the whole world tomorrow. You just wait and see what I can do in a day."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, running a soft hand through the tousled strands of his commander's ponytail. "I'll wait and see you fall off your horse because you're too tired to stay in the saddle."

The Little Conqueror punched him in the arm, but the blow was light and the rhythm of another heartbeat against his soothed the impact almost before he felt it. Sun Ce nuzzled deeper into his robe and the dark warrior felt him close his eyes, the lashes tickling as they flickered against his skin.

"You go to sleep too, okay?" The young officer's voice had become heavy, and Zhou Yu could hear him drifting off even as his words struggled through the silken fabric, their stressed syllables falling irregularly as exhaustion finally managed to capture the master of Wu. "It'll be fine. We'll get Huan… no problem."

The swordsman said nothing, only tightening his arms around the Sun lord's stilling form. He listened to the young officer's breathing as it slowly sifted into the shallow sighs of sleep, every exhale warm against his chest. The rain continued to pound away outside, intensifying with the creeping night until it sounded like hail against the roof. The swordsman shifted, careful not to wake his companion as he turned his head one way and then the other, searching for a comfortable position amidst the flurry of pillows. He held the tonfa master's body against his as he moved carefully back and forth in a gradual roll, holding his breath with each motion and watching the quiet contours of Sun Ce's form for any sign of disturbance.

But the Sun lord didn't stir and he found no place along the edge of the mattress that seemed comfortable enough to encourage sleep, and at last the strategist resigned himself to insomnia. Zhou Yu glared into the darkness of encroaching midnight as though the air above the bed were personally responsible for his disquieted mind; he moved one hand in vaguely soothing circles against his commander's slumbering back as his mind trailed into the thoughts that had been plaguing him all day.

It was Lady Li. There was no respite from the words still trapped in his mind almost two weeks after their initial conversation, circling like birds of prey as every day brought the campaign closer. _He will follow my advice, and then he will appoint my husband governor of Wan…_

Much though he hated to admit it, it seemed as though the woman had predicted Sun Ce down to the last whimsical action. The master of Wu had been more than willing to implement her carefully worded advice, ignoring the repeated outcries of his council against the prospect of attacking an ally – the quick victory Lady Li's tactics promised was far more than attractive enough to compensate for the lapse in morality. Zhou Yu doubted his companion had even given the dishonesty of the strategy a second thought. As soon as the sun rose, the march for Wan would commence exactly as the cunning noblewoman had desired. And though he wasn't sure how Lady Li planned to employ her husband as governor of Liu Xun's territory – assuming they managed to take it – he had been forced to acknowledge the possibility of her cleverness earning that very result…

The swordsman scowled and pounded one fist against the mattress, upsetting Sun Ce with his frustrated motion; the young lord mumbled something unintelligible and burrowed into his chest, forehead littered with confused furrows. Zhou Yu sighed, running a hand through his long hair as he felt his lord's form shifting just slightly with every deep breath. Sleep was not coming to him tonight – but the last thing he wanted was to disturb the master of Wu, now that the restless officer had actually settled down. The strategist pulled his arms back and slowly disentangled himself from the Little Conqueror's embrace, his movements prompting an incoherent groan and one drowsy eye cracking open as he slid into a sitting position.

"Yu? Where're you…"

Zhou Yu hushed him with a finger against the dry lips, leaning down to press a kiss onto his lord's temple. "Nowhere. Go back to sleep." The lingering contact brushed a smile across Sun Ce's sleepy face, and the young officer stretched as he flopped onto his back, eyes slipping closed again as one hand found the swordsman's sleeve.

"Come back… soon, 'kay?"

A yawn interrupted the sentence halfway and the strategist felt himself smiling, reaching out to sweep the Sun lord's bangs into some semblance of order. Then the dark warrior straightened and rose fully from the edge of the mattress, moving carefully around the foot of the bed to reach the exit. He paused with one hand on the doorframe, glancing back at the sprawling form of his commander and shaking his head in mild amusement. Then the door slid back under his hand and he moved into the corridor, shutting the panel before too much torchlight could bother his slumbering companion. Zhou Yu allowed his eyes to adjust to the minimal lighting, and then set off down the hallway, letting his feet find their own way toward the depths of the estate.

For a few minutes, the swordsman walked aimlessly, letting his repetitive thoughts turn and tumble senselessly within his mind, the dilemma of Huan itself and his worries about Liyang's female tactician getting lost together in one apprehensive haze. Nothing moved in the house around him – nothing but the patter of the storm outside broke the peace that had descended across the southern city with nightfall. As he moved through crossroads and listened to the sound of his own footsteps, the strategist took a deep breath and held it, releasing the air slowly through his teeth and closing his eyes to the tunneling walls of the corridor.

The physical motion of his exhale did not present him with the solutions his anxious mind was seeking, but somehow it soothed his endlessly cycling thoughts – and as he passed the darkened library Zhou Yu found that his restlessness was receding at least a little, the echo of his footfalls dimming the playback of Lady Li's words. In the absolute silence of the sleeping manor, her voice was replaced by another, a far more soothing assertion despite its naively confident outlook.

_We can do it. You and me together – nothing's going to get in our way._

The strategist shook his head, pausing as he came to another intersecting set of corridors and glanced back the way he had come. Of course, Sun Ce was always too simplistic in his predictions – the primary reason he would never have made a passable tactician. But perhaps there was some value to the young officer's words nonetheless. Perhaps the only thing he could do was trust his ability to counter Lady Li if her ambitions became too dangerous, and focus on conquering Wan before he worried too much about who would be ruling it.

Zhou Yu turned back and stared in the direction of his invisible footprints, imagining the sleeping Sun lord curled up in his bed. Perhaps there was something worth considering in his companion's groundless faith – something to be gained from believing. Perhaps sleep was truly what he needed most, with or without solutions…

He made it two steps before the serene voice stopped him dead.

"Master Strategist… I am certainly surprised to see you awake at this hour. And here I was, thinking myself the only person in Liyang who had trouble sleeping."

The swordsman stiffened, the mockingly polite words crawling across his back like a horde of insects. Slowly, he pivoted back to face the intersection, and he cursed himself silently for not noticing the woman lurking inside the lip of the torchlight shadows that cluttered the corridor's quiet corners. Lady Li smiled as his eyes met hers, twin obsidian narrowing instantly as he returned her unaffected stare with stony silence. The courtier's wife sighed dramatically, one hand artfully poised at her lips in place of the customary fan.

"You'll have to forgive my appearance, I'm afraid – I was simply tossing and turning, so I thought a walk might clear my mind… but I didn't expect to meet anyone along the way." The woman took a sarcastically modest step backward into the depths of the darkness, her free arm wrapped around the waist of her sleeping gown as though in protection. "Had I known such an esteemed gentleman as yourself would be wandering the halls at this hour, I would have made an effort to consider my appearance." Lady Li seemed to consider a moment, and then she shrugged, her infuriating smile becoming a visible taunt. "But then again… perhaps it doesn't matter to someone like you. I doubt a woman's vestige has ever moved you."

Zhou Yu ground his teeth together, agitated by the words though he wasn't sure how many levels of knowledge actually inspired the woman's words. He forced his hands to relax from the instinctive fists they had been forming, but his glare remained just as potent. "Don't trouble yourself on my behalf," he grated. The minister's wife looked him up and down, raising an eyebrow at the creased contours of his robe and the tangled pattern of his loose hair.

"You seem to have pried yourself out of bed as well, Zhou Yu – are you certain there's nothing more… pressing in your quarters? Something that might miss you while you wander the halls?"

That same cunning smile flitted across her face at the careful words, and the strategist bit back a growl, drawing himself straighter and taking a step toward his adversary in the flickering torchlight. "What do you want?" he demanded, staring into the woman's unimpressed eyes with as much intimidation as he could manage. But Lady Li only huffed, picking at her fingernails as a lock of hair fell across her lovely face.

"Don't be so discourteous. I wasn't waiting for you, Master Strategist – it truly is a coincidence that I met you here. But as long as the opportunity has presented itself…"

Her smile made the swordsman's stomach turn, tugging at the corners of her mouth with a fickle edge that seemed unquestionably predatory. Lady Li inspected the back of her nails and massaged the digits of her left hand, not bothering to meet his eyes as her voice dropped almost to a whisper.

"My husband has been feeling simply awful this past week, remembering how useless his strategy was in serving Lord Sun Ce… and I am terribly concerned about what he might do, Zhou Yu. I fear that in the morning, he might dare to ask Lord Sun Ce if he can accompany you to Wan, hoping to rectify the mistake he made in suggesting such a blindingly flawed set of tactics."

Lady Li's eyes glowed with a light that seemed to come from her irises themselves as her gaze snapped to his startled face, measuring the surprise that had stalled the breath in his throat as her words cascaded through the darkness. The woman smiled.

"Of course, he's never been a warrior, and I'm dreadfully frightened of what might happen if he went into battle. But he's so determined to do something to assist Lord Sun Ce – anything that might help establish Wan under the control of the Wu Empire. Perhaps it's my anxiety for him that keeps me from sleep…"

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed, his expression darkening to match the midnight air around them as every muscle in his body tensed, as tersely aggravated as his voice. "That's how you're planning to appoint him governor." The woman chuckled, tightening the sash of her gown with idle hands.

"I do not underestimate you, Master Strategist – I do not expect you to hand me the province of Wan willingly. However, your commander is a bit simpler than either of us, and I'm certain that my husband's good intentions will not fail to make an impression. In which case… I suppose you have two choices, Zhou Yu." Lady Li held herself straighter and met his eyes, but her sly smile never dimmed, lifting her lips in a gentle curve that almost seemed to flicker in the uncertain light. "You can accept an alternate post for my husband, which I am certain Lord Sun Ce will suggest, or you can send him to battle, knowing that you leave control of your army in the hands of a man who struggles with his basic paperwork."

The swordsman scowled as he lost the fight against his fists, allowing the pale fingers to curl at his side as Lady Li took a backward step and turned, finished with the conversation as soon as the words escaped her mouth. Zhou Yu watched her retreating back in silence for a long moment before the woman's footfalls slowed and she glanced over her shoulder, meeting his angry eyes above the collar of her dress.

"But I should warn you, Master Strategist…" The courtier's wife dropped her pretenses completely, her eyes flashing fire across the distance separating their motionless forms. "Whichever option you choose, you will not let him die. Or I truly will strike you from the master of Wu… permanently."

The strategist gritted his teeth at her threat, grinding his nails against his palms and ignoring the pain as a tiny smile flickered over her coy countenance. "Sleep well," Lady Li encouraged, turning back to resume her retreat along the silent corridor. The dark warrior could do nothing but watch her go, glaring at her lithe form until she meandered around the next corner and disappeared from sight. Zhou Yu pivoted sharply in the direction of his own room, the agitation that had been writhing through his stomach more than doubled from their brief encounter.

As the shadowed corridor slid by beneath his feet, the strategist considered Lady Li's words. He entertained for a brief moment letting Li Shu come into the battle for Wan, though he knew the minister wouldn't last more than an hour in the horrors of war – but just as quickly, he dismissed the idea, shaking his head as his footsteps echoed down the deserted hallway. Though it was true that the woman would not be able to control Wan without her husband as a vehicle, the swordsman couldn't quite justify allowing the kindly, fumbling courtier to die in order to stop his wife, despite how well that approach seemed to match her own tactics. And even if his morality were set aside, he was fairly sure Sun Ce would never allow Li Shu to accompany them into battle – no one who so much as looked at the haphazard attendant could mistake him for a warrior.

Zhou Yu shook his head again, watching the torches slip by above his head as the library disappeared to his left. Li Shu could not be given up as a willing casualty – not without falling to the level of his wife's own manipulative designs, and not without invoking retribution of some kind. But without that easy answer, how could he keep the well-meaning minister from stumbling into a governorship of Wan?

_Whichever option you choose, you will not let him die. Or I truly will strike you from the master of Wu… permanently._ Zhou Yu bit the inside of his cheek, anger flaring between his ribs. As though it would be that easy to destroy the bond between himself and the young officer he had known for fifteen years…

The swordsman paused as he reached the door to his quarters, his steps faltering as one hand rested beside the latticed frame. He stared into the dark wood that blocked the room from view, searching its patterned surface as his mind warred with indecision. The silence within assured him that his absence had not been sufficiently disturbing for Sun Ce to wake again, and the dark warrior sighed softly before taking a step back, dropping his pale fingers uselessly to his side. Then he turned and set off down the corridor once again, bidding the young officer a silent apology over his shoulder.

He was going to be very tired in the morning.

.x.

Wan was a breathtaking province.

The hills and valleys that comprised the region had been under the shadow of unrelenting rain and an untimely flood when they'd first captured the area for Yuan Shu, and every facet of the surrounding countryside had only been brown, drab, wet, or some combination of all three. There might have been a similar problem during this campaign – but fortunately the rain that had descended so abruptly over Liyang stayed there when the army marched from the city two days previously, and within half a day's travel they had passed beyond the final reach of threatening storm clouds and into the cold cerulean of coming winter.

Marching had been far easier one the mud disappeared beneath hooved and booted heels, and after leaving Taishi Ci's protectorate they had made considerable progress – so much progress, in fact, that the swordsman was positive that the city of Huan was already within a day's travel. Scouts had been sent on ahead while the main army broke camp that morning, in the hopes that they would spot any enemy patrols along the deciduous ridges and find a clear route to Liu Xun's capital.

But none of the men had as yet returned, only leaving trail markings in the groundcover around them. And until some more urgent military endeavor presented itself, Zhou Yu was free to lean back in his saddle and admire the scenery.

The strategist had a feeling that Wan's overall impression would have been even more stunning had they been marching two weeks earlier, before the trees began to drop their rusting golden leaves – but nonetheless, the kingdom was beautiful in the early morning light. The entire army was making its way up a long, gradual incline, heading toward a pass that the swordsman's map promised would lead them directly to the river and the forested plain surrounding Huan. On every side, trees still decorated in full autumn regalia rose from the spongy carpet of fallen leaves, their ginger-painted branches obscuring the clear sky. Tendrils of the morning mist lingered around their trunks like silver cloaks.

A fair portion of the trees had lost their leaves already, and these shied from the path of the advancing troops, ducking behind their more impressive neighbors as though ashamed of their barren branches. The fog hung though these with considerable thickness, looking like it had been intentionally draped between the empty boughs in place of the foliage that winds and progressing seasons had stolen.

Here and there between the predominant oak and walnut, spruce pines stood proud and arrow straight, brief blotches of green breaking the rhythm of fall colors. And beneath them all, three thousand men and their commanders marched across a rug of fallen leaves that had lost their crisp contours, only managing to whisper beneath each progressive footstep.

Zhou Yu sighed a little, watching the forest and morning mist ripple in the grip of a chilling breeze – but the motion morphed into a yawn halfway, and the swordsman raised a hand to cover his mouth, shaking his head to force himself awake. The army had broken camp just before dawn that morning, each man moving swiftly and decisively under the beat of the rank drums. The hope was to reach Huan with enough daylight to begin planning the attack, if nothing else – a slow, careful approach about which a certain Little Conqueror had complained vigorously the night before.

Zhou Yu hadn't been in the mood to compromise. He had gotten little sleep the preceding nights – particularly their last night in Liyang, when the sunrise and a curious Sun lord had found him still slumped across his maps in the library. Ever since they departed Taishi Ci's protectorate, staying awake had been a challenge for the dark warrior – and the landscape, though beautiful, was not helping. The entire hill seemed to be floating, an impression amplified by the fog shimmering in the light of the sun behind them, and the effect was dragging on the strategist's eyelids. Zhou Yu shook his head again and rolled his shoulders back, scanning the forest ahead and listening to the progression of the army behind him.

"Hey, sleepyhead."

The dark warrior blinked and turned to glance over his shoulder, catching the teasing amber eyes of the man on horseback a few strides behind him. Sun Ce grinned, tapping his heels against the animal's flank to bring himself abreast of the strategist.

"Which one of us is going to fall out of the saddle, huh?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, stifling another yawn as his gaze returned to the forest ahead.

"Neither, I should hope. I'd prefer to reach Huan without mishaps." Pale fingers massaged the swordsman's temples, soothing the headache that had been escalating for the previous three days. "We can't be that far now. I haven't heard the river, but according to the map, this ought to be the last ridge before…"

A warm hand lighted on the swordsman's wrist, and Zhou Yu glanced away from the decaying groundcover to meet his companion's eyes. Sun Ce withdrew his arm and jabbed a thumb over his shoulder at the long train of soldiers behind them, a sliver of sincerity furrowing his forehead despite the careless tone of his voice.

"You know, we've got some wagons at the back. You could probably catch forty winks before we get there, if you wanted to." The strategist scoffed under his breath, shaking his head at the young officer beside him.

"As comfortable as our provisions sound, Ce, I think I'll have to decline. Even half-asleep, my sense of direction is better than yours – I've no estimate for how lost you could get us while I was napping."

The Sun lord frowned, crossing his arms over his chest and rocking with his horse as the animal crossed a fallen log. "You're not doing a great job of leading us either, since you can't even keep your eyes open. Lost would be better than running off a cliff." The swordsman sighed, dropping his hand back to his mount's shoulder and catching the persistent amber with his own obsidian gaze.

"I'm fine, Ce. Just a little tired." Sun Ce snorted, leaning back in his saddle with the reins pooled in his lap.

"A little? You look like somebody popped you once in each eye. I'm surprised you're not asleep already, with the way you're nodding off."

The master of Wu slumped in his saddle, staring into the mist that threaded through the trees on all sides and tapping his fingers against the cloth of his armor. For a moment, neither officer spoke, watching the forest around them and listening to the muffled crunch of thousands of boots behind them. Finally the Sun lord huffed, the exhale scattering his chestnut bangs from their haphazard curtain across his forehead.

"Man, when are we going to get there? We've been marching for hours, and it doesn't feel like we're getting anywhere! And I can't see a damn thing in this fog." The young officer shifted in time to his complaints, and the swordsman rolled his eyes, running a weary hand through his scattered hair.

"Your impatience will be your undoing. We likely won't be able to attack tonight in any case, Ce – all we can hope is to reach Huan with enough time to set up camp before dark. And then over the next couple days—"

"All right! All right!" Sun Ce flopped forward to rest along the neck of his horse, making a face at his strategist between the strands of hair and the crimson ribbon crowding his countenance. Zhou Yu paused momentarily before carrying on, lowering his voice so that only the aggravated young officer at his side could hear the battle schedule he'd been mentally constructing in the last few days.

"…we'll begin preparations for attack. We have hooks and crossbows, but we'll have to construct at least one battering ram before we attempt to take the city. And once the fighting starts, there's no way of knowing how long Huan will hold out. We should also be aware of the possibility of Liu Xun's return, or of reinforcements arriving to aid the defense—"

The Sun lord groaned, punching his swordsman half-heartedly in the arm. He glared into the serious obsidian eyes from his wilted position as the explanation stopped and Zhou Yu matched his irritated stare. "You're just _trying_ to depress me, aren't you?" the Little Conqueror accused, fiddling with his horse's mane between two restless fingers. The dark warrior sat back and folded his arms over his chest.

"No. I'm trying to instill some sense of patience and proper procedure in your remarkably straightforward mind. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be working." Sun Ce stuck out his tongue and straightened in the saddle, glancing over his shoulder at the legions of men following in their wake, each halberd and broadsword carried carefully between their steady hands. The Sun lord sighed.

"I've been patient for weeks, Yu – especially this last week. I'm allowed to be excited sometimes, aren't I? A little enthusiasm could sure liven things up around here."

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, a reminder of the young officer's "patience" since their arrival in Liyang stiffening his shoulders. It was true that the young lord's restlessness had finally gotten them moving toward Huan – but it had gotten them moving without a proper strategy, without naval support, under the shadow of a female mastermind content to wait in the wings for the power she wanted. Power that, barring a miracle, would be landing in her husband's lap before too long.

"Honorable Lord Sun Ce! Master Zhou Yu!"

The strategist ground his teeth together and shared a look with his commander – Sun Ce mouthed _Not again_ as a flurry of hoofbeats scattered across the hill behind them, heralding the approach of the horseman who had called out. The third rider pulled up next to them and reined back to a walk, his cheeks flushed and coal eyes bright with the early morning cold. Li Shu dropped his head in a short bow and glanced back over his shoulder, gesturing with a wide sweep to the ranks of infantrymen covering the hillside.

"My lord – one of the provisions wagons has tipped over. The wheels became caught crossing a fallen log, and the entire vehicle fell…" Despite his breathless anxiety, Zhou Yu could tell that the minister was as excited by his report as he was worried. The courtier fiddled with the end of his thin moustache, watching the master of Wu beneath his mildly bushy eyebrows. "All of their provisions have spilled out… shouldn't we stop and allow them time to reorganize?"

Li Shu's voice held the anxious tenor of a man not quite sure of the advice he was posturing, and the question made Sun Ce roll his eyes, drawing the Sun lord straighter in his saddle as he raised one hand in a high fist.

"Halt."

The command was quiet enough that only the first few rows of infantrymen could hear him, but as one the army came to a standstill, soundless as ghosts and nearly as invisible under the morning fog. Li Shu gaped slightly at the immediacy of the soldiers' compliance, and he smiled wonderingly at the high officers of Wu with his hands tightly fisted in the reins, the early sun dazzling in his black eyes.

"Honorable Lord Sun Ce! Your troops are incredibly disciplined – I'm astounded." Sun Ce grumbled under his breath and ran a quick hand through his swaying ponytail.

"I told you to kick the 'honorable' part," he muttered, his words soft enough that Li Shu could only blink in puzzlement. The swordsman at his side fixed their candid courtier with a piercing stare.

"They have all been through many battles. We do not bring untested men into war."

The words were intended specifically for the charmed minister before him, for whom the sword at his side had to be as unfamiliar as the conflict they were headed toward – but Li Shu only nodded vigorously, completely missing the rebuke in the strategist's words. "Of course not, Master Zhou Yu. A very good idea. Honorable Lord Sun Ce, your army is magnificently organized."

The young officer rolled his shoulders to release the stress of riding from his neck, catching his companion's eye with an exasperated glance before he turned in the saddle to meet his attendant's gaze. "Tell you what, Li Shu. How about we leave you in charge of getting that wagon up – the army'll halt here until you're done. And while that's going on, Yu and I can ride on ahead and meet up with the scouts. We'll send word back when we're ready for you to move again. Got it?"

Li Shu nodded brightly, his hands twisting through his reins in their eagerness. "An excellent idea, Honorable Lord Sun Ce. I'll get to work immediately." The man clicked his tongue and wheeled the horse in the direction of the wagons, but he stopped before the animal had gone two strides, furrows of concern marring his untanned forehead. "Hold, my lord – it you are ahead scouting and I am assisting the wagoners, who is to keep the army from moving on of its own accord?" The Sun lord noticeably bit back a groan and forced a smile instead, thumbing at the infantry ranks behind him.

"Don't worry about it. They're all good guys – they won't move on without orders. Right?" This last was directed at the soldiers themselves, and their squad captain bowed low above the brittle groundcover.

"No, my lord," he answered shortly. Sun Ce's smile became more genuine.

"See? Not a problem. We've got everything under control." The young officer turned back toward the slope ahead and waved the courtier off over his shoulder, making a face visible only to his strategist as his horse stamped in place. "I think you'd better get on down there. They're gonna need your help."

Li Shu brightened, urging his horse another step down the hill as a slightly bashful smile lit his face. "Yes, my lord – I'll do so at once. I wish you success in your scouting. And have no fear, Honorable Lord Sun Ce – I will keep everything under control during your absence!" With that, the man turned and kicked his horse into a trot, moving off between the trees and the motionless soldiers. Zhou Yu watched him until he disappeared into the mist, and then he met the Little Conqueror's flat gaze, massaging his temples with a slow, exasperated hand. The Sun lord wrinkled his nose.

"Man – why did we have to bring _that_ along?" the young officer griped, crossing his arms over his chest. "He's had less training than Quan!"

The swordsman sighed. "Because we couldn't find a way to get rid of him. The man is incredibly more stubborn than he looks."

Zhou Yu hadn't been surprised when Li Shu approached the master of Wu on the morning of their departure with a determined look on his face – dressed in full armor he had procured from the gods only knew where – and pleaded for permission to accompany them on their mission to Wan. Though he disliked it, he also hadn't been surprised by the Sun lord's mollifying offer of a different post once Liu Xun's territory was under control. Sun Ce had even offhandedly suggested the governorship of Huan as an option for the dedicated minister – a proposal that had made the strategist grit his teeth, but which had not been unexpected given the very lateral mind of his companion and Lady Li's hovering influence.

What had stunned both officers – and, Zhou Yu was almost sure, had stunned the noblewoman herself when she heard of it – was the courtier's tenacious persistence regarding marching to battle. Li Shu had adamantly refused the offers of a softer assignment after the conquest, announcing that he could never accept the honor of a rank he hadn't earned, and that he would die of shame if he were denied the opportunity to serve his lord on the battlefield. The leading officers of Wu had both attempted to talk him out of the ridiculous standpoint, mentioning in turn how little experience the minister actually had in wielding a sword – but Li Shu would have none of it, and had eventually gotten his way when the Little Conqueror's patience disintegrated. Much to the reservation of Wu's leading swordsman, the courtier had been allowed to tag along.

Since their departure from Liyang, Li Shu had proved himself to be an incredible nuisance. This was primarily because he was so eager to be helpful, and he had been banished to the provisions train after his constant suggestions tried Sun Ce's patience too many times in one afternoon. It seemed as though the length of an army should have been enough to impede the man's well-meaning chatter from reaching his superior officers – but remarkably, even three thousand men were not enough to diffuse his irritatingly excitable personality.

For a long moment, as the hoofbeats of Li Shu's mount died away into the morning fog, no one spoke, and only the horses shaking the cold from their coats moved in the stillness of the silent forest. Then the squad captain bowed again, more efficiently this time, a tiny spark of amusement lighting his coal-black eyes. "Do not worry, Lord Sun Ce – I will keep everything under control during your absence." Sun Ce grinned at the mildly mocking echo.

"That's what I like to hear. We'll be back as soon as we've got something worth reporting." The young officer turned to meet his companion's onyx gaze and tossed his head toward the slope above them, his amber eyes vibrant with the new autumn light. "Shall we?"

Zhou Yu nodded. As one, the two officers kicked their horses into motion, pushing the animals to a brisk trot across the scattered undergrowth and leaving the army behind them. Matching strides clopped across the brittle, decaying groundcover, scattering hazel and hawthorn beneath the heavy blows of eight hooves. Until they moved out of earshot, the warriors rode side by side in silence, handspans of mist separating them and dodging like wraiths under the horses' feet. At last the Sun lord sighed, reining his horse down to a walk and stretching above his head as he caught his swordsman's gaze.

"I swear, Yu – what are we going to do with that guy?"

Zhou Yu slowed as well, running absent fingers through his hair to brush the errant locks away from his eyes. The strategist shook his head. "I don't know, Ce. We can't take him into battle, but he won't stand to be left behind."

It was a problem he'd been considering ever since their departure from Liyang – but like most of his problems in the recent weeks, there was not an obvious solution to the dilemma Li Shu had unintentionally presented them. There was no place for a weakling in battle – primarily the reason Sun Quan had only once accompanied his brother on a campaign – and Zhou Yu was concerned less about finding a useful vocation for the idiotic minister than about keeping him alive for the duration of the attack. Unfortunately, no easy answers had come to him during the cold nights he'd spent sleepless on the floor mats of their tent. And from Sun Ce's behavior, the master of Wu was no closer to a moment of eureka than his exhausted strategist.

The Little Conqueror kicked at the protruding branch of a neighboring shrub, snapping the frail arrangement of twigs and spooking his horse a little with the sound. "Is he _trying_ to get shot? We can't take him into the battle, Yu – he'll die so fast." Zhou Yu nodded, massaging his forehead with one idle hand.

"I know. But I'm reluctant to leave him in charge of the main camp as well. Li Shu has no concept of war – he wouldn't be able to recognize the need for a retreat if things went badly."

Sun Ce snorted, twirling the leather reins between his fingers as they moved around a copse of heavy spruce trees. "Yeah, no kidding. And even if he did, he couldn't get away. But when the fighting starts, we won't be able to watch his back anymore. Maybe we could ditch him somewhere?"

The strategist shook his head, gesturing vaguely to the forest ahead of them. "Where, Ce? We're nearing Huan already – there's nothing but woodland between here and the city. Even if we did abandon him, he knows our destination. It would be easy to follow us, despite his helplessness."

Even discounting the minister's undoubtedly lacking ability as a tracker, it was nearly impossible to conceal a three thousand man army, let alone to move them quickly enough to strand an unwanted tagalong. Not that the soldiers would have been unwilling – Zhou Yu had a feeling that nearly every infantryman who'd come in contact with Li Shu since the beginning of their march was more than ready to leave him behind. The courtier was kind and well-intentioned – but he was also very irritating, and the swordsman had spotted more than one set of squad members shaking their heads as the nobleman rode back and forth between the ranks like an excited puppy.

The Sun lord groaned and flopped back in his saddle, drooping above the horse's flank. "Ugh. Come on, Yu – where's that brain of yours when I need it?" Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a firm line, turning back to the slope ahead of them as his jaw muscles clenched.

"Unfortunately, Ce, my intellect hasn't been of any service to you recently. I don't know why you expect this instance to be different."

Sun Ce blinked, staring at the dark warrior for a moment before he ran a slow hand through his hair. "Touchy," he accused in a mutter, his eyes leaving the icy officer's face to scan the woods ahead. "Don't bite my head off – it was just a question." The strategist sighed, rubbing at the bridge of his nose as his obsidian gaze moved across the mist-dampened bark of the trees around them.

"I apologize for snapping, Ce. I'm just…" One pale hand gestured vaguely into the fog, scattering the new sunlight between his fingers. "Frustrated." The Little Conqueror huffed, folding his arms across his chest.

"Well, don't take it out on me. I've told you to chill out a million times already."

Zhou Yu said nothing, watching the woods ahead of them as though a solution to Li Shu's presence might suddenly materialize out of the crystalline fog. He listened to the plodding steps of their mounts across the morning's frosted ground, rocking with the saddle as his horse crossed piles of autumn debris and glowering at the memory of the ornery minister. Then Sun Ce reached out and brushed his shoulder, drawing his strategist's attention back to the tan features that had adopted an upbeat smile once again.

"Hey – I meant to tell you. I got a letter from Shang a couple days before we left. She's still in Moling – said it's been pretty cold down there. But you wanna guess what else?"

Zhou Yu felt his forehead furrowing at the abrupt change of subject, and he raised an eyebrow, regarding his companion skeptically between the stabs of misty sunlight. "She has a miracle method of removing aggravating attendants?" The Sun lord made a face at him.

"No. But now that I think about it, I'll bet we could get rid of Li Shu if we just made him spend time with _you_, since you're feeling so friendly these days." The young officer jabbed his swordsman in the arm with two accusing fingers, his expression creased with a light frown. "Two minutes in your prickly company is about all anyone could take."

The strategist rolled his eyes, brushing a strand of hair away from his face. "Perhaps we could combine our talents, Ce – I'm certain you're more than capable of talking him to death. Rarely have I met someone else with such a penchant for useless chatter."

Sun Ce kicked at him and missed. "You know, Shang asked how you were. I forgot to tell her how snarky you've gotten." Zhou Yu sighed a little, meeting the narrowed amber eyes with his own cold obsidian.

"So what did she say?"

The young officer blinked, neutrality suffusing his features once again at the question. "Oh, that. Well…" An impish smile swallowed the Sun lord's lips, brightening every aspect of his face with the mirth that overwhelmed his eyes. "She said she wants to get married."

Zhou Yu choked. The swordsman raised one fist and hammered it against his chest a few times to restart his lungs, forcing breath back down his throat as he stared at his impossibly amused companion. After a few coughs, the strategist finally regained control of his voice, forcing it to remain steady as he met the laughing gaze of the amber eyes across from him.

"Tell me you're joking." Sun Ce grinned, a snicker escaping his lips as he shook his head melodramatically.

"Nope. She wrote it herself. She's all ready to settle down, as soon as she finds somebody who makes the cut." Zhou Yu's jaw dropped again, his onyx eyes widening as he stared at the Little Conqueror who was nodding in time to his laughter. "Twenty-one last summer. I guess she decided it's time to start having kids, huh?"

"She doesn't even have a candidate selected?" The swordsman's voice rose with shocked disbelief, bewilderment drowning his handsome features. The Sun lord shrugged, his teasing smile never waning.

"I said she wants to get married – I never said she was in love. She's looking. Wanted to know if we've got any good ideas."

Almost unbidden, Zhou Yu's mind sped across the faces of Wu's loyal officers, searching among them for a man both unmarried and of suitable caliber to deserve the Sun princess's hand. It only took him a few moments to exhaust the list without a single candidate remaining, and he shook his head, his mouth still slightly open in unconcealed shock. "And what did you tell her?" he demanded, curiosity and surprised confusion warring in his mind.

Sun Ce kicked his heels up and leaned back in the saddle, both hands settling at his waist as a very self-satisfied expression consumed his face. "I had lots of suggestions. I told her we should keep it in the family – marry her off to one of my top generals. You know, like Taishi Ci, or Lu Meng… maybe Ling Tong…"

Zhou Yu scoffed, running a hand through his dark hair as his countenance fought its way back to neutral. "Lu Meng? How many affairs are we attempting to instigate, Ce?" The Sun lord stuck out his tongue.

"I think it's a great idea. What's going to happen someday if Lu Meng gets married and his wife's not sold on the whole Xiao thing? It's better to keep these things under wraps." The young officer flicked a speck of dirt from the wrinkles of his pant leg, smiling all the brighter as a snigger escaped his lips. "Meng wasn't my best offer, though. I thought of somebody even better."

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed at the tone of his companion's voice, years of experience telling him that whoever his companion had suggested as his sister's future husband was another example of the young man's ridiculous sense of humor. The strategist folded his arms across his chest, studying the master of Wu out of the corner of his eye. "…It wasn't Gan Ning of the Ringing Terror, was it?" he asked, the question only half sarcastic. Sun Ce brightened immediately.

"Bingo! You got it! Wow, I didn't even give you any hints." The Sun lord reached out to punch his dark warrior's shoulder, smiling encouragingly beneath his dancing amber eyes. "See? Your brain's working fine. I'll bet it'd work even better if it got some sleep once in a while."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes skyward, rubbing a hand across the headache that even the morning's cool mist hadn't been able to cure. "You're predictable. But, Ce…" He caught the young officer's eyes and frowned heavily, steering his horse clear of a thick elm grove without looking away. "Gan Ning? That's your best nominee for your sister's hand in marriage?"

Sun Ce shrugged, drumming his fingers against the front of the saddle. "Maybe. Why not? There's nothing wrong with him." The swordsman scoffed, shaking his head with a severe frown coloring his lips.

"There's nothing wrong with him? He's a pirate king, whom you've never met, and whom you only know through the minions that tried to rob you on the Yangzi last year." The Sun lord appeared unfazed, a light grin capturing his easygoing features.

"So? What do you have against pirate kings, Yu? He's probably a really great guy." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"You are such an idiot, Ce. Would the kind of person who deserves Shang Xiang's hand become chief of a gang of murdering pirates and loot your territory up and down the river?"

The Little Conqueror clicked his tongue, shaking his head as both horses increased pace across a mildly flatter clearing. Twin amber eyes met their cynical opposites in an even stare. "Hey – don't knock him before you know his story. We all have to make money. Maybe he's just down on his luck." The swordsman scoffed under his breath.

"Or maybe he's a bloodthirsty, womanizing rogue with countless similar men under his control, who thinks nothing of taking human life and has been terrorizing your subjects for years." Sun Ce shrugged mildly, breaking a twig off of a branch above his head and throwing the light missile at his strategist.

"It takes all types, I guess." Zhou Yu balked, and the master of Wu smiled at him, reaching out to brush his own lobbed stick from the dark warrior's shoulder. "I'll bet he's not like that, though. Come on, Yu – 'Ringing Terror'? Does that sound like the name of an imposing pirate king to you? I mean, what kind of pansy picks _bells_ as his trademark, anyway?"

The Sun lord shook his head, gazing up at the cerulean autumn sky as the imagined pirate lord took shape in his words. "No, I bet he's one of those guys that seems all tough on the outside, but crumbles as soon as he's talking to a girl. The kind that gets browbeaten easily. Shang could handle him, no problem." Wu's leading strategist raised an eyebrow, considering his companion seriously through the early morning sunlight.

"You are joking, aren't you?"

Sun Ce smiled, slinging his arms behind his head as he cocked his chin to one side. "Mostly. But I don't know, Yu. That really sounds like Shang's type to me – a fix-er-upper. She'd hammer him into shape in no time."

Zhou Yu stared at his commander in silence, considering the Sun princess in his mind. It was true that Shang Xiang was more than capable of handling bad-tempered individuals – never had Lu Meng or Taishi Ci fazed her with their acerbic tongues. And her brother was probably essentially correct in his assessment of the type of man she would fall in love with – the kind that would have to be straightened out, flattened, and bent to her will, all in the most considerate way possible. But Gan Ning was another matter entirely, and the swordsman cleared his throat a little skeptically as their horses reached the opposite side of the glade and reentered the thick trees.

"Ce—"

"Lord Sun Ce! Master Zhou Yu!"

Zhou Yu's words halted abruptly as the salutation rang through the forest around them; he reined his horse to a halt, sharing a glance with Sun Ce as the Little Conqueror did the same. Within moments, a squad of men emerged from the thicket ahead of them, all three dropping into a respectful kneel before their commanding officers. The swordsman recognized them as the scouting party that had been sent ahead in the morning, though he was fairly sure there had been a fourth soldier when they departed. The man who had shouted rose back to his feet and gestured ahead, his breath heavy as though he'd been jogging through the thick underbrush.

"We were just coming to find you, my lord. We reached the top of the rise – Huan is just beyond here, fully in sight. You can see the city from a ledge a short distance farther on."

The Sun lord brightened, straightening in his saddle and rubbing an eager hand along his neck. "All right! It's about time. Let's go have a look." He made to kick his horse into motion, but the soldier held up his hands, stepping forward to block the animal's path and stalling his commander's departure with the placement of his body.

"Wait, my lord. We'll have to go on foot – it's a narrow ledge, and the horses might bring the whole shelf down." The other two men straightened and stepped forward to grab the officers' reins, nodding their heads in short bows as their leader continued speaking. "It's only a few minutes' walk, my lord. If you'll follow me…"

The master of Wu exchanged another look with his strategist, smiling at the serious warrior beside him. "Fine by me. I need to stretch my legs anyway." Zhou Yu nodded in offhand agreement, and both men swung down from their saddles, landing somewhat off balance on the hard earth. The swordsman staggered a step before he regained his ability to walk normally, and Sun Ce groaned as he arched his back, wincing at the stiff cracks coming from his spine. "Man… I've been up there too long," he muttered, drawing a series of chuckles from the soldiers around him. The squad leader bowed again.

"Please come with me, Lord Sun Ce, Master Zhou Yu." The infantryman turned and moved off on a quick heel, disappearing into the trees ahead with a speed and silence that matched his assignment as a scout. The Sun lord rolled his shoulders and followed the invisible path of his vanishing footsteps, and Zhou Yu fell into stride behind him, keeping his eyes on the soldier's back as they walked. After a moment of nearly soundless progression through the autumn forest, the strategist cleared his throat a little, his forehead furrowed in absent concentration.

"Where is the last of your party?" he asked, stepping carefully over a juniper bush. The surprise on Sun Ce's face revealed that he hadn't even noticed the discrepancy in numbers, but the squad leader nodded, ducking under low-hanging branches and guiding them carefully through the mist-shrouded forest.

"He's still up ahead, sir. He's charting a map of the valley."

The swordsman pressed his lips into a thin line and said nothing more, keeping pace with the Sun lord across the carpet of decaying leaves. Ahead, he could see the sky growing clearer through the canopy of the trees, bright spots of cerulean breaking between trunks and rust-colored boughs. The squad leader moved faster and then ducked left into a small copse of oak trees, drawing the leading officers of Wu after him.

"Watch your step, my lords. The ledge is just through here."

Zhou Yu's pace slowed instinctively at the warning, and he moved into step ahead of his companion, preceding the Sun lord into the grove so smoothly that the young officer didn't seem to notice. The swordsman dodged the overhanging boughs of a sharply tilting tree as he moved through the thicket, and for a moment every glimpse of the sky disappeared, completely swallowed by the surviving fall boughs.

The strategist squinted in the mild darkness, his hands latching onto neighboring branches to guide his feet. Then he took a few steps forward, and the leafy branches pulled back so abruptly that the influx of light almost made him stumble – and the earth disappeared beneath him.

The swordsman stepped back sharply from the edge of the precipice that had appeared before him, his feet scrabbling against the loose soil to avoid slipping forward and down an impressive cliff. The dark warrior flung an instinctive arm out to block Sun Ce's forward motion, his eyes widening as a few stones from the ledge beneath his feet came loose and tumbled down the slope. The young officer beside him yelped, and the noise echoed against the descending ridges around them, cascading into the clear autumn air as he took a step back in surprise.

Now Zhou Yu understood why they couldn't have brought the horses. The forest transitioned to a thin ledge just at the edge of the trees, the unadorned earth barely wide enough for a man to stand sideways, and any draft animal would have slipped on the sandy bank. The strategist exhaled heavily as he stared at the cliff edge beneath him, moving backward until he stood just inside the edge of the trees. He kept his arm flat against the Sun lord's chest to force the young officer back with him.

Sun Ce gave a low whistle, his amber eyes bright with surprise. "Wow… talk about a view." The dark swordsman followed his gaze to the vista spread out before them, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal as he scanned the capital of Liu Xun's province.

Wan's panorama was as striking as it was beautiful. Below them, the base of the high ridges tumbled down a series of interlocking slopes and crashed into the river, barely leaving space for a thin bank between the trees and the rushing water. The river moved like a great silver snake across the landscape, hugging the base of the ridges and curving sharply away to their right before it vanished behind jutting peaks. Beyond the river, a great undulating ring of forested hills sprang up from the open plain – and in the very center rested Huan, its high walls muted with distance but imposing nonetheless.

Zhou Yu sighed, regarding the vaguely familiar landscape with a slight frown. Wan did not appear to have changed much in the three years during which the province had been under Liu Xun's control. It was clear that the countryside surrounding Huan had not been heavily developed since Yuan Shu ceded its rule to an old friend, but the strategist could see that the roads were darker against the plain, a sign of officiality if nothing else. The city itself looked relatively unchanged, even from a considerable distance. But the hills flanking Huan on three sides were less forested than they had been, and the port had clearly been expanded—

The warrior's eyes narrowed, and he focused on a blotch of color that seemed out of place in the center of the river, resting just beside the port that brought trade from the tributary up to Huan. "What is that?" the swordsman asked, glancing to the squad leader a short distance away as he pointed toward the spot that had caught his attention. The captain shook his head helplessly, but another soldier emerged from the trees behind them and bowed low, parchment and an ink brush clutched in his hands.

"It's a fleet of ships, my lord." Zhou Yu started, and Sun Ce whirled to stare at the infantrymen behind them, his eyes wide with surprise at the announcement.

"A fleet? No way…" The young officer dashed an agitated hand through his hair, upsetting the thick lines of his ponytail across his armored shoulders. "But that's impossible – Liu Xun's supposed to be long gone by now." The strategist turned back to the vista before them and frowned heavily, his brow furrowed in concentration as his gaze swept the cluster of tiny ships guarding the road to Wan's capital.

"I think he is, Ce." The Sun lord glanced to his swordsman's concentrated features, listening seriously as the dark warrior shook his head. "The fleet's too small to be his entire army. And there's no movement along the road – the city's completely shut. That wouldn't be true if he were still here." The soldiers behind them shifted, sharing a look before the cartographer stepped forward and offered the document he'd been sketching.

"It's too far to be sure, my lord – but I'd guess there are ten main ships, maybe a few more." Zhou Yu took the map and stared at the river warships, glancing between those on the paper and those populating the river before him. He imagined their castles and flat wooden decks as his mind worked at an approximate tally. Ten large ships, typically flanked by three or four smaller boats each, and a handful of tiny scout ships hovering around the runner boughs…

"Forty or fifty craft in all. In terms of troops… two thousand, perhaps less." The strategist frowned to himself, striving to recall Taishi Ci's reports from earlier in the year. "That can't leave much of a defense inside the city. Liu Xun should have taken most of his army to Haihun."

Sun Ce shifted impatiently beside his strategist, glancing between the equally serious faces of the men who surrounded him. "But what's it doing there? Did Liu Xun guess that it's a trap? Did he anticipate an attack?" Zhou Yu shook his head again, his gaze still locked on the conglomerate of brown shapes filling the river ahead.

"If he'd known it was a trap, he'd never have left at all. It must be a precaution – just in the event that someone tried to attack Huan in his absence. Those may not even be his troops. It's possible that Huang Zu sent reinforcements when he heard about the plan…"

The swordsman folded his arms across his chest, studying the landscape with serious eyes. It was a wise move on Liu Xun's part – the region was vulnerable, and not only from the east. Even if the master of Wan did trust Sun Ce completely, there were plenty of warlords hovering like vultures to the north and south – the small fleet was probably intended as nothing more than a customary safety measure.

Nonetheless, the greatest obstacle to their conquest of Huan had become yet more serious. The strategist sighed, pressing his lips into a grim line. "They have the river well guarded. And since we have no boats of our own…"

A warm hand lighted on his shoulder, and Zhou Yu glanced back to meet his commander's solemn eyes. The young officer shifted, tossing his head back toward the forest behind them. "What do you think, Yu? Is it too risky? Should we withdraw to Liyang and come up with a better plan?"

The strategist stared at him, startled by his companion's honest question. Then the dark warrior's lips quirked upward, a slight smile capturing his expression at the reminder of the strong, capable leader Sun Ce really was, regardless of his own interests and unflagging impatience.

Conquering Wu had taught the Sun lord a considerable amount about running an army, and far more than his father's strategy lessons about considering a battlefield… sometimes it was easy to forget how maturely the lord of Wu actually treated war, and the unnecessary chances he only rarely took with others' lives. It was one of the most contradictory aspects of his personality, in the swordsman's opinion… Zhou Yu shook his head slowly, watching hopefulness brighten the amber eyes behind him.

"No. I think we can overcome that. It's just…" The dark warrior rubbed a hand against his temples, glaring at the rippling lines of the tributary through the space between his fingers. "It's just the river. They have ships, and we have none – if they spot us crossing, they'll have the advantage. And even if we manage to reach Huan without incident, we'll be fighting a battle on two sides…"

Sun Ce's hand squeezed his shoulder, an encouraging smile lighting the tan features. "Come on, Yu. I know you've got a miracle in you somewhere. This seems like as good a time as any to use it, right?" Zhou Yu stared at him, his mouth slightly open as the young officer nodded and took a step back into the thicket. "You think on it for a while, all right? I'll go get the army moving again – by the time I get back, you'll have the whole thing worked out. I know you will."

The swordsman shook himself and stepped forward, turning his back for a moment on the becoming panorama to catch the Sun lord's full attention. "Wait, Ce. There's no point in bringing the army up here. The slope is too steep from this angle – we'll have to find another way down to the river." The Little Conqueror's shoulders visibly slumped, and he exhaled heavily, blowing his errant bangs away from his face.

"You're sure? There's no way we could just inch them down, going really slow or something?" Zhou Yu shook his head, holding the frustrated amber eyes with his own.

"The soldiers might be able to make the journey, but the provisions wagons would not. In any case, this is not where we want to reach the bank – it's too close to Huan's port. If we were to appear at the base of this ridge, the ships would spot us immediately."

Sun Ce groaned, his effortless charisma fading a little as impatience captured his sunlit features. "Man… you mean I have to sit here and do nothing while you spin your wheels?" The swordsman scoffed, turning back to the landscape and scanning the river's path with experienced eyes.

"No. You're free to return and wait with the army, if you prefer – I'm certain Li Shu could use some company." Almost too softly to be heard, the two soldiers chuckled, rubbing at their chins to stifle their amused expressions. The Sun lord huffed and dropped easily to the ground, leaning back against a neighboring elm with a firmly disgruntled expression.

"Oh, great. Thanks. That'll be loads of fun."

The strategist raised an eyebrow, his gaze moving steadily along the banks of the river a fair distance below them. "He is more talkative than I," he offered smoothly, tracing the curve of the tributary as it angled north, running in parallel now to a side wall of Liu Xun's silent capital. The young officer threw a broken branch over the side of the cliff, startling the two soldiers in the shadows behind him with his mildly childish reaction.

"Yeah… he talks more, but says less. I don't know which is worse."

Zhou Yu snorted. "I find that somewhat surprising. You have assured me several times, Ce, that the most irritating facet of my personality is my failure to respond when you speak to me. It seems as though by that scale, anything would be better than—"

The swordsman stopped. His eyes widened, then narrowed again very swiftly as his gaze dashed back and forth along a segment of the bank. It was hard to tell from the height of the ridge – but it looked as though, a short distance after the river made its course change to aim north, the bank rose sharply to create a narrow canyon with high walls, the river tapering from its considerable width. Just beyond the unexpected ravine, the banks flattened out and shallowed once again – on their side of the river, leading into dense clumps of woodland, on the other, rolling into the forested hills.

Zhou Yu's heart stalled, the possibility of a bridge across the narrowed canyon catching his breath and drawing Sun Ce instantly to his feet. The Sun lord dropped a hand onto his strategist's shoulder, squeezing through the layers of armor and drawing the obsidian eyes back to his expectant expression.

"Yu? Did you think of something?"

The dark warrior opened his mouth to speak, but before the words could emerge he closed it again, shaking his head and turning back to the valley before them. "No. I'm sorry, Ce… it wouldn't work." The Little Conqueror shook him lightly, catching his dispirited gaze as he tipped his head to the side, countenance bright with an optimistic smile.

"So tell me what won't work. Maybe we can turn it into something that will." Zhou Yu watched his companion in silence for a moment, then gestured to the tributary far below them, indicating the unusual channel.

"Do you see the ravine to the north? The width of the river narrows significantly for a short distance. I was thinking perhaps we could build a bridge…"

The young officer nodded, his smile growing yet brighter at the swordsman's suggestion. "That's a great idea!" Zhou Yu shook his head again.

"No, it's not. To do that, we would need to cut a considerable amount of wood, and the sound would draw the attention of Liu Xun's fleet." The strategist sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, his countenance grave. "If it were spring, we might be able to construct a bridge from driftwood, but this time of year… and actually, it hardly matters. The wagons could never cross something that unstable."

Sun Ce slumped, his hand falling from his warrior's shoulder. "And we can't just go across on rafts or something?" Zhou Yu exhaled softly, massaging his headache with an exhausted hand.

"Same problem, Ce. In cutting the wood, we'd draw the enemy's attention, and they'd outrun us when we tried to cross. We'd be helpless."

The Sun lord slammed a frustrated fist into his palm, chestnut ponytail swaying with the force of his agitation. "Damn! We're so close, but we're not getting anywhere!" He kicked at the sandy ledge beneath them and sent a few chunks of soil careening down the steep slope at their feet, a scowl suffusing his features. "I guess the river's not thin enough to swim there, either?"

The strategist shook his head. "It's not the width that's the problem – it's the current. It'll be even faster in the canyon." Zhou Yu's brow furrowed as he considered the ravine more carefully, frowning beneath his solemn onyx eyes. "And the river isn't truly that narrow, Ce. Even there, it's about as wide as – well, perhaps two of Liu Xun's ships…"

Zhou Yu stared. His eyes shot back and forth between the canyon and the fleet guarding Huan's deserted harbor, measuring the flock of ships against the tributary's tapered chasm. Two of Liu Xun's ships. Which meant that the entire fleet wouldn't be able to pass through the canyon at the same time. Which meant that, realistically, they'd only need two ships to battle Liu Xun's force – because no matter how many there were, only two ships at a time could enter the canyon. With that, they could distract the entire fleet, because the rest of the ships would be trapped behind their forerunners. And so if they could only get two ships…

Sun Ce straightened at his side, considering the beautiful landscape as his hands fell to his hips. "Okay. Then what's Plan B? If we can't cross the river, could we at least get the ships to attack us on the bank? I know it's a long shot, but if we—"

"That's it."

The words were barely a whisper, but the Sun lord stopped speaking abruptly, blinking at his swordsman beneath unruly chestnut bangs. "What? What's it – a shore attack?" Zhou Yu shook his head, features preoccupied as his gaze scaled the high banks of the narrow ravine.

"No, not that. The canyon. If we can capture a few of Liu Xun's ships, we can hold the canyon – we could block it off. And as long as the fleet is occupied, there must be some way to get our army across the river. They can move through the hills and attack Huan while we have the ships trapped at the mouth of the canyon, and since Liu Xun can't have left much of a guard inside the city—"

A brilliant grin spread across Sun Ce's face, and he jabbed his strategist in the chest, the contact distracting his companion from his tactical rambling. Twin amber eyes glowed with excitement as the Little Conqueror laughed, his teasing finger prodding the armor above the swordsman's breastbone.

"You see? I told you! I told you it'd go like this!" The Sun lord shook his head, clicking his tongue in excited reproach. "Going on and on about that stupid river, day in and day out, like it was going to stop you. Ha! I knew I could count on you!"

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to argue, but he found his expression slipping into a soft smile instead, his eyes trailing across the young officer's cheerful features even as he persisted. "What if I hadn't been able to come up with anything, Ce? You'd have been stuck on this side of the river forever."

Sun Ce shook his head viciously, his hand settling over the armor that shielded his companion's heart. "Not gonna happen – you just proved it. So never try to tell me you're out of ideas again, okay? I've got faith."

The swordsman sighed, resisting the urge to brush the young lord's bangs away from his shining eyes. "In that case, I suppose I'll have to do my best never to disappoint you." The tonfa master chuckled.

"That's never going to happen either. I know it." The two officers watched each other for a moment longer before Sun Ce drew back, letting his hand fall to his side as he stepped into the thicket, nearly glowing with excitement. "All right! Time to get moving! I'm gonna go get the army – should I lead them down to the canyon?" Zhou Yu nodded, his eyes passing over the panorama again as he tapped the scout's half-drawn diagram against his wrist.

"I'd like to finish the map. I'll meet you at the river as soon as I've completed that."

The Sun lord smiled, taking another backward step into the forest's slowly dispelling shade. "Great. I guess I'll see you later, Yu."

The strategist nodded again, accepting an ink brush and a light bow from the soldier who'd been sketching; then both infantrymen followed their commander into the trees, their shoulders stiff with the Little Conqueror's contagious anticipation. The dark warrior listened to their footfalls moving away behind him, crunching through the undergrowth – then a thought struck him, and he whirled to face the forest, obsidian eyes wide with inspiration.

"Ce!"

Sun Ce paused mid-stride, turning back to face his swordsman with curiosity sweeping his expression. "Yeah?" Zhou Yu tossed his head in the direction of their waiting horses.

"When the army is marching… have every man gather brush and dry leaves. As much as he can carry."

The Sun lord blinked, taking an unconscious step back toward his companion as puzzlement furrowed his forehead. "What? Why? What are you going to use that for?" The strategist turned to face Liu Xun's city, smirking just slightly as his eyes swept along the ravine's barren banks.

"If I'm not mistaken… we're going to need a fire."

End Chapter 41

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Well, this was not supposed to be the end of the chapter – I wasn't going to stop until the battle was over. But since the rising action was getting so long, I decided to cut it off here. The discussion of Sun Shang Xiang's marriage is my concession to the Gan Ning/SSX pairing advertised in the author's note, which has unfortunately become unfeasible within the course of this story, now that I understand the timeline better. In any case – the next chapter should not take so long, and will hopefully be completed by the end of the week. Comments and criticisms are always welcome.

A note for Ever Kitsune: I apologize for the extraneous length of the last chapter, and of most chapters these days. However, I hope you still find them enjoyable. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu may have another large fight in the future – though it's not on the schedule, that rarely stops them from bickering. In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, and I look forward to your continued commentary of my work.

A note for Sirithiliel: Lu Meng amuses you? Well, at least he's good for something. He'll be showing up a few chapters from now for the New Year's celebration – I hope you enjoy his presence at that time, and that you enjoy the chapters until then. Thank you for your considerate review.


	44. Chapter 42

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX to a very minor extent).

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Secession – Part 41 

The canyon was perfect. If he had designed the unusual ravine himself, Zhou Yu couldn't have created a feature more suited to naval warfare – or more specifically, to the type of naval warfare he was implementing, a small force defeating a large one.

From where he stood at the rim of the canyon, looking down over the tumbling water of the Yangzi tributary, Zhou Yu could see the entire expanse of the gorge, the river winding away on either side of him, and the walls of Huan in the distance, mostly obscured by the forested hills on the opposite bank. Liu Xun's fleet was just a gray path in the distance, indistinct with the stretch of land between them and partially obscured by the northward bend in the river – which was excellent. Zhou Yu nodded to himself, focusing his attention on the canyon before him as his eyes scoured the long ravine walls in solemn contemplation.

It had been a guess from the ridgeline, but it appeared that the chasm between the high walls would indeed fit two warships side by side – and nothing more, save the jutting outcroppings of gray stone that formed the river's bed and its sparse rapids. The entire canyon was longer than it had appeared from above, stretching the length of perhaps five or six ships, which would put the blocked vessels out of archery range – a blessing and a curse, though in this case more of the former.

The strategist could see that the top of the cliffs was at least twice as tall as the average castle ship, meaning that those craft of Liu Xun's fleet trapped behind the forerunners couldn't disembark and launch a ground attack from the tabled bank. The southern extreme of the canyon were also extremely defensible – for some reason that made little geologic sense to the dark swordsman, the earth on one side of the canyon descended gently back to a flat bank while the other formed a sheer drop-off littered with withered shrubs. Fortunately, the drop-off was to the side of the canyon that faced Huan, yet another obstacle to any soldiers trying to advance along the bank on foot.

Zhou Yu glanced up and down the length of the canyon once more and then withdrew to the edge of the woods, which spilled across the high bank and ended abruptly no more than twenty feet from the rim. The early afternoon shadows painted the undergrowth indigo beneath the cover of what trees had retained their leaves. There seemed to be more of those near the river – yet another turn of fortune in favor of the Wu forces. Sun Ce's army had made temporary camp in the forest beyond the canyon's northern edge, and the strategist was fairly sure that entire area of the river was invisible from Liu Xun's position, but the leafy boughs provided extra cover and there was no harm in taking precautions.

The strategist ducked his head beneath the softly rustling branches and felt the autumn sun disappear from his back, giving way to a coolness that hinted at the onset of winter. The sky was clear, and the swordsman could only hope it stayed that way – rain was the last thing he needed for a strategy like this one.

Zhou Yu moved quickly and quietly between the dry trunks, heading down the slope toward their camp and nodding to the soldiers flitting through groves and clearings around him. Nearly everyone was silent, but there was a tension in the air that spoke to the coming battle – a battle which, preparations permitting, would have to begin that very night. The strategist had initially hoped for a few days' rest before they made an attempt on Huan – but taking Liu Xun's fleet and the powerful river into consideration, it seemed better to risk striking too early than wait and suffer a foul change in the weather or enemy reinforcements.

A number of soldiers were heading toward the top of the chasm behind Zhou Yu, their arms heaped high with brushwood and dry leaves. One of these men stopped him halfway down the slope, his eyes bright despite the lines of sweat and dirt darkening his face. "My lord – we've assembled the kindling as you instructed. It's all piled along the canyon rim. What should we do with it now, sir?"

Zhou Yu shook his head, glancing up to the cloudless sky above him. "Nothing. We'll have to wait until dark. Leave it for now."

The soldier bowed sharply, moving off through the trees again and shouting to his fellows engaged in a similar errand. The swordsman watched him go, turning the plan for the bonfire over in his mind. So much of the strategy depended on surprising Huan's defenders, and the fire would be meaningless before nightfall. He could only hope it would be enough to gain the fleet's attention…

"Yu! There you are!" Zhou Yu started at the energetic voice, glancing back down the hill as a cheerfully waving figure distinguished itself from the trees. Sun Ce took a few steps toward him and then gestured over one shoulder with an excited hand, grinning against the backdrop of the golden-leafed forest. "Come on down! We finished with the bank – you want to see it?"

The strategist started, forehead furrowing as he resumed his movement down the slope and came to a halt at the Little Conqueror's side. "You're finished already? I expected that to take the entire afternoon." The Sun lord punched him softly in the shoulder, smiling despite the reproving gesture.

"Hey – are you trying to get rid of me or something? Come on, I'll show you. We just finished the last one."

Sun Ce grabbed his companion's hand and set off through the forest, nodding to the soldiers they passed and moving purposefully across the brittle undergrowth. Part of Zhou Yu wanted to pull away from the contact, but experience had taught him that protesting always caused a much larger commotion than the gesture of intimacy itself, so he bit his tongue and followed the young officer in silence, glaring mildly at the back of his swinging ponytail.

It was only a matter of steps to the edge of the trees, and in moments the bank opened out before them, a stretch of barren soil in the shadow of the high canyon walls. The river was farther from the woods here than above the ravine – though not much – and the forest was more gradual in its halted progression, lone trees lingering closer to the water. The swordsman gazed out across the scene, his line of sight tracing the curve of the bank as it widened from the canyon and the river swelled into a broad pool rippling with the current. A few soldiers were moving along the edge of the tributary, gesturing to the opposite bank and conversing too quietly to hear – Zhou Yu studied the area a moment longer before he nodded, glancing sideways to meet the expectant amber eyes.

"Perfect."

Without knowing what to look for, the bank appeared absolutely untouched – which was exactly what the strategist had been aiming for, though he'd had his doubts about its feasibility. As soon as the army had arrived at the base of the canyon and set up camp, sometime around midmorning, the dark warrior had divided them into task squads. The Sun lord himself had been sent to head the largest one, in hopes that his charisma would keep the men dedicated despite their tedious assignment. And apparently it had worked, because they'd finished their assignment in record time, transforming the bank into a key ambush location in only a few hours.

Though they were nearly invisible, Zhou Yu could see that the shoreline was now littered with pits and trenches, varying in shape and length depending on its local geography. Each of the holes had been covered with brush and discarded dirt, and the heaps of removed soil were now spread flat across the ground. The swordsman folded his arms over his chest, favoring his companion with a small smile. "This is excellent, Ce. Better than I had hoped for."

Sun Ce grinned at the compliment, nudging his strategist in the ribs. "Y'see? Things are going great. We'll have that fleet in our hands in no time." Zhou Yu nodded absently, counting the foxholes and calculating in his head. About fifty men could be stationed on the bank, and another hundred or so just inside the trees…

A hand on his shoulder startled the strategist out of his thoughts, and he glanced down to his companion's beaming countenance as the Little Conqueror bounced on the balls of his feet. "Okay. If that's done, what's next? How's the bonfire coming?"

The swordsman raised an eyebrow, almost smiling himself at the sheer excitement streaming across the Sun lord's face. "A little eager, Ce?" Sun Ce laughed.

"Hell yeah! I want to capture Huan as fast as possible. And the way things are going here…" His grip tightened on his warrior's shoulder, as strong as the autumn sunlight glowing in his eyes. "We could be in there tonight, Yu. We could have that place locked down before Liu Xun even gets to Haihun. And then we can move straight on to Huang Zu, and…"

Zhou Yu laughed despite himself, dispelling the words with the soft sound and a shake of his head. "It's not going to be that easy. It'll become difficult to march after the first snowfall. Huang Zu may have to wait until spring."

The Sun lord shook his head violently, a smile dominating his determined expression. "Why wait? If we get Huan tonight, we could take out Huang Zu tomorrow, and have all of China in our hands before Quan's birthday. I'm gonna conquer the whole world in a day, remember?" The young officer leaned closer to his strategist, his brows drawing together as his voice dropped to a whisper. "Speaking of, though… what should I get Quan for his birthday? I was thinking about a new sword, but it'd probably just rust in a closet somewhere. Zhou Tai's last letter said he's hardly training at all anymore."

The swordsman swallowed a smile, reaching out to tap his commander's forehead with a chastising finger. "Don't you have more important things to focus on right now?" Sun Ce blinked at the contact, and Zhou Yu let the pale hand fall back to his side, squinting up at the cliff top above them. "The kindling is in position. Until dark, there's little more we can do in that regard. But we should move the wagons up the slope – we won't want them so close to the bank once the battle begins."

The young officer crossed his arms over his chest, curiosity captivating his features as he scratched mindlessly at his elbow. "I'm not sure I really get what you're doing, in terms of all this. You want to explain this plan to me, starting at the beginning?" The strategist nodded, turning to glance through the trees behind them as lines of concentration marred his forehead.

"Yes – in a minute. I'd like to explain it to all of you at the same time, so I only have to say it once. Collect all of the lieutenants and meet me in the command tent – I'll be there as soon as I've located the fireworks squad."

Sun Ce's eyes widened, and his fingers dug into the swordsman's armor as the dark officer prepared to move toward the forest. "Whoa, hold that thought. Fireworks? Did I hear you right?" Zhou Yu smirked.

"Trust me, Ce." With that, the dark warrior pulled away and stepped under the fall canopy once again, weaving between soldiers and the smooth trunks of the riverside trees and leaving his commander behind in the afternoon sunlight.

"What are you up to? Damn strategists – you've always gotta be so sneaky, don't you?" The Little Conqueror's shout followed his retreating footsteps, and the strategist in question couldn't help a small smile as he continued toward the main camp, bothering with neither an answer nor a backward glance. Tents had been erected a short distance into the woods, far enough from the bank that the river disappeared behind layers of branches and the lingering leaves, and Zhou Yu paused when he reached the clearing at the site's center, stopping a small group of soldiers with his gaze alone.

"You three. Do you have specific instructions for the battle?" The men exchanged glances before shaking their heads, eyes wide and inquisitive as the strategist nodded his approval. "Good. Head to the command tent – wait for me to arrive."

The three soldiers tipped their heads in a communal bow and turned immediately on heel, moving between the small canvas shelters of their comrades and aiming for the larger meeting structure just visible through the trees. The swordsman glanced around at the haphazard movement of infantrymen in every direction and caught another soldier by the arm, startling the man with the unexpected contact. Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed as he noticed the bundle of wood in his subordinate's arms, and he shook his head sharply, gesturing up the hill with his free hand.

"Forget the firewood for now. Assemble a group and drive the wagons to the top of the cliff bank. Keep them well inside the trees, and completely out of sight from camp. Understood?"

The man stuttered for a moment, his countenance struggling to absorb the sudden change in errand. Then he dropped his armful of kindling into a jumble on the ground, bowing low as he stepped backward out of his superior's grip. "Yes, my lord. Not a problem. I'll get that done at once."

The soldier turned and set off through the camp at a light jog, and Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest, watching the man's retreat with a wondering frown. Even after so many years, it was always a little surprising how obedient and dedicated Sun Ce's men were to their sovereign – how quickly they leapt at the chance to advance his dream. How many were willing to die for his objectives, when they had nothing to gain but a brilliant grin…

The swordsman shook his head and turned for the command tent himself, pushing the thought away as he avoided the pile of abandoned firewood and set off through the camp. Perhaps in that respect he was no different than they were – he had yet to find a distance he would not go to inspire Sun Ce's smile.

Sun Ce had done well. In no more than a quarter hour, he had managed to locate most of the army's junior officers and corral them in the command tent. The last few were just trickling into the dark shelter when Zhou Yu approached, occupied with an armful of papers and reviewing the last details of his strategy. Each of the generals had taken a seat on the floor and was talking quietly amongst his fellows, and they bowed their heads when the swordsman entered, nodding to the young soldier who held the flap aside for him. The Little Conqueror was in his customary position at the assembly's head, and he grinned as he motioned to the dark warrior, patting the empty expanse of dirt on his left.

"Yu! I was wondering when you were going to get here. Hurry up already – I saved you a seat."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at his commander's impatient enthusiasm, but he took his position at Sun Ce's side without comment and unfurled his crumpled papers, laying them flat across the open center of the command circle. Someone intelligent had brought an oil lamp with him, and for a long moment the swordsman studied his documents in silence, the uncertain flame flickering over his features. At last Zhou Yu nodded to himself and glanced up, surveying the sharply attentive officers as he began to speak.

"Listen carefully."

It was probably an unnecessary command, given the way every man in the tent was leaning forward with their eyes locked on his face, but the strategist had no interest in explaining his tactics twice. One pale finger reached out to tap a sheet of paper before him – the sketch map he had made that morning from the ridgeline.

"This is the position of our camp. And this…" Zhou Yu's finger slid along the river, following the ink southwest. "…is the location of Liu Xun's fleet. Our objectives here are three-fold – defeat the fleet, cross the river, and capture Huan. In very simple terms, our strategy is this: we will draw the attention of Liu Xun's fleet, ambush them, occupy their ships, and use a ferry system to take Huan."

Had Taishi Ci or Lu Meng been present, such a straightforward statement of intention would have prompted a cynical laugh – but although a few of the battle-hardened faces cracked into small smiles, no one spoke, every gaze focused on the map before him. The strategist could see that Sun Ce's face was practically glowing, excitement and the thin light of the oil lamp collaborating to illuminate his features despite the darkness. Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a grim line as he retrieved another sheet of paper, this one a diagram of the canyon system itself. The swordsman's finger moved to the river chasm, indicating the high rim of the bank above the tapered water.

"This is where the kindling has been prepared. As soon as night falls, we will light the fire at this position to draw the attention of Liu Xun's fleet. Most likely, the enemy will begin by sending a few scout ships to investigate, or perhaps several of the smaller craft. We will continue to stoke the fire until at least two of the warships separate from the main fleet and sail in this direction." Zhou Yu paused, tracing the canyon with a thoughtful finger. "We need two of the warships because we are going to block off this ravine, preventing the full fleet's ability to sail through. While the canyon is blocked, the majority of the army will cross the river and attack Huan."

One of the lieutenants placed his palm flat on the ground in front of him, quietly indicating a question; the strategist motioned for him to speak, sitting back from the map as the man rubbed his wrists. "Master Zhou Yu – if the ships are being used to block the canyon, how is the rest of the army to cross the river?" Zhou Yu nodded, a contemplative hand settling at his chin.

"That portion of this plan will have to remain flexible. Whatever other ships accompany the warships will be captured as well and used for ferrying – of course, the smaller the ships, the longer that will take." The man nodded, returning his hand to his lap in a gesture of understanding. The swordsman glanced around at his audience, brow furrowing as he searched among their solemn faces. "Where are the three men I spoke to earlier?"

Hesitantly, the trio of low-level infantrymen rose from their places at the back of the gathering, their expressions uncertain as the entire assembly of their commanding officers turned to study them. One man raised an awkward hand in acknowledgement and the others bowed low, bent almost double with their ears reddening in anxiety. Zhou Yu nodded shortly, motioning the group forward as he tapped his finger against the map.

"You three will be stationed a short distance up the ridge. After we've lit the bonfire, it will be your job to alert us how many ships are approaching, and of what type. You will have a small fire, shielded from the enemy's sight, and a supply of fireworks." The men shared surprised glances at the mention of their ammunition, but the swordsman shook his head, resuming before they could question him. "The fireworks are not important – what matters is the powder inside them. When a scout ship approaches, throw one pinch of powder on the fire – for a small craft, two, and three for a warship. We will station someone at the fire to interpret your signals. Understood?"

The soldiers nodded, and Zhou Yu gave them each a serious look in turn, hoping his eyes could cement the importance of the task in their minds. At his side, Sun Ce shifted, rubbing thoughtfully at his chin. "Hang on a minute, Yu," the young officer interjected, his words contemplative but joking in tone. "If we use up the fireworks, how are we going to celebrate when we take Huan?"

The swordsman rolled his eyes, frowning in response to his companion's teasing grin as the lieutenants around them chuckled under their breaths. "Huan undoubtedly has its own store of fireworks. Use those." The Sun lord laughed, holding up both hands in a gesture of truce.

"Okay, okay – I was just messing with you. Can't you take a joke?" Zhou Yu sighed, glaring at his commander in mild exasperation.

"No. In any case…" The strategist dragged his finger through the canyon, pausing as he reached the lower bank. "When they notice the fire, Liu Xun's ships will approach our position to investigate. They will be forced to land on the bank to the northern side of the canyon, as the southern bank leads to a cliff and nothing more. When they disembark, our men in the trenches will ambush them, assisted by the remainder of the army waiting inside the forest. Capture the ships as quickly as possible."

A second general straightened across the circle, extending his palm in question. "Master Zhou Yu… the river near the bank is fairly shallow. The warships may not attempt to land. How do you intend to capture those?" The swordsman hesitated, his hand tensing against the surface of the map.

"…We will have to use the smaller ships. My force will be holding the canyon while the rest of you progress toward Huan. When the warships come within range—"

"No way." Zhou Yu blinked at the interruption, and every eye in the command tent turned to Sun Ce, who had straightened and crossed his arms over his chest. "No way am I letting you stay here and have all the fun. I'm fighting in the canyon, too." The strategist balked, regarding his commander with a mixture of irritation and skepticism darkening his features.

"I thought you'd want to capture Huan yourself, Ce." The Sun lord smiled at him, amber eyes glittering with the fickle light of the oil lamp.

"Are you kidding? We've captured hundreds of cities before, and you said Huan's not going to have much fight left in it. I want to be where the action is."

Zhou Yu was strongly inclined to tell him no, but there was an edge to the blithe words that told him arguing was going to be both useless and time-consuming. After a long moment of silence, the swordsman sighed, turning back to the circle and scanning the waiting faces of the officers around him as he massaged his forehead.

"Fine. Sun Ce and I will assault the warships. Once we take control of them and obstruct the canyon, the remaining craft will begin ferrying soldiers to the other side of the river. The rest of you will be leading the attack on Huan. Do not forget to bring the siege equipment with you, as the camp will become inaccessible after you've crossed the river. Any questions?"

The majority of the generals shook their heads, but an older man in the back spoke up, his palm against the dirt floor as wrinkles seared his forehead. "Master Zhou Yu, won't all of the fighting attract the attention of Liu Xun's fleet? What if the remaining enemy ships sail downriver to assist in the battle?" The strategist frowned, his fingers drumming against the maps of Wan.

"They must. This strategy will fail if we cannot draw the fleet away from Huan." The lieutenants looked surprised, shooting each other glances through the lamplight as Zhou Yu ran a hand through his long hair and leaned back from his papers. "If we do not force the fleet into this bottleneck, they will attack the siege forces from behind, and a battle on two fronts will likely prove too difficult to sustain. Sun Ce and I must engage the main fleet here, while the rest of the army captures the city."

A rustle of concern ran through the assembled officers, and several men tried to speak at once, exchanging looks before one of them flattened his palm to the ground. "But Master Zhou Yu – two ships against an entire fleet? You'll never defeat them!" The dark swordsman shook his head.

"You're correct. Fortunately, we don't have to. As soon as Huan is under your control, the fleet will withdraw in a futile attempt to protect the city. We must only keep them occupied until that time."

The generals muttered amongst themselves, but none could seem to find a response to this, and their voices faded into the background without another formal protest. Zhou Yu turned to regard the three junior soldiers standing nervously in one corner of the tent, his expression solemn with instruction.

"As soon as the entire fleet begins to move, throw whatever is left of the powder into your fire. The ensuing explosion will warn us of their approach. Then I suggest you return to camp – if the enemy notices you on the ridge, they may try to attack you, and it will be a difficult fight for the three of you alone." The trio nodded, their necks snapping up and down in vigorous understanding. The strategist gestured to the exit. "Assemble the fireworks, and find a place on the hill for your camp."

"Yes, sir!" Almost before the compliance left their lips, the three soldiers had vanished, leaving nothing but the wavering tent flap in their wake. The dark warrior glanced around at his silent audience, obsidian eyes stoic despite the oil flame.

"I will leave it to all of you to determine your duties in the siege. Inform your troops about their role in battle, and send any men particularly proficient with a bow to the cliff top – Sun Ce and I will need as many archers as possible." Zhou Yu glanced at his companion as he spoke, and the Little Conqueror grinned back, reaching out to slap a hand against his warrior's back in some form of encouragement.

"Sounds good to me, Yu. Let's get started – looks like we've got a lot to do before dark."

A few of the lieutenants chuckled at their commander's excitement, and the strategist nodded shortly, waving an idle hand at the exit. "You're all dismissed. Begin preparations for battle." The generals bowed low and saluted the master of Wu, to a man smiling as they pushed themselves to standing positions. Zhou Yu sighed and allowed his muscles to relax as the officers began moving toward the door, speaking quietly to each other with serious expressions.

None of them made it. Before the first lieutenant's hand found the tent flap, it was blown far out of his reach by a human hurricane, the wiry form diving forward through the entrance and startling every man within. Sun Ce jumped backward and Zhou Yu leapt to his feet, his hand flying instinctively to his sword and gripping the sturdy hilt. But the tremulous eyes and catfish moustache of the unexpected intruder stopped him before he could draw the weapon, and the swordsman's adrenaline level plummeted as he recognized the despairing features before him.

"Honorable Lord Sun Ce! Master Zhou Yu!" Li Shu bobbed his head up and down, panting hard enough to ruffle the maps strewn across the floor "Forgive me, my lords – I was leading a party to scout along the ridges as you suggested, and I did not return in time for the meeting!" The swordsman exhaled heavily and dropped a hand over his racing heart, regarding the distraught courtier in silence as the Sun lord got slowly to his feet and rubbed the back of his head.

"Li Shu… yeah, sorry about that." The young officer did his best to smile, the expression just a little forced at the corners. "You know what? Don't worry about it – not a big deal. We've pretty much got everything taken care of for the battle, so—"

"No!" Li Shu dove forward into a kneel, landing at the Little Conqueror's side in a flurry of dirt. The tonfa master started and took a step back, running into the wall of the tent and nearly losing his balance as he collided with one of the thin poles. The desperate minister did not seem to notice, wringing his hands as his lips trembled in visible anguish. "No, Honorable Lord Sun Ce! I came here to prove my worth to you in battle, and I must fulfill my goal. Please, Honorable Lord Sun Ce – please give me a task through which I can be of some service!"

Sun Ce pushed himself away from the canvas wall, rubbing his elbows to dispel the discomfort of the rough fabric. "Man, that stings… look, Li Shu. It's like this. It's not that I don't realize what you're trying to do for me here, it's just…" Li Shu looked up at his sovereign with eyes drowning in pleading hopelessness, and the Sun lord hesitated, glancing at his silent strategist as though seeking inspiration. "How should I put this…"

A few of the lieutenants chuckled, but most of them remained silent, their eyes locked on their commanding officers as though daring the leading warriors of Wu to find an assignment that would both please Li Shu and not deteriorate too badly under his control. Zhou Yu frowned, glaring down at Lady Li's husband between the dark strands of his bangs. The courtier was no less trouble than his wife, though in a very different way – even this far from Liyang, Lady Li's designs were getting in their way. The swordsman stepped forward from his battle stance, drawing Li Shu's eyes away from his uncertain companion with the movement.

"You will guard the message line."

Li Shu blinked, and Sun Ce choked on the cross between a laugh and a disbelieving cough, hammering one fist against his chest to restart the normal function of his lungs. "We have a message line?" the young officer asked, earning a sharp glare from the dark warrior at his side. The strategist crossed both arms over his chest.

"Yes, Ce – we have a message line."

The look on the Sun lord's face said he had his doubts, but the swordsman ignored him, returning his attention to the encouraged light shining in Li Shu's eyes.

"You remember the pass we marched through in order to reach the river?" Li Shu nodded, his face alight with eager attention. Zhou Yu swallowed a heavy sigh. "That is the message line. You will remain there for the duration of the battle. Your task is to prevent any enemy messengers from escaping to call for reinforcements. Do you understand?"

The minister was on his feet in an instant, moving with a speed that seemed impossible for a man of his age and build. Li Shu bowed heartily, his hands knotted over his chest. "I understand completely, Master Zhou Yu. You need not worry – I will not abandon the message line, even should it cost me my life!"

The strategist frowned, studying the man bent in cheerful gratitude as Lady Li's departing warning rang in his head. _You will not let him die. Or I truly will strike you from the master of Wu…_ Zhou Yu shook his head, willing the words away as he glanced up to find his sunshine companion fighting back a snicker. In a way, he hated bending to her threats, especially those he doubted she could carry out, no matter how clever and underhanded she had proven herself to be. But there was no sense in mindless casualties, not when war demanded so many lives already. Li Shu could stand uselessly at the top of the ridge, watching the battle play out below, and he alone among them would be guaranteed survival…

Sun Ce laughed, reaching out to shake his swordsman's shoulder and dispelling his serious thoughts. "All right – you know what that means?" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, and the lieutenants straightened in their stances. The Sun lord smiled, glancing around at his officers with eyes far brighter than the oil lamp at their feet. "There's nothing left to do but get out there and take 'em down. Let's get to it!"

The strategist shook his head, fighting back the slight amusement threatening his lips. "You are…"

"An idiot," the young officer finished for him, nodding firmly as his hands fell to his hips. The swordsman tipped his head to one side in consideration.

"I was going to say irrepressible. But I suppose you're an idiot as well."

The Little Conqueror shrugged, wrinkling his nose at the offhand insult. "Irrepressible's too long – idiot works for me." Zhou Yu scoffed, and Sun Ce grinned at him, punching one fist into the air as he headed for the door. "We'll take Huan in no time. Ready or not, here we go!"

.x.

The night was quiet, calm beneath clear skies and cold enough that Zhou Yu was glad of his heavy armor as he stood at the top of the cliff face, the soft autumn wind sweeping through his hair. Above him, he could see the unbroken patterns of the stars decorating the velvet sky, every spark shimmering as the strategist's fogged breath escaped with each exhale and clouded his vision. Solemn obsidian eyes scanned the infinite darkness over his head, shifting between constellations without rhyme or intention.

Zhou Yu sighed, and the condensation drifted away from him in the grip of the gentle breeze, brushing his face before it vanished altogether. In the glow of the subdued torches, the dark warrior glanced out across the canyon before him, listening to the river tumbling below as his fingers traced the lines of his sword hilt.

"Ready on this end, Yu."

The strategist glanced over his shoulder to find his commander's brilliant amber eyes, nodding once in acknowledgement before his gaze swept back to the watch fires lining Huan's high walls. Sun Ce stepped forward to stand beside him, his breath translucent against the shadowed air as he inspected the glittering sky overhead.

"Nice night." Zhou Yu nodded again, following his companion's finger as the Sun lord pointed toward the western horizon. "Look – see the Fortress? Wasn't that one yours?" The swordsman turned sideways to meet the young officer's eyes, recognizing the grin that had swallowed his expression even through the darkness. Sun Ce elbowed him in the ribs, the slight nudge accompanying his teasing voice. "Guess that means you've got a birthday coming up, huh? Twenty-four… sheesh, you're getting old."

The strategist rolled his eyes, not bothering to remind the Little Conqueror that he had turned twenty-four himself nearly three months before, just at the failing end of summer. Zhou Yu shifted, glancing behind him to where a small company of soldiers was moving efficiently around the pile of kindling, exchanging soft words under the cover of shadows.

"The fireworks squad is in position?"

The Sun lord nodded, gesturing to the flicker of orange that stood out sharply against the black ridgeline. "All set and raring to go. The archers are up here, everybody else is down on the bank – and I sent Li Shu off a long time ago. The only thing we're missing is the go-ahead."

The dark warrior exhaled softly, turning back to the darkness of Wan's capital as he folded his arms across his chest. He could see the outline of the city, illuminated by the torches along its walls, and a short distance south lay the fleet, small pinpricks of fire indicating the craft that guarded Huan's silent harbor. A warm hand pressed against his shoulder, and the master of Wu caught his preoccupied gaze, his head tipped quizzically to one side.

"Hey. What's wrong?"

Zhou Yu sighed, brushing an errant strand of hair away from his grim features as he shook his head. "I'm worried, Ce." The young officer started, his expression surprised as honest anxiety pressed the swordsman's lips into a thin line. "I'm not certain this is going to work. It's a dangerous strategy, and we haven't had very long to prepare…"

Sun Ce shook him a little, smiling as he returned the stoic onyx stare through the flickering torchlight. "Don't worry about it. We'll do fine. When has one of your plans ever backfired?"

The strategist was silent for a long moment, considering his companion's question as his mind skimmed through the almost countless battles he had conducted over the course of his service to Wu. At last the dark warrior let his posture relax, leaning back with his weight on his heels. "I challenged Jia to a battle of wits, and succeeded only in drawing his dagger," he murmured, the words disappearing even as they left his lips. The Sun lord snorted.

"Yeah – eight years ago. Are you still brooding about that? Talk about a grudge…" Zhou Yu sighed again, one pale hand rising to massage his temples.

"I don't know, Ce. I just… I've been reviewing the strategy, and…" Sun Ce squeezed his arm, and the swordsman dropped his hand back to its resting position at his side, his voice barely more than a whisper as he shook his head. "It's just such a long shot…"

The Little Conqueror laughed, working the tension away from his companion's shoulder with the slow circles of his hand. "Hey, come on. You know me – I'm all about long shots. If something's too easy, it's no fun anymore." The strategist scoffed, closing his eyes against the star-soaked sky and the Sun lord's smile. "I told you I had faith, didn't I? This'll work just fine, Yu – I know it will."

Zhou Yu turned to face the young officer, his gaze holding Sun Ce's through the darkness, and the swordsman swallowed, studying his lord's familiar features in the dismal light of the muted torches. "Ce… during the battle…" The young officer waited in silence, and the strategist hesitated a moment before he sighed, turning his gaze to the invisible river before them. "Just… be careful," he finished at last, his voice as soft as the night wind around. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

The young officer frowned, a half-hearted fist colliding with his companion's arm. "Nothing's going to – it'll be fine. Drop the doomsday act, would ya? You're making me nervous." Sun Ce shook his shoulder again, and Zhou Yu stared into the brilliant amber eyes as his commander shifted. "You be careful, too, all right? You're no good to me dead, you know."

His tone was teasing, but there was a sincerity in the young lord's gaze that made his swordsman pause, studying the carefree features and the single line of seriousness wrinkling his forehead. Then the master of Wu shook his head, dispelling the expression with a customary smile and turning back toward the soldiers.

"Let's get this show on the road. We don't have all night."

Zhou Yu watched his companion moving back to the pile of kindling, and his lips pressed into a thin line, matching the tension in his folded arms. The strategist felt the cold weight of apprehension settling into his stomach – and for the first time in many years, it wasn't apprehension about the battle itself, but the apprehension of having the life of the person he treasured most resting squarely in his hands. If something went wrong with his strategy and the Little Conqueror were a casualty…

Sun Ce glanced back at his unmoving officer, his excited face littered with curious confusion, and the swordsman sighed, forcing his thoughts away as he ran an uncertain hand through his hair. Zhou Yu abandoned the canyon rim and moved to stand at his commander's side, scrutinizing the faces of the soldiers stationed around the pile of kindling. The brimming heap of brushwood was larger than the strategist had originally expected, sloped as high as his shoulders and spreading outward in a vague circle that would have taken sixty strides to travel around once.

The men surrounding their stack of firewood stood at stoic attention, hands tight and features impassive. The darkness made the handles of their torches invisible, and for a moment as the swordsman studied their expectant expressions it looked as though each soldier had a ball of flame simply floating in front of him on the current of the wind. Then Zhou Yu nodded, his voice more confident than his mind, and dropped his hand in signal.

"Begin."

As one, the men lowered their torches to the pile – within seconds, the flames had begun to catch, crackling through the dried leaves closest to the edge of the mound and releasing wisps of smoke that thickened with each passing second. The soldiers stepped away from the glowing fire and planted their torches in the ground, watching their commanding officers through the screen of distorting heat that rose between them as the blazing brushwood hissed and spat embers across the barren ground.

Zhou Yu turned to gaze across the landscape behind him, his eyes settling on the skeleton lights of Liu Xun's fleet. He felt the warmth of the signal against his armored back and hoped despite his doubts that the bonfire would be strong enough to draw the enemy's attention, and that the army would be strong enough to beat them.

A light touch on his wrist drew the obsidian eyes back to their amber opposites, and Sun Ce cocked his head to one side, his features optimistic but serious. "I forgot to ask you what happens if this doesn't work," he muttered, too softly for the sound to carry over the sizzling flames. The strategist exhaled between his teeth.

"If it doesn't work at all, we abandon the plan and try something else tomorrow." His gaze was dark and solemn as it flickered like firelight across the young officer's face. "If it works only halfway – if we cannot hold off the fleet long enough to take Huan… we retreat, and try to save as many lives as possible."

The Sun lord whistled under his breath, smiling despite his tightening grip on the swordsman's arm. "That's rough. No wonder you look so grim." The Little Conqueror nudged him in the ribs, winking up into the troubled onyx eyes. "But hey – don't worry about it. All or nothing's my specialty, remember?" Zhou Yu said nothing, but his hand drifted to rest across his companion's knuckles, holding the tan fingers in place against his wrist.

For a long time, nothing moved. The swordsman's eyes roved across the valley ahead, the river at their feet, the archers lingering in the trees to his left and lining the southern rim of the canyon. The master of Wu was still at his side, gravity that only battle caused coloring his expression, and the soldiers behind them watched the fire in silence, the occasional shifting of their feet the only sound besides the spreading flames. The smoke from the fire drifted up into the sky and obscured the stars, forming a thin haze above the ravine before it vanished altogether.

Zhou Yu watched Liu Xun's silent fleet and felt Sun Ce's heartbeat against the skin of his arm, and waited. A quarter hour passed before an urgent voice called for his attention; one of the soldiers pointed up the ridge behind them.

"Master Zhou Yu, look! On the hill!"

The strategist turned, his hand falling away from the Sun lord's as both Wu officers stared up the ridge, searching the gigantic black outline of the forested rise for motion or a change to the tiny glow of the scout party's fire. For an instant, nothing happened, and Zhou Yu felt his forehead knitting in confusion. Then there was a soft pop – muted with distance but clear nonetheless – and the orange pinprick on the hillside sparked in all directions, wilting like a flower as the pellets of powder exploded.

The swordsman felt his shoulders tense, and beside him Sun Ce held his breath, mouth slightly open as his eyes locked on the slope above them. Zhou Yu swallowed hard, not daring to blink as the subtle signals continued, each flash three seconds apart. Two more small flares, three brighter ones, a final flicker that was almost an afterthought. The Little Conqueror shifted his feet, glancing up at his dark warrior with a serious expression.

"Did you catch that?" The strategist nodded, pressing his lips into a thin line.

"Three small craft, three scout ships… possibly one more, unless the initial burst was only intended to catch our attention." Zhou Yu exhaled softly and turned his gaze to the bonfire, studying the blaze with a small frown. The flames had caught well and were burning strongly, inching toward the center of the brush pile with every teasing breath of wind, but it wasn't enough. The swordsman shook his head, running a preoccupied hand through his long hair and closing his eyes as though to force himself to focus. "We need to make the fire brighter…"

Sun Ce shook his head, catching one of the soldiers by the arm and tossing his head toward the bank below him. "Go warn the others – let them know the enemy's on the way. It looks like it'll take…" The Sun lord stared into the blackness of the shadowed canyon, struggling to judge the distance to the lights that could just be seen bobbing along the obscured waterway apart from the main fleet. "Ten minutes, maybe…"

The infantryman bowed and took off, heading for the lower bank at a fair jog. The young officer turned back to his companion with a frown bothering his lips, his forehead furrowed in concentration. "What can we do, Yu?" Sun Ce swept one hand toward the dark forest around them, a shrug rolling through him. "Is there anything else we could burn? Something that'd really get their attention?"

Zhou Yu shook his head absently, considering the army's supplies in a quick mental survey. "I'm not sure, Ce. We didn't bring any—"

Suddenly the swordsman stopped, his eyes widening a fraction as the tail of an idea slipped through his mind. The Sun lord grabbed his shoulder, a hopeful smile swallowing his lips once again. "Come on, Yu – tell me that's one of those strategist faces." The dark warrior nodded, the action growing stronger and more certain as he wheeled to face the soldiers waiting behind them and gestured in the direction of the forest.

"The provisions wagons are stationed just inside the trees. Bring the distilled rice wine – all that you can carry. We will use that."

To Zhou Yu's considerable surprise, no one moved, the infantrymen standing frozen in place with their mouths hanging open. Even Sun Ce was staring at him, his eyes wide with an emotion akin to betrayal. The young officer found his tongue first, and he rounded on his strategist with a vicious shake of his head, chestnut ponytail flying around his ears like a swarm of hornets.

"Yu, no! You can't! Do you have any idea what that'll do to our morale?"

For a moment, Zhou Yu could only blink, caught completely off guard by his companion's refusal. Then the swordsman scowled, his eyes narrowing in exasperation as he threw one hand toward the tributary behind him.

"Look, there isn't time for this. Do you want to conquer Huan or not, Ce? Once we've captured the city, you can help yourself to their stores – I don't care. For now, bring the wine out here before Liu Xun's fleet overruns us and destroys any chance we have!"

The soldiers skirting the fire took a step back at his audible annoyance, but Sun Ce only made a face at him, folding his arms over his chest. "You're just out to ruin everybody's fun, aren't you? First the fireworks, now the wine – what's next? The whole empire?" The strategist opened his mouth with a stinging retort, but once more the Little Conqueror cut him off, throwing both hands into the air in a gesture of surrender. "Fine! Fine, we'll burn the wine!"

At his acquiescence and the obsidian glare shot in their direction, the soldiers raced out of sight, disappearing into the trees with the crunch of the undergrowth beneath twenty odd boots. The Sun lord scowled at his warrior and poked him in the chest, the childish return dispersing for a moment the anxiety that lined his strategist's shoulders. "Spoilsport," the young officer accused, and Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, swallowing an aggravated sigh as the first men reappeared behind them toting large barrels of rice wine.

"I'm only doing what you asked of me, Ce – helping you conquer Wan. I'd appreciate it if you didn't hinder me." The master of Wu stuck out his tongue at the sharp reprimand, dropping his hands to his hips and turning to face the infantrymen as they began stacking the wine containers a short distance from the fire. The swordsman frowned in afterthought, his voice dropping to a murmur with his next words. "And regardless… I'd advise you to stay away from the alcohol. You are an extremely unmanageable drunk."

Sun Ce blinked up at him in surprise, his expression mildly affronted in the flickering light. "Not really. At least I don't sing, like Quan does."

Zhou Yu scoffed. "No, you just—"

Movement on the other side of the bonfire caught the strategist's attention, and he broke away from his commander to catch one soldier's arm, stopping the man before he could throw a midsize wine vessel into the fire. The infantryman startled badly and would have dropped the swishing container had the dark warrior not already taken it from his surprised hands; Zhou Yu shook his head sharply as he returned the barrel to the pile, halting the motion of the group of soldiers with his sweeping gaze.

"No – not yet. We'll have to time this carefully. We want as much of an impact as possible, because we can only do this once." The swordsman caught the eyes of the mortified man before him, motioning down the slope where Sun Ce's messenger had disappeared some minutes earlier. "Warn the main body of the army – just as the enemy ships land on the bank, we will create a small explosion. It should give them an added advantage against Liu Xun's troops."

The man nodded rapidly, setting off down the hill at a clip that made Zhou Yu wonder whether he were exceptionally dedicated or merely eager to escape reprimand. The Little Conqueror lifted the confiscated vessel and considered the wooden container in silence for a moment. When he glanced up at his dark warrior, all traces of indignation had vanished from his countenance and the smile of battle brightened his face again.

"This is going to work, right?" The strategist hesitated, but the Sun lord nodded forcefully anyway, readjusting his grip on the barrel so he could elbow his companion in the side. "That's what I like to hear. Just keep rolling with the punches, Yu – we'll take these guys down in no time."

With every passing minute, Zhou Yu doubted the ease of the battle before them, which hadn't truly seemed that easy to begin with – but he chose not to reply and turned instead to the waiting soldiers, gesturing to the pile of wine vessels stacked beside of the fire. "Every man should equip himself with a barrel. Stand as far back from the fire as you can. When I give the signal, throw them all into the center of the pile. Understood?"

The soldiers bowed and Sun Ce saluted, hefting the wooden container up onto his shoulder so he could grab a second one. "We got it. Whenever you're ready."

The swordsman nodded, his eyes speaking to their amber opposites through the crackling silence of the growing flames. Then he turned on heel and moved once more to the canyon rim, listening only absently to the young officer's orders and the quick responses of his subordinates. His dark gaze locked on the small group of lights growing nearer and brighter with every second, drifting up and down as the river's swift current pulled them toward the ravine and the army waiting beyond it.

Zhou Yu counted the seconds by his heartbeat, the rhythm faster than usual as adrenaline pounded through his veins in anticipation of the conflict to come. It seemed to take a lifetime for the small torch fires that indicated the search fleet to reach the edge of the canyon – but at last the lights were close enough that the strategist could make out the vague skeleton of the craft they illuminated, and he dropped into a crouch at the edge of the cliff, keeping his breath shallow despite the invisibility that night granted him and the overriding sound of the fire behind him.

Beneath the whisper of the wind, he could just hear the voices of the enemy sailors, and just follow their movements as they peered toward the flames that the high chasm walls had swallowed from sight. Zhou Yu's brow furrowed in concentration as he studied the lights below. Three vessels with a light at each end, three with a flickering torch only in the bow… the dark warrior nodded to himself, reaffirming the report from the firework signals. He followed the boats like a shadow, moving soundlessly along the rim of the canyon as the ships traveled directly beneath him and moved toward the wider shallows.

When they reached the broader portion of the river, the lights halted in a small cluster, and as their oars churned against the current Zhou Yu's heart dropped into his stomach, his lips pressing into a thin, anxious line. If Liu Xun's ships chose not to land, the entire strategy would fall apart, long before what he'd anticipated to be the greatest difficulty—

With the soft echoes of voices and the splash of raised paddles, the craft began moving again, and the swordsman swallowed a sigh of relief as each bow turned toward the northern bank where Sun Ce's army waited, hushed as death. Zhou Yu raised one hand above his shoulder, and the men behind him tensed, their anticipation almost palpable in the cold autumn air. The small ships edged up against the shallows of the river, and sailors jumped from their prows into the waist-high water, struggling with their balance before they began dragging the boats toward the shore.

The strategist caught his breath as the soft scrape of wood against the sand ricocheted up the cliff face. The fingers of his raised hand curled into a fist as the first set of sopping boots stepped cautiously onto the soggy earth of the bank. Men climbed out of the ships in soft movements, postures hunched and footfalls soft under the glow of the uncertain torches. Nothing moved in the forest – the foxholes were silent. From behind him, the dark warrior heard the Little Conqueror's voice brushing the air, the muttered syllables hardly more than a sigh.

"Here we go."

It was the last thing he heard before he dropped his hand.

The explosion was not enough to rock the ground beneath him – but it was close. The sound waves alone nearly knocked Zhou Yu from his position at the edge of the cliff, and the soldiers surrounding the fire dove onto their stomachs as a tremendous fireball, roaring and hissing with the bursting barrels of distilled wine, rose from the pile of brushwood like a gigantic blossom of flame.

The enemy soldiers whirled to stare at the cliff above them as the blazing plume seemed to freeze motionless against the sky, tearing shouts of surprise from their throats – shouts that were echoed, seconds later, by the tremendous battle cry of the army of Wu as it leapt from concealment. Three thousand men erupted from the trenches and the trees beyond, taking advantage of the detonation and the darkness to catch their enemies unawares.

Barely one hundred soldiers had manned the small boats sent to investigate. Within what seemed like instants, every one of them had been cut down, the luckier enemies seized aboard the ships and thrown into the water. The army swarmed across the vessels and took control of them in the time it took to blink, lighting a new torch as each craft was cleared of the enemy forces.

Zhou Yu released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, his heart hammering against his ribcage as the triumphant forces below him let out a joyous cry and moved to roll the bodies of their enemies into the river.

"Woohoo!" The swordsman started as a hand clapped onto his shoulder, the grinning form of his lord leaning heavily against his side. Sun Ce laughed and whooped again in unabashed delight, features utterly captivated by his tremendous grin. "Now _that_ was fun!" the young officer shouted, amber eyes glowing in the light of the bonfire. "Things are finally starting to heat up! It's about time!"

The strategist turned to face his companion more fully, brow knit as he studied the streaks of soot littering his exuberant countenance. "Did you get burned, Ce?" The Sun lord laughed again and socked him playfully in the arm, chestnut ponytail dancing across his armor.

"Nope – just a little singed. Nothing to worry about." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, and the Little Conqueror slammed a fist into his palm, turning for the slope behind them with the stars reflecting in his eager eyes. "All right – let's get down there. Phase two, right?"

The swordsman caught his commander's shoulder, holding him in place against the force of his enthusiasm. "Wait. The firework signals – I have to know if that worked. If the fleet still won't send warships…"

Sun Ce hesitated, a measure of seriousness darkening his features at the sobering reminder. But a moment longer proved the strategist had no cause for concern – sparks began to flash in the darkness of the high ridge, and Zhou Yu counted them with his lips pressed into a firm line. "Seven small craft, three scout ships, three warships." A rare smile broke over the officer's stoic features, and the Sun lord elbowed him, grinning between his agitated words.

"Well, come on! Let's get down there!

This time the swordsman consented, and he followed his companion into the forest, dodging bushes and knotted tree roots as the Sun lord careened heedlessly down the slope. A short jog found them once again on the pockmarked bank, and Zhou Yu was careful to avoid the open pits and their discarded camouflage littering the spongy earth of the shore. Sun Ce raced on ahead of him, nearly slipping into the various trenches while he made for the boats at breakneck speed. As he passed clumps of saluting soldiers, the young officer laughed and let out a string of congratulations, his exuberant voice echoing across the ground and the water beyond.

"Hey – great job, guys! That's what I like to see from my men!"

The soldiers straightened, their chests swelling with pride as the Sun lord and his serious companion dashed toward the edge of the river, drawing to a halt only when they reached the largest of the captured craft. The master of Wu let out another shout and instantly a flank lieutenant materialized on the bow, bracing his hands against the railing as an unguarded smile slipped across his face.

"Lord Sun Ce – ships under control and ready to launch, sir. Should we begin ferrying the army across now?"

The Little Conqueror shot his strategist a glance at the question, amber eyes sparkling in the faint torchlight, but Zhou Yu shook his head, motioning to the troops behind them as he stepped closer to the prow. "There's no time," the swordsman replied, his eyes flitting instinctively to the canyon though there was nothing to see within the dark ravine. "The fleet has already launched another set of ships – more this time, and three warships among them. We'll have to defeat those first."

The general's brow furrowed, and he rested one elbow against the rail as his fingers bothered his lightly bearded chin. "Master Zhou Yu… what of the siege? I understand that we cannot move the entire army now – but couldn't we send a few squads into the hills to prepare for the attack on Huan? We'll need time to assess the city's weaknesses and to plan an approach…"

The strategist hesitated, considering the naval battle to come as enemy and allied figures ran through his head. At last Zhou Yu nodded, gesturing to one of the scout ships before running a distracted hand through his hair. "All right. For now, use one of the smallest boats. We'll need the majority of the soldiers on hand here. After we've captured the warships, string the remaining boats together to create a bridge from one shore to the other – that should allow you to move the army more quickly."

The lieutenant started at the unexpected advice, but he had no time for further inquiry – the swordsman pivoted to face his commander once again, obsidian eyes dark with thought and the reflection of midnight sky.

"Ce, you and I will wait in a small craft just past the edge of the canyon, torches extinguished. When the warships come through the ravine, our troops will ambush them." Zhou Yu felt his forehead furrowing as he studied the ships in question, and the dark warrior shook his head, doubts settling into his stomach once again as he considered the minimal size of the captured craft. "But we won't have any more than fifty soldiers…"

Sun Ce's hand came down on his shoulder with the force of his smile, interrupting the strategist's thoughts as cleanly as his laughter. "Fifty?" The twin amber eyes shone like phoenixes as the Sun lord chuckled, tossing his head at the infantry behind them. "Not just fifty, Yu. Fifty of _my_ soldiers – that's gotta be worth at least a couple hundred of those jokers."

The infantrymen drew themselves up straighter, pride flashing across their faces once again in the dim light of the torches, and the swordsman set his jaw but made no comment. His companion shot him a light glare at his skepticism, though the expression was quickly dispelled by a familiar smile; the young officer stepped closer and lowered his voice, one hand coming up to touch the warrior's wrist. "Hey – what'd I say before we left? As long as it's you and me together, nothing's gonna stop us."

Zhou Yu watched him in silence for a moment, studying the brilliance in his encouraging gaze and memorizing the throb of his heartbeat through four persuading fingers. Then the strategist bit back a smile of his own and turned to face the army, sweeping one hand toward the captured vessels behind him.

"Man the ships. As many soldiers as possible to a boat, but keep them stable. Take positions along the edge of the river and extinguish the torches – we don't want them to see us coming. The rest of you, wait inside the forest as before. All men prepare for battle."

A great shout of understanding went up from the expectant troops. Instantly the regiment began to move, filing into holds and taking up oars along each of the six boats with the same zealous efficiency that had defeated the enemy in unprecedented swiftness. Zhou Yu glanced back to his commander and stepped closer, his voice rising to be heard under the tread of three thousand feet. "You take one side, and I'll take the other. When the warships come through, board the first two and take control – we'll have the archers fire on the third."

Sun Ce winked, squeezing his arm one more time before he took a backward step toward the water. "Gotcha. I'll see you on board." The young officer turned and vaulted into one of the small craft, his dexterous hands skimming the railing as he landed hard on the deck. Zhou Yu caught the eyes of the flank lieutenant again and lowered his voice, moving a step closer to the brimming boat as he spoke.

"Send word up the hill for the archers to fire on the third warship as soon as we've attacked below. After the canyon is under control, it should take you no more than half an hour to cross the river – an hour for the entire army to reach Huan." The general nodded, his raven eyes blacker for the absence of light as the torches went out one by one around them. The swordsman shook his head smoothly, a small, cynical smile playing at his lips. "Take the city as quickly as you can… Sun Ce and I will be in difficult straits here."

The man nodded again, more sharply this time, his callused fingers tensing against the wood of the railing. "Don't worry, my lord – we'll go as fast as possible. When Huan is under control, we'll set off a round of fireworks to alert you." Zhou Yu tipped his head in assent, taking a backward step toward a darkened boat.

"We'll be waiting for that. Best of luck."

The lieutenant smiled, but his features were grave, solid as stone in the battle-worn contours of his face. "Same to you, my lord," he murmured, fingering the sword and sheath at his belt.

The strategist said nothing more, only nodding as he took a few steps through the water and pulled himself onto the bow of the small craft behind him. Men had already filled every oar slot, others crouching in the thin aisle with their weapons in hand, and Zhou Yu took up position at the stern, gazing for a moment across the ebony river to the far shore and the hills beyond it. Then he turned back toward their own bank and swept one arm toward the depths of the tributary.

Without a word, five soldiers jumped forward to push the vessel out into deeper water, jumpstarting the wooden craft as the infantrymen around him took up their paddles and began to move toward the cliff face. Their caller found the small gong that hung near the front of the ship, and as the tinny noise resounded across the wooden planks the men moved in time to one another, each stroke carrying them backward over the rippling water and closer to the canyon.

Ahead, the swordsman could see that Sun Ce's boat was already reaching the edge of the cliffs – the small ship became nearly invisible as it slipped into the shadows of the high ravine walls, and the strategist exhaled softly, crossing his arms over his chest guard. With luck, the enemy craft might not detect them at all until it was too late to backtrack through the canyon; it was a slim advantage, but they would have to use any advantage to the fullest in this situation. Each of the warships would be carrying something more than a hundred men, and he and Sun Ce each had no more than twenty-five under their command. And then there were the seven small craft to consider…

"Your orders, sir?"

As the soft question reached his ears, Zhou Yu turned to look at the soldier behind him – a squad captain, manning the first oar with a serious, prepared expression. The strategist glanced back toward their main camp to see that all action on the bank had ceased; the remaining boats were barely visible along the edge of both shores, hiding in the deepest shadows as they could find. Only the ship being used as a ferry was moving, making its slow way across the river with so many soldiers crammed onto its small surface that they were nearly falling off the sides…

Their small craft pulled under the cliff face opposite the Sun lord's, and the swordsman sighed as he ran a hand through his dark hair, turning back to the waiting officer with a small frown. "Let the smaller boats pass. When the first warship comes through…" He paused to search under the bench at his feet, hands blind in the dark, unfamiliar storage space. After a moment, his fingers reemerged holding a length of rope, the grappling hook that hung from its end shimmering in the starlight. "We board the enemy ship and take control. As soon as we attack, find and drop the warship's anchor – I won't have them escaping."

The man nodded and ducked back toward his oar, unclipping the hilt of his sword from the sheath so it would be ready to draw at any moment. Zhou Yu did the same, and then looked back across the water, watching the outline of Sun Ce's ship as the minutes passed in drifting, lapping silence. Aside from the river straining to pull the boat downstream against the force of its oars, there was no sound at all – the strategist breathed in and out and listened carefully, searching for the noise of enemy vessels as the sky shone above him with a false sense of serenity.

At last a small sound echoed over the water – a low creak, so soft it was nearly inaudible. The swordsman's eyes narrowed as he strained his ears to confirm the noise. Then twin obsidian widened again, and Zhou Yu's heart went cold in his chest as the nose of the first scout ship appeared in the mouth of the canyon with no more warning than that. The diminutive torch in its bow was so soft that it barely spread a circle of light around the men who manned its oars.

The dark warrior straightened and held his breath, watching in uneasy silence as the boat slipped from the ravine and sailed into the center of the widening river, its crew's whispers incomprehensible as they echoed across the water. After the scout ship came the others – four small craft with wary halberdiers in their prows, two more scout ships flanking the group's outside edges, one more midsize vessel. Each of the boats looked steady and imposing in the darkness, and the weapons of their sailors were cruel, sharp edges glistening in the light of the torches.

Just as Zhou Yu was beginning to worry whether all of the enemy craft would fit in the expanse of the river they had surrounded, the runners of the first warship emerged from the canyon and split the river beneath them, heavy beams that curved upward from the surface of the water and held the gigantic ship aloft. The strategist could see three tiers in the castle at center deck, and torches lined every edge of the rails. Just behind the first warship came a second one, hugging the side of the canyon and the primary craft's flank.

Zhou Yu exhaled silently and waved his hand forward, and the soldiers behind him retrieved their oars, paddling toward the enormous vessel as quietly as they could. The warships halted just at the edge of the widening chasm, motionless in the water as the men along their square bows gestured to the boats ahead. The swordsman ducked low to the deck of his small craft, instinct keeping him still and silent as his ship sailed softly toward the far larger vessel and a voice rang out from one of the enemy boats.

"You there! What are you doing?"

The strategist could see that the echoing question was addressed to the ferrying scout ship, now making its way back across the river for more passengers. The acoustics of the water beneath him amplified the shout so that it was as though the speaker were standing right beside him in the stern of the stolen boat. The answer came back just as strong, ricocheting against the cliff walls above them and trickling down the high bank as Zhou Yu looped the grappling hook's rope more securely around his hand, watching the nearing side of the warship and calculating the throw. The railing of the enemy craft was not very high, and there were a number of square openings intended for archers in the sturdy wooden barrier…

"Something on the shore over here, sir!" The flank lieutenant's familiar voice echoed against the rippling water, drawing a small smile onto the swordsman's face as he stood back to his full height and stared into the approaching torches. Had an enemy soldier bothered to glance over the side, he would have been fully visible now. Out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Yu could see the small craft of Liu Xun's fleet following the scout ship's example and heading for the northern edge of the river as the lieutenant called out again. "Help us clear the bank?"

For the first time, the strategist realized what an accidentally brilliant idea it had been to have one ship running in ferry across the river – if they could get a few of the small ships to land, the greater portion of the army still waiting in the woods could assist in the capture of the enemy boats. A few of the reported craft hadn't come through the canyon, and Zhou Yu could only assume they were sailing behind the third warship in rear guard. He hoped the archers had been warned of their role, and that they were ready to fire on the final vessels when the fighting broke out. Then he held his breath and tossed the grappling hook through one of the breaks in the railing.

The metal hooks clinked as they caught and held, and Zhou Yu gritted his teeth as he waited for the shout of discovery – but the only shout was the enemy's answer, and the strategist motioned the soldiers to drop the small craft's anchor as they rose from their seats and fingered their weapons.

"Where are the others?"

The swordsman's heartbeat pounded in his ears as he watched the enemy vessels sailing toward the shore – both scout ships and two of the small craft, heading for the bank in the shadow of their ferry boat. The flank lieutenant's vessel hit the shallows first and he jumped from its bow, landing in the water with a vivid splash. The enemy soldiers did the same, striding through the river as they hauled their boats up to the soft sand and wiped perspiration from their brows. One of the men glanced around at the silent shore.

"I don't see anything. Where are the other boats?"

The lieutenant had no need of an answer. At that moment, a tremendous cry went up on all sides and the Wu army appeared out of the night's deep shadows. Ships and soldiers stampeded toward the enemy forces, attacking with a swiftness born of their small numbers and their opponents' surprise.

Zhou Yu shouted to his squadron and leapt onto the enemy warship, vaulting over the railing to land on the front deck with his sword already in hand. The startled sailors stumbled back into the center castle's walls and struggled for their weapons, but four of them were dead before the shout of alarm could ring across the boat, and the strategist raced down the deck in the direction of the stern, leaving his troops behind to deal with the soldiers swarming out of the hold.

Across the water, the swordsman could see the captured ships attacking Liu Xun's vessels and the main army swarming over the beach. All around him, men were shouting and iron blades crashed together in cataclysmic accompaniment. The dark warrior felt the warship shudder beneath him as it stopped drifting forward, its anchor undoubtedly dropped into the depths of the river. Then Zhou Yu turned his attention to the battle at hand and the rest of the world disappeared, banished by the surprise and fear in the raven eyes of the enemies gathering ahead of him.

It had been a long time since they last fought on ships, and the strategist had forgotten the few advantages of naval warfare until he slammed sword-first into the cloud of shaking adversaries at one corner of the stern. With his initial strike, two men went down with slashes through the stomach and three more hit the river, losing their balance and careening over the side of the railing. The others stumbled away from him in a panicked tangle of flailing weapons, and most of them collided with wood or water within a matter of seconds, the swordsman's experienced blade dancing crimson between them.

Zhou Yu jammed the hilt of his weapon into one man's jaw and knocked him back into the river, wondering idly whether the blow would truly be less fatal than steel through his stomach. The rest of the sailors staggered away from him and escaped across the front of the stern, sprinting toward the entrance to the center castle as the strategist raised his voice in an echoing shout.

"This vessel is under our control! Any man who values his neck submits immediately and flees to the water. The rest of you can speak of my blade in the afterlife!"

A number of soldiers had appeared along the balconies of the castle now and gathered along the stern ahead of him – some heeded his warning, leaping from the deck and hitting the water in a series of heavy splashes. But the rest were better prepared, and they yelled incoherencies as they rushed at him, weapons drawn and aimed squarely for his neck. Zhou Yu dodged the first spear and ducked beneath the arm of a sword-wielding soldier, and then he was lost in the familiar whirlwind of war, his movements a product of instinct and training as conscious thought disappeared and his adrenaline took over.

Between the bobbing heads and flying blades of his enemies, the swordsman could see the third reported warship still trapped within the canyon ahead of him, reeling under heavy fire from the archers on the cliff top above. Many of the arrows were tipped in flame, and Zhou Yu saw small fires spreading across the deck of the proud vessel as he threw one man to the ground and took advantage of his off-balance comrades, sending his sword through their throats before the gasps of terror could reach his ears.

As he shoved the blade backward and caught one lurking enemy in the stomach, the strategist risked a glance toward the second warship, stalled beside his own – the fighting had begun there, too, but he could only see chaos, and a halberd driving past his shoulder forced the dark warrior to pay attention to his own opponents. Zhou Yu slung his sword through the man's gut and rammed his hilt into the weapon's staff, sending the sharp end into the neck of one of his adversaries waiting nearby.

The swordsman rounded on the last few men encircling him, his glare black and cold beneath the light of the silent stars. Before he could strike, there was a strangled scream and a body fell from one of the castle tiers, crushing a few enemy soldiers beneath it and dispelling the rest into a scattered ring. The strategist started, his eyes narrowing as he realized that the man at his feet bore the armor of Sun Ce's soldiers – twin obsidian flew to the railing above him, catching on the furious features of a burly officer braced against the wooden support.

"Damn pirate rat!" The company commander's shout echoed down to him and across the wood of the deck as the man shook his bloodied pike, torchlight reflecting like murder in his eyes. "You dare attack Lord Huang Zu's army? Come here and die, vermin!"

Zhou Yu started at the mention of Liu Xun's ally, his fingers stalling against the hilt of his weapon as his opponent spat and the saliva slapped the deck beside the dead Wu solider. Then the swordsman regained his presence of mind and dashed away from the center of the stern, aiming starboard across the battle-spattered deck. There was a pyramid of crates stacked at the end of the castle tower, and he ascended these with three swift steps; his free hand grabbed the railing and he vaulted onto the second tier, coming face to face with the commander as the familiar taunt rang in his ears.

The man took a step back in surprise at his deft motions, then steadied his stance, pike at the ready in front of him. "Ha! You're braver than you look, I'll give you that! Why don't you give up and run like the rabbit you are?" The officer's challenge drew a sharp scowl onto Zhou Yu's face, and he straightened from his landing crouch with narrowed eyes, the night wind sweeping the dark hair away from his shoulders.

"You will not insult me again," he warned, and then he took off, flying forward across the wood littered with bodies and the pools beneath them, his boots skidding indiscriminately through enemy and allied blood. His sword crashed into the shafted weapon's staff as his adversary blocked easily, deflecting him sideways so that only the strategist's quick reflexes kept the cruel spearhead from landing in his back.

Zhou Yu ducked a swing of the spear and parried a second one before he slipped into a deadlock against the larger man's pike, their weapons lodged together through friction alone. The commander gritted his teeth, a livid smile contorting the contours of his face as a halting guffaw escaped his grimed lips.

"My insult isn't meant for you, pirate scum – it's meant for your lord! I laugh at the man who would go hunting a hare like you."

There was a double meaning to his slur, and it narrowed Zhou Yu's eyes to obsidian slits, strengthening the rush of adrenaline in his arms. He broke the officer's grip with another shove, sending him stumbling backward with a gasp and the shriek of their separating weapons. The swordsman leapt forward again, his strikes faster than before, and this time it was all the commander could do to deflect the lightning blows aimed for his torso and throat.

They battled back and forth across the deck, circling each other and avoiding the bodies strewn around them to avoid creating an opening – but now Zhou Yu had the advantage, and he was leading the deadly exchange, directing his opponent unsteadily backward despite the man's desperate strikes. The swordsman ducked the spear point's swinging arc and slammed one foot into his opponent's kneecap, the stoic bones and tendons emitting a sharp _crack_ at the unexpected blow.

Huang Zu's company commander howled and fell to his knees, fighting to keep his pike in front of him as though the trembling weapon could protect him of its own accord. Zhou Yu dodged the shaking spear point, darting so close to the man that he could smell the reeling stench of his gaping breath. His sword flashed out and caught the officer in the wrist, earning another screech of pain as the man's right hand fell severed and useless to the deck beneath him.

The commander curled in on himself with a deafening yell, scrabbling backward and clutching the stump of his arm to his saturated chest. His weapon hit the deck useless and dishonored. In an instant, the strategist seized the abandoned pike and used it to pin his enemy against the port railing, the wooden staff pressed to his throat and forcing his neck backward at an unnatural angle. Huang Zu's officer gasped and choked, and Zhou Yu held him still, his onyx eyes bitterly cold under the flickering torchlight.

"I cautioned you not to insult me a second time," the swordsman murmured, his face inches from his adversary's. The man's wrestling face flushed as he coughed, fighting to keep his eyes open in his swelling countenance. Zhou Yu twisted the pike staff tighter against his opponent's jugular, watching the man's chest heaving in vain as his lips settled into a grim line. "And I am submissive to no one."

The strategist twirled the pike in his hands and drove the point between the commander's ribs, not flinching as spatters of cast-off from the heartless weapon splashed across his pale cheeks. His enemy spasmed against the railing, but the blow was final – after an instant, he moved no more, eyes half open in an eternally powerless stare. The absence of his rasping breaths left a weighty silence across the second tier's deck; Zhou Yu met his glassy gaze in silence for a long moment, pressing the pike head deeper into the man's chest as though the corpse might suddenly come back to life.

At last the swordsman straightened in his stance and let go of his opponent's weapon – the pike stuck out of the commander's chest at an odd angle, drooping like the head of the man himself as he slumped onto one side against the bloodied floor. Zhou Yu turned away to retrieve his abandoned sword from the stained deck, wiping it as clean as possible against his enemy's sleeve before he sheathed the experienced weapon. The dark warrior brushed one hand across his features with a silent sigh, feeling the evidence of the battle solidifying against his face as his fingers morphed the blood spatter into streaks like war paint.

He heard nothing – no sound of weapons, no shouting, not even the creak of triumphant footsteps across the plank decks. Zhou Yu moved to the railing, scouring the lower level from above and listening hard for the tramp of running feet. Scattered across the ship in every direction were the soldiers who hadn't survived, their bodies clumped together as though for protection, and in the darkness it was impossible to tell enemy dead from his own soldiers.

In the relative terms of battle, everything had gone quiet – he couldn't hear activity below him or on the levels above. The flickering of a banner at his cheek and the water spilling past the warship's runners were the only forces that dared to move, and even those were quieter than usual, just barely whispering into his cautious ears.

The only lingering commotion the swordsman could see from his position was taking place across the main deck of the third warship, still smoldering and hissing smoke within the confines of the canyon. Even there, however, the only fight truly progressing was the struggle between the licking flames consuming Huang Zu's powerful vessel and the skeleton of the craft itself. Most of the soldiers appeared to have jumped ship during the conflict, likely abandoning the boat as soon as the flames caught.

The silence left him three choices: Huang Zu's troops had been dispelled, or all of his own men were dead, or the two forces had destroyed each other and left no one standing.

The expanse of the deceptively quiet water folded out before the strategist's searching eyes, and Zhou Yu stared into the depths of the tributary for a long moment, listening for the sound of a fight though he did not expect to hear one. The swordsman wondered how many corpses were buried beneath the rippling surface, damp and silence their only funeral – he wondered how much of the ebony color of the water came from the reflection of the sky above them, and how much from something more sinister.

At last the strategist exhaled softly and turned away from the railing, heading toward the bow behind him to assess the rest of the battleground. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword in the almost unnerving silence, prepared against the possibility of lingering enemies. His other hand moved to his temple, brushing the strands of his hair – coarse now with blood and sweat – behind his ear as the river spread out like a painted screen beyond the warship's prow.

Zhou Yu paused when he reached the fore railing, his free hand settling against the splintered wood as a torch hissed and crackled beside him. On the river ahead, the strategist could see that all naval warfare had stopped – if the outline of his instructed bridge was any indication, the Wu forces had emerged victorious on the smaller craft as well. The boats had been strung together and fastened with ropes and planks, and already the captured craft stretched more than halfway across the river, a last few ships floating into position as he watched from the castle's second tier. Men moved and talked along the bow of the first ship, their gestures visible but meaningless across the wide distance.

The swordsman sighed in soft relief, one hand brushing his temples before it settled back to the warped railing of the upper deck. Despite its uncertainties, the second part of his strategy had succeeded – in a few minutes the army would begin marching, crossing the stream and making for the high walls of Liu Xun's capital. Assuming everything had gone correctly on the other warship as well, he and Sun Ce would be left behind to guard the canyon and lure the main fleet away from the city – to do what damage they could to Huan's protectors while the main force assaulted the capital itself.

_You dare attack Lord Huang Zu's army?_

The enemy officer's words echoed in Zhou Yu's mind, and he felt himself frowning as he studied the small craft spanning the river, watching absently as ropes were cinched between the ends of two scout ships. Huang Zu and Liu Xun were long allies – they had joined in cooperation almost as soon as each of them came to power in the region three years earlier, and their alliance had only become stronger with Sun Ce's unstoppable conquest of the Wu Territory. It was not unusual to call on an ally for rear support when marching outside protected boundaries, and in that respect the identity of Huan's protectors did not surprise the strategist at all.

What surprised him was their ineffectiveness. If the fleet now opposing them was the manifestation of Huang Zu's promise to guard Liu Xun's capital, he had done a poor job of keeping his word. True, there were soldiers posted outside of Huan's river port, and they were an irritating obstacle if nothing else. But ultimately there were no more than fifty craft stationed in the tributary, and it was fairly clear from the conduct of the enemy soldiers – most of whom had been willing to abandon the warships at the first sign of opposition – that these troops held little personal interest in keeping Huan out of the hands of the growing Wu Empire. Considering the strategy's success so far, the boats seemed to be undermanned, unprepared, and staffed by idiots who could wield their weapons no more dexterously than their tongues.

The swordsman swallowed against the dryness of his mouth, glancing momentarily to the untarnished heavens as the torch beside him wavered in the soft night wind. Given the options, he supposed Huang Zu's troops were the best adversaries they could have hoped for, despite the complications the fleet had already caused. Soldiers from another territory had already proven themselves more willing to abandon Huan than natives to the area would have been – far less likely to give their lives for an alliance that was being only tenuously honored.

Provided the rest of the ships were as badly manned as this one had been, the Wu army would have a chance of capturing the city if they could draw Huang Zu's fleet away from its current defensive position, as they had originally planned. But the conquest of Huan itself depended on the expedient movement of the army, and their ability to act alone in the field…

"Hey, Yu!"

Zhou Yu blinked, his mind abandoning strategy for surprise as the familiar voice echoed up to him from the warship's main deck. The swordsman glanced down to find the brilliant amber eyes of his companion waiting below, and Sun Ce waved one crimson tonfa in greeting, smiling like a hero beneath the messy streaks of his bangs.

"You okay? Everything clear up there?"

The strategist nodded, bracing one hand against the railing and vaulting off of the castle's second tier. He landed at the Sun lord's side with a small crash, keeping his balance by virtue of experience alone; the dark warrior straightened and returned his commander's even gaze, flicking errant strands of hair away from his face. "Have you secured the second ship?"

A quick scan across the young officer's form assured the swordsman that whatever blood darkened his skin was incidental – it appeared his lord had escaped the first battle without injury. Sun Ce grinned, socking him in the arm as he waved toward the towering craft behind him.

"Are you kidding? I had that thing under control in two seconds. My squad's checking the hold now – your squad, too."

Zhou Yu started, exhaling in slight relief at the mention of his subordinates. "They're all right?" The Little Conqueror laughed, turning to rest both of his tonfa against a nearby crate.

"Yeah – well, most of them. They were worried about you… said you took off and they couldn't find you anywhere. That's why they came to get me." The young lord scratched the back of his head, mild confusion suffusing his features as he shrugged. "I guess they didn't look that hard, if you were just up there."

The strategist rolled his eyes. "I found the company commander. It took a few minutes to defeat him." Sun Ce nodded, glancing toward the river beyond his dark warrior.

"Gotcha. Well, they'll be happy to see you, anyway." The young officer wove between the forms of the fallen to reach the warship's railing, and the smile he shot over his shoulder drew Zhou Yu after him, stepping across the desecration of Huang Zu's troops to reach his commander's side. "Looks like everything's working so far. We're off to a great start."

The strategist said nothing, and the Sun lord elbowed him in the stomach, drawing twin obsidian eyes away from the black river beneath them. "Hey – what are you still looking so grim for?" Zhou Yu sighed, rubbing one scarlet hand against his forehead.

"Just… nothing." Nothing that the young officer hadn't heard before. Sun Ce frowned, looking as though he'd have liked to demand clarification of the unconstructive answer – but before he got a chance, a shout from somewhere to their right echoed across the deck and caught both of their attention.

"Lord Sun Ce! Battle report, sir!"

The master of Wu straightened at the railing, sharing a quick glance with his swordsman before he craned his neck around the taller man and peered toward the shore, amber eyes drawing their onyx opposites to the same location. A soldier bobbed up and down beyond the starboard edge of the ship, and it took Zhou Yu a moment to realize that he was standing on top of a small boat, a halberd still clutched in one tight fist. The infantryman saluted at their shared gaze, and two sets of footfalls moved across the deck in his direction, the strategist shadowing his commander's steps through the flickering torchlight.

The soldier didn't wait for them to reach his side of the warship before he began speaking, his hand dropping back to his side as the scout ship rose and fell in the current beneath him. "Enemy forces successfully defeated, my lord. We captured most of their vessels – one boat capsized during the fight and was lost downstream. The rest are being organized into a bridge, as Master Zhou Yu suggested. Lieutenant Chao said we'll begin the march to Huan as soon as possible."

Sun Ce raised a fist in triumph, smiling at the diligent soldier and the others manning the oars behind him. "Excellent. I knew we could do it!" The Little Conqueror shot his swordsman a sideways glance as though trying to hammer his optimism into the dark warrior as well, and then he turned back to the waiting soldier, his features more serious. "What about casualties? How are we doing?"

The man sobered a little as well, but his expression remained resolute, eyes raised to meet the Sun lord's above the creaking bow of his small ship. "Scattered throughout the ranks, my lord. We have few confirmed fatalities – most of the missing men fell into the river, so…"

Sun Ce nodded sharply, smashing one fist into his palm as he returned the soldier's startled stare. "So there's a chance they made it out all right. As soon as the battle's over, we'll send squads down the bank to see what we can find."

The infantrymen in the scout ship straightened, their faces brightening at the young officer's promise and the hopeful glances that shot among them. Zhou Yu bit his tongue. In all probability, most of those who had fallen from the boats either drowned in the rushing tributary or had been dragged against the river bottom, scraped across the heavy rocks and cobbles that formed the base of the waterway. It was unlikely that many had survived, and even less likely that a simple scouting mission would be able to locate and rescue them.

But the strategist kept his mouth firmly shut, swallowing the words back as the soldiers all bowed across their paddles – he had been directing battle long enough now to know the importance of keeping morale high. If misguided confidence were what it took to capture Huan, he would only hope the infantrymen would be strong enough to overcome the truth of the situation when it was no longer avoidable.

Sun Ce shifted in his stance, looking out across the river to where his army stood on the foxholed shoreline, each of them waiting to board the makeshift bridge and march on Huan. "You're all set to move, huh? Send about…" The Sun lord glanced over his shoulder as though measuring the captured warship, his brow furrowing in concentration as he turned to face his swordsman. "How many soldiers can we fit on here?"

Zhou Yu shook his head at the question, his lips pressed into a grave line. "No more than four hundred, between the two ships. We are going to be significantly outnumbered." The Little Conqueror shrugged, a small smile lightening his expression.

"Four hundred's plenty. We'll be fine, Yu – I'm sure of it." The young officer met his skeptical gaze for another moment before he turned back to his subordinate, determination coloring his features in the flickering torchlight. "Three companies, then. The rest of you can take Huan."

The soldier saluted again, and Zhou Yu frowned a little, stepping forward to address the man directly. "Have you received a report from the archer unit?" he asked, his voice low above the silent, discolored deck. The infantryman nodded shortly.

"Yes, Master Zhou Yu. They've taken no casualties – the enemy did not return fire. However, one of the small craft behind the warships escaped. They tried to shoot the oarsmen down, but…" The man shrugged, his expression neutral in the shadowed contours of his face. Sun Ce put a thoughtful hand to his chin.

"Is that going to be a problem, Yu?"

The strategist shook his head, fingers moving idly across the hilt of his sword as he considered the situation. "No, I don't think so. In fact… it may be beneficial." Both the Sun lord and his subordinate blinked in bewilderment, and the swordsman gestured to the canyon behind the warship's castle, his eyes dark with deliberation. "The men of that ship will undoubtedly describe our attack to their superiors. It's possible that information could bring Huang Zu's fleet here far faster than otherwise, leaving Huan clear for our forces for a longer period of time."

The soldier simply stared at him, but Sun Ce started, turning to face his companion more fully through the thin autumn air. "Wait, hold up – Huang Zu? What makes you think these are Huang Zu's men?" Zhou Yu met his curious gaze evenly, watching confusion and consideration flicker through the dampened amber eyes.

"The company commander. He mentioned Huang Zu during our combat." The strategist turned back to the scout ship and waved toward the northern bank, dismissing the party of infantrymen as his dark gaze flickered between their waiting faces. "Return to camp – send our troops over in whatever craft are not being used for the bridge. And warn the archers that they'll likely face return fire this time."

The soldier saluted him and bowed to the master of Wu, and then dropped back into an efficient crouch in the bow of his small boat, raven eyes redirecting to the shore behind him. With a silent signal, the rowers retrieved their paddles and swept the long oars through the water, moving in time to their caller's chanting rhythm. As the boat split the quiet surface of the river into a long wishbone and moved away over the calming tributary, Sun Ce's eyes came back to his swordsman's face, drawing the obsidian gaze away from their departing subordinates with a hand on his wrist.

"Okay, Yu. Ready for twenty questions?" Zhou Yu blinked, but the Sun lord moved into his inquiries without waiting for a response, crossing his arms over his chest. "First one – who's Lieutenant Chao?"

The strategist bit back a smile, noticing a similar light of sheepish amusement in his commander's open features. The dark warrior leaned back against the starboard railing and raised an eyebrow, his fingers massaging the rough wood of the barricade as he returned the young man's stare. "Lieutenant Chao is the officer in charge of the attack on Huan, Ce." Sun Ce blinked, and the swordsman rolled his eyes, less irritated with his commander's lapse in knowledge than his expression portrayed. "This afternoon, he asked how you and I could hope to defeat Huang Zu's fleet alone."

The light of understanding flooded the young officer's face, and he nodded sagely at this detail, the small movement skipping his ponytail across his shoulders. "Oh – the cynic. Why didn't you just say that in the first place?" The Sun lord's brow furrowed and he leaned closer to his strategist, one hand resting unchallenged on the other man's wrist. "I don't know, Yu – do we really want him leading the army? He kind of reminds me of Meng."

Zhou Yu smirked, shaking his head a little as he shifted to rest on his palms. "I'm afraid you'll find most generals with realistic or sedate outlooks remind you of Lu Meng – particularly since you seem to lack any of those attributes yourself."

The Sun lord mock punched him, the soft blow landing against the armor covering his stomach without more than a ghosting impact. Sun Ce scowled at him, amber gaze teasing despite his disgruntled expression. "Like I said – snarky! Maybe I liked it better when you just didn't say anything at all."

A thin eyebrow rose above the strategist's calm eyes, and he shrugged unconcernedly, pushing away from the railing to regain his full height. "Make up your mind, Ce. Your preferences seem to change every few minutes." The young officer stuck out his tongue, earning a flat look from the swordsman for his childish response. Zhou Yu folded his arms across his chest. "Did you have any more questions, or was Lieutenant Chao the only aspect of the battle bothering you?"

The Little Conqueror started, snapped back to their previous conversation topic with the simple inquiry. "Questions – right. Nope, that's not all." Almost instantly, the Sun lord's features became more serious, and he slipped seamlessly back into his role as commander, searching his strategist's eyes. "Tell me about Huang Zu. What are we looking at here – advantage? Disadvantage?"

Zhou Yu nodded shortly, heading toward the stern with steps gradual enough that his companion fell into easy stride beside him. "Advantage," he answered simply, moving gingerly across a heap of bodies tangled in the center of the deck. Some of their mouths hung open as if in eternal surprise, and their eyes were blank, half-lidded with the pain that death had dimmed… the swordsman exhaled softly and forced himself to concentrate, his leather footsteps quiet against the rigid form of the warship.

"Huang Zu's soldiers won't protect the city as devotedly as native men would – they have nothing in particular to fear from our conquest of Wan. My assumption is that they will abandon their task completely after Huan is taken. If we can hold them off that long, we will likely need to do no more."

Sun Ce nodded slowly, contemplation coloring his countenance. "I get it. Liu Xun asked Huang Zu to watch his back while he marched on Haihun, just in case—"

"But Huang Zu only sent a paltry force – little more than was necessary to fulfill his promise," Zhou Yu finished, glancing ahead of them as a cynical smile flitted over his lips. "Alliances… don't appear to hold the same weight that they used to."

Hesitation flickered across the young officer's face at his loaded words, darkening for a moment the amber eyes and drawing a small frown onto his lips – but then it was gone, pushed aside by the urgency of the situation at hand and thoughts of the battle before them. The master of Wu rubbed his hands together thoughtfully, stepping over a sprawled body; beyond the stern, the canyon loomed high and daunting, lit by the flames consuming Huang Zu's third warship.

"So that's a lucky break for us." The strategist pressed his lips into a firm line.

"To some extent. But regardless of their dedication, they'll still outnumber us almost four men to one. And in terms of ships…"

Sun Ce reached out and dropped a hand onto his arm, simultaneously interrupting the discussion of odds and steadying his balance as he tripped over an abandoned spear. "But that's what the canyon's for, right? So no matter how many troops they have, they can only put two warships through at a time?"

The swordsman nodded, halting in his steps until the Sun lord had managed to successfully navigate the enemy corpse at his feet. "That's true. However, once we engage in battle, they will likely string planks between all of their ships. Then the entire force can attack us at the same time." The young officer made a face, releasing his warrior's shoulder as he regained his stability and they continued their journey aft.

"Damn… what's our battle plan, then? Should we get into them right away, or would it be better to hold them off as long as we can?" Zhou Yu frowned.

"That's a complicated question, Ce… in terms of our efforts, it would be best to keep them away for as long as possible. If we don't fully engage the enemy forces, however, there's a chance they could realize Huan is being attacked and withdraw." The strategist shook his head, raising his eyes to the landscape as they reached the stern railing and the chasm rose up before them in the shadows of fire. "Ultimately, it depends on how long the main fleet waits before sailing here to challenge us. The closer our army is to Huan, the less time we'll have to stall Huang Zu's forces."

With a nod of understanding, Sun Ce slumped forward to rest his forearms against the railing, amber eyes glowing with the light of the torches and the blazing warship ahead. "Got it. I guess that takes me to my next question." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, and the Sun lord gestured at the charcoal vessel writhing in flames halfway through the canyon. "What are we going to do about _that_? We can't get to the enemy fleet at all if that's in the way."

It was the first time the strategist had considered the problem, and he blinked a little, caught off guard at his companion's astute observation. "The warship? I'm not sure there's anything we can do. We can't send it downriver – it will hit these ships, and then the bridge behind us." The Little Conqueror straightened again, a warrior's frown marring his features.

"Sure. But if we _don't_ do something, it's only a matter of time until it hits us. Think about it – the only thing keeping it there now is the anchor, right? What's going to happen when the anchor rope burns?"

The swordsman put a thoughtful hand to his mouth, his eyes scanning the blazing contours of the ship before them. The vessel had already begun to sink, large pools of water showing through its unsound deck and sliding across the planks. The fire did not appear to be dying down, however – if anything, the higher reaches of the ship, adorned with banners and lit with torches of their own, were just beginning to burn, which meant that the boat had little chance of disintegrating into embers of its own accord before the archers' flames released the anchor. And it hardly seemed likely that the vessel would sink without causing any chaos.

Zhou Yu rubbed a hand against his forehead, considering the placement of their ships and Huang Zu's fleet in the narrowing river. Then he nodded slowly. "We can use that to our advantage as well – though for how much longer, I don't have an estimate." Sun Ce straightened a little at the hopeful answer, and the strategist gestured to the burning vessel, his brow furrowed in concentration. "That ship is about halfway through the canyon, and pushed against one side. Do you see the open water to the right?"

The Sun lord nodded vigorously, his expectant eyes scanning the channel of jet water rippling between the smoldering boat and the ravine's western wall. Zhou Yu stood back from the railing and crossed his arms over his chest. "We'll station our warships at the mouth of the canyon, and force Huang Zu's troops to come to us. To reach us, each craft will have to pass the burning ship – if they decide that option is too dangerous, we'll gain a valuable delay for the army attacking the city. In either case, it becomes the decision of their commanders whether or not to risk the fire. And judging by the enemy soldiers so far…"

His mind flashed to the company commander lying breathless and silent on the deck above them. If men like him were truly leading Huan's defense, Huang Zu's promise of aid was even more superficial – the officer's martial skills had obviously been lacking, which made the swordsman wonder just how much training their enemies had actually received before being stationed in Wan. Sending fresh recruits might eliminate the costs to Huang Zu's standing army, but it seemed like a bad policy in terms of gaining more recruits in the future, not to mention how extremely it limited the aid Liu Xun was actually acquiring. Then again, Huang Zu probably hadn't expected an attack on Huan at all.

The Little Conqueror brushed splinters from his elbows as he straightened to his full height, leaning up from the railing and shifting into a casual stance. Twin amber eyes echoed the curiosity in his words as he scratched his ear and met his strategist's dark gaze. "That sounds pretty good. But what about when the rope snaps, Yu? When that thing comes loose, it's headed our way, not back toward the fleet. What can we do to keep the damage down?"

Zhou Yu shook his head. "That may not be a danger we can avoid, Ce. We could keep both of our warships in a vertical line, out of the path of the burning ship. But in that case, we'd be leaving an avenue open to the river behind us. Huang Zu's forces would likely try to attack our army on the bridge – no matter the cost, we can't allow that to happen." Sun Ce nodded, glancing at the warship again as he ran a hand through his hair.

"Okay. Well… we'll just tell the soldiers to keep off of the second boat. Maybe some of the fleet'll get between us and that thing." The Sun lord smiled, confidence returning to his features as he slapped a hand onto his swordsman's back. "Let's not sweat it, Yu. Just another hurdle, right?"

For a moment, the strategist returned his commander's determined stare, weighing the optimism in the amber eyes against the shadows of war echoing across his companion's countenance. Then Zhou Yu exhaled softly and stepped back, shaking his head softly. "I'll ask the soldiers to move these ships into position. When our forces arrive…"

Sun Ce nodded, anticipating the instructions and smiling at his solemn warrior. "I'll get them set up – no problem. Two hundred to each ship." The young officer took a step back as well, mimicking his companion's movement. Then he stopped and considered his swordsman with a small smirk, rubbing idly at the back of his neck. "I think we've been working together too long, Yu. I'm finishing your sentences."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, a slight smirk tugging at the stoic corners of his mouth. "Does that mean I should be wary of replacement?" he asked, drawing a soft laugh from his commander's lips.

"Nah. Just means you should change up what you're saying – I'll stop listening if I think I've heard it before." The strategist shook his head, glaring mildly into the amused amber opposite his onyx eyes.

"You're rarely listening in the first place, Ce. Don't try to convince me you actually—"

A tremendous _crack_ split the midnight air, resounding against the side of the black ridge and echoing down the valley. Zhou Yu's jaw snapped shut, truncating the words as he and Sun Ce spun to face the hillside behind them, both officers falling into fighting stances. The swordsman stared into the darkness of the forested rise, anxiety swirling in his stomach as the noise continued – a series of small explosions, though he could see nothing standing out in the shadows. Was it an ambush? A rockslide? Had something gone wrong with the fire on the cliff top?

Then his obsidian eyes went wide, and the strategist turned back to meet his commander's stare, judging from the solemn lines of the Sun lord's face that he had identified the sound as well. The Little Conqueror pulled his bottom lip between his teeth, searching his dark warrior's features in silence for a long moment as his hands clenched into fists at his side.

"Guess that's our cue, huh?"

Zhou Yu nodded softly, his eyes scaling the canyon walls to regard the ridgeline high above them. "The fireworks… the fleet must be moving. It won't take them long to reach us." Onyx eyes found their amber opposites again, and the swordsman took another step back, the warship rocking with the current beneath him as though it could sense his focused apprehension. "Position of the soldiers. I'll move the ships."

Sun Ce nodded, a sliver of his charismatic smile slipping back across his face. "Got it. Let's get this show on the road."

With that, the young officer broke away and ran for the bow, his footsteps pounding across the starboard deck. Zhou Yu watched him for a moment, his gaze trailing the swishing ponytail and the heavy strides of the Sun lord's armored form. Then he turned and did the same, running for the neighboring warship with the starlight coalescing in his deep eyes.

.x.

"Charge!"

With a great battle cry, planks and chains fell into place between the warships, bringing all four vessels to a shaking halt in the mouth of the canyon. Sun Ce's troops drew their swords and jumped onto the thin boards, their voices raised in a shout of intimidation that echoed off the sides of the chasm and poured back across Huang Zu's fleet like the rain of arrows descending from above.

The infantrymen stormed across the makeshift bridges and into the waiting ranks of their opponents, barreling through the ready sailors with sweeping pikes and slashing blades. More than one soldier hit the water before reaching his opponent's deck, knocked from the rigged laths and into the fast-flowing river underneath. Huang Zu's men let out a similar yell, charging forward as their adversaries swarmed across the decks of the first two warships, flooding the floorboards with the tramping of four thousand feet and the bodies that succumbed beneath them.

From his place on the second tier of the annexed warship, Zhou Yu watched the battle spilling out before him, his gaze darting across the two armies that collided like waves and recoiled, then crashed back together, a mindless mayhem of sweat and steel. The autumn wind was colder now, and it swept his dark hair across his back, scattering the uniform strands over the weave of his battle tunic under the flickering light of the torches.

Twin obsidian eyes moved without pause from one side of the combat to the other, scanning the position of Huang Zu's fleet where it stretched the length of the canyon. Three enemy warships and a handful of smaller craft had slipped between their captured vessels and the burning boat at the center of the chasm, bearing the heat of the still smoldering flames in order to initiate warfare. The men on each side had shouted taunts and jeers at each other until the boarding planks dropped into place, chains thrown across the jolting decks to secure enemy and allied boats in some semblance of a battle field. Now the sea of soldiers tossed and roiled below him, the distinguishing colors of their armor getting lost in the darkness and the beat of adrenaline through the strategist's wrist.

Behind him, their makeshift bridge was transporting the greater part of the army into Wan's forested hills. Zhou Yu couldn't be sure how many men had already passed across the linked forms of the captured ships, but he had to trust Lieutenant Chao and the others to keep their regiments moving swiftly across the water. The dark warrior sighed, pressing his lips into a firm line as his grip tightened around the hilt of his sword. The initial strategy seemed to be working – there was nothing more he could do to ensure conquest of the city itself. Nothing more he could do but join the fray.

In one swift movement, the swordsman had mounted the railing before him, standing on the thin strip of wood with precariously maintained balance as his eyes roved the battle beneath him. The soldiers crossing the boarding ramp to his left were having trouble reaching the enemy deck because of a fierce group of spear-wielders awaiting them on the other side, and he aimed for that, landing on the first tier of his warship with a sizable crash.

Zhou Yu ran for a clear patch of stern railing just to the right of the plank, his heartbeat fast in his ears as he gathered speed and leapt onto the barricade. As soon as his feet touched the wooden obstacle, the strategist pushed himself into the air, rolling forward in a front flip with his sword fully extended. The dark swordsman watched the water tossing beneath him and heard the scream of a few surprised adversaries as his blade found their necks and shoulders – then he landed on the enemy deck in a crouch, staring into the chaos of the battle as the unwary opponents crumpled to their knees behind him.

Zhou Yu spun and caught three more soldiers in their unsuspecting stomachs. As their weapons tumbled to the ground, a raucous cheer went up from the warship he had left behind, and in an instant the men of Wu surrounded him, flooding forward across the boarding ramp and onto the enemy ship. The strategist straightened from his stance and glanced around him, measuring the chaos on all sides as his sword slipped back to a natural defensive position in front of him.

From the amount of enemy soldiers spilling across the port and starboard decks, the rest of Huang Zu's ships had likely been chained to their forerunners, allowing the enemy forces greater access to their full numbers. The space of one warship was too small for all of the enemy soldiers to attack at once, but the four hundred Wu infantrymen wouldn't hold up long against the overwhelming tide of opponents if they remained so vastly outnumbered.

Zhou Yu moved from his position and dashed through the clouds of oncoming enemies, his sword flying freely around his dexterous form. Huang Zu's soldiers stood stunned in his wake, some merely shocked and others collapsing from the sting of his blade. The swordsman continued on without bothering to finish his work – few though they were, the Wu forces could take care of already injured adversaries. The strategist kept running, dodging the strikes coming from all sides and wounding as many opponents as possible as he made his way toward the warship's stern. Once there, he drove his hilt into one man's torso and used his shoulder to knock another into the water, disposing of the small clump of adversaries that immediately encircled him. The cries of surprise and vigorous splashing echoed in his ears as the enemy soldiers drew back, giving him a clear view of the fleet once again.

Though he knew Huang Zu's forces couldn't have more than ten warships – seven, now that three were out of their hands – the string of boats seemed to go on forever, augmented by the smaller craft in the interstice of more impressive vessels. But he could see the pincer point – the vulnerability to the army's movement. To stay as far from the burning warship as possible, only a small craft was stationed in the section of the canyon bordering the blazing pile of embers that bristled against the surface of the river. From where the dark warrior stood, the small craft was only one warship away – one warship full to its brimming edges with enemy soldiers and their gleaming weapons.

Zhou Yu dared a glance behind him, noting Wu soldiers moving just at the edge of his peripheral vision. The first boat wasn't under control yet – none of his forces were ready to storm a second. It would be a risky venture alone. But if the group currently engaged in combat could be isolated, the discrepancy in numbers would no longer be so overwhelming—

One adversary yelled and dove for the strategist, his spear extended. The swordsman knocked him aside with a quick dodge and a blow to the nape of the neck, and then he was back in the flow of the battle, all his attention locked on the opponents around him. Two men rushed forward and he propelled the first one back into the second, sending their unsteady tangle into the stern railing and subsequently the black folds of the water. Fear and anticipation streaming across their nameless faces, Huang Zu's soldiers rushed forward in a swarm, unsteady pikes jabbing at him in the grip of trembling hands.

Zhou Yu could tell he'd been at least close in his assumption of his adversaries' training, and they were easy to dispatch, falling swiftly beneath his sword blade and abandoning themselves to the river with nothing more than a few blows. Their armor was weak as well, another disadvantage for Huang Zu's poorly chosen defenders.

One soldier, who couldn't have been older than seventeen, shook as his sword clipped the strategist's battle tunic, his eyes so large in his face that Zhou Yu wondered if they might not fall from their sockets. The swordsman's hilt against the youth's breastbone drove his opponent into the jaws of the tributary. After that, the dark warrior did his best to push most of them overboard, using strike after strike to drive them to the edge of the deck and knocking them backward into the water with a cacophony of slapping splashes.

In a matter of minutes he had cleared the warship's stern, but more adversaries gushed toward him across the plank bridge, halberds stern and stiff in their inexperienced hands. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, blocking one strike with his sword as he kicked another soldier overboard. As long as the ships were chained together, the enemies would never stop coming – and as much as he could filter the number of opponents reaching the Wu forces behind him, some of Huang Zu's men ran straight past him, and another enemy warship was only a matter of feet starboard from the deck.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, the strategist hoped Sun Ce was taking control of that vessel as they had planned – then he was jarred back into the world of war around him, narrowly dodging a pike intended for his neck and sweeping his sword across four or five pairs of knees. His opponents howled as they went down against the cold floorboards, but Zhou Yu paid them little mind, hurtling past their folded forms to strike at their comrades instead.

"Get the pirates! Take them down, men! Take them down!"

At the thundering voice somewhere in his blind spot, the strategist dove left, staggering as he came up and a fallen adversary muddled the path of his feet. Now he could see the speaker, a man who looked remarkably like the company commander he had killed earlier, his dagger-laden hands waving above his head for emphasis and direction. The enemy soldiers roared and started toward him again, but Zhou Yu ignored them, only sweeping his sword abstractly through the crowd as he aimed for the officer instead. The cries of the wounded behind him blended into the crackling of the blazing warship and the tramp of running footfalls as he came face to face with Huang Zu's general, surprising the man into a backward step as his blade caught the light of the flickering torches and dove for his adversary's throat.

The man's knives stood up better against Wu's dark swordsman than his subordinates' generic attacks had, and as their weapons broke apart Zhou Yu felt himself wincing at the feel of a shaft prodding his unguarded back. But it only took three strikes to take the officer down, and then he turned back to the swarming insects behind him, abandoning his usually precise form for eight wide swipes across faces and the vulnerable lines of each man's neck. The bodies formed a miniature wall at his feet as soldier after soldier toppled over, crushing his comrades in their final breaths.

The crowd drew back a short distance, retreating onto the plank between warships and staring at him with a collection of startled eyes. Zhou Yu's gaze was cold when he spoke, shouting despite the evenness of his voice. "Any man that wants to live jumps ship now!" he yelled into the surrounding enemies, similar words from their earlier ambush ringing in his ears.

Again a number of soldiers dove into the water, neglecting their duties in favor of their lives. But the greater portion only let out an answering cry, barreling forward across the thin bridge to meet his sword head-on as though their frantic determination could save them. Zhou Yu met them with equal strength, sending them to the bloodied floor or into the water, by force if not by choice.

With a series of careful blows and dodging steps, the strategist made his way toward the boarding plank, pushing Huang Zu's forces back with both ends of his blade. Zhou Yu kicked a loose sword out of his way as he mounted the plank bridge at last, shoving a few of his opponents aside with rough elbow strikes. One man held up his fisted hands as though he wanted to box, but the swordsman was in no mood to waste time, and a slash through the soft tissue of his lower stomach disposed of the squawking adversary, who fell sideways into the river and vanished.

Fighting across the bridge was even more difficult than fighting on the stern had been, the rocking, unstable connection rig between both boats vibrating with the tread of his saturated leather boots. Zhou Yu's arms flew horizontally to regain his balance as one man hacked at the plank with his crude blade and nearly sent both the strategist and his own comrades hurtling into the river.

The dark warrior gritted his teeth and tightened his grip around his sword hilt, knocking a number of foes into the tributary with sharp kicks to their knees. In the sheen of their splashes, the river water flecking his face and glinting in the torchlight, Zhou Yu bodily shoved his way through the curtain of foes on the plank and tumbled onto the enemy deck. He regained his feet in time to drive one opponent's head from his shoulders, and then Huang Zu's soldiers descended on him in an unrelenting landslide of pikes and bamboo plates, their eyes gleaming with terrified murder.

The strategist spun, dragging his blade after him and slicing through the weak point just below his opponents' shoulder joints. The first ring of enemies fell to the floor around him, creating a carpet for those of their comrades who rushed forward immediately to fill the space. The flat of a sword struck Zhou Yu's shoulder, and he winced as he lopped the man's weapons arm to the floor, taking advantage of the chinks in his adversaries' poorly made armor to render a few more of the soldiers limbless. Each man screeched as his appendage slumped to the deck, joining the bodies of the fallen and dragging its former master into a crouch from the sheer blinding pain of his open shoulder.

With each successful blow and shrieking splash, Zhou Yu was surer of his opponents' poor skills, and more certain of his advantage even in isolation. But despite his experience, the overwhelming numbers of enemy soldiers drove him back, and soon the swordsman found himself trapped in the doorway of the warship's castle, the black opening of the first level gaping behind him. The strategist parried twice and drove his blade through one man's side, but his movement was restricted by the doorframe and his wrist smacked into the wood as he attacked the horde of adversaries in front of him. Zhou Yu bit his tongue, pain spiraling up his sword arm and shooting momentary sparks across his vision.

There was a scuffling of feet behind him, and the swordsman ducked instinctively, barely dodging the blade that aimed for his neck and exposed the presence of its wielder in the darkness behind him. Wu's leading strategist dropped his weapon and reached behind him to grab the man's arm, rolling the enemy soldier over his shoulder and propelling him forward into the mass of enemies still littering the bow.

His opponent yelped as he landed with a crash among his comrades, the living crumbling beneath him and the dead cushioning his fall, and Zhou Yu snatched his sword again, scanning the disrupted crowd before him in search of an obvious weak point. Then he turned and raced for the ladder behind him, abandoning the open deck for the gloom of the castle.

The space inside the warship's central tower was close and stifling, completely black with a lack of torches and the night air. The swordsman felt other bodies moving around him, their weapons hissing as they swung indiscriminately through the blackness, but none of them connected with his body and he kept moving past them as quickly as he could, driving his hilt into blind stomachs and torsos as he ran. Zhou Yu stumbled over an unseen obstacle in the dark, and as he reached out to steady himself his hand scraped the heavy wooden ladder, knuckles smarting from the rough contact. The strategist tucked his sword under one arm and began to climb, kicking at the bodies he could hear milling beneath him and the breath of weapons that only missed by hairs.

When he reached the second tier, Zhou Yu leapt from the ladder and kicked it down after him, slamming the hatch between the two levels shut with his foot. A host of enemies immediately appeared in the two doorways leading out of the castle's interior, their silhouettes ebony and oversized in the light of the torches flickering on the railings behind them. With these men's corpses he blocked the trapdoor, slinging his sword through two throats and catching a third man through the jaw – their silent forms tumbled to his feet and fell across the floorboards, drowning out the pounding from the level below as they crashed to their knees.

There were more soldiers behind these, and more yelling from below, and Zhou Yu felt his pulse mounting as he dodged an incoming halberd and burst back into the clear night, the torches lighting his feet and the faces of the adversaries already waiting for him.

The strategist barely managed to breathe before he was back in the midst of battle again, knocking two opponents from the higher railing and listening to their flailing shrieks as they headed for the crowded deck below. Huang Zu's sailors on the lower level jeered at him, waving their sparkling weapons above their heads and barely noticing the comrades that toppled down on them as Zhou Yu began clearing the upper deck, forcing his adversaries back over the balustrade or down to his feet. Men beneath him mounted crates and jumped up to claw at the second tier; the swordsman slashed off the fingers clinging to the railing and shoved his adversaries back into one another, barely holding back the tide of enemies that threatened to swallow him.

Zhou Yu dispatched a few more of the enemies gathered around the tower's entrance, slinging his sword through their weak guards and taking out three men in the throat. But as he pulled his blade back and drove it behind him, dropping the opponent whose breath had been burning the skin of his neck, the strategist could feel that his weapon was moving more slowly than before – he was beginning to tire, and he hadn't even made it to the boarding plank yet. If he lost his strength here, he'd have no way of breaking the chain of Huang Zu's ships and limiting the enemy's numbers, and without that…

The thought shot adrenaline through the swordsman's system again, and for a moment the pounding blood in his ears was enough to make his strikes even faster than normal, parrying and riposting his adversaries' blows and driving Huang Zu's soldiers to their knees. But as the rush faded, Zhou Yu found himself in a close deadlock, the enemy blade inches from his face and his feet slipping against the blood-soaked floorboards. The soldier before him was openly terrified, his features coated with panic and his eyes wide – but nonetheless, he was pushing the strategist back, forcing him to navigate the plentiful corpses on the ground as he struggled for firm footing.

The swordsman's face contorted in a scowl, and he pushed back with all his strength, sending his foe stumbling over the side of the railing. Twin obsidian eyes watched the man fall, and the dark warrior struggled to breathe normally, his arms shaking just slightly under the strain of prolonged fatigue. Now he could feel all the sleepless nights pushing down on him – his limbs were starting to feel heavy, a bad sign in the middle of fight, especially one so deep into the enemy ranks. Zhou Yu gritted his teeth and jammed his shoulder into a nearby sailor, driving the man over the second tier's balustrade and into the sea of spears waving beneath him.

But even as his blow landed against the other man's collar, the strategist staggered, losing his footing on the deck strewn with casualties. Zhou Yu struggled to regain his balance, his sword rising to catch one man in the jaw as the hilt slammed into another's stomach. Before he could recover his stance, the shaft of a pike came down hard on his back, and the dark warrior lurched forward again, this time coming to a halt only when he crashed into the upper deck's railing.

The strategist choked as he slammed against the hard wooden barrier, his fingers scrambling to keep him from slipping over the balustrade – but they couldn't save his sword, and the weapon tumbled from his fingers to land on the deck below, drawing an earsplitting cheer from the soldiers beneath him. Zhou Yu cursed, losing sight of the shimmering blade beneath endless shifting feet, his hands now helpless against the railing.

A whistling rang out by his ear, and the swordsman threw himself sideways, managing to avoid most of a spear attack – the blade clipped his shoulder on the way down, and he let out a stifled grunt of pain as the impact echoed through his armor, the weapon's force aching along his arm though it drew no blood. Zhou Yu punched one man squarely in the nose and dodged another's incoming sword, rolling between their feet to come up along the port edge of the upper deck.

There was a dagger hidden inside his boot, and in an instant it was in his hand – but just as quickly it was gone again, thrust into the back of an unsuspecting adversary on his right. The strategist jumped back to avoid a sweeping halberd strike, then slipped sideways as the same weapon jabbed for his stomach. Zhou Yu drove his elbow into the halberdier's chin, driving that man to the ground. But almost simultaneously, he winced as a blade ricocheted off of the leather plates on his back, only his armor preventing a deep wound.

The blow drove Zhou Yu forward in a reeling stagger, and one hand shot out in search of stability, grasping tendrils of the night air as though those could hold him upright. Without intention, his pale fingers wrapped around the staff of the banner flickering overhead; his eyes traced the contours of the fluttering fabric for half a second as the roar of his enemies hammered across his ears and drowned out his heavy breathing. Then the thick shaft snapped under a sharp kick, and the pole was in his hand, Huang Zu's emblem flying through the air and blinding his soldiers as the strategist whipped the broken flag over his head and brought it down hard against an opponent's neck.

Zhou Yu had never been particularly good with a shafted weapon. He didn't know if it was adrenaline or his enemies' incompetency fueling the accuracy of his blows – but one after another, the gasping soldiers fell back, shoved into each other with jabs to the chest or knocked sideways by the twirling staff above his head. The swordsman found himself shouting, the meaningless syllable tearing itself from his throat to echo across the deck and the surrounding water; he was in the infantry's midst again, jerking his makeshift weapon first one way and then another to take down as many adversaries as possible.

The blunt staff slammed into one man's open chin and Zhou Yu heard it crack as he moved on, spinning the banner over his head and twirling it through the ranks of Huang Zu's troops with a series of splintering crashes. The strategist made his way through the crowded deck like a hurricane, tossing enemies out of his way and parrying only when he could be sure not to snap his improvised arm.

A man directly in front of him screamed, and it was only as orange flared along the soldier's stubbled chin that Zhou Yu realized the banner had caught fire, its tail end sweeping through one of the torches as he spun it above his head and knocked helmets askew. The flames had a greater effect on the enemy even than his landed blows, and they staggered over each other to get away, many vaulting from the railing to the deck below in sheer terror of the approaching flame.

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth against the heat sweeping past his face and hands and pushed himself forward, clearing the upper deck of adversaries. The blazing flag swept through the air before him, sometimes only knocking men off balance and sometimes connecting with their uncovered flesh. His swift progression left a line of shrieking soldiers in his wake, clutching at the seared skin of their faces and their blinded eyes.

The swordsman wheeled his flaming weapon above his head and brought it down once more against the crush of opponents before him, earning a chorus of shouts as the fire edged along their armor and caught their sleeves. Four men shook their arms wildly, attempting to dislodge the flaring embers – then they threw themselves from the second level and dove into the river, disappearing beneath the ebony rolls of the current to douse the flames. One brave soldier lunged at him, sword fully extended, but his stance was weak and Zhou Yu knocked him easily aside, spilling the man onto the deck at his feet and driving the scorching banner into the unprotected skin at the back of his neck.

"Yu!"

The familiar name and soaring shout caught the strategist off guard, and he almost missed blocking an overhead strike, tongues of flame flickering dangerously close to his face as he shoved his weapon into a rising block. The embers and smoke from the burning flag made his eyes water, and the swordsman forced them closed to kick his opponent away, landing a hard blow between the man's thighs as the heat pulsed and blazed against his skin. Zhou Yu slammed the cold end of the staff into his adversary's forehead, knocking the man backward from his howling kneel.

The other soldiers surrounding him had finally had enough, and they dispersed immediately, even the most stalwart running for the railing and careening down to the lower deck. But they found no peace there – as soon as the upper level was clear, a series of shouts and sharp cracks rang through the bristling night air, accompanying a cacophony of splashes and a confident voice that widened Zhou Yu's eyes and snapped his head toward the railing.

"You wanna fight? No problem! You're history, pal!"

The strategist raced for the railing, colliding with the wooden barricade for the second time as his breath caught in his throat. There was Sun Ce, clearing the lower deck – his tonfa twirled around him like a ceaseless tornado, knocking enemies to both sides and back into the water. As the dark warrior's fingers tightened on the balustrade, his flaming banner crackling just beside his head, the Little Conqueror looked up and found him with two shimmering amber eyes, an unstoppable grin creasing his face.

"There you are! I was looking all over for you!"

Zhou Yu pushed himself onto the railing and leapt down to the main deck, smashing his flaming staff into a pair of startled helmets as his feet hit the ground. The strategist bashed his way through the sea of enemies until he reached the Sun lord's side, and he exhaled in relief as his back found his companion's, the familiar defensive position. Sun Ce laughed, elbowing him in the ribs as the swordsman stared into the anxious faces of his opponents.

"Since when do you fight with fire, huh?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, scanning the deck floor between the feet of his enemies for a flash of recognizable silver. The banner flickered flame in front of him.

"Since I lost my sword. I thought you were taking control of the second warship."

The young officer chuckled, swinging his tonfa experimentally through the thin autumn air; the strategist watched their wheeling ends out of his periphery. "Yeah, I did. Then I went to check up on your ship, and got that all cleared out, too. I was just working my way up." The Sun lord dashed forward to slam his weapons into a few of the enemy soldiers lingering near the boarding plank, and for a moment cold air slipped between the two officers, but it disappeared again as the master of Wu stepped back to his companion, the leather plates of their armor whispering against each other. "What are you doing over here, anyway?"

Zhou Yu sighed, mildly irritated with the objective he still hadn't managed to complete. The blazing end of his staff sputtered as it choked on the last threads of the fabric and began licking the wooden shaft instead, and he pointed it squarely at his opponents, the threat of fire driving a few adversaries farther back.

"I was attempting to secure the pincer point. If we can cut the connection between this ship and the small craft at its stern, we'll sever the connection with the fleet altogether. I was headed in that direction."

Sun Ce snorted, prodding a corpse with the toe of his disbelieving boot. "Was that before or after you did all this? It's like a graveyard over here!" The swordsman shrugged, keeping his eyes pinned on the enemies before him.

"I did ask them to surrender first."

The Little Conqueror shook his head, strands of chestnut hair tickling his companion's neck at the small motion. "You are a crazy bastard, Yu." The words were playful despite their connotation, and the strategist could hear his commander smiling as he shifted his feet to a firmer stance. "As long as you're here, there's nothing we can't do." Zhou Yu smirked a little, and the tonfa wheeled in his periphery once again, accompanying a series of small pops as the young officer cracked his neck from side to side. "Well, you still game for it? What's our attack plan now?"

The swordsman looked between the soldiers in front of him, the bodies at his feet, and the blistering flame slithering down the staff in his hands, disintegrating the firm wood into a glowing stack of embers that flared in the autumn wind. Then he shook his head.

"Ce… I think the best course of action here is complete annihilation."

Sun Ce chuckled, leaning forward in his stance and audibly grinning. "Do you have any idea how many years I've been waiting to hear that? There's a strategy I can really get behind."

The soldiers around them fidgeted, looking between the two Wu officers with a renewed light of anxiety flitting across their unshaven faces. Zhou Yu gripped his staff more firmly and glanced around him once more, taking in the wealth of arms scattered around his feet in all directions. They weren't his, but the broken banner was going to be useless in a matter of minutes, nothing but charcoal remaining – the strategist bent forward and lifted a halberd into his empty hand, bracing both shafted weapons against his side.

"If you see my sword…"

The Sun lord nodded, the motion echoing through his body and into the warrior behind him. "I'll kick it at you. Ready?"

Zhou Yu nodded. Sun Ce couldn't see it, but he didn't have to – as soon as the words died on his lips, both officers flew into the knot of enemies surrounding them, striking hard and fast against their frightened opponents. The swordsman jabbed his flaming staff into one man's neck and let it stay there, earning an earsplitting shriek from the mouth of the writhing soldier. He pulled the halberd into his stronger hand and brought it down, breaking guards and poorly forged weapons with the powerful stroke.

The strategist continued into the swarm of Huang Zu's persistent soldiers, but his attention was now lodged firmly on the figure behind him – more than the crash of his stolen halberd against armor and skin, he heard the lively steps of his companion dashing across the bloodied deck, eternally catching glimpses of his flashing chestnut ponytail. Zhou Yu swept one corner of the deck clear and turned his back to the river; the soldiers nearest him drew away, wary of the crimson weapon he wielded and the tributary not far below him. Through his defensive guard, the dark warrior studied his commander's movements; the young officer raced from one end of the bow to the other, chasing his opponents down when they tried to flee and knocking bystanders into the water.

"Where do you think you're going?" the Little Conqueror demanded, the end of one tonfa connecting with the back of an adversary's helmet. The man in question tumbled to the floor, crushed beneath Sun Ce's exuberant feet as the Sun lord moved on to his next target. He kicked two soldiers into the river and let out a short laugh, waving victorious tonfa at their splashing forms. "Two down, many more to go!"

Huang Zu's soldiers stumbled back from the exultant form of the master of Wu, tripping over themselves and shooting each other uncertain glances across the carnage of the lower deck. Then almost as one, the sailors turned tail and fled, rushing down the port and starboard decks and vanishing into the shadows of the night. In moments, the entire bow was devoid of living enemies, and Zhou Yu straightened in his stance, halberd still at guard in front of him. The footsteps of the retreating army echoed like thunder in his ears, and he turned to look at his companion, an eyebrow raised in silent question. Sun Ce grinned, hoisting his fisted weapons into the air.

"Oh yeah! That'll teach 'em not to mess with me!"

Zhou Yu shook his head, unable to help his slight chuckle. "I never grow tired of watching you fight," he murmured, the words barely carrying over the crackling of the warship's flailing torches. The young officer laughed, winking at his strategist across the battle-spattered deck.

"Well, lucky for you, I never get tired of fighting. A battle wouldn't be complete without me in the middle of things." The master of Wu rolled his shoulders, loosening the tight muscles as he turned back toward the rest of the fleet. "Come on, Yu – let's find that sword of yours, and then let's take out that ship you were talking about."

Zhou Yu nodded smoothly, moving forward into the piled corpses and rolling bodies aside with the end of his halberd. Sun Ce came to stand at his side and pushed the lifeless soldiers away with his foot, wrinkling his nose at the sheer quantity of weapons scattered across the deck.

"You really went to town over here, didn't you?"

The strategist rolled his eyes, pushing the staff of his stolen arm against one adversary's shoulder as he scanned the deck around him. "I was only doing my job, Ce. Are you going to help me search or not?"

The Little Conqueror huffed, blowing his damp chestnut bangs away from his forehead as they moved into the shadow of the central castle. "Yeah, yeah… I'm working on it." The young lord kicked a few bodies aside and rubbed sweat away from his face with the back of his hand, furrows marring his forehead as he whistled under his breath. "Man… is it hot, or is that just me?"

The strategist didn't answer, his eyes catching on a streak of silver just at the base of the tower's stoic wall. It didn't seem as though his sword should have shone any differently than the others lying haphazardly across Huang Zu's desecrated warship, and he was skeptical even as he made his way toward the gleaming weapon, his face set in an idle frown. But as soon as he'd found the hilt of the buried weapon, Zhou Yu felt himself smiling – with the swish of metal against cloth and silent skin, the sword revealed itself to his hand, stained bright red but otherwise familiar.

The dark warrior straightened and wiped his blade across the torn fabric of his sleeve, cleaning what he could of the blood before he returned it to the scabbard at his side. Only then did he turn back to meet Sun Ce's gaze, watching the flickering amber as it shifted in the torchlight.

"What did you say?"

But by then the Sun lord didn't need an answer – his mouth hung open and his eyes had gone incredibly wide, frozen in the contours of his face. He was staring over the strategist's shoulder, and Zhou Yu turned to follow his line of sight. The swordsman staggered back a step in surprise, his hands clenching to fists at his side. Breath stopped in his lungs, the autumn air cold and dry against his throat.

There had been no warning – no noise but the insidious hissing of too much heat against a wide expanse of water, no cry from the soldiers throughout the canyon who were too busy with combat to look across the river. Bearing down on them was the wreckage of the third warship in all its blazing glory, steam writhing from its blackened skeleton as the sinking runners carried it all too swiftly toward the vessel of the dead – the vessel where Wu's leading officers stood in silence, frozen stock still in their stances.

Sun Ce found his voice first.

"Holy—"

Zhou Yu shoved him toward the river, propelling them both in the direction of the port bow. "Run, Ce! In the water _now_!"

The two men moved with the speed of the wind, dodging corpses and abandoned weapons as the searing heat from the flaming ship billowed against their backs. With simultaneous crashes, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce hit the water, disappearing beneath its icy surface, and the third warship collided with the chain of boats, igniting the fires that would take Huang Zu's fleet to the canyon floor.

.x.

When Zhou Yu surfaced, gasping for breath and fighting the current, it was to find himself in the wider stretch of the river beyond the chasm's jaws, well past the warships now chaotic with flames and shouting soldiers. A short distance ahead, the makeshift bridge of smaller craft was still in position, and the swordsman forced himself to stay above the surface as he coasted toward that, swimming as close to the shore as the river's forceful flow allowed him.

The bobbing forms of the boats came closer and closer, their united planks and chains creaking with the movement of the water, and Zhou Yu managed to get hold of the smooth side of one vessel, his hands trembling with cold. The strategist struggled for a moment half in and half out of the water, straining to strengthen his grip against the side of the scout ship. Finally he was able to heave himself onto the dry deck, showering drops of water in all directions.

Zhou Yu rolled onto his back and stared up at the clear night sky in silence, willing his pulse to slow where it hammered in his ears, and a frigid shudder slid down his spine. For a long moment, he did nothing more, focusing only on his breathing and the pounding of the heart in his chest.

At last the swordsman pushed himself up on his elbows, surveying the small craft and the scene all around. Aside from the motion of the boat beneath him, everything was still. Nothing moved along the bank of the river, and the bridge had been completely abandoned, meaning at least that the Wu army had made it into the forested hills surrounding Huan. Zhou Yu sighed and got slowly to his feet, wringing the river water from his sopping sleeves and glancing toward the blazing ships. He could only hope the soldiers of Wu would jump into the water when the fire came too close…

"Ht…"

Zhou Yu started at the small sound, his gaze sweeping along the line of boats – then his eyes widened and he jogged across the boarding planks, aiming for the figure toiling to pull himself up some distance farther down the bridge. Sun Ce's fingers were pale beneath the starlight, clinging to the railing as he kicked his feet through the water. The master of Wu smiled as his swordsman reached the small craft he'd latched onto, and he accepted the proffered hand gratefully, teeth chattering between his words.

"Yu! Th-there you are. S-sorry – g-guess I n-need a little help here."

The dark warrior took hold of his companion's elbow and hauled the Little Conqueror into the boat, letting go as the soaked officer crumpled to the deck beside him. The Sun lord shook his head and bashed one hand against his ear to get the water out, laughing even as he shivered violently, scattering his ponytail across his shoulders.

"Man… t-that river was really s-something, wasn't it? Almost m-makes me wish I'd stayed f-for the fire…"

Zhou Yu knelt at his companion's side and rubbed his armored back, offering whatever warmth the water hadn't leeched from his body. "Are you all right, Ce?" he asked, forcing his tone to remain even despite the tremors tearing across his damp skin as well. Sun Ce laughed again.

"S-s-sure. I'm just a l-little cold, th-that's all."

The strategist said nothing; his hand moved in soft circles as his gaze strayed again to the burning fleet behind them, lighting the entire canyon with the sheer volume of flame devouring Huang Zu's vessels. It would take some time for the anchors of those warships to snap as the catalyst craft's had – but when they did, there would be nothing to intercept them, and the flaming skeletons of the once proud vessels would come straight toward the makeshift bridge…

Zhou Yu shook his head and took hold of the young officer's elbow again, helping him to his feet and meeting the curious gaze evenly through the thin autumn air. "We should move. When their anchors go, those warships are headed this direction…" Sun Ce's eyes widened slightly, and he straightened at his swordsman's side, nodding his understanding as he wiped droplets of water from his chin.

"Right. Let's g-get out of here."

The strategist nodded and slipped an arm around his companion's shoulders, walking in stride with the Sun lord toward the shore. The master of Wu shuddered again and wrinkled his nose, making a disgruntled face at his dark warrior as the small ships rocked and creaked beneath their footsteps. "N-no fair. You're j-just as wet as I am. Why aren't you sh-shivering, too?" Zhou Yu tightened his hold around the young officer's form and ran his free hand through his sopping hair.

"I'm less temperature sensitive than you are, Ce. That is not a new development."

Sun Ce huffed, wrapping his arm around his swordsman's waist as they moved across one of the unsteady planks holding the string of boats together. "F-figures." The young lord sniffled a little, but when he looked up to catch his strategist's gaze he was smiling again, the light of the stars playful in his amber eyes. "Th-that means you're g-gonna keep me warm once we g-get back to camp, right?"

Zhou Yu scoffed a little at the suggestion, his gaze slipping to the forest ahead of them as both officers stepped off of the final boat and felt the security of earth beneath their feet once more. The swordsman shook his head, gesturing loosely to the chasm in front of them and the high ridge bordering its eastern edge.

"I was actually heading for the bonfire. It should warm you far faster than I can." The strategist's eyes traced the spot of flickering orange some distance ahead and the gray smoke rising above it, his lips pressed into a thin line as gravity suffused his features again. "And that aside… I'd like to assess the damage to Huang Zu's fleet. Our enemy may not yet be entirely out of commission."

Sun Ce blinked at the unexpected answer, then straightened in his stance and increased pace toward the cliff top, pulling against the hold around his shoulders as command and charisma brightened his eyes once again. He had stopped shivering, and his tone when he spoke was steady, though whether with his sincerity or returning warmth the swordsman didn't know.

"Yeah – good idea. We should check in with the soldiers, too – maybe they'll know how the attack on Huan is going. And I want to get those search parties started." Zhou Yu nodded shortly, the soft soil of the battle-broken beach shifting beneath his feet as they made for the blazing beacon. He was forced to pause, however, when the young officer leaned up to find his ear, the whispered words sliding like a shiver down his spine. "But just so we're clear… nothing warms me up like you do."

For a moment, the strategist stopped moving altogether, turning his head to meet the teasing amber eyes shining above the Sun lord's irrepressible grin. The swordsman opened his mouth and then closed it again, shooting his commander a flat look through the soft autumn air. "Ce…" Sun Ce laughed, leaning into his companion as a grin captured his features.

"What? It's just the truth, Yu – don't get all uptight about it."

There was a reprimand on the dark warrior's lips, but he never got the chance to speak. Before the words so much as left his mouth, a tremendous explosion rent the cold night air, breaking the two officers apart and shooting them both into fighting stances as they whirled to face the river.

Zhou Yu's first thought was of the battle, and his eyes flashed across the burning forms of Huang Zu's fleet as the sound echoed down the valley, bouncing off of the dark ridgeline and the open water of the Yangzi tributary. But the next moment his gaze shot to the sky, and the swordsman felt his jaw fall open slightly as a series of crystalline sparks appeared in the heavens above them, shattering constellations with the overwhelming light and a noise like thunder. The strategist watched the detonations in silence for a moment, and then his eyes moved to meet Sun Ce's, measuring the surprise on his companion's face. Zhou Yu swallowed and found his voice again.

"Fireworks… from Huan…"

The Sun lord said nothing for a long moment, staring into the night sky with a look of wonder suffusing his features. Then a grin took hold of the young officer's mouth, and it spread until it had consumed his entire countenance, shining in his eyes with light far brighter than the fireworks themselves. The Little Conqueror laughed out loud, jumping up and punching one fist into the air as his victorious shout rang out across the river.

"All right! We did it! We got 'em!"

Sun Ce landed and wheeled back to face his swordsman, grabbing Zhou Yu's shoulders and shaking him hard as the explosions continued their terrific eruptions overhead.

"We did it, Yu! We took Huan! I knew we could – I knew it would work!"

The strategist sighed, his shoulders slumping from their rigid surprise as a smile slipped across his face. The Sun lord laughed again and released him, spinning in a circle with both triumphant fists raised above his head.

"Take that, Liu Xun! Take that, Huang Zu! Nothing can stop me!"

The young officer bent and took hold of a smooth river stone, and then flung it as hard as he could across the water, whooping at the ensuing splash and another burst of fireworks overhead. Practically radiating excitement, Sun Ce spun back around and shot his companion an enormous grin, slamming one purposeful fist into his palm as he nodded sharply.

"Okay – let's get over there, Yu. We've gotta pack up the camp, and move the wagons – we can use some of these boats to get across the river—"

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to slow the racing instructions, but the sound of something crashing through the woods behind them cut him off, stiffening his shoulders again in unwelcome surprise. Both officers turned to face the trees, the Sun lord's features hardening back to his battle expression as they stared into the darkness of the forested ridge. The swordsman brushed the hilt of his weapon, his expression set. It was almost impossible to guess what might be lurking in the shadows—

Whatever the strategist had been expecting, it was not the form that came hurtling toward them out of the trees, gasping and tumbling to his knees as soon as he hit the beach. The man struggled to his feet, and the starlight showed blood spattered across his face as he bowed hurriedly, shifting on his heels as though he were about to collapse.

"Lord Sun Ce! Master Zhou Yu! Come quickly – we need your help!"

Zhou Yu exchanged a quick glance with his commander, and then they ran to the soldier's side, kicking up the soft soil in their wake. Sun Ce latched onto the man's elbow and steadied him, holding his subordinate upright as the infantryman's balance threatened to give way.

"Whoa, whoa – you okay? Yu, give me a hand here."

The swordsman moved to the soldier's other side and they seated him carefully on the sand, the Little Conqueror dropping to a kneel at his side. "Okay – take it easy. Tell me what's up."

But the man shook his lord's calming hand away and pushed himself up to his knees, swiping at the line of blood dripping down his temple. "I'm fine, my lord – it's the others. Lord Li Shu has been perilously injured!"

Zhou Yu's blood turned cold in his veins, stopping the movement of his heart as his eyes shot to Sun Ce's. The young officer's mouth hung open in stunned silence for a long moment before he took hold of his subordinate's shoulders and forced the man's gaze up to his, worry and disbelief warring back and forth across his face.

"Hold up. What are you talking about? Li Shu was up on the ridge where he couldn't get in trouble—"

The soldier shook his head violently, staggering back to his feet and drawing the Sun lord with him. "We were attacked, my lord. I was in Lord Li Shu's squad. A number of enemy troops tried to flee through the gap at the top of the pass – at least forty, my lord."

Zhou Yu's throat tightened, his hands clenching to fists at his side. Li Shu had only been given twelve men to hold the message line…

The man breathed heavily in and out, his urgency fatiguing him yet farther than the battle had. "I recommended we go for reinforcements, but Lord Li Shu vowed to stop them. He said he was willing to die in your service, my lord, if that were what it took to keep his word…"

Sun Ce's hand came up to cover his mouth, his eyes flickering closed for a moment in shock and dread. "No way. This isn't possible. He didn't actually—" The young officer cut himself off and turned back to his swordsman, amber eyes black with the autumn night as he shook his head. "We have to save him, Yu. We can't let this happen."

Zhou Yu nodded shortly, facing the infantryman with gravity swallowing his features. "Lead the way. Where is he?"

The man took a step back, nodding and gesturing toward the dark trees behind him. "Just at the edge of camp, my lord. He helped all of the soldiers down from the ridge, but he's hurt worst of all of us—"

Without another word, the three men shot into the shadowed forest, crushing roots and undergrowth beneath the pounding of their racing feet. Zhou Yu closed his eyes and prayed that they would be in time.

.x.

The main banquet chamber of Liu Xun's proud capital rocked and roiled with the shouts of a celebrating army, the sound of toasts and drinking contests escaping into the great house that surrounded the jovially progressing feast. In the wings of the sleeping quarters, however, everything was very quiet – only the tread of hushed feet broke the silence, whispering down long hallways under the breath of the wavering torches.

Medics, both those belonging to the Wu forces and those who made their home in Huan, walked between the rooms now filled with slumbering soldiers, each one tossing and turning as poultices and linen bandages wound across their broken bodies. From where he stood against the rammed earth wall of the corridor, arms crossed over his chest and eyes firmly closed, Zhou Yu could hear their incoherent mutterings leaking through the solemn doors, and he listened to the movement of hurried feet across the fine brick floor.

After some time, the door just to the strategist's left opened and a medic exited, dropping him a slight bow and holding the door open for his commanding officer. The swordsman pushed himself away from the wall and entered the room that was almost too dimly lit to discern the details of its interior. There were a number of bed rolls spread across the floor, and Zhou Yu made for the one at the center, standing above its occupant with a grim frown on his face. Li Shu smiled and nodded his head as best he could, pushing the bandages away from his eyes so he could meet the dark warrior's gaze.

"Ah – Master Zhou Yu. Forgive me for troubling you." The strategist raised a hand to cut him off, studying the heavily bandaged figure at his feet as his frown grew deeper.

"It's no trouble. I came to see how you're feeling."

Li Shu's face brightened, his eyes almost glowing despite the dimness of the surrounding room. "Just wonderful, my lord – nothing has lifted my spirits as well as hearing about our grand victory. I am so fortunate to have been a part of this great campaign." Zhou Yu's forehead furrowed, and he knelt down to meet the minister's cheerful gaze above his wounded form, dark hair slipping across his shoulders.

"Li Shu… you were nearly killed in the heat of battle. You attacked a much larger band with an infinitesimal force and did not lose a single soldier." The swordsman shook his head, dark eyes devoid of mirth. "I must admit you have surprised me. Why did you take these risks, knowing that you were not a warrior and could hardly hope to survive?"

For a moment the courtier blinked, and the strategist wondered if he were going to be offended by the accurate assessment of his martial skills – but then Li Shu laughed, rubbing a hand against his bandaged scalp. "For the same reason as any soldier, my lord. I gave Lord Sun Ce and yourself my word that I would protect the message line at any cost… how could I go back on my promise over something as trivial as my own safety?"

Zhou Yu said nothing as he studied the minister's smiling features, both hands resting in loose fists at his side. Then the swordsman sighed and pushed himself back to his feet, staring down at the courtier from his full height with a vague form of understanding slipping through his obsidian eyes. "Well, Li Shu… I suppose I cannot argue against that." The strategist glanced across the line of wounded soldiers, his thoughts flitting to their celebrating comrades below and the search parties now combing the riverbank in hopes of finding those in need of rescuing. "Sun Ce has instructed that you be made governor of this city, when your health returns… I'm certain you will do your best to rule wisely and in the interest of the empire."

It was unfortunate, in a way – everything had worked out according to Lady Li's designs. But the swordsman couldn't even find it in himself to oppose Li Shu's instatement as governor after the attack on the ridgeline – after it had become so clear what he was willing to lose in the name of his sovereign. The minister shifted and nodded his head very rapidly, simulating the bows that his wounded body did not allow him.

"Master Zhou Yu – I'm honored, my lord! Please tell Lord Sun Ce how flattered I am by his commendation. I do not deserve this position, but I will do my best to fulfill all that he expects of me."

Zhou Yu nodded his understanding and turned away, pausing before his first step toward the door and glancing back at Li Shu over one shoulder. The strategist considered him in silence for a moment, then pressed his lips into a thin line, swallowing a sigh before he spoke again.

"Your lady wife will undoubtedly be arriving shortly. A messenger was sent to inform her of your injury – she will likely waste no time in hastening to your side."

The words left a bitter taste in his mouth, the image of Lady Li and her clever fan ghosting across his mind. But the thought was dispelled a moment later when Li Shu shook his head violently, pushing himself up onto his elbows and coughing against his wounded ribs.

"No, my lord! Not here! I can't have her here!" Zhou Yu stared at the adamant courtier, blinking in bafflement as Li Shu slumped back onto his reed mat and gazed at the ceiling, a worried frown marring his lips. "It's too dangerous here. Wan is not yet tamed – I wouldn't dare let Fei Zhi live so close to peril. I'll send her to stay with her mother."

The swordsman was so surprised that he could hardly find an answer to the assertion, and he turned back to face the minister fully as he fumbled for his words, dark eyes wide in his handsome face. "Her mother?" he asked at last. Li Shu nodded, fiddling with the fabric of his sheets.

"Her mother lives in Poyang, a few days' ride south of here… the poor woman is a widow, and she has no other children to assist her. I have not paid her the due attentions a son should to his mother-in-law…"

_I was born in the city of Huan… My sister is three years younger than I…_ The lies of an experienced tactician. The minister nodded again, more firmly this time, his hands decisive against his bandaged chest. "It will be helpful for her to have Fei Zhi around the house, and they are not so far away that I could not visit. That will be for the best."

Zhou Yu continued to stare at the courtier for a long moment, surprise clear in his expression. After all of her machinations – after all of the sleepless nights he'd spent trying to find a way to break her power over the master of Wu – a simple spousal decision was going to destroy Lady Li's ambitions?

Li Shu mistook his astonishment for disapproval, and the minister held up his hands in a gesture of surrender, wincing at the small motion. "Don't misunderstand me, Master Zhou Yu – this is not a plot to be unfaithful to my wife. It's only that my bonds of allegiance to Lord Sun Ce must be stronger than my bonds of matrimony." The courtier looked up at him hopefully, fiddling with one end of his thin moustache and avoiding the strategist's pointed gaze. "Surely you understand, Master Zhou Yu… haven't you been separated from your own wife for many months now?"

Zhou Yu started, shaking himself from the bonds of surprise and forcing his expression back to neutral with the composure that had always been a personal strength. "Yes… of course. I understand." The swordsman shook his head, holding back a cynical smile at the thought of Xiao Qiao. "I was not accusing you of unfaithfulness, Li Shu."

The minister sighed in relief, and his commanding officer took a step back, the new development spinning through his mind. "I won't bother you further. Please get some rest – you're still in delicate condition." Without waiting for a return salutation, the swordsman turned and made for the exit, his boots soft against the well-made floor as the door slipped shut behind him. Zhou Yu let out a deep breath and rubbed a hand against his forehead, then set off in the direction of the city walls, hoping that fresh air could clear the whirlwind of thought beneath his temples.

_Lord Sun Ce is an impulsive fool, and his reckless heart is more than willing to follow where my desires lead. He will follow my advice, and then he will appoint my husband governor of Wan…_

She hadn't been wrong. Lady Li had accomplished everything she had set out to do – Wan was now under the control of the Wu Empire, and its capital city would be resting squarely in Li Shu's hands as soon as he was strong enough to leave his bed. But it seemed ironic nonetheless that the reward the clever woman had been seeking remained so far out of her reach – not because she had been beaten in her tactics, not because Sun Ce had resisted her words, but because of the idle decision of her husband, the one man she had likely never considered a threat to her power.

Zhou Yu shook his head and slipped through the archway that led from Liu Xun's residence halls directly to the city wall, and he sighed as the light of a brightening horizon swept over his features, painting the parapet in shades of gold. It was the eternal fate of intelligent women to be pushed aside not by their equals in mental prowess but by the ignorance of the men who ruled their lives.

"Hey."

The swordsman blinked, startled out of his thoughts by the soft salutation. Obsidian eyes glanced up to find their amber opposites a short distance away, gleaming a brilliant yellow in the hue of the dawning sky above them. Sun Ce braced his elbows against the side of the wall and looked out over the landscape to the east, his gaze following the river and the ridgeline that looked so different in the coming sunrise.

"Li Shu okay?"

Zhou Yu moved to stand beside his companion, exhaling softly as the cold earth of the parapet pressed against his silk shirt. "Yes. And he's accepted your offer of governorship. You should speak to him again once he's had some time to recover."

The Sun lord sighed, leaning forward to rest his chin on his folded arms. "Yeah. I'll do that."

The strategist's brow furrowed slightly, and he resisted the urge to brush the chestnut bangs away from his companion's eyes, settling for a hand against his shoulder instead. "Ce? Is something wrong?"

Sun Ce shook his head, a small smile playing at his lips as he tipped his chin sideways and caught his swordsman's gaze. "Nope. Just… we did it. We got Huan. And you know what it makes me want to do?" Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, waiting silently for the answer. The young officer straightened and stretched above his head. "It makes me want to chase Huang Zu down and can him right now. It just makes me want to keep going."

The swordsman shook his head, the corners of his lips turning up slightly as well. "You are…"

"Irrepressible?" the Little Conqueror volunteered. Zhou Yu shook his head.

"I was going to say unbelievable." Sun Ce wrinkled his nose, nudging his dark warrior in the ribs with a prodding elbow.

"You and your big words. How am I supposed to keep track of your insults if you keep changing them, huh?"

The strategist rolled his eyes, but he considered his companion seriously for a long moment, studying the muted smile on his lips and the dark circles under his eyes. Then Zhou Yu took a step back and ran a hand through his hair, meeting the Sun lord's curious gaze under the morning light.

"If you're truly that eager, Ce… I'm sure Liu Xun has maps of Huang Zu's territory in the library." The warrior crossed his arms over his chest, posture stoic despite the lightness of his tone and the gentle shake of his head. "We'll have to wait until spring to move out, as Wu will be entirely covered in snow soon, but we could give the attack some preliminary thought…"

Sun Ce brightened instantly at the suggestion, and he pushed himself away from the wall to reach his swordsman's side, his smile growing threefold as the sun reached the peak of the ridge behind them and spilled golden beams of warmth across the valley plain. The Sun lord laughed, one hand rubbing absently at the back of his neck. "Yeah – let's do it, Yu. The sooner we get started, the sooner we can move out, and then…"

Zhou Yu shook his head as the young officer's fingers slipped between his own, and he let the Little Conqueror pull him toward the interior of Liu Xun's grand capital, dark hair whispering around his shoulders in the morning breeze. In the end, he could not fault Li Shu for his reckless behavior, nor dismiss the soldiers willing to die in the name of the Wu Empire – because tired though he was, and as many more pressing matters of governance lurked in the back of his mind, he could not help choosing instead to inspire Sun Ce's smile.

"It's a brand new day, Yu!" The excited shout soared across the parapets and out over the golden plain, summoning the sun into the cerulean sky. "I think I'll use it to conquer the world!"

Sun Ce turned back to grin over his shoulder as he made his way toward Huan's shadowed corridors, chestnut ponytail dancing across his silken shirt. And Zhou Yu followed, as he'd always done.

End Chapter 42

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This wasn't a tremendously quick update, but better than some. I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter – the last battle to be done on screen, which is why I went a little over the top with it. I also tried to give more realism to Zhou Yu's fighting this time – hopefully, that worked as well. As always, comments and responses are welcome and appreciated.

In reference to the first ship ambush and the fight with the company commander: Zhou Yu took offense at being called a rabbit for two reasons. First, there is simply the association with a cowardly animal. Secondly, in Chinese, a 'hare' can be used to refer to the submissive partner of a gay pairing. 'Hunting a hare' means to go to a brothel in search of a young man. My apologies if that was too obscure.

A note for Crazy Insanity: As I mentioned in your review response, I assume for my own peace of mind that those who have read my story in the past continue to read it, whether or not they review. Of course, your feedback is always welcome, but please don't feel obligated to review. As long as you're enjoying the story, that's what matters to me. I took a twist with Lady Li – how did that strike you as an ending? And yes, it may have been a bit unrealistic that Lady Li was the only one to come up with feigning alliance. I was trying to make it her influence that took them to such an underhanded method, however – particularly since such a strategy (which was, in fact, how Wu attacked Liu Xun historically) seemed so out of character for Sun Ce. I try to portray Zhou Yu and Sun Ce's relationship in as many different lights and aspects as seems reasonable to me, because that's how actual relationships are – passion is only one side of things. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, and that you continue to enjoy them whether or not I hear from you.

A note for Unique Writer: Yes, I admit I'm extremely wordy. Do you think it hampers the progression of the storyline? Thank you for your continued votes of confidence.

A note for Ever Kitsune: What did you think of how Lady Li was dealt with? I also liked the Gan Ning and Sun Shang Xiang portion – my tribute to them since they are actually not going to have a part in this fiction. Thank you for your review. How is your own work coming?

A note for Sirithiliel: I am told my attention to detail comes from my innate ability and tendency to nitpick. Nonetheless, thank you for your compliment. I hope this chapter was also pleasant for you, and wish you better luck with whatever endeavors caused you a bad day around the time of the last update. Thanks for your review.


	45. Chapter 43

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX to a very minor extent).

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Secession – Part 42 

The stars were gone.

Chen Hao stared up at the sky with his lips pressed into a quiet line, sleepless eyes scanning the heavens for any sign of the brilliant sparks that had lit the long night. But there was nothing – not a single constellation remained in the pale twilight sky, and the air had grown thinner with the extinguishing of the final light, whispering through the wagon as it rolled forward across uneven ruts.

Chen Hao hugged his knees to his chest and let his gaze wander along the horizon, which had become almost intangible in the growing light – the land to the east was gray-blue like incense smoke, soft and unstable as though it were made of morning mist. The lines of red between the earth and sky had mellowed, deepening toward maroon and stretching their raspberry fingers into the tangerine heavens above. The clouds that looked like angel wings were nearly invisible now, taking on the same hue as the sky and vanishing into the coming morning.

There was so much energy at the horizon – every moment simply _felt_ lighter. And as he turned back to the wagon's interior, his attention summoned by the general's halting cough, Chen Hao found that he could discern every detail of his commander's face and every shadowed line of his hand, his vision clearer than it had been for hours.

Zhou Yu swallowed and turned his head away, dark eyes staring into the wagon's wooden sideboard as the fingers of his uninjured hand slipped along his sleeve. "Liu Xun retreated north. Huang Zu… to the west. We took control of Wan… quickly after that."

The short, jarring sentences rang hollowly in Chen Hao's ears, and he lowered his head to catch the general's murmurs, raven bangs tickling his temple. Zhou Yu coughed again and pounded one fist against his chest, wincing at the impact against his bandaged wound.

"Forgive me." The words were soft and strangled, and anxiety shot through the soldier's stomach at the open-ended apology. His commander slumped against the floorboards, dropping his words to a sigh. "I'll have to whisper. My voice…"

Chen Hao nodded his understanding, crouching closer to the fallen legend and struggling to discern between intentional sounds and his rasping breaths. Out the open back of the wagon, the soldier could see that the clouds collecting across the top of the ridge had brightened as well, wispy and strained like those in a painting. From all sides came occasional cries of birdsong, and a great deal of winged fidgeting came from the brush edging the humble road.

Zhou Yu sighed and his breath made Chen Hao shiver as it ghosted over his ear, too warm for the cold morning air. The famous strategist raised a hand as though to rub his forehead and then dropped it back to his chest, staring into the canvas of the ceiling with the coming daylight collecting in his eyes.

"We did not defeat Huang Zu. Not while Sun Ce was alive."

Chen Hao started a little, surprised by the intensity of his lord's grating words and the almost callous statement. The commander's whisper was stronger than his voice had been, but it was soft nonetheless, leaving his lips only reluctantly and vanishing into the pre-dawn breeze. Zhou Yu shifted to face his subordinate and met his coal eyes evenly, shaking his head a little as his words wound their way through the wagon.

"The snows came only a few weeks after our attack on Huan. He wanted to go on, but… I wouldn't let him. I told him there would be plenty of time in spring."

Chen Hao bit his lip, unable to read from the general's face whether the fallen strategist regretted that advice or not. Zhou Yu's features were impassive, as cold as the sifting breeze as he sighed and scattered the soldier's bangs across a concentrated forehead, the reluctant exhale chilling Chen Hao's skin.

"We returned to Qingshan instead. Taishi Ci stayed in Liyang for a few more months, until Li Shu could assure us that Wan was truly under his control." Zhou Yu shook his head and smiled softly into the lightening sky, dark hair scattered around him like a tattered curtain. "Li Shu may not be the most competent governor we ever appointed, but he has certainly been dedicated, in his own way. Hardly a month has gone by this last decade when I have not received a favorable report from him, though Wan's success as an independent area seems to come more from the efforts of his wife than himself."

Chen Hao started, his hands tightening to fists in his lap at the mention of the female tactician who'd been flitting through the general's last story. "Lady Li? She's in charge of Huan now?"

The strategist shook his head, some emotion the soldier didn't recognize slipping across his face. "It didn't take her more than a year to return to her husband's province. Li Shu had no confidence without her – his power required her presence just as hers required his. I doubt they realize how dependant a relationship they truly have."

Chen Hao shifted a little, unnerved by the commander's calm neutrality just as he had been when Zhuge Liang was mentioned. "My lord…" The soldier broke off and shook himself, closing his eyes to the half-lidded gaze that regarded him seriously and the shallow exhales brushing his face. "Does it bother you? That Lady Li got what she wanted?"

Zhou Yu sighed, the corners of his mouth curving upward for a moment in the impression of a cynical smile before his answer chased the expression away. "Yes and no. She and I still are not on… congenial terms with one another. But she has done better by the province than I expected, and she does not have Sun Quan's ear as she had Ce's." Again the general shook his head, blinking slowly against the gradually building light. "There is little harm she can do now, particularly as Wan is no longer a border region. And in truth… she does care for Li Shu, and he for the empire, so she has a check in that regard."

Chen Hao nodded, wondering at the honesty of his commander's apparent disinterest in the woman who had bothered him so much during their campaign for Huan. It was possible that the two tacticians had truly settled their differences, or that the fallen strategist was reining back his dislike for a woman he couldn't keep from power. But it was equally possible that Sun Ce's death and the ten years that followed had rendered their conflict obsolete, seemingly so petty after the events of the year 200 that the grudge wasn't even worth pursuing anymore.

Zhou Yu shifted a little and cleared his throat, his words diving from a broken murmur back to a whisper and leaving a strange string of syllables echoing through the wagon. "After the conquest of Wan, Sun Ce was eager to get moving, as usual… we made our preliminary plans and engaged Huang Zu's forces once more before heeding the abysmal weather." The strategist's eyes had gone cloudy with the memory of the distant combat, and Chen Hao could almost see the sparks of faded adrenaline sweeping across his face. "Huang Zu had grown wary after our first conflict, and the second time we engaged in battle was a considerably more even fight. Our army managed to emerge victorious yet again, and we pushed Huang Zu back to the depths of his territory, where he stayed until…"

The general stopped talking abruptly, his forehead furrowing in deep confusion, and for a moment the soldier couldn't determine why his commander had ceased his narrative, particularly in the middle of a sentence. Then he realized that the wagon was slowing down, and he straightened to a full sitting position in the vehicle's bed, craning his neck as he tried to look past the bobbing heads of the drivers in front of him.

"What's wrong?"

His voice echoed too loudly in the pre-dawn stillness, the only sound besides the wheels and the clopping hooves. One of the drivers glanced back over his shoulder as the other pulled hard on the reins, bringing the wagon to a full stop and drawing a gruff whicker from his puzzled horses. The man Chen Hao had assisted down the hill sighed and gestured to the road ahead of them, shrugging beneath the heavy folds of his bamboo armor.

"Fork in the road. We're trying to remember which way it is."

Chen Hao started and crawled toward the wagon's headboard, leaning both hands on the thin wood to peer past his comrades' shoulders into the burgeoning blue sky. Ahead, he could see that the road they'd been following without trouble since Jing broke off into three paths, each leading into the undergrowth and shrubby trees that populated the landscape. The fork was unmarked, which was not unusual for roads in the province, and the ruts in each offshooting path seemed to be roughly equivalent, suggesting equal travel.

The uninjured driver rubbed a hand against his chin, glancing back to catch his comrade's solemn gaze. "You live around here, don't you, Chen? Any ideas?"

Chen Hao nodded, a cold fist clenching around his stomach as he pressed his lips into a worried line. "The center path. It travels straight east to Han Ni Castle." The soldier could hear Zhou Yu shifting behind him, likely trying to raise his head to look at the landscape that would have been almost as familiar to him as to his subordinate. Chen Hao closed his eyes, letting his head droop a little as anxiety pounded within the contours of his mind. "Han Ni Castle… is little more than half an hour from here."

A spark of excitement lit the drivers' faces, small smiles capturing their lips in the dawning light. But Chen Hao could only feel the hand around his organs growing tighter, sending a shiver down his spine that had nothing to do with the cold air. Half an hour. It was hardly any time at all – in the scope of how long Zhou Yu had already spoken, it was only a sliver. It seemed impossible that the general's story could truly come to an end before their journey did – before the risen sun brought them to Han Ni Castle's sweeping gates and dragged the dying commander away from his audience. All of a sudden, the coming sunrise seemed as likely to force an overquick conclusion as the fading man himself.

The drivers were oblivious to his anxiety, and they turned back to the road without another word, one man clicking his tongue as the other snapped his reins. The horses set off again, but Chen Hao could feel that they were going faster now, as though the tired animals could also sense how little earth lay between them and a soft, warm stable.

The wagon jolted into motion and the soldier turned away from his comrades, directing his attention back to the vehicle's interior where two onyx eyes were waiting for him, watching his face in grave understanding. Chen Hao scooted closer to his commander and tipped his head obligingly toward the floor, losing connection with the serious obsidian gaze as Zhou Yu's breath brushed across his ear. The general sighed, his uninjured fingers clenching into the fabric of his battle tunic.

"There isn't much time."

Chen Hao shook his head, biting his lip as he held himself steady against the rocking floor. Zhou Yu swallowed, turning his face away to avoid the strands of coal-black hair that threatened to graze his pale skin.

"I'll go more quickly."

Chen Hao nodded softly, staring out the back of the open wagon at the lighter blue sky that stretched all the way to the far ridge now, not a fragment of the sky left in darkness. He felt the general take hold of his arm, though whether the action was intended to urge his attention or to keep the fallen strategist steady his subordinate could not guess. Zhou Yu exhaled and his breath warmed the side of Chen Hao's face.

"Sun Ce and I spent that winter in Qingshan. We welcomed the year 200 there… as did most of our officers. We had not held such a large New Year's celebration since the winter after Sun Jian's death, four years earlier then." The general's eyes had become unfocused again, staring into the lightening sky beyond their weak roof as a small smile slipped across his features. "Of the people whom Sun Ce and I had come to regard as pillars of the empire, only Han Dang was absent that year, holding the northern line against possible trouble from Cao Cao's forces."

Chen Hao started, sitting up slightly to meet his commander's eyes. "Everyone? Even Lord Lu Meng, and the Qiao sisters, and Lord Sun Ce's family?"

Zhou Yu nodded, closing his eyes as memory swept across his expression. "Yes, even those. The Qiao sisters brought their children south for the celebration, and Huang Gai stopped in Qingshan long enough to call, though he was on his way south to hold Liyang." The pale morning light seemed even colder against the general's face as he shivered, pressing his lips into a thin line to steady his lightly shaking form. "Sun Ce was… very pleased to have everyone together."

Chen Hao watched the flickering line of his commander's mouth, alternating between the curve of a smile and a soft, fatigued frown. Then Zhou Yu laughed, the choked sound ricocheting uneasily against the wagon's thin walls.

"It seemed as though he should have had more than enough people to bother without interrupting my work, but Sun Ce was a nuisance that winter as usual. Especially after Taishi Ci followed through with his promise to find an assistant for me."

Chen Hao blinked a little, inching closer to his commander over the weathered floorboards. "An assistant?" Zhou Yu nodded, a small smile lightening his countenance.

"An exceptionally bright young man, born near Suzhou in the Wu Commandery. You have heard his name before. He is the one who composed the poem about falling stars that I recited to you – Lu Xun, prodigy of the Wu Empire."

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It was snowing.

The tiny flakes perched along the windowsills and decorated the eaves of Qingshan's capital estate, dusting the manor and its dark grounds with a layer of liquid crystal that glimmered in the light of the garden torches. Zhou Yu could just see the small flames flickering where he stood beside the open study window, both hands braced against a large table covered in paperwork. The winter wind sifted through the icicle-laden trees outside and brushed against the documents before him, ruffling the loose edges of reports and slinging a handful of the gentle powder across a pile of outgoing memoranda.

The strategist reached out to sweep the flakes away, but they disintegrated before his hand touched them, melting into the thick fiber of the parchment and soaking through the long strokes of his careful characters. Zhou Yu sighed to himself and turned to glance out the window, his gaze traveling smoothly across the frozen landscape.

It had taken years, but he had eventually learned to like the snow. He didn't particularly care for the cold that came with it – especially as his spastic companion was so fond of running around in the fluffy drifts without the proper assortment of winter clothing, and therefore returned to the manor shivering and laughing while his lips turned blue. Nor did the stern strategist relish playing in the snow, though that too was a pastime Sun Ce had become partial to after their return from Wan. In fact, had Sun Quan and the Qiao sisters not arrived from the north when they did and taken his place as the young officer's primary playmates, Zhou Yu had a feeling he would have wrung the Little Conqueror's neck out of sheer irritation at the number of times he had been invited to go gallivanting through the winter wonderland of the sizable estate.

No. What Zhou Yu liked about the snow was just the way it looked – the way the small flakes cascaded down over the world in tight spins, catching the light of the winter night and sparkling like they were gemstones instead. It was the way the garden looked now, after the week's long snowstorm, every path and dying shrub doused in alabaster and glittering under the ceremonial torches set up throughout the grounds.

The swordsman sighed again and flipped between his papers, shuffling through a tall stack of documents in search of Moling's latest tax report and sending the lamp's flame sputtering with his motion. It had been snowing almost nonstop for the last six days, and the city of Qingshan had come to a standstill, street merchants and shop owners reluctant to open their stalls despite the rush of customers trying to prepare for their New Year's celebrations. The Qiao sisters and Sun Shang Xiang had been making frequent trips outside the palace for last-minute shopping excursions, and from all reports there were few people willing to do business in the temporary capital of the Wu Empire, even for the sake of the Sun lord himself.

In the end, those in charge of preparations for the last night of the bitter moon had managed to amass the necessary commodities, and they had proceeded without interruption since dawn, making the most of the short daylight and the countless available hands ready to do their bidding. The strategist had only ventured out of his office briefly all day, sometime before the sun set in the mid-afternoon, and he had been surprised by the wealth of decorations and the smell of delicious food circulating through the palace, evidence that at least a few of the estate's inhabitants were in the spirit of the season.

Zhou Yu was celebrating the New Year as well. Particularly, he was honoring the tradition that all debts and business endeavors had to be completed before the first day of the new month. He had been engaged in fulfilling that aspect of the holiday for the better part of his stay in Qingshan, because every time he thought he had come close to finishing, some new duty or another came out of the woodwork and required his attention. The swordsman had a suspicion that every guest who arrived to celebrate the coming year was secretly bringing their excess paperwork along and dropping it onto his desk – but he couldn't prove it, and there was nothing to do but go forward, reading reports and recording figures as he went.

Sun Ce complained about it, of course. But that wasn't a strikingly new development and the strategist had never given his lord's opinion of work much consideration anyway, so he pressed on with his responsibilities and let the master of Wu find his entertainment in the multitude of friends and comrades who had been arriving on Qingshan's doorstep over the past three weeks.

The dark warrior leaned forward and shook his head, a small smile slipping onto his face as he sorted the papers into a rough order according to region. He wasn't sure how nearly every bastion of Wu had found time in their schedule to travel to Qingshan for the New Year, and he was skeptical about the wisdom of leaving Wu's outer edges without qualified defenders, however congenial their intentions. But Sun Ce's cheerful heralding of the news had left little room for argument, and despite the swordsman's concerns there hadn't been any reports of upheaval since the guests began arriving.

At this point, it was entirely too late for a change of plans. Excepting Han Dang, every personal friend of the Sun lord's was already gathered in his estate, no doubt salivating around the tremendous table that had been set up in the dining hall. Which was probably where the strategist was supposed to be as well – but there were things that came before revelry in his list of priorities, and cataloguing was one of them.

Zhou Yu brushed an errant strand of hair over his shoulder and refocused on the documents, spreading the stack of tax reports into a loose fan so he could read them more easily. As he leaned closer to inspect them, frowning at the nearly incomprehensible handwriting, the soft sound of someone clearing their throat caught his attention, accompanied by a slight knock and the shuffling of nervous feet. The swordsman straightened and turned to face the study door, half a dozen reproaches ranging from distant to downright surly already waiting at his lips.

But the figure standing in the hall prompted none of the prepared dismissals, and Zhou Yu found he could only blink, watching the young man fidgeting in his doorway – no older than twenty, in the dark warrior's guess – with hardened onyx eyes. The boy met his gaze for a long moment before dropping his attention to the floor, clearing his throat again as he pressed his hands into anxious fists. "Ah… Lord Zhou Yu?"

The strategist nodded slowly, taking a step forward so that a shelf of books near the exit no longer obscured his view of the unfamiliar visitor. The man in his doorway took a corresponding step back at his movement, then blushed lightly and stepped toward the swordsman again, fiddling with the edge of his sleeve as he dropped into a deep bow.

"It's very nice to meet you. My name is…" The youth broke off to wet his lips, then shook his head as though renewing his resolve, forcing reservation from his earthen eyes. "My name is Lu Xun. My family hails from the Wu Commandery. I've been told I'm to assist you."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, his expression carefully neutral despite his surprise at the boy's announcement. He hadn't heard anything about a page being hired in Qingshan, and he certainly hadn't bothered to find anyone himself, lacking both the time and the motivation to conduct any sort of recruitment search. The strategist crossed his arms over his chest and studied the nervous young man in his doorway, his dark gaze sweeping the childishly handsome features as though they might reveal the mystery for his presence all on their own.

"I didn't hire an assistant. Who sent you to me?"

Lu Xun opened his mouth to reply, but before he got the chance another figure appeared in the doorway, his gruff features settling into a space far above the boy's head by virtue of incredible height. Taishi Ci folded his arms over his ceremonial robe, shaking the strands of his high bangs away from his eyes as he smirked at the strategist and nodded smugly.

"I did. I said I'd find you an assistant, didn't I? Well, here he is. Short notice, but he seems bright enough for your purposes. Happy New Year, Lord Zhou Yu."

Zhou Yu scowled a little at the salutation, and his hands fell to his hips, darkening his features with habitual annoyance at the Wolf general's overbearing confidence. "Taishi Ci. I told you I would _consider_ accepting a qualified assistant – not that I was looking for the first half-decent clerk you could find." Lu Xun blushed at his assessment, and the swordsman frowned a little, studying the young man's gentle countenance and the brightness of his unguarded eyes. "I am also decidedly disinterested in babysitting. So whatever relative you promised an easy job…"

Taishi Ci's expression said he was more than willing to take offense at the rebuke, but Lu Xun stepped forward and cut him off, moving into the study proper and bowing deeply again. "Forgive me, Lord Zhou Yu. I don't mean to interrupt – but if it matters, I am not a child. I am eighteen years old, and I am free to seek employment where I want. Lord Taishi Ci was kind enough to recommend me to your service, but I did not know him before that – my only connection to him is through my intention to work for you."

Taishi Ci snorted, hands dropping to his hips at the polite response. The strategist said nothing, but the boy smiled at him anyway, scuffing his fine slippers against the carpet as he spoke.

"I have been educated, Lord Zhou Yu. I have studied the Classics since I was four, and I wanted to test for civil service two years ago, but my family forbid me because the court was in such chaos." Once more the young man tipped his head, more restrainedly this time, and his sandy bangs fell into his eyes. "I would be honored to serve yourself and the Wu Empire, if you deem me qualified. I am a hard worker, and I don't shy from menial tasks – whatever you need, I'm happy to do it. At your service."

Zhou Yu did not respond for a long moment, studying the young man's graceful form and ready smile through the lamplight. Then the strategist turned his eyes to the warrior in the doorway instead, fixing Taishi Ci with a firm stare that the general returned with his usual unconcerned smirk.

"He's more remarkable than he looks. I met him in Liyang, and I'll admit outright that he's smarter than I am." The swordsman raised an eyebrow, silently inquiring whether that were truly an adequate measure of brilliance. But the Wolf general ignored him and thumbed over his shoulder at the quiet hallway, shrugging beneath the folds of his rich celebratory robes. "For what it's worth, he's already beaten Lu Meng at chess – he had to wait in the parlor a while, since I was busy when he arrived. Lu Meng's still sulking about it."

Lu Xun flushed slightly at the mention of his victory over the older warrior, and he shifted to face the bookshelf in a gesture of modesty, his gaze flitting between the strings of the rug. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, turning back to the overcrowded table and rubbing an idle hand against his forehead.

"I would prefer you not sound so pleased about that. Lu Meng is an impossible whiner, and he'll likely not shut up for hours since you've ruffled his feathers." The strategist shook his head and tapped the scattered documents into a rough order, glaring at his older comrade over one silk-covered shoulder. "I wouldn't have guessed from first meeting you, Taishi Ci, but you can be almost as troublesome as Ce."

Taishi Ci looked as though he might have liked to acknowledge the rebuke as a compliment, and a smug expression swallowed his countenance at the swordsman's words. Before he could speak, however, there was a short scatter of footsteps and then a third figure collided with the doorframe, both hands braced against the wood to keep himself upright at the crash of impact. Zhou Yu started and Lu Xun gasped aloud in surprise, taking a step back and running into the Wolf general as the master of Wu himself straightened from his sudden entrance, brushing his chestnut ponytail back over one shoulder. Then he crossed his arms and glared hard at his strategist, amber eyes flashing in challenge as they found their onyx opposites.

"Hey – knock it off, Yu. Don't insult me in front of the newbie."

Zhou Yu blinked, struggling for a moment to comprehend the appearance of the Little Conqueror in his doorway. Then the swordsman's eyes narrowed, and he craned his neck as though to see around the newest arrival, glaring absently at the back wall of the corridor.

"How many of you are out there?" he muttered, turning back from the table to face his commander fully. The Sun lord shrugged, leaning back against the wood of the entryway and flicking a piece of dust from his ceremonial robes.

"I'm the last one. I was actually just sneaking up on Taishi Ci when I overheard you. I was going to pull his hair." Taishi Ci opened his mouth to admonish the young officer, taking his braid in hand and dragging it to the other side of his back where it would be out of range, but Sun Ce waved him off, rolling his vibrant eyes at the irritable general. "Yeah, yeah – cool it. I blew my advantage anyway. I'm not going to do anything now."

Taishi Ci grumbled something unintelligible under his breath, folding his arms more firmly over his chest and watching the young lord with a penetrating gaze that reminded Zhou Yu of the man's canine namesake. Lu Xun glanced between the three generals and then dropped into a bow again, dipping his head three times to the tonfa master who had materialized at his side.

"Lord Sun Ce. Forgive my rudeness in not greeting you immediately. My name is Lu Xun, and I hail from the Wu Commandery. I am honored to be in your home on such an auspicious day of the ye—"

Sun Ce reached forward and dropped a hand onto the young man's arm, startling him so badly that Lu Xun almost looked like he were going to jump out of his skin. The vibrant officer laughed, scanning the boy's features with his head cocked to one side and his face split by a tremendous grin.

"So you're the new kid, huh? Nice to meetcha. We could use a little extra help around here." The Sun lord jerked a thumb at the interior of the study, making a face at his dark warrior before returning his attention to the young man before him. "Especially Yu. He's a workaholic, though, so I don't know how much he'll let you do."

Lu Xun looked as though he were not quite sure how to respond, but Zhou Yu sent the master of Wu a stern glare in the boy's place, meeting the teasing amber eyes evenly as Sun Ce stuck out his tongue. "I am not a workaholic, Ce," the strategist asserted, earning a shake of his commander's head and a snort from Taishi Ci. The dark warrior's frown deepened, shadowing the contours of his face as he gestured to the table full of papers behind him. "I wouldn't be, that is, if more of you were pulling your own weight. Please get out of my study – I was in the middle of something before all of you decided to interrupt. I'm certain you have other people to bother. Go irritate them in my stead."

With that, the strategist wheeled to face his scrolls and stacks of documents, turning his back to the congregation in the doorway as though lack of eye contact alone could make them disappear. But it had been years since Sun Ce took one of his swordsman's warnings to heart, and only a moment of silence passed before the soft footfalls reached Zhou Yu's side, one warm hand settling on his arm. The Little Conqueror leaned forward to rest his chin against his companion's shoulder, chuckling under his breath as his voice dropped to a whisper.

"Come on, Yu – don't be grumpy. Not tonight. It's New Year's Eve. Don't you want to come join the party?" The strategist scoffed and ruffled through his ample paperwork, but the Sun lord shook him softly and drew his attention to the brilliant amber eyes at his side, chestnut bangs softening the lines of the young officer's face. Sun Ce smiled, nudging his companion in the ribs. "This stuff can wait, can't it? Give it a rest already. It's still going to be here in the morning. Then you and this kid can work through it together."

Zhou Yu sighed a little, rubbing a hand across his forehead as he shot the duo in his doorway a backward glance. "He may not be working for me, Ce," he answered, loud enough that Taishi Ci and Lu Xun could understand him this time. The Sun lord blinked, following his line of sight to the officers waiting behind them. "I haven't verified his credentials yet. There's a chance—"

"Oh, give it a rest, Yu!" The exclamation accompanied a slap on the back and an emphatic sigh, and the swordsman glared hard at his commander, the expression returned in kind by the exasperated man beside him. Sun Ce rolled his eyes, shaking his head at the stoic strategist. "You are too damn picky, you know that? Even if he can't do anything but carry papers around, that'd still be helpful, right? Just hire the kid and get it over with."

Lu Xun slumped a little, flushing yet again at the disparaging assumption of his skills and shrinking back into the shadows of the doorway. But Taishi Ci was not content to be devalued, and he drew himself up between the wooden frames, glowering at the Sun lord and his companion with flashing hazel eyes.

"Are you accusing me of having bad taste? I told you the boy was intelligent, and he is! I didn't ask a dead weight to join our empire, Lord Zhou Yu. If you'd give Lu Xun a chance to prove himself, he'd likely be as brilliant as the three of us put together!"

Zhou Yu only raised an eyebrow at the impassioned rant, staring the Wolf general down with his cold obsidian gaze. But Sun Ce laughed aloud and held up his hands in surrender, grinning at the prideful officer who looked to be nearly steaming in the entryway.

"Okay, okay! Cool it, Taishi Ci. And people call _me_ a hothead."

Taishi Ci's lips contorted in a severe frown, but the Sun lord stopped his words before they could begin, pacing back across the room to give Lu Xun a hearty pat on the back. The young man coughed at the forceful impact, and Zhou Yu thought he saw the boy's eyes begin to water. But the master of Wu took no notice, merely flashing a thumbs-up signal and sweeping his arm in a wide arc to encompass the surrounding room.

"If Taishi Ci's gonna be so prissy about it, you might as well just get on board. Welcome to Wu, kid! And don't worry about Yu – even if he won't have you, there are plenty of places you could work around here. We'll find a good job for ya."

Lu Xun stared at the Little Conqueror openmouthed for a long moment, seeming to measure the strength of his grin and the off-kilter angle of his cascading ponytail. Then the young man bowed again, dislodging the Sun lord's hand from his shoulder with the quiet motion and his gentler smile.

"Thank you, Lord Sun Ce." Lu Xun scuffed his heel uncertainly against the ground, an action that Zhou Yu was quickly learning to read as a nervous habit. The boy ran a hand through his hair to straighten the short, sandy strands. "I really am honored to be working here. I've heard many stories of your exploits, and… and I truly do appreciate your willingness to hire me." Once more the young man shot the dark strategist a glance, his forehead furrowing slightly in concern. "But… shouldn't it be Lord Zhou Yu's decision, as I'm to work with him?"

Sun Ce started a little at the question, turning back to exchange glances with his silent warrior. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. Then his commander laughed and slung an arm around Lu Xun's shoulders, shaking his head with an experienced sigh. "Nope. Don't consult Yu for anything – you'll always get a no."

The strategist scoffed at that, and Lu Xun looked between the two officers warily, tugging at one of his sleeves in youthful uncertainty. Zhou Yu leaned back against the overcrowded table with a small frown darkening his features, carefully disguising the tiny smile that bantering with Sun Ce brought him.

"I would recommend you not consult Ce for anything either, Lu Xun." The young man started and turned back into the center of the room, surprised at the direct address from his superior. The swordsman flicked a strand of hair away from his face, leveling a stern glare into the Sun lord's teasing amber eyes. "You'll never get an answer with any brainpower behind it."

"Hey!" Sun Ce scowled at the jab, but it was a playful scowl and it faded a little as he moved across the room to poke his strategist in the chest. "Watch it. Who deals out your salary, huh?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

"I do. I've been in charge of payment for years."

The young officer blinked at his reply, amber eyes wide with surprise. Then he laughed and reached up to rub the back of his neck, his brilliant smile conceding the argument as it brightened the contours of his face. "Okay, you got me. But at least I've got a better attitude than you do – people like me better, even if I'm not handing them money."

Zhou Yu shook his head, fighting a small smirk as he shoved his companion back a step, the light push propelling him toward the study door. "And since they all like you so much, you should put more effort into entertaining them. Go back to your party, Ce. Leave me alone so I can get my work done."

Sun Ce scowled at the suggestion, folding his arms over his chest with a defiant pout. In the doorway, Lu Xun started and then strode to the center table, smiling up at the dark swordsman with his cinnamon brown eyes bright and obliging. "Let me help, Lord Zhou Yu. I'm sure I can assist you with whatever you're doing." The young man glanced across the overflowing table and then back to his superior, shying a little under the strategist's pointed stare. "You can think of this as my application. If I'm able to help with this, I would be a qualified assistant, wouldn't I?"

Zhou Yu watched the boy in silence, considering his honest and cheerful features in the light of the flickering oil lamp. Before he could make up his mind one way or the other, a warm hand latched onto his wrist, a matching grip finding Lu Xun's shoulder and distracting both men from their conversation. Sun Ce shook his head, giving the swordsman beside him a flat look as he cocked his chin toward the doorway.

"No way. Not tonight. Tonight, you're both coming to the New Year's party. I'm not letting you ruin the feast just because you want to work, Yu." Zhou Yu opened his mouth to protest, but the Sun lord's fingers resettled over his lips, stopping the words before they left his tongue. The young officer shook his head again, smiling beneath his vibrant eyes. "Nope. Come on. It'll be good for you – a little fun never hurt anybody."

Lu Xun shifted nervously under the Little Conqueror's grip, glancing at the other officers of Wu as though they might offer him a way out of the proposed social event. "But Lord Sun Ce… I'm not even a formal member of your empire yet, let alone a member of your household. I have no right to interfere with your New Year's celebration—"

Sun Ce laughed, waving him away as he released both men and turned for the doorway again. "So what? The more the merrier! We've already got forty people here – what's one more?" The tonfa master paused in the entryway to grin at Taishi Ci, motioning the two lagging officers toward him with a beckoning hand. "The feast is about to kick off. Come on, guys – we've gotta get down there before they start eating. The girls have been cooking all day, and I really don't want to miss it."

Taishi Ci snorted, returning his lord's gaze with a raised eyebrow. "Missing you likely wouldn't hurt your guests any, Sun Ce. Given the amount you can cram into your stomach, the rest of us will be lucky to get anything at all—"

"Gotcha!"

Sun Ce's shout ricocheted off the wall, and the young officer dove forward, yanking hard on the Wolf warrior's forgotten braid before he disappeared down the corridor, his pounding steps echoing through the entire wing. Taishi Ci stood in shocked silence for a moment, fingering his manhandled hair – then the general's face contorted, and he too vanished from the doorway, his shout ringing back to Zhou Yu and Lu Xun where they stood frozen in surprise halfway across the study.

"Sun Ce! I'm going to wring your good-for-nothing neck! Get back here!"

The dark strategist blinked, listening to the diminishing echoes of the two officers' running steps and Sun Ce's ubiquitous laughter filling the estate with its unrestrained excitement. Then the swordsman sighed and put a hand to his temple, massaging the ghost of a headache as Lu Xun turned to face him, cinnamon eyes wide in his youthful face.

"Welcome to Wu," Zhou Yu intoned dryly. Then at last he let a small smile slip across his lips, lightening his stern expression as he gestured toward the door. "I suppose we may as well oblige him. Sun Ce tends to be even more irritating in a bad mood than a good."

Lu Xun's features relaxed into a smile, and he nodded to the older officer, the last dip turning into a shallow bow. Zhou Yu shook his head and directed his steps toward the revelry taking place in Qingshan's dining hall, the fickle oil lamp barely illuminating his obsidian eyes as he moved into the torchlit hallway and left his work behind him.

.x.

Zhou Yu was not interested in a celebration. He was little more interested in a tremendous meal, and he was not at all looking forward to a night of polite conversation and socializing with the officers who had made Wu the flourishing state of the south. But all of his reservations and antisocial leanings aside, he had to admit that those in charge of preparation had outdone themselves.

In the weeks leading up to the end of the Bitter Moon, every member of the household and every available guest had taken part in the traditional New Year's arrangements. The windows had been repapered and the outer gate relacquered; the walls had been replastered where they showed signs of wear, and the rugs and tapestries had been beaten, washed and hung on tightened pegs. The entire grounds had been cleared of debris and autumn leaves – no small task, considering the scope of Qingshan's gardens and the layers of snow that had been interfering on and off for almost fourteen days.

By the eve of the coming year, Qingshan's premier estate had glittered like a freshly polished stone, all the rough edges worn away in the name of presentation. But if those preparations had seemed effective, they were nothing compared to the work that had gone on while the strategist was locked in his study all day, poring over reports while the other occupants of the house worked on more holiday-oriented agendas.

The tapestries and murals that usually covered Qingshan's walls had all been obscured by long flows of silk and coarse paper in a burnished scarlet, each one decorated in flowing characters that expressed the customary wishes for health, luck, riches, longevity, and children. Though the floor was only made of mud brick, it seemed to sparkle in the light of the plentiful torches, the grooves of the hardened material swept and scrubbed cleaner than the swordsman had ever seen them. A long, low table had been set up in the center of the hall, ringed by floor mats and seating cushions, and it was here that the majority of the guests were assembled, kneeling in front of as yet empty plates and mountains upon mountains of waiting food – so much that Zhou Yu couldn't tell, scanning the table from his position near the hall's entrance, whether those seated on opposite sides of the table could even see each other over the piles of New Year's delicacies.

By tradition, cooking was not allowed on the first day of the year, which was why so much had to be prepared the night before. Even knowing that, however, the strategist was fairly sure the Qiao sisters had gone miles beyond necessity in the sheer amount of food they had created. The two girls had insisted on doing the work themselves, and eventually Shang Xiang and Lady Wu, along with the wives of various guests and a flock of kitchen maids, had agreed to help them with the overwhelming task of readying the banquet.

The result of their effort was impressive. Tureen after tureen of soup, stew and porridge lined the center of the table, lacquered ladles gleaming near the iron feet of the tremendous basins. Vegetables and meats of all shapes, sizes and preparations were laid out on the great wooden serving trays that only saw use at events of this type, so wide around that they filled the width of the table completely and left little room for the sauces and spices flanking them. An oval cup with crescent handles waited patiently beside each plate, brimming with wine from the enormous jugs set at intervals along the table. And the aroma of the feast outdid its visual impression three times over, spiraling up from the steaming dishes and spreading through the din of the banquet hall.

Zhou Yu let his gaze travel along the cheerful faces of the assembled guests, acknowledging the smiles shot his direction as he leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. Beside him, Lu Xun stood frozen in the doorway, his cinnamon eyes wide with wonder. At last the boy laughed and rubbed a hand against his neck, casting a sideways glance at his superior as the sound disappeared into the independent conversation around them.

"I've been to many New Year's feasts during my life, Lord Zhou Yu. But I've never been to an event like this before."

Zhou Yu nodded, his face impassive as he gazed out across the room again. "You'll find Sun Ce never does anything unless he does so with all his heart. That applies to celebrations as well." The swordsman straightened from his position against the wall and gestured to the nearly filled table, dark eyes flickering with the light of the cheerful torches. "We would do well to find our places before they devour everything."

Lu Xun nodded, and he fell into step behind his superior as the strategist made his way down the length of the table, tipping his head to the half bows of the guests and attendants crowded around the feast. Cheng Pu raised his untouched cup and Huang Gai winked across the overflowing serving platters, his battle-worn face remarkably carefree – but Zhou Yu didn't stop moving until he reached the center of the room, where a spot had been left empty between Lu Meng and Taishi Ci. Lu Meng was staring sordidly into the depths of his wine cup, and he looked up with a dark scowl when the swordsman cleared his throat, obsidian eyes boring into the gruff warrior's own.

"Lu Meng." Zhou Yu reached back and directed his new assistant forward, ignoring the displeased recognition flooding Lu Meng's features and the shamefaced blush coating Lu Xun's. "This is Lu Xun, a young man from the Wu Commandery. I understand you've already met."

Lu Meng grumbled something incoherent and turned back to his empty plate, avoiding the strategist's pointed stare and the hazel eyes of the Wolf general to his left. Taishi Ci tossed his head, running a hand through his bangs as he watched the sour warrior with a satisfied smirk that matched his condescending tone.

"Don't be sore, Lu Meng," he advised, folding his arms over his chest. "They say there are lessons to be learned even in defeat."

Lu Meng shot the older officer a sharp glare, Taishi Ci's smug expression drawing more shadows onto his already disgruntled features as he cast a black glance at the embarrassed young man standing beside him. Lu Xun stiffened uncomfortably, keeping himself still only through a force of will that showed on his face and in his uncertain eyes. Zhou Yu watched the two officers in silence. At last the acerbic warrior scoffed and slumped forward to rest his elbows on the table, glaring into the depths of his wine instead.

"I wasn't prepared," Lu Meng muttered, swishing his cup. "This damn holiday's had everyone up late night after night, and you've all been so loud that I haven't gotten any sleep even though I wanted nothing to do with it. How could you expect me to play at my best, when this whole house has been a menagerie for the last month?"

Zhou Yu merely raised an eyebrow at the excuse, but Taishi Ci snorted under his breath, leaning back on his palms to regard his caustic comrade with experienced skepticism. "Disruptions? Are you sure that's truly what's been keeping you awake?" the Wolf general asked in a low voice, his gaze stealing down the table to where the Qiao sisters sat in quiet conversation.

Lu Xun only blinked at the paleness sweeping Lu Meng's face, but Zhou Yu shot Taishi Ci a sharp look anyway and shook his head once, drawing the officers' attention back to himself with the movement. The swordsman crossed his arms over his chest and glanced between the three men, meeting Lu Meng's eyes last and holding the warrior's bad-tempered gaze through the wavering torchlight.

"It is neither my business nor my concern why you lost, Lu Meng. If you would like to schedule a rematch, that's your prerogative. For now, I care only that you treat Lu Xun with politeness during the meal – he'll be sitting here. Answer any questions he may have…" The strategist's gaze shifted to Taishi Ci as he pressed his lips into a thin line, displeasure making his features harsh. "…But watch your tongues."

Lu Xun looked even more curious at this final addition, but the Wolf general seemed to have gotten the intended message, and he scoffed as he cocked his head to the side, upsetting his modest braid with the scornful motion.

"Fine, Lord Zhou Yu – keep your secrets. But it's only a matter of time until he learns how things go on here, if he's going to stay."

The youth looked between his two superiors, one coldly serious and the other arrogantly defiant, and his light eyes asked for clarification. When a long moment passed in silence, Lu Xun took a hesitant seat between the two kneeling warriors, keeping his elbows close to his side as though brushing against either of them might cause an outburst. Zhou Yu took the motion as his signal to leave and turned toward the head of the table, meeting Taishi Ci's unfazed eyes over his shoulder.

"I'd prefer not to deal with any of Wu's internal politics at present. I'll thank you in advance for keeping your mouth shut."

Taishi Ci snorted but said nothing more, and the strategist assumed by the tight line of the older man's jaw that his orders had been understood. Without another word, the swordsman headed down the line of seated guests, watching the flickering torches out of the corner of his eye – and though their voices weren't loud, he listened to the conversation of the officers behind him, discerning the muted syllables over the rhythm of his footsteps.

"Master Lu Meng? Is that your name?" Lu Xun's voice was uncertain, barely strong enough to carry over the murmur of countless separate discussions. "About… about the chess game earlier. You didn't play badly at all, sir. It was only in the last four moves that I managed to…"

Zhou Yu smirked a little, shaking his head at the expression he could just imagine the boy's attempted mollification would bring to Lu Meng's face. Then he directed his attention forward and increased his pace, moving deeper into the banquet hall with purposeful strides. It only took a moment for Sun Ce to notice his nearing movement, and the Little Conqueror waved to him impatiently from the very head of the table, making a face at the dark warrior.

"There you are! Sheesh, hurry up, Yu. We're all waiting on you."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the summons and stepped around Sun Quan to take his seat at the tonfa master's side, not bothering to return the youngest Sun child's smile or Zhou Tai's firm nod. The strategist slipped into a kneeling position and shot his companion a flat look.

"No one is waiting on me, Ce," the swordsman murmured, keeping his voice low so that the words carried no farther than the Sun lord's siblings on one side and the Qiao sisters on the other. Zhou Yu gestured to the polite guests with anticipatory smiles lining both sides of the table. "They're waiting for your speech."

Sun Ce blinked, his amber eyes wide in puzzlement. "Speech?"

The strategist shook his head, scowling at his companion across their empty plates. "Ce… I warned you about this a week ago." The blank expression on his commander's countenance did not budge, and the dark warrior rolled his eyes again, rubbing a soft hand against his temple. "You haven't thought about it once since then, have you?"

The young officer laughed almost sheepishly, one hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. "Nope – my bad. Don't worry about it, Yu – I'll just wing it. I'm a great speaker."

Zhou Yu sighed between his teeth, mild irritation darkening his gaze despite the light of the thousand flickering flames. Part of him wanted to tell the master of Wu exactly what he thought of the man's speaking skills, and the other part just wanted to give the Sun lord a sound smack to the back of the head and hope the painful lesson would stick better than his lectures usually did. But Sun Ce had already braced both hands against the table and pushed himself to his feet, and there was nothing more to be done without creating a disruption; the swordsman leaned back in his seat and directed his eyes upward, watching the Little Conqueror's contagious grin as the hall grew silent around them.

"Hey, everybody! Listen up for a minute." Sun Ce's shout quieted the last whispers, and his short wave got the attention of even his more distracted guests, drawing forty stares to his beaming face. The young officer laughed a little as he raised his wine cup and toasted the congregation, amber eyes bright beneath his unruly bangs. "We're all hungry, so I won't take long. But before we start, here's to a happy New Year. Let's aim for another great one!"

The Sun lord took a deep drink of his cup and started to sit back down, but Zhou Yu glared at him and Shang Xiang hissed something from his left, and between them the young officer was forced to remain standing. Sun Ce made a face at his closest retainers before he turned back to his audience, a mildly indignant frown darkening his face. "Okay, okay – fine. Apparently that doesn't count as a speech. I don't know what _some_ people are being so picky about – don't we all just want to eat?"

There was a chorus of chuckles from the assembled guests, but no one moved toward the serving platters or voiced assent loud enough to be heard, their eyes fixed on the master of Wu despite his suggestion. Sun Ce ran a hand through his ponytail and shrugged, his scowl fading into a smile as he rubbed the lacquered side of his wine cup with absent fingers.

"I know Zhou Yu doesn't believe me on this, but I don't really have to make a speech." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at the mild laughter sounding up and down the table; the Sun lord stuck his tongue out at the strategist before glancing along the two lines of his seated guests once more, his expression open and inviting in the muted light. "I already know you guys too well for what I say to matter. What matters is that you're all here, and that we're having a good time together. Our empire is stronger and better than ever, because all of us are working together. I've got a lot to thank you for, and I'm not going to forget it, trust me."

It seemed to Zhou Yu that every dinner guest had drawn himself straighter at the words, each face smiling with a sincerity that swore to do again whatever they'd done for the master of Wu, over and over until he had no more need of their aid or the earth had swallowed them. Sun Ce waited a moment in the silence and then laughed, raising his wine cup above his head. His amber eyes shimmered in the light of the flickering torches.

"When all of us are together, we can do anything. And as soon as the snow melts, we're going to get right back to doing it. We won't stop until we get where we're going – that's a promise."

The Sun lord took a long drink of wine, and around the hall his guests did the same, closing their eyes in echo of his vow. Zhou Yu lifted his cup and let the alcohol spill into his mouth, feeling the distilled liquor warm on his tongue as his gaze traced his companion's cheerful features. Almost as one, the wine cups came back to rest on the table, leaving smiles on the faces of their masters as the young officer grinned and spread his arms wide.

"Hey – enough with the talk. Let's eat already!"

A wave of laughter and applause greeted the end of the young lord's candid speech, and Sun Ce bowed dramatically before dropping back into his seat. As soon as he had reached the floor, the din of feasting began, serving utensils clattering against basins and bowls as the guests began to devour the heaping delicacies of the traditional New Year's celebration. The Sun lord grinned at Zhou Yu and slung an arm around his swordsman's shoulders, eyes bright in the jovial contours of his face.

"See? That wasn't bad at all. I work great under pressure."

The strategist rolled his eyes, skeptical just how much pressure his commander had actually been feeling; for a long moment, he watched in silence as Sun Ce withdrew his arm and dug into the food set out before them. At last the swordsman shook his head and picked up his own chopsticks, shooting the Little Conqueror a look of mild exasperation that the young man wholeheartedly ignored.

"Next year… perhaps you could put a little more thought into things beforehand."

Sun Ce made a face at him, swallowing a large mouthful of soup as he poked his stoic companion between the ribs. "Where would be the fun in that? Real speeches are boring. Nobody wants to listen to them anyway." Zhou Yu sighed under his breath, and one of the young officer's hands moved to find his wrist, stilling against the pale skin and drawing the strategist's attention. The Sun lord tipped his chin to one side, a cocky grin capturing his lips. "Besides – next year, we could be celebrating in the imperial palace. Wouldn't that be cool? Then even you wouldn't care if I made a speech or not."

Zhou Yu had severe doubts about the feasibility of controlling the entire country in one year, particularly considering how long it had taken to get Wu under control – but he smiled a little anyway, turning back to his dinner and losing eye contact with his optimistic companion. "Be careful what you wish for, Ce. If you were the emperor of China, I would bother you far more about your speeches than I do now."

Sun Ce wrinkled his nose at the strategist, his hand retreating to the serving dishes and scooping large portions of meat and noodles onto his crowded plate. "You're a stuffed shirt, you know that? Nothing's ever going to be good enough for you, is it?"

Zhou Yu glanced sideways to meet his commander's eyes, the corners of his lips just barely quirking upward. He held his lord's gaze until the Little Conqueror's scowl melted into a teasing grin, and then the swordsman returned his attention to his modest plate. The banquet hall echoed with laughter and scraping utensils around them, the sounds filling the warm air and slipping out into Qingshan's blowing snowstorm – and despite the loss of contact, Zhou Yu's wrist remained warm for a long time, remembering the touch of the brightest sun.

.x.

"Sun Ce wins again!"

With a victorious shout and the sound of rattling plates echoing through the banquet hall, Sun Ce slammed his brother's hand down onto the table, startling those few guests who had not moved to the lounges and drawing a yelp from the younger boy's lips. Sun Quan stared at his defeated arm for a moment before pouting and untangling his fingers from the triumphant conqueror's, rubbing the back of his hand to dispel the mark that impact had left on his unscarred skin.

"Brother! You're so mean. You didn't have to do it that hard!"

The Sun lord laughed, shrugging a little as he reached out and pulled the boy's dessert – the promised prize of their arm-wrestling contest – toward his side of the table. "Hey, it's not my fault you're weaker than I am. Maybe you'd have a better chance if you trained once in a while."

Sun Quan huffed and turned away from his brother with a sharp frown, refusing to watch as the young officer devoured his pastry and licked cinnamon off of his cheeky grin. From his place to Sun Ce's right, Zhou Yu sighed a little. It was true that the youngest Sun child had willingly sacrificed his dessert to the contest of strength, and that he had arm-wrestled his brother despite bystander warnings concerning the outcome. But somehow it still felt as though the boy had been cheated – perhaps because the master of Wu had been aware of his brother's physical disadvantage and hadn't bothered to give himself a handicap.

From his position at Sun Quan's side, Zhou Tai shifted in his seat, his deep gaze tracing the soft contours of the boy's face – so different now from the scars Xuancheng had left his guardian. The granite warrior slid his own dessert plate forward until it rested in front of his young charge, drawing the boy's startled eyes up to his own. "Here, Master Quan. You may have mine."

Sun Quan blinked at his loyal protector, his mouth falling open just a little at the unexpected gesture. Then a hesitant smile came over his face, brightening the still childish features of the seventeen-year-old regent as he pushed the offered pastry back toward his caretaker. "No, Zhou Tai – it's all right. I lost to Brother fairly. It's my own fault for taking his bet in the first place."

Sun Ce chewed cheerfully on his pilfered dessert, a smirk dominating his face as he reached for the dessert plate between them. "I'll eat it, if nobody else wants to."

"No!" Sun Quan jerked the plate back into the shelter of his arms and glared hard at his eldest sibling, leaning into Zhou Tai's shoulder to avoid the Sun lord's reach. His light eyes were chastising as he tossed his head toward the stack of empty plates beside his brother's elbow, his stern frown almost comical in a face that hadn't yet lost all of its boyhood chubbiness. "You ate your dessert, and you're eating mine, and you took Zhou Yu's, too. You don't get to have Zhou Tai's as well."

Sun Ce rolled his shoulders in a loose shrug, glancing sideways to catch the onyx eyes of the stoic strategist in question. "Yu doesn't mind. He didn't want his anyway." Zhou Yu didn't bother to confirm his statement, watching the compulsive smile on his companion's lips until the Sun lord turned back to his brother and stretched across the table, wrinkling his nose at the indignant youth across from him. "I was just offering. If you two are going to fight about who gets it, you might as well put it up for donation."

Sun Quan stuck his tongue out, slipping for a moment from the mature demeanor he had recently adopted back into a pettier, sibling-oriented reaction. "Even if we did put it up for donation, I wouldn't give it to you. You've had more than enough already, and you're probably going to be up all night bouncing off the walls as it is. Leave some for other people." With that the youngest Sun child turned to stare up at his guardian, smiling at the tall man as he readjusted his position on the floor mat. "Let's share it, Zhou Tai. That way we can make sure he doesn't get any of it."

Zhou Tai nodded silently, his face as stern as ever, but Zhou Yu thought he could see a tiny curve playing at the line of the man's lips, the barest hint of his amusement coming through on his disfigured face. Sun Quan grabbed his chopsticks and dug into the dessert with a vigor that belied his claim not to want it, and soon the youngest Sun child was so absorbed in his eating that he didn't notice his caretaker replacing his unused utensils on the table. Zhou Tai leaned back on his heels to make room for his charge's eager elbows, which seemed unnaturally long and sharp because Sun Quan had not yet grown into his last growth spurt and was somewhat gangly in appearance.

Sun Ce slumped across the table and turned his face away from the unsuccessfully captured dessert, lowering his voice so that it barely reached his swordsman's ears. "Fine, fine. Bunch of saps. It doesn't matter how many I've had – I was going to be up all night anyway."

The young officer's eyes swept back to Zhou Yu's, and the swordsman raised an eyebrow, wondering silently about the smile on his lips. Before he could come to a conclusion about the Sun lord's implication, two soft hands landed on the Little Conqueror's shoulders, drawing his amber gaze to the cheerful young woman who had appeared behind him without warning.

"Hey, sleepyhead." Shang Xiang laughed as she poked her brother in the cheek, drawing his head up from the surface of the table with the teasing motion. "Dozing off already? The party's just getting started in a couple of the parlor rooms."

Sun Ce grinned as he straightened back to a sitting position, glancing up at his sister while her fingers moved in a gentle massage. "Who, me? No way. I was just griping about this tight-fisted brother of ours." The Sun lord tapped his foot against the ground in a vague rhythm, matching the decidedly juvenile face Sun Quan shot him across the empty serving platters and abandoned wine vessels remaining from the feast. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and Zhou Tai smiled again, the expression barely cracking the slate façade of his scarred features.

Shang Xiang withdrew her hands from her brother's shoulders and gave the young officer a light smack to the back of the head, upsetting his chestnut ponytail before she crossed her arms over her chest. "It serves you right, Ce. You're too greedy as it is. Leave other people their own sweets, you thief."

Sun Ce stuck his tongue out at the pretty young woman as he rubbed his punished scalp, chasing an abandoned slice of cucumber across the low table with his chopsticks. "You're on his side? Come on, Shang – neither of them wanted it anyway. Da and Xiao only made enough of those for everybody to get one. We should put them to good use."

The Sun princess clicked her tongue, smiling despite herself as the Little Conqueror stacked the empty plate he had stolen from Sun Quan on top of his other ones and dipped his finger in the sugary sauce that remained. "You really are a bottomless pit, aren't you? You ate nearly everything on our side of the table – how can you even have room for dessert?"

The Sun lord shrugged, licking away the last of the confection as he leaned back on his heels. "'Cause it's New Year's. There's a ton of good food around, so I've got room for whatever I want."

Zhou Yu shook his head, catching the young officer's gaze long enough to give him a pointedly flat look. "Ce, that doesn't make any sense." Sun Ce huffed, elbowing his strategist in the ribs as though the contact might cement his point better than words.

"It makes perfect sense. If there's good stuff to be had, I've got room for it. It's a great system. Why would I want extra room when we're just having normal food?"

There was little the swordsman could say to that, and in the end he only shook his head, turning back to face Sun Quan across the cluttered tabletop. The youngest Sun child had finished his protector's dessert and crossed both silken arms over his chest in imitation of his sister, his ceremonial bun bobbing above his shoulders. "Shang's right, Brother. You're greedy. You'd want everyone's dessert even if you didn't have room."

Sun Ce made a face at his youngest sibling, leaning back to rest both of his palms against the cold brick of the floor. "Hey, watch it, Quan. When'd you get so mouthy, anyway? What happened to that cute little kid I used to chase around?"

Sun Quan huffed, looking even ganglier as both hands slipped down to rest against his hips. "He grew up. And then he learned that his brother was a jerk just trying to get at his dessert. Is it really surprising that he got a little short?"

The Sun lord snickered, reaching across the table to poke the boy squarely in his chest. "There's nothing short about you anymore, Quan. Nothing but your temper. You sprung up like a beanpole this year. How tall are you, anyway? You're going to be taller than I am soon."

Sun Quan sat up a little straighter in his kneeling position, bright eyes sparkling with the reflected torches – and though he attempted to keep his features neutral, it was impossible to miss the spark of pride lighting his features as he shrugged under his fine robes. "Maybe I will. You're not all that tall to begin with."

Sun Ce opened his mouth to refute this, his nose already wrinkling at the mild insult, but movement at the end of the hall distracted him from whatever he'd been about to say and drew his gaze back toward the door. Zhou Yu turned with him, his eyes moving over the three figures that had appeared in the banquet hall's entrance; together Wu's leading officers listened to the pounding steps of the young boy approaching them at an all-out sprint, his mouth split in a grin almost too wide for his childish face.

"Sun Ce! Guess what? Guess what I did?"

The Sun lord smiled, rising from his kneeling position to greet the youth and waving back to where the two Qiao sisters followed at a markedly slower pace, their infants in their arms. "Hey, it's the baby brigade!" Sun Ce called, cupping his hands around his mouth so that the shout echoed the length of his banquet hall. "Everybody enjoying their New Year?"

Even from the considerable distance of the length of the table, Zhou Yu could see that his wife's face was glowing with a beautiful smile as she held a squirming Xuan against one shoulder, his fat baby fingers tangled in her hair. "Some of us were enjoying our naps, until Shao came bursting in and woke the little ones up," Xiao Qiao replied, shaking her head at the excited boy who had screeched to a stop at Sun Ce's side. Shao bounced up and down on the balls of his feet, tugging hard on the Sun lord's sleeve to regain his attention.

"Sun Ce! Guess what I did?"

The Little Conqueror laughed, ruffling the boy's tight bun and scattering the black bangs into his eyes. "What'd you do, squirt?" Shao gave him an almost maniacal grin, jumping up and clenching his hands into makeshift claws as his face twisted in a demonic expression.

"I was the best goblin of all. Nobody could catch me – not even Lu Meng! And he tried the hardest, because Mama said she'd give him a day off of watching me if he promised to play with us."

Zhou Yu glanced at Lady Qiao, catching her sepia eyes above the floppy mop of charcoal hair that covered Yingmei's crown. The dignified young woman chuckled a little, readjusting her grip on the one-year-old in her arms so that the tiny girl could get hold of her swinging braids and tug on them with plump baby fists. "All of the men were playing tag with that old goblin mask you found yesterday, Lord Ce. Master Meng was no good at it, I'm afraid. It's too bad, really – I offered to take Shao off of his hands for a day because they've been quarrelling lately, mostly about the rules…"

Here Lady Qiao shot her adopted son a stern look, but Shao wasn't paying attention to his mother, all of his interest focused on the Sun lord he was circling like an energetic monkey. The boy latched onto Sun Ce's bicep and the master of Wu obliged by lifting him off of the ground, letting the youth hang from his arm and kick his feet through the torchlit air. The young officer snickered, turning in a half-circle so that he could catch his swordsman's eyes above Shao's playful head.

"'Atta boy, rugrat. You give Lu Meng hell for me, okay?"

"Yes, sir!" the youth shouted, squirming his way onto the Sun lord's back and wrapping both arms around his neck. Zhou Yu watched them in silence, reading the similarity in their smiles as Shao punched one determined fist into the air above his head. "I'll never give up! I won't listen to him no matter what!"

Xiao Qiao sighed and gave Sun Ce a mild glare, bouncing Xuan a little in her arms and drawing an amazed smile onto her son's chubby face. "Really, Sun Ce, must you? We have enough trouble keeping track of him without your encouragement. I think Meng's nearly at the end of his patience."

The Little Conqueror made a face at her, spinning in a circle once before letting Shao slide off of his back and land on his feet once again. "Lu Meng's never had any patience to begin with. It's no more than he deserves for being so grumpy all the time. He just needs to lighten up."

"I'm not certain that's what he needs at the moment, Sun Ce."

The soaring shout drew every gaze in the company back toward the front of the hall, and Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the distinct faces of the five or six men clustered in the doorway. The voice was unquestionably Taishi Ci's, and the Wolf general's severe countenance distinguished itself as he took another step into the room, a jug clutched in each of his powerful hands. The strategist raised an eyebrow as Taishi Ci lifted both of the jugs to the level of his shoulders and tossed his head toward the group waiting in the entrance behind him, the smirk on his lips unmistakable despite the distance between them.

"Lu Meng's stamina is fairly pathetic – he's exhausted from a single game of tag. What he needs now is a good stiff drink. In fact, I'd say we all do."

The men behind the Wolf general stepped forward as well, and now Zhou Yu could see that they were all carrying jugs, although Lu Xun was clearly uncomfortable about the liquor resting in his arms. Huang Gai and Cheng Pu just smiled, their flushed faces announcing that these were perhaps not their first drinks of the night. Last of all came Lu Meng, who looked decidedly put out – though about the prospect of a drink or the tag game that had preceded it, the strategist had no answer. Taishi Ci moved ahead of his company down the length of the table, stopping when he drew even of the Sun lord and slamming his jug down beside the serving platters so hard it made Sun Quan jump. The Wolf warrior crossed his arms over his chest, braid swinging loose behind him as he glanced between the leading officers of Wu and their startled retinue.

"If you're done playing games with the women and children, I'd like to challenge you to a drinking contest. Both of you," Taishi Ci added as Zhou Yu made to stand up, his obsidian eyes dark with disapproval. The Wolf general smirked down at him, his face awash with prideful disdain. "If you're not afraid to lose, that is."

The strategist glared up at the older officer silently, the tight line of his lips expressing his opinion of the activity without any words at all – but Sun Ce laughed and moved back to his swordsman's side, dropping both warm hands onto the dark warrior's shoulders as though keeping him seated would force his participation. "Count us in," the master of Wu announced, grinning at the prospect of a challenge and digging his fingers into the fabric of Zhou Yu's robe. "But if you think we're gonna go down easy, think again – Yu's a lot better at this than he looks."

At his agreement, the men who had been waiting in the door began to make their way down the length of the hall as well, toting their jugs in careful hands until they could group the wine containers in a huddle around Taishi Ci's. The swordsman switched the target of his glare to the young officer above him, meeting his commander's impish amber eyes through the light of the many flickering torches. But for all the displeasure in his gaze, the Sun lord only winked back, rubbing his companion's back in a vague form of encouragement.

"Come on, Yu," he murmured, tipping his chin to one side so that the cascade of his ponytail fell over his shoulder. "Live a little. It's New Year's."

Zhou Yu sighed, raising a hand to rub at the headache already building behind his temples. "I see no more reason to live on New Year's than at any other time of the year," the strategist grumbled, keeping his eyes locked on the Little Conqueror's features as his commander moved left and slid into a kneel beside him. Sun Ce shrugged, one arm slipping around his swordsman's shoulders as the last of the wine bearers reached the head of the table.

"Yeah, I know that. But I do – so how about humoring me? Just this once?"

Zhou Yu gave his companion a stern look, his obsidian eyes reminding the young officer that this was certainly not the first time he'd ever gone along with some idiotic form of entertainment for the Sun lord's sake. But he said nothing and turned his attention instead to the group of men gathering behind them, rallying around Taishi Ci and waiting for further instruction. The Wolf general crossed his arms over his chest and glanced around at the little company, jerking one thumb toward the door at the opposite end of the hall.

"Any and all men are invited to participate in the contest. I suggest the rest of you leave before this gets rough."

Shang Xiang scowled at the marked gender distinction, but Lady Qiao reached out and put a mollifying hand on her arm, drawing the hazel eyes back to her own deep brown. "Do not let it bother you, Lady Shang," the elder Qiao sister suggested, quietly enough that only those closest to her could decipher the words. "I think it'd be best not to join their contest in any regard. You know how they tend to behave when they've gotten into the wine."

The Sun princess considered her words for a moment in irritated silence, then sighed and let her hands fall to her hips, shaking her auburn head at the group of men before her. "That's true, Da." The young woman's sharp eyes confronted the Wolf general openly through the torchlit air, one thin eyebrow arched into her brow. "Just you watch it, Taishi Ci. I can outdrink Ce, and I could probably outdrink you. I'm still a daughter of the Sun family, you know."

Taishi Ci snorted, but he managed to restrain his tongue and came to sit opposite Sun Ce instead of answering, taking his position on the floor mat beside Zhou Tai. Xiao Qiao bundled Xuan more securely into her arms and Lady Qiao handed Yingmei to Shang Xiang so that she could grab Shao's hand, the motion drawing a pout and a small struggle from her adopted son.

"I want to join, too," Shao insisted, jerking his fingers away from his mother's. Lady Qiao raised an eyebrow, her expression becoming coldly disciplinarian, and the boy slumped a little under her pointed stare, scuffing his feet against the brick floor. "Taishi Ci said all men could join…"

Sun Ce laughed as he distributed wine cups to the party, handing Cheng Pu and Huang Gai their drinking vessels as the two veterans took seats across from each other and shared a nod of challenge. "Yeah, kiddo – all men, not all pipsqueaks. It's about bedtime for you anyway."

Shao stuck out his tongue at the Sun lord and turned to look up at his mother again, charcoal eyes pleading in his childish features. "Mama…"

Lady Qiao shook her head again, and her expression did not budge even as the young boy wrapped his arms around her and dropped his cheek to rest against her chest. "No, Shao. Stop whining and come to bed."

The youth's mouth contorted in a dark frown, but there was little more he could do to defy the calm, controlling woman, and he was forced to follow as she moved with her sister and sister-in-law toward the door. After a few steps, however, Lady Qiao stopped and turned back, her graceful eyes sweeping along the table before coming to rest on an unfamiliar set of features.

"I'm afraid I haven't made your acquaintance," the elder Qiao sister murmured as she tipped her head in a low bow. Lu Xun, the target of her attention, went stiff as a board in his seat and ducked his head to hide the furious blush that came over his face. He bowed repeatedly across the surface of the table, refusing to meet the beautiful woman's eyes.

"Yes, my lady. My apologies. My name is Lu Xun – I've only just arrived. I'm to be an assistant of Lord Zhou Yu. I hail from the Wu Commandery, and… and I'm very pleased to meet you."

The syllables came so fast that Zhou Yu wondered whether Lady Qiao could even understand them, and for a long moment he studied the young man's flush where it showed between his sandy bangs, eyes narrowed in scrutiny. Then the strategist turned to exchange glances with his commander, and he saw that Sun Ce was positively grinning, looking between his wife and the nervous attendant with a devilish gleam in his amber eyes. The swordsman shook his head, soundlessly discouraging his companion's idea – but then he second-guessed himself and found his gaze moving over Lady Qiao's acclaimed countenance again, measuring the amusement in her soft smile. Her words from a year earlier came back to him, faded with time but far from forgotten.

_Lord Ce and I could never have fallen in love. I want someone far gentler than he could ever be…_

Zhou Yu glanced again at Lu Xun's bent head, wondering what gentle truly was and how it could be measured in the features of a man accustomed to hardship and death. Then Lady Qiao laughed and his concentration was broken, his attention drawn back to her face as she brushed her free hand against her chin.

"Master Lu Xun. I'm very pleased to make your acquaintance as well. Perhaps we'll find the time to converse in the coming days."

Lu Xun nodded shortly, keeping his cinnamon eyes glued to the tabletop as though in fear of the woman's beautiful smile. Lady Qiao glanced around at the assembled men, and as her eyes met his, the swordsman felt as though he were receiving a secret message and simply failing to interpret it – and then she was gone, leading a reluctant Shao down the hall in the wake of the other women and leaving the drinking party behind.

No one moved until the doors had slipped closed behind Lady Qiao's trailing robes, and then Sun Ce sat up with a brilliant grin, grabbing the first of the wine jugs and lifting it high into the air. "Okay – everyone ready for this?" Each of the men around the table nodded, although Sun Quan looked decidedly unsure despite himself. Zhou Yu rolled his eyes in place of an answer, and the Little Conqueror laughed, reaching out to poke him in the chest. "Come on, Yu – try your best. Wouldn't you be embarrassed if Quan beat you out?"

The strategist said nothing, only fixing the youngest Sun child with a skeptical stare. Sun Quan shrunk under his dark gaze. Then the jug was trembling and wine splashed into each of the generals' lacquered cups, the clear liquid shimmering in the light of the torches. Sun Ce replaced the empty vessel beside its fellows and lifted his cup high into the air, a contagious smile playing at his lips.

"For Wu!"

Then the cup came down, and as one the warriors lifted the liquor to their lips, daring the alcohol to leave them the last man standing.

.x.

"Are you sure this is the right way?"

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes and moved forward at what he hoped was a steady pace, readjusting Sun Ce's arm where it was draped over his shoulder and tightening his hold around the Sun lord's waist. "Yes, Ce. You've asked me that seven times already."

The master of Wu tipped his head to one side, stumbling a little as his cheek came to rest along his companion's collarbone. "I don't know, Yu. This just doesn't look right to me."

The strategist huffed, wrapping his fingers more securely into the folds of his commander's robe as he resumed his movement down the corridor, obsidian eyes narrowed at the torches that seemed to bob up and down of their own accord. The truth was, he couldn't be sure they were headed the right direction at all. It _seemed_ like the right direction – but Zhou Yu knew only too well how little to trust the discretion of a drunk, even when that drunk was himself.

No, he was not nearly as out of commission as Sun Ce, nor nearly so much as the officers who had collapsed around the long table upon reaching their alcohol limit. When the swordsman had finally decided that the haze sweeping his vision had less to do with the hall's lighting and more to do with the wine buzzing through his body, he had looped the Little Conqueror's arm around his neck and set off for their shared quarters, dragging the inebriated young officer along with him. By that time, only Zhou Tai had still been awake, sipping at his drinking vessel as though it were his first cup and not his hundredth or so. Sun Quan, who had gone down long before the rest of the party, was passed out with his head in the stoic guardian's lap, snoring a little as he slept the liquor away.

Zhou Yu was mildly amazed at the granite warrior's stamina – but coming in third or so in the drinking contest did not concern him, especially as both he and Sun Ce had managed to remain conscious longer than Taishi Ci. Of course, the Wolf general had also been spared a trek to his quarters – the strategist had considered just sleeping in the banquet hall with the others until his sunshine companion's arms wound around his waist, and then there was nothing for it but to stumble their way back.

Unfortunately, the hallways of Qingshan's premier estate seemed to have grown longer and more confusing in the depths of midnight, and the swordsman could hardly be sure he was on the right track anymore. He was only glad that the rest of the household was already asleep, unable to witness the staggering tangle Wu's leading officers had become.

With a tiny sigh, the Sun lord yawned and nuzzled into his dark warrior's neck, chestnut bangs tickling the pale skin as Zhou Yu narrowly avoided steering them into a wall. "Yu? How much longer is this going to take?" the young man mumbled, his liquor-laced tongue butchering the words as they left his lips. The strategist rolled his eyes.

"It shouldn't be too much farther, Ce." He could see the dark outline of a door breaking the wall up ahead – if he were lucky, that would mark their destination. If not… Sun Ce hummed and kicked one foot at the wall to their right, his sniggers tickling against the swordsman's skin.

"Did you see the way that Lu Xun kid looked at Da? I think he likes her."

The slurred 'like' echoed down the corridor and resounded beneath the flickering torches, drawing a sigh of relief from the strategist's lips as he reached the door to their quarters at last and shoved it roughly open. The Sun lord tripped over the lower frame and nearly spilled them both across the floor, but Zhou Yu staggered back into the wall and managed to keep them upright, wincing at the noise of the slamming door against his already foggy skull. When he spoke, his voice was breathless, though whether from exertion or alcohol he couldn't tell.

"Lu Xun is timid, Ce. He'd never try anything, if that's what you're thinking."

Sun Ce cackled and released him to stagger toward the bed, misjudging the distance and landing in a pile partway. The master of Wu shook himself and sat up from the knot of his disoriented limbs, grinning at his swordsman through the light of the snowstorm still railing outside. "Maybe he would if I encouraged him," the young officer mused, crawling toward the bed on his hands and knees. "I'll bet Da'd start things, if he won't."

Zhou Yu shook his head at the suggestion, and then his eyes narrowed, shadowing his features as he struggled to calculate how far away the bed actually was. He watched his commander's slow progression and waited while Sun Ce pulled himself up onto the mattress – then the dark warrior began walking, placing heel to toe to keep his trajectory under control. The bed seemed to float up and down as though on an invisible sea, and long before the strategist thought he would reach it his legs collided with something solid, propelling him forward onto the unmade mattress with a small gasp. The Sun lord crowed, rolling onto his back and shooting his intoxicated warrior a cheeky grin.

"Man… you've never been smashed like this, have you?"

Zhou Yu glared at the young officer as he pulled his legs up as well and assumed as dignified a position as he could manage, lying still on his side with his dark hair spread all around him. The Little Conqueror just grinned, inching forward until he could get both arms around his companion's neck and pull himself into the stony embrace.

"Cheer up, Yu. At least we beat that old fish, huh?"

The swordsman sighed, wrapping one arm around the Sun lord's waist as he studied the interplay of light and shadow in his jovial amber eyes. "You say that now, but I doubt you'll be particularly cheerful yourself in the morning. You've never handled hangovers well, Ce."

Sun Ce shook his head, running his hand through the scattered strands of the strategist's hair and twirling a few around his fingers. "I handle hangovers fine. You're the one that's gonna be all grumpy."

Zhou Yu did not bother to refute his commander's statement, the only part of his mind that had retained function warning him that the young officer was probably right. Instead he moved one hand through his companion's chestnut ponytail, rearranging the soft cascade and tracing his fingers down the Sun lord's spine. "Be that as it may, I doubt you'll be in a better mood than I tomorrow, considering we're both too intoxicated to walk at present."

Sun Ce just laughed, pulling himself closer until the tip of his nose brushed his swordsman's and Zhou Yu could smell the wine coloring his breath. "I'm not too drunk to walk," the young officer asserted, his amber eyes swallowing the strategist's field of vision. "I'm just too drunk to walk well. And you got us here, didn't you?"

The dark warrior only shook his head, a tiny smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Somehow. But I'd sooner attribute that to a miracle than to my own efforts, Ce. I can no longer even see straight."

The Sun lord grinned, tilting his head to one side so that it rested along the curve of his arm. "What about kissing me? Can you still do that?" he teased, tracing patterns into his swordsman's back.

Zhou Yu considered the question in silence for a long moment, studying the contours of Sun Ce's face and trying to determine the actual location of his lips through the haze of the alcohol. Then he leaned forward a few inches and found that he could, and as the Little Conqueror shifted in his arms he let his mind drift away into the New Year's snowstorm, abandoning thought for the warmth of the skin that was so familiar under his hands.

End Chapter 43

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Bit of a long wait on what was supposed to be a short chapter. Nonetheless, here it is. I decided to introduce Lu Xun a few years earlier than is historically accurate, but I liked the idea of having almost all of the Wu generals assembled for New Year's. I hope the chapter was enjoyable, and as always comments are appreciated.

A note for Sirithiliel: Thank you. I'm glad you liked the battle description – those can be hard to do, but I enjoy writing them. Good luck moving, and I hope you liked this chapter as well.

A note for Ever Kitsune: I'm glad you liked how Lady Li was dealt with. I am also glad that my writing has the ability to impact you emotionally, especially where Sun Ce is concerned, as that's where the most emotional impact is intended. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well, and I await your reaction with anticipation.


	46. Chapter 44

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX to a very minor extent).

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Secession – Part 43 

Chen Hao knew the words had been used before – so often that they had almost gone stale over the course of the history of the world, becoming too familiar to carry weight any longer. Nonetheless, he couldn't help seconding whoever had first described sunrise as the sky on fire, a thousand flames trailing through the soundless air.

Though dawn had not yet broken, everything was so bright that the colors alone hurt his eyes. The sun continued its invisible march toward the edge of the horizon, which had lost all traces of shadow and resigned itself to the appearance of a faraway sea. The clouds lying low to the earth had taken on a holographic sheen, red and gold clashing in melted swirls across their pillowed folds and glittering fiercely in the unrisen light. Each of the dazzling ribbons of color was uncomfortably warm against Chen Hao's eyes, and they only made the morning air seem colder, causing the soldier to shiver as a soft breeze swept across his exposed skin.

Everywhere the colors of the coming dawn were melding and intensifying, becoming deeper in one area and gentler in another so that the heavens above him were a tremendous patchwork of different shades, each as impossible to pin down as the one it blended into. Chen Hao let his gaze move back and forth across the contours of the sky, trying to hold onto the pattern of the sunrise even as every moment changed the hues a little, skewing his impression until he wasn't sure a single vision had been imprinted into his memory.

"It's beautiful… isn't it?"

Zhou Yu's whisper drew the soldier's attention back to his fallen commander, and the general shifted under his scrutiny, obsidian eyes scanning the sky beyond the peak of the canvas roof. The famous strategist sighed to himself, smiling just a little despite his pallid features and the circle of blood around his lips that was growing starker with every moment of new light.

"I have never had any use… for sunrises. There has never been time."

Chen Hao bit his lip, unsure whether the statement was regretful or simply observatory. Zhou Yu's expression had become neutral again, and there was nothing to guide him in the black, empty gaze following the lines of the sky, tracing the angel wings in the heavens above them and sifting through the holographic clouds with inclined disinterest. The general sighed again, and his soldier glanced forward to trace the path of the weathered road before them, watching the shrubs scuttle past as the clop of the horses' hooves echoed like a marching drum over the open landscape. He kept his eyes locked on the crimson-tinged scenery as his commander began to speak, his voice only a halting whisper now and barely audible above the creak of the wagon wheels.

"Over the following months, Sun Ce's generals dispersed to their rightful posts, and the remainder of our retinue moved north to Lingnan. Sun Ce wished to attack Chen Deng, a retainer of Cao Cao's who controlled a strip of land just beyond the border of the Wu Territory…" Zhou Yu stopped and shook his head, closing his eyes against the blue of the western sky and the red light coloring the roof above him. "Such an action would likely have brought imperial sanctions against us, though Ce didn't seem concerned about that at the time. He was eager to push Cao Cao as far from his border as possible."

Chen Hao said nothing for a long moment, pressing his lips into a worried line as he watched the general swallow hard and wince against his dry throat, one hand moving up to massage the pale flesh above his breastplate as though he could force relief through his shaking fingers. Then the soldier inched closer to his commander and dropped his head, unable to stop a question from slipping off of his tongue.

"Lord Zhou Yu… why don't you drink anymore?"

Zhou Yu blinked, turning his head awkwardly sideways to meet his subordinate's gaze and frowning in sharp puzzlement. "What?"

Chen Hao shifted, reining back his breath so that the cold smoke of each exhale would not brush the general's ear. "A long time ago – near the beginning of our journey. You told me you don't drink. But…" The soldier shrugged, the small motion expressing more than his all of his words could. The commander shook his head once and then turned his face away from his curious subordinate, the reds and golds of the coming sunrise playing across his skin as he stared into the wagon's wooden side.

Zhou Yu considered his answer far longer than Chen Hao had expected, and for a heartbeat the soldier wondered whether he would be getting an answer at all. But at last the general sighed and rubbed his uninjured hand against his forehead, staring into a darkness that Chen Hao could see nowhere but in his eyes.

"I suppose there hasn't been time for that, either."

The soldier wondered. He wondered whether it were the time liquor took or the memories it summoned that his commander was trying to ward away – whether it were the taste of wine or the touch of the past that came with it he was avoiding. He did not ask, though, and Zhou Yu offered no answer, dragging his eyes back from their study of the vehicle's edge to the empty ceiling that seemed to be barely holding back the lightening sky above them.

"We did not attack Chen Deng. That winter was a long one… another storm arrived in the closing days of the first month, and it did not lift for almost six weeks. Huang Gai had meant to continue the assault against Huang Zu, but he was denied that opportunity as well."

The general winced as he swallowed, and it seemed to Chen Hao that his commander could hardly complete the motion, squeezing his eyes shut against the cream blue sky as he held a long breath. When he exhaled, the sound was sharp, his voice a hoarse whisper.

"Sun Ce wanted to proceed with the invasion despite the weather… he was restless, and tired of Lingnan almost as soon as he arrived. But Lu Xun and I managed to—" Zhou Yu broke off abruptly, a raw cough exploding from his lips and jerking his face away from his rapt audience. The general raised a hand to cover his mouth and gasped a little with his inhale, rolling fully onto his stomach as the harsh sounds rocked through his body. "Persuade him – to wait—"

Chen Hao straightened in his seat against the floor, watching his commander's jolting shoulders and the shivers that interspersed the unwanted motions, scattering his long dark hair across the weathered floor. Zhou Yu had been coughing on and off throughout the journey. But this time was different – this time, he wasn't stopping. The soldier's fists unwound in fear and he moved as close to the older man as he dared, bracing one hand against the general's back as worry overtook his caution.

"Lord Zhou Yu? Lord Zhou Yu, are you all right?"

Zhou Yu did not answer, his face pressed into the crook of his uninjured elbow as he jerked arhythmically against the floor, shuddering under the force of his wounds. The coughs broke from his lips in such swift succession that, without his occasional gasping inhales, Chen Hao would not even have known he was breathing. As every moment passed like a lifetime, they remained frozen in their positions, the general writhing against the floor and his subordinate watching him in panicked silence.

Chen Hao prayed for the sounds to stop – but they didn't, echoing through the wagon over and over until they were all the soldier could hear, chasing the noise of the horses and the creak of the wheels away from his terrified ears. The young man squeezed his eyes shut as well, blocking out the vision of his commander's shaking form beneath his hand. He tried to picture his small cottage and his family, and all of the wonderful things waiting for him at the end of the long night's road – but all he could see in his mind were a cold grave and the end of a story he might never get, knowing only what an awful place Zhou Yu had stopped.

Chen Hao could not guess how long it took until the general's coughs began to subside, creeping back down his superior's throat until the sounds ricocheting through the wagon heralded his recovering breath in place of his failing lungs. Long before Zhou Yu regained his ability to speak, a voice from the front of the vehicle drew the soldier's eyes open, making him blink as the sky's brilliant blue flooded into them again.

"Chen. Come look at this."

Chen Hao felt his forehead furrowing, and he left his commander's side reluctantly, his fingers tingling as they lost contact with the lightly heaving contours of Zhou Yu's battle tunic. The soldier crawled forward until he could see over the headboard of the wagon's bed, squinting between the shoulders of his comrades to scan the landscape beyond.

"What's wrong?"

The driver chuckled, straightening in his seat and wrapping the cold leather reins tighter around his tired fists. "Nothing's wrong. Look east. Do you see it?"

Chen Hao frowned, lifting a hand to shield his eyes from the brilliant glow of the horizon as his gaze ran along the intangible curve of the earth. Then his mouth fell open and his eyes squeezed shut in a feeling he couldn't explain, a kind of sadness and desperation that set into his stomach like a pile of cold snow, chilling him far more than the dawn air could. The black shape was still some distance away, no more than an imposing square pressed into the folds of the orange sky – but Han Ni Castle was in sight nonetheless, tall and forbidding even in its silhouette.

Han Ni Castle. Though he had crossed paths with the outer grounds many times and camped just outside the powerful fortress during his military training, Chen Hao had never been inside it. Sometimes he had wondered what it might be like to steal through an open window and walk the silent halls, study the murals and mosaics that surrounded those better off than he during every waking moment of their lives. But he had never tried, and now he wished that the dark building had never come in sight – because now there was no time at all, and no chance of Zhou Yu finishing his story before dawn brought them to Sun Quan's heavy gate.

The injured soldier shifted in his seat and glanced back at Chen Hao, a smile flitting across his face before the pain of his wounded leg chased it away. "You were right, Chen. We're not far now. We may make it by sunrise." Chen Hao said nothing, only sunk back to his knees and crawled back into the depths of the wagon, turning his back to the imminence of the sun to find his commander's unmoving form.

Zhou Yu's coughs had vanished, and for a long moment the soldier thought that he had died, so silent and still was his body against the floor. But at last the general gave a heaving sigh and rolled onto his back once again, dropping his arm away from his mouth and smearing the blood that now coated the lower half of his face.

"It isn't very far… now… is it."

Chen Hao shook his head. Zhou Yu closed his obsidian eyes, fingering the silk of his sleeve where his coughs had stained it crimson, darkening the fabric along the inside of his elbow.

"I won't… let it end here."

The soldier bit at his ragged lower lip, wondering how many times those words had come from Sun Ce's lips instead and despairing at how little good it had done him in the end. But Zhou Yu's eyes came open again, and there was determination in their half-lidded darkness, resolution replacing red as he wiped the blood from his lips with flaking fingers. The general sighed a little, smiling despite his shallow breathing and the cold light gathering in the unbroken heavens above them.

"There is so much I am… never going to say." Zhou Yu shook his head, turning his face away from his subordinate as though the admission would show as weakness on his hardened features. "You have to remember… how much I couldn't tell you."

Chen Hao swallowed hard, half of him promising without words to do as he was asked and the other half wondering how he was to remember what he'd never heard. But the general had nearly no time now – with the coming castle, and the fast approaching sun, and the failing of his own shattered body – and he did not waste the little that remained, resuming his story in the whisper that was all his throat allowed him.

"We persuaded Sun Ce to wait. As soon as the snow melted, he wanted to head out again, but… the roads were harsh. Lu Xun and I wanted… to plan an approach." Zhou Yu struggled with the words and hissed under his breath, though whether with the pain of his crumbling body or with the memory of that spring Chen Hao could not decide. The general shook his head. "I wonder… I have wondered many times… whether we should not have simply let him go. Whether we were to blame for what happened."

The soldier started, half of his attention flying to his commander's hands as the pale fingers began to shake, knotting into his battle garb despite the condition of his broken wrist. Chen Hao took a moment to gather his courage, and then he reached out to take hold of his superior's injured arm, pressing it still against the older man's chest and drawing the startled onyx eyes up to his. "What do you mean, Lord Zhou Yu?" the soldier whispered, unable to coax his voice any louder than the dying man's.

Zhou Yu choked a little and pressed his face into the fabric of his shoulder, masking his troubled features as the question disappeared into the light of the unrisen sun around them. "Because… in forcing him to stay… I almost killed him."

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"Let me get this straight, Ce."

With a soft sigh and a stern frown, the leading strategist of the Wu Empire leaned back in his chair, both arms crossed over his thick silk robe. Across from him, Sun Ce rocked back and forth on the edge of the library's large table, a brilliant and hopeful smile lighting his carefree features. The small room's windows were open for the first time in months, and the early spring air drifted past the fluttering curtains, carrying the scent of snow and trees that had budded too soon into the quiet conversation.

Zhou Yu ran a hand through his dark hair and drummed his fingers against the map spread out before him, brushing the Sun lord's token with a skeptical finger. "It has been snowing at intervals for the past four days. Our troop morale is low and our supply line to central Wu fickle at best. We have fewer soldiers stationed here than in any other part of the empire, and most of those are fresh recruits, with little training if any. We are short weapons and armor to equip them, and short lieutenants to lead them." Zhou Yu shot his companion a sharp look. "You know all of this, don't you?"

Sun Ce nodded, flashing his swordsman a salute above his bright amber eyes. "Sure thing. I was listening to the council a couple days back."

The dark warrior sighed and shook his head, leveling a glare at his unconcerned commander. "Clearly you weren't listening well enough. Lu Xun reported that you approached him yesterday and asked him to construct a plan of attack, because you want to march on Chen Deng's capital within the week. Is that true?"

The Little Conqueror gave him a wry smile, rubbing absently at the back of his neck. "So the kid's a tattletale, huh? I probably should have guessed." Zhou Yu's expression became, if possible, even less amused, and the Sun lord held up his hands in mock surrender, leaning toward his skeptical advisor as he lowered his voice. "Hey – you know I'd rather have one of your strategies. I just had this feeling that you wouldn't help me with this one, so I tried the new kid instead. But if you're offering…"

The swordsman sent him a flat look, sitting back in his chair to keep the distance between himself and his lord relatively stable. "I am not. And Lu Xun won't help you either – not with something this foolhardy."

The young officer made a face at him, mimicking the strategist's posture as he folded both arms over his chest. "How'd you get Lu Xun under your thumb already? He's only been here a month!" The dark warrior rolled his eyes and Sun Ce smiled at him, extending one foot so he could tap his companion's knee through the folds of his robe. "Besides, it's not foolhardy, Yu – just a little out of the ordinary. We've done more dangerous things than this before. Like when we took on Huang Zu's navy to get Huan. That worked out, didn't it?"

Zhou Yu shook his head, one finger tracing the boundaries of Chen Deng's territory on the map laid out in front of him. The midmorning sun broke through the clouds behind him, and dapples of the cold spring light fell across the weathered parchment as well, matching his movement as the swordsman glanced up to meet the Sun lord's gaze again. "Please, Ce – be reasonable. Chen Deng's region has not even recovered from the last storm. There will be nothing but snow fields for miles around the city – nowhere to camp, no way to conceal your position. What you're essentially proposing is a direct siege, and that isn't something we can sustain right now."

The Little Conqueror shrugged, leaning back to brace his palms against the tabletop as he swung his feet from side to side. "It's nothing we can't handle. As long as we take Chen Deng out fast, we won't have to sustain anything. And the city'll have plenty of supplies, right?" The strategist said nothing, but Sun Ce smiled at him despite the silence and tipped his head to one side in thought. "Besides, I want to surprise him – he won't be expecting me this time of the year."

Zhou Yu snorted, rubbing a soft hand against his forehead and the customary headache forming under his temples. "He won't be expecting you because it's a stupid idea. You know as well as I what the cost in men will be if you're forced to camp in the snow, let alone fight a defensible city in bad conditions with a faltering supply line. You aren't thinking, Ce. This advance is a disaster waiting to happen."

The Sun lord rolled his eyes, slumping forward to rest both elbows on his knees as he met his companion's obsidian glare with a slight grimace. "You are so negative, you know that? You always have to look at the downside of things, don't you?"

The strategist scoffed under his breath and favored his commander with a flat look, leaning back in his chair to regard the young officer from a critical distance. "I am only being realistic. And if you could hold your enthusiasm in check long enough to listen to me—"

Sun Ce sighed heavily and pushed away from the table, brushing the furniture's long-collecting dust from his pants as he faced his mildly irritated swordsman. "Look, Yu – I've already listened to you. A couple times, too, since you like to repeat yourself."

Zhou Yu glared at him soundly for the offhand jab, crossing his arms over his chest in a posture of disapproval that did not seem to faze his companion in the slightest. The Sun lord moved to stand behind his strategist and dropped both warm hands onto the warrior's shoulders, slumping forward to rest his chin against the top of his head.

"I get what you're saying. The problem is, you want to wait for the weather to warm up, and the weather's not cooperating. And I'm really, really, _really_ tired of waiting."

Zhou Yu directed his glare to the ceiling in place of the young officer he could no longer see, and his lips pressed into a thin line, leveling his voice as the restless hands drummed against his upper arms. "I cannot control the weather, Ce."

Sun Ce nodded, and the small motion ricocheted down through his companion's skull. "I know that. I don't expect you to. I just want to go around it." The Sun lord shifted until he could wrap his arms around his swordsman's shoulders, the strands of his chestnut ponytail tickling the dark warrior's ear. "Conditions don't always have to be perfect. How about if we just take our chances this time, huh? Work some miracles the old-fashioned way."

The strategist swallowed a sigh and raised a hand to massage his temples, closing his eyes to shut out the sight of the bookcases and side shelves that crowded Lingnan's small library. Almost every one was filled with memoranda in need of filing, or documents without the proper signatures, or the tax reports Lu Xun had only gotten started on two days earlier… there were a hundred things he needed to do within the next hour, and he was not going to finish any of them as long as the Sun lord insisted on pestering him. But by the same account, he could hardly approve of a ridiculous battle plan for the sole purpose of earning an afternoon of peace. What options did that leave?

"Ce…" The Sun lord shifted at the sound of his name, and Zhou Yu could feel him glancing down at the obsidian eyes he could not catch from his position.

"What?"

The swordsman shook his head, but he was spared answering by the noise of the door sliding open and soft footsteps crushing the rough carpeting. Sun Ce straightened and released his strategist at the sound, but his stance was awkward and Lu Xun gave him an uncertain look as he rounded one of the larger bookshelves and came in sight, his arms full of carefully piled scrolls. The newest Wu recruit stopped as soon as his superiors were in view and dropped into a low bow, placing his documents on the half-filled table with a slightly nervous smile in his supervisor's direction.

"Oh… forgive me, Lord Zhou Yu, Lord Sun Ce. I didn't realize you were having a private conversation in here. I just wanted to return these, since I've finished cataloguing them… excuse me for interrupting."

Once again the young man's eyes narrowed in peaceable confusion, his gaze sweeping between the two leading officers of Wu as though his clever mind could not quite reconcile their proximity and Sun Ce's off-balance posture. Zhou Yu rose from his chair and met his new assistant's gaze evenly across the library table, tossing his head at the Little Conqueror behind him as he moved to a nearby bookshelf.

"You weren't interrupting anything. Sun Ce was just leaving. Have you finished the districting work for Shandong?"

Lu Xun went a little pale at the mention of more districting, and not for the first time Zhou Yu sent Taishi Ci a silent message of gratitude for bothering to find him a page. As the Wolf warrior had asserted, the boy was highly intelligent, and in that regard the dark warrior had no doubt he would quickly rise through the ranks of the southern empire's generals, likely becoming a strategist of his own right within a few years. For now, however, the swordsman's favorite aspect of having an assistant was being spared the worst of the governance busywork.

Before Lu Xun could properly answer the question, he was interrupted by the third member of their party, who strode forward until he reached Zhou Yu's side and tapped him on the shoulder. "Leaving?" Sun Ce asked, his features overrun with puzzlement. "Where was I going, Yu?"

Wu's leading strategist sighed, turning back from the bookcase and dropping a stack of population reports onto the dusty table. "Somewhere that won't allow you to get in my way. Lu Xun and I have a considerable amount of work to do and no time to be talking you out of your simplistic battle plans. Please find someone else to bother until I've finished with this."

His answer drew a pout onto the Sun lord's face, and the expression gave Lu Xun a small smile, though he hid it carefully behind a forced cough. Sun Ce crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the uneven shelves of the bookcase, glowering up at his strategist with the air of an affronted conqueror.

"Not fair, Yu. You won't let me attack Chen Deng, but you won't keep me company either? What am I supposed to do for fun while I'm stuck here?" Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, running an absent hand through his hair as he replaced Lu Xun's returned scrolls onto the overflowing shelves.

"I don't know, Ce. Challenge Cheng Pu to a duel. Help Xiao Qiao with her sewing. I don't care, so long as it keeps you out of this room for the next twelve hours." The young officer huffed at the half-hearted suggestions, and his swordsman sighed a little, turning to face his disgruntled commander with a slight shake of his head. "I'm sorry. But I will not let you run off on a suicide offensive, and I can't leave all of these things to Lu Xun."

Sun Ce frowned, latching one hand into the front of his silk robe and earning a blink of surprise from the young man standing quietly across the room. "Yu…" the Sun lord began, his tone dangerously close to a whine. But Zhou Yu was having none of it, and he stepped backward out of his companion's reach, disrupting the flow of his lord's words with the loss of contact.

"No. As soon as the sun goes down, Ce, I'll let this alone for the night. But it's not even noon yet, and I have a great deal left to do. Please find something or someone else to entertain yourself with."

The Little Conqueror snorted, dropping back to sit on the edge of the table and nearly knocking the stacks of parchment to the floor with his displeased movement. "Jerk," he muttered under his breath, sticking his tongue out at the swordsman across from him. Zhou Yu didn't bother to reply to the customary insult, ignoring his sulking commander in favor of reorganizing the bookcase.

From his position at the opposite set of shelves, Lu Xun took a hesitant step forward and sent the master of Wu an uncertain smile, clearly uncomfortable despite his desire to improve his superior's mood. "Lord Sun Ce, what if you played with the children? I heard Elder Lady Qiao say she's had a difficult time with Shao these last few weeks, since it's been too cold for him to run around outside."

Sun Ce gave a short laugh, leaning back on his hands and shaking his head so that his chestnut ponytail bounced across his shoulders. "You've gotta be kidding. That squirt is too much of a handful. I mean, I played with him the first few days, but man… even I don't have that much energy." Zhou Yu was sorely tempted to point out that the Sun lord had maintained a similar level of rascally vigor when he was eleven himself, but he kept his mouth shut and watched the tiny smirk on his commander's face instead, studying the young officer as he wrinkled his nose. "I didn't adopt a kid so that I'd have to _take care_ of it."

The swordsman rolled his eyes and Lu Xun only looked confused, but the sound of footfalls on the brick hallway stopped any questions the young page might have been tempted to ask, straightening all three men in their stances and directing every gaze to the library entrance. A moment passed before Cheng Pu appeared in the doorway, his usual clothing covered by slats of leather armor, and he smiled as he leaned against the wooden frame, tipping his head in greeting to the three officers assembled inside.

"Good morning, everyone. Hard at work already, Master Zhou Yu?"

Zhou Yu returned the bow but said nothing, the papers in his arms statement enough of his task. For his part, Sun Ce hopped off of the table and stretched above his head, making a face at the veteran warrior who watched him from the doorway.

"What else would he be doing? He practically lives in here these days. I swear – Yu gets more and more boring every year."

The strategist in question rolled his eyes, aiming a mild glare at the back of his commander's head and silently reminding the young officer that it was _his_ empire's paperwork that took so much time. Cheng Pu chuckled, skimming a thoughtful finger across his bearded chin. "Perhaps," he conceded, his eyes bright beneath his raven bun. "Or perhaps you simply get more impatient every year, Sun Ce. You've never had a remarkable attention span."

The Sun lord huffed, folding both arms over his chest as he tapped one disagreeing foot against the carpet. "Well, if the rest of you didn't live your lives like turtles, maybe I wouldn't get impatient!"

Lu Xun blinked a little at the relation, one hand trailing through his hair in mild confusion. "Like turtles? You mean, safe in our shells?" The Little Conqueror made a face at him.

"Sure. Safe and slow. Never poking your necks out. It's amazing anything ever gets done around here. If it weren't for me pushing you all the time—"

Zhou Yu swallowed a sigh and stepped forward until he stood even of his miffed companion, shooting the veteran in the doorway a halfway desperate look. "Cheng Pu… could you take this off of our hands, please? Lu Xun and I are having trouble making any progress with him around."

Sun Ce socked his strategist in the shoulder for his unflattering question, but Cheng Pu only laughed, tapping a knowing finger against his nose as he straightened back to his full height. "I think I may have just the thing, Master Zhou Yu. I actually stopped by to see if any of you would like to take a short hunting trip with me."

The three officers in the library straightened and exchanged glances, each of them surprised by the nature of the general's offer. The lord of Wu found his voice first, and he tipped his head curiously to the side, red ribbon dancing across his neck as he studied his father's veteran.

"Hunting? You mean, deer?"

Cheng Pu nodded. "The men in my squad have organized a route through the hills in Dantu, just a few miles south of here – we'll be back by nightfall, but it would be a chance to get out of the city for a day." The weathered warrior fingered the dagger slung through his belt, black eyes glittering as he studied the Little Conqueror's features in search of a reaction. "I know you've never been much of a hunter, Sun Ce, but if you're willing to try—"

"All right!" The Sun lord punched one hand into the air and took a step toward his loyal general, the customary smile back on his lips. "Sounds like fun. Let's blow this place."

Cheng Pu laughed again, his expression a little startled by the young officer's exuberant response. "Are you sure? I don't recall you enjoying hunting very much, when your father used to take you."

The offhand mention of the Tiger of Jiang Dong caught the breath in Zhou Yu's throat, but he shook the feeling away and turned back to the central table, redistributing the papers that now covered its surface with a slight frown. "I believe that was because he never wound up with anything to show for it, Cheng Pu. You know as well as the rest of us how badly Ce handles his bow."

The Sun lord made a face at him, both hands sliding to his hips as he glared at the skeptical strategist. "Hey! I do not. I'm a fine archer. I'll bet I could beat you in a shooting contest. I'll bet I could beat you at a hunt, too. Why don't you come along and help me prove it?"

The swordsman scoffed under his breath, straightening back to his full height so he could meet the young officer's glare. "I am not leaving this room, Ce. And regardless of your confidence, you have embarrassing aim with a bow and arrow, and you don't practice often enough to correct it. It won't surprise me when you return empty-handed."

Sun Ce stuck out his tongue at the dark warrior's criticism, drawing back an imaginary bowstring and aiming the point of the invisible arrow between his companion's unfazed eyes. "Oh yeah? I'll show you. I'll shoot the biggest buck in the forest and drag it back here myself! I'll shoot ten of 'em!"

Zhou Yu glanced heavenward at the assertion and Lu Xun swallowed another creeping laugh, and from the doorway Cheng Pu cleared his throat, rapping his knuckles against the wooden frame to recapture the Sun lord's attention. "Now, now," the veteran general murmured, a vaguely parental smile twisting over his lips. "No fighting, you two. I thought you outgrew that quite some time ago."

"Some things never change," the dark swordsman replied, sending a flat look in the Little Conqueror's direction. Sun Ce crossed his arms over his chest and made a corresponding face at his companion.

"Yeah. And some people never stop being gloomy know-it-alls."

Cheng Pu brushed the strands of his beard, glancing around the library as another chuckle escaped him. "Yes, I suppose that's true. But I don't see Lu Meng here, so let's leave the gloomy know-it-alls for now. You and I should head for the stable, Sun Ce – the others are already tacking their horses."

The young officer straightened at the suggestion, and an eager smile fell across his lips again, brightening the tan features as he brushed the folds from his long silk robe. "Oh, right – I should get changed, huh?" At the veteran's nod, Sun Ce clenched both hands and spun to face his strategist, grinning as he punched one determined fist into the air before Zhou Yu's nose. "Just wait. When I get back, I'll have enough deer stacked up to last all winter. Then we'll see what you have to say."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow, meeting his commander's amber gaze above the raised fist. "Good luck," he intoned, voice as neutral as his expression. The Sun lord shook his head.

"I don't need luck – I've got skill. Those deer won't know what hit 'em." The young officer took a few steps back and paused when he reached the doorway, one hand resting on the smooth wood as he tipped his chin to the side. "You'll wait up for me, right?"

The strategist nodded slightly. Out of the corner of his eye, Zhou Yu noticed Lu Xun go stiff in his position beside the bookcase, one hand clenching around the scrolls he'd been arranging as his mouth became a tight line. But before the swordsman could decipher the change in his expression, Cheng Pu's quiet laugh drew their attention back to the library's entrance, pulling the obsidian gaze to the weathered features of the veteran's face.

"We won't be that late, Sun Ce. It's difficult to hunt once night settles into the hills." Cheng Pu cocked his chin back and returned Zhou Yu's level stare, the corners of his lips still quirked into a gentle curve as he dropped a hand onto the Sun lord's shoulder. "Look for our return around sunset. With any luck, we'll bring something for a late dinner."

The strategist nodded again, and Sun Ce flashed him a victory sign, following his loyal general out into the corridor as his voice rang back through the library door. "See ya, guys! Don't work too hard!" With that and a flurry of footsteps, he disappeared from view, leaving the shadows of Lingnan's hallway in the place of his powerful smile.

Zhou Yu waited until the echoes of his footfalls had died away, and then he turned to his quiet assistant, running a hand through his hair to push the dark strands back over his shoulders. "Now we can actually get something done," the swordsman remarked, lifting a pile of papers into his arms and meeting the young man's cinnamon eyes. "Shall we begin with Shandong's districting?"

Lu Xun said nothing for a long moment, pursing his lips as he studied the contours of his superior's stoic face. At last the page shifted and crossed his arms over his chest, watching the strategist before him with a light of high intelligence burning in his eyes. Lu Xun scuffed his foot against the floor and Zhou Yu straightened, accustomed by now to the nervous action that often preceded his assistant's more perceptive questions.

"What did Lord Sun Ce…" The young man hesitated as though rethinking his inquiry, and then he put a hand to his chin, stroking his clean-shaven skin as he scoured his supervisor's face. "What did he mean when he asked you to wait up for him?"

Zhou Yu stiffened, mentally cursing his companion's careless tongue and his own careless nod of response. It wasn't a comment that would even have registered with most observers – anyone who had known Sun Ce for a valid length of time knew that the young officer occasionally made unusual comments, and that it was only rarely worthwhile to try to calculate their origin or meaning. And then, most of the important generals of Wu already knew about the relationship between the empire's leading officers, Sun Jian's veterans and his widow being the notable exceptions. Cheng Pu didn't seem to have noticed the parting comment at all, most likely because of his familiarity with the Little Conqueror's speech patterns, and the swordsman was fairly sure Sun Ce had said far more incriminating things before without arousing suspicion from the people who knew him.

But that left Lu Xun – Lu Xun who was exceptionally bright, and relatively unaware yet of the idiosyncrasies of Wu, and still watching his superior with a patient but hawkish gaze. Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line and crossed from the table to the bookshelf, stalling his response with an effort to pile more documents on top of the ones he already carried. Finally the strategist turned back to his assistant and moved to stand just in front of the uncertain young man, watching him with a stare intended to intimidate.

"I'm certain it was a figure of speech."

Lu Xun balked a little at his answer, but Zhou Yu's eyes, cold as stones in the pale marble of his face, left little invitation for argument. His page hesitated a moment and then gave a small sigh, bending forward into a bow so deep he almost reached the swordsman's knees.

"Of course, Lord Zhou Yu. Forgive me for asking."

Lu Xun straightened and lifted the census documents for Shandong out of his supervisor's hands, smiling at the older man as he headed back to the library's central table. His features were serene and his hands loose around the scrolls, but behind the twin cinnamon eyes Zhou Yu could see his thoughts working overtime, far away from the reports that he sorted mechanically across the dust-covered wood. The cogs of his mind were almost visible in his vague, unfocused gaze, spelling out his thoughts without a single word – the strategist could imagine his assistant fitting the pieces together, latching their proximity when he'd entered the room into the Sun lord's willingness to touch his dark warrior, adding the salute and the smile that had accompanied Sun Ce's departure…

The inevitable conclusion was not one he wanted to deal with. Instead, Zhou Yu chose a subversive, underhanded tactic that he had learned from Shang Xiang, who had even in childhood been a master of avoiding questions she didn't want to answer.

"Lu Xun."

The young man glanced up at him, blinking in the confusion of a ruptured train of thought. "Hm? Yes, Lord Zhou Yu? Do you need something?" The swordsman crossed his arms over his chest, watching his assistant with a calculating stare. If Sun Ce was right with his guess, then the most effect track would be…

"You mentioned Lady Qiao earlier – you related that she's been struggling to keep Shao under control. Can I ask when you were speaking with her?"

The distraction was an instantaneous success. Lu Xun's face went immediately pale and then flushed a deep crimson color, and he dipped his head toward the documents before him as though he had suddenly located a fascinating detail between the lines of census figures, his sandy bangs only half concealing his creeping blush. The young man cleared his throat once and then did so again, cinnamon eyes darting over the paperwork of northern Wu as his hands tightened to fists in the fabric of his robe.

"T-talking to her? No, Lord Zhou Yu – I merely overheard her on my way here. She was speaking to her sister – to your wife, I mean – and I happened to be passing the parlor at the time—"

Zhou Yu allowed himself a small, fleeting smile at his assistant's fumbling speech, wondering whether Lu Xun knew that his infatuation with Lady Qiao was as clear on his face as if it had been written out. The strategist forced his features neutral again as he strode toward the table, studying the young man's uncertain posture out of the corner of his eye and calculating the next move in the game they'd unintentionally started. Lu Xun was embarrassed now, which meant Zhou Yu had gained the upper hand, and unless he wanted to lose it he needed to keep the page off balance. Which wouldn't be difficult with someone so transparent…

The swordsman laid a few scrolls open across the sanded wood of the table and then shook his head, the motion just large enough that it couldn't fail to catch Lu Xun's attention. "I see. That's unfortunate, then."

He left the statement at that, keeping himself low to the documents so that his dark bangs shielded his eyes. Through the thin curtain, he watched as the new recruit's gaze shot up from his papers and lingered on his supervisor's bent head, as openly uncertain as his shift from one foot to the other. Lu Xun tried to refocus his attention on the work before him, but it only took a matter of moments for the assistant to give up and straighten to his full height again, clearing his throat to draw the strategist's attention.

"Lord Zhou Yu…"

Zhou Yu straightened as well, raising an eyebrow as he met the young man's gaze above the cluttered tabletop. Lu Xun's blush deepened and he looked away, staring out the open window at the cloud-wracked sky that hung like an ominous curtain over Lingnan's quiet grounds.

"What… what do you mean? Why is it unfortunate that… that I didn't talk to her?"

The swordsman swallowed a smirk at the success of his distraction ploy, giving his assistant nothing more than a careful shrug. "I only meant that Lady Qiao often seems lonely – aside from her sister, she has few people to keep company with, especially now that she has two young children to occupy her time." Zhou Yu held Lu Xun's gaze steadily over the endless piles of paperwork, watching hopefulness and doubt flicker across the young man's smooth features. "I was simply thinking that she might enjoy someone to talk to once in a while."

Lu Xun couldn't help his eager smile any more than he could help the rose color of his cheeks. "R-really? Do you really think so, Lord Zhou Yu?"

The strategist only stared back at him, obsidian gaze refusing to answer one way or the other. Almost immediately the young man realized the assumption of his question, and his eyes widened to the size of teacups as he plunged into a series of deep bows, the tips of his ears reddening either from exertion or from the deep mortification that was scrawled once more across his face.

"Forgive me, Lord Zhou Yu! I – I didn't mean anything – I didn't mean to imply—" Lu Xun stopped bowing and gazed up at his supervisor with imploring eyes instead, wringing his hands through the silk of his winter robe. "I wouldn't presume to approach Elder Lady Qiao, my lord. I know she has her husband and her sister and her children to keep her company, and I would never violate the trust Lord Sun Ce has placed in me…"

Still Zhou Yu said nothing, and Lu Xun licked his dry lips once before gathering the large stack of papers into his arms, taking a backward step toward the door with his uncertain eyes still pinned to his superior. "I… perhaps I'll work on the districting in my own quarters…" the young man managed, clutching the documents to his chest as though in fear of the pointed gaze following him. Lu Xun dropped another hasty bow. "H-have a good day, Lord Zhou Yu!"

With that, the young man turned away from the silent swordsman and dashed out of the library, the noise of rustling papers and hurried footsteps echoing after him. Zhou Yu shook his head, listening to the softening sounds of his assistant's retreat as a small smile took hold of his expression. Subversion was not usually a strategy the dark warrior employed, particularly not with his allies – but the young man's blatant crush on Lady Qiao was almost too simple a weakness not to exploit, and he'd been heavily in need of a distraction technique.

_Did you see the way that Lu Xun kid looked at Da? I think he likes her._

The strategist shook his head again, dismissing the memory of his absent companion's voice as he stared after his assistant's escaping shadow. It seemed that Sun Ce had been correct about Lu Xun's immediate attraction to Lady Qiao – which was not surprising, really, considering how beautiful the Sun lord's wife was. But what remained to be seen was whether the elder Qiao sister would demonstrate any indications of returning the boy's affection, and whether either of them would act on those emotions. Lu Xun did not seem like one to violate the rules of conduct, and Lady Qiao had always been too practical for foolish risks…

Zhou Yu smiled to himself, wondering what Sun Ce might have said about the young man's hasty retreat had he been around to witness the conversation. Then the swordsman ran a hand through his dark hair and forced his attention back to the documents in front of him, determined to get something done before the return of the irrepressible Little Conqueror. The wind whipping through the window carried the scent of imminent snow, and he sent the hunting party a last wish of good weather before he slipped into his chair and lost himself in the politics of Wu, strategy and solution consuming the remainder of his morning.

.x.

Zhou Yu could not be sure how many hours he spent immersed in the internal affairs of the Wu Empire, bent over the library table as his thoughtful eyes moved methodically from one document to another. When he next looked up from the mountains of paperwork, his mind caught in a moment of deep contemplation, it was to find that the sun – no more than a glowing disk behind the thick canvas of the clouds – had moved almost out of sight of the window, traveling in a low arc above the snow-spattered horizon to the south. The clouds themselves had grown denser and more prevalent, swallowing the few patches of sky that had been visible in the morning as they drew together like knitted brows, and the feeling of a storm was stronger in the early spring air, every moment threatening to split the heavens with another overpowering blizzard.

Judging by the light falling across the open windowsill and his scattered paperwork, the strategist guessed it might be midafternoon, still some time before sunset. Zhou Yu sat back from the desk and rubbed his palms against his eyes, trying to clear the spots that invaded his vision if he read closely for too long. He watched the gathering clouds as the wheels in his mind continued to turn, analyzing northern Wu's population and expected harvest as his gaze followed the brimming, billowing forms obscuring the sky above him, and in a small corner of his thoughts he wondered whether Cheng Pu's hunting party would return before the storm broke.

It wasn't that the officers of Wu couldn't handle themselves in a snowstorm, or that they had even gone that far from Lingnan in the first place. It was just an idle concern, and the strategist allowed himself to consider it only as long as it took his rapid mind to finish the necessary calculations between grain and taxes. Then he sighed a little and bent back over his papers, retrieving a well-worn ink brush from the depths of the document stack.

"Still working, Zhou Yu?"

The cheerful voice and accompanying knock stopped him before he made the first mark, and Zhou Yu turned in his seat to find the library's entrance, mildly surprised to see his wife poised in the doorway. Xiao Qiao smiled at the distracted swordsman surrounded by his neverending documents, and her skirts whispered against the coarse rug like the afternoon breeze as she moved to his side, balancing a tray of small dishes in her careful hands.

"Lu Xun said I could find you here. How about a break? I brought lunch, since you never came down." The strategist studied her carefree features in silence for a moment, and then his gaze fell on the sheet of parchment before him, still blank except for the soft drips falling from his brush. Xiao Qiao shifted closer so that she could nudge him with her elbow, drawing the serious obsidian eyes back to her upbeat hazel. "You know what Sun Ce says – you can't think on an empty stomach."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, but he set his materials aside and cleared a space on the table to make room for the tray, leaning back in his seat so as not to get in the way of the young woman's dexterous hands. "I'm not certain Ce should be considered an authority on what promotes mental prowess," the strategist muttered as the food came to rest in front of him, and his wife giggled at the slight insult, shaking her head and letting her now-empty hands fall to rest at her hips.

"That Sun Ce – up to his old tricks again." Xiao Qiao tugged on a lock of her ginger hair and wound it around her finger, smiling even as she clicked her tongue in disapproval. "Running off to play while everybody else is hard at work."

Zhou Yu rubbed a hand across his forehead to soothe his idle headache, and then he lifted the lacquered cup of green tea to his lips, staring into the pale liquid as the steam brushed his face. "It's better than he's gone, honestly. Sun Ce is less trouble when he runs off than when he tries to help."

The tea burned just a little as it ran down his throat, hot enough to banish the chill of the early spring afternoon and the storm clouds holding position over Lingnan. Xiao Qiao pushed a few of his scrolls to one side and hopped up to sit on the edge of the crowded table, swinging her legs back and forth as she gazed out at the overcast sky.

"Yeah. He's always been a troublemaker, hasn't he?"

The young woman turned back to smile at her husband, and between her position and the softness of her expression she looked distinctly childlike, reminding Zhou Yu suddenly how young eighteen actually was. True, his wife was more mature and settled now than when she'd first entered the home of the Sun family six years before, and motherhood had added gentleness to the fabric of her playful spirit. But nonetheless, there was still something about Xiao Qiao that resembled a little girl.

Unaware of his wandering thoughts, the young woman laughed to herself as she adjusted her cascading skirts, pulling them to one side so she could watch the careless path of her swaying feet. "But I guess he's got his charms, too. He's a lot of fun to have around."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow, returning his cup to the tray and rolling the set of plain chopsticks between his fingers as he studied his wife's lighthearted features. "Don't let him hear you say that. The bare shadow of a compliment goes straight to his ego, and that's overgrowing its bounds already."

Xiao Qiao giggled again, pressing a hand to her mouth so that her guilty smile disappeared from view. The dark warrior lifted the bowl of plain rice into his hands and considered it with a small frown, finding himself without an appetite in spite of how many hours he'd spent buried in the depths of the library. Perhaps Sun Ce was mistaken – the work of the mind did not necessarily improve with sustenance. The Little Conqueror's conviction about thinking and an empty stomach most likely came from the fact that he never sat still long enough to engage his brain unless there was some form of bribe provided, and food was an easy manner of bribery.

Xiao Qiao reached out one foot to tap her husband's knee, and Zhou Yu replaced the bowl untouched as he glanced up to meet her eyes, watching as she put a delicate finger to her lips. "Don't let him hear you say that, either, Zhou Yu. We all know what happens when somebody wounds his pride." The young woman laughed in spite of herself as she leaned back on her palms, and the strategist shook his head a little, a small smile capturing his stern expression.

"Perhaps his pride could benefit from a few bruises once in a while."

His wife bounced gently up and down in her seat, the slight motion shaking the dishes on the swordsman's lunch tray as she wagged her finger at him. "Maybe that'd be worth it to you, but not to the rest of us. Sun Ce's no fun when he gets all indignant." The young woman laced her fingers and folded her hands into her lap, staring up at the ceiling with a charming smile. "He's such a baby sometimes."

Zhou Yu was not sure he agreed with the young woman's assessment – in his experience, an insulted Sun Ce just meant a lot of noise and possibly a snappy comeback. But he said nothing and lifted the cup of tea from his tray again, filling his mouth with the golden liquid instead of words as he leaned back in his chair, the early spring breeze brushing the back of his neck. Xiao Qiao continued to swing her feet back and forth, her eyes lost in the contours of the ceiling, and silence consumed the library for a few long minutes, broken only by the whispering voice of the wind and the ruffling edges of the strategist's paperwork. At last the younger Qiao sister found her tongue again, and she leaned toward her husband with an eager smile, drawing his attention from the cooling tea to her excited expression.

"So… what do you think of Lu Xun so far?"

Zhou Yu blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected question and the visible hopefulness shining in his wife's eyes. Slowly, he replaced his lacquered cup on the lunch tray and folded his arms across his chest, his narrowed gaze moving over the young woman's face in vague confusion.

"Lu Xun?"

Xiao Qiao nodded and swung her feet harder, impatience clear on her countenance. "Yeah, you know – your new assistant. What do you think of him?"

The strategist got the distinct impression that there was a particular kind of answer his wife was looking for, but he had no idea what sort of answer it might be, and Xiao Qiao's features, dominated though they were by her ready smile, weren't giving him any clues he could understand. Zhou Yu leaned back in his chair and put a considering hand to his chin, watching the young woman's face closely as he gave a careful response.

"He's very diligent in his work. He seems highly intelligent, and so far has been willing to follow instructions. He does not shy from asking questions and has learned a number of filing procedures very quickly." The swordsman gave a small shrug, brushing his dark bangs away from his eyes as the wind picked up and swirled around the library. "I have no complaints with him thus far."

The pout consuming Xiao Qiao's lips told him that wasn't the answer she'd wanted, and his wife folded her arms over her chest without a reply, leaning back in her seat until she was almost touching the enormous stacks of scrolls and documents cluttering the library's central table. Zhou Yu considered warning her not to knock them over, warring internally between whether upsetting the occasionally snappish young woman or picking up all of his paperwork would be more inconvenient – but before he could make up his mind, Xiao Qiao perked up and rocked forward again, resting her elbows on her knees as a glowing smile came across her face.

"I think he's cute," she whispered, one hand coming up cup her mouth conspiratorially.

Zhou Yu choked a little, one fist coming up to pound breath back into his lungs as he stared at the cheerful young woman perched beside him, her feet swinging gleefully through the cool spring air. And then the swordsman realized that what Xiao Qiao wanted was a gossip partner, and he cursed Sun Ce silently for leaving Lingnan and reducing the garrulous girl's choices only to her anti-social husband. Not that the lord of Wu was particularly fond of gossip, either – but Zhou Yu knew he was his wife's last resort, and he would gladly have sacrificed his sunshine commander to an afternoon of the young woman's giggling company if it meant sparing himself.

Xiao Qiao was still watching him, her hazel eyes visibly waiting for a reply, so the strategist forced his frown under control and raised an eyebrow, holding his wife's gaze above the mountains of paperwork that were suddenly so much more inviting than her company. "Cute?" he repeated, his tone cautious as an image of his blushing assistant came to his mind. Xiao Qiao nodded rapidly, her smile growing brighter at the skeptical response.

"Uh huh! Really cute. Really sweet, too."

A spark of concern lit in the swordsman's stomach, and he felt furrows marring his forehead, matching the line of his uncertain frown as he met his wife's excited eyes. "You mean… you consider him attractive?" Zhou Yu asked, the words wary on his tongue. But Xiao Qiao only laughed and waved the question away with an unconcerned hand, shaking her head so that her single pigtail bounced across the silk of her robes.

"No, of course not. Not for me. He's not my type at all." The strategist relaxed a little in his seat, his worries about the complications that might have arisen from a change in his wife's affections fading out of his mind. The young woman giggled again and pressed her hands to her heart, the fabric of her sleeves rustling in the midafternoon breeze. "Besides… Meng's cute, too, in his own way."

This time Zhou Yu did choke, and he braced a hand against the table as a series of coughs racked his lungs, robbing him of breath and making his eyes water with the sheer force of his disbelief. Xiao Qiao blinked at him but didn't comment, her hazel eyes wide in the puzzled contours of her face as her husband rubbed a hand against his chest, clearing his throat a few times to regain his composure. The thought of _Lu Meng_ and _cute_ in the same sentence almost sent him back into another fit of coughing, but his wife's voice interrupted before he could begin, drawing his attention back to the topic of his young assistant.

"But that's not the kind of cute I meant. Lu Xun's cute like a baby duckling. Small and fluffy." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at the relation, struggling with the similarity between his new page and the waterfowl in question – but Xiao Qiao ignored the odd look she was getting and leaned toward him over the mounds of paperwork, dropping her voice to a bare whisper as her smile became secretive. "I think Da thinks he's cute, too. She hasn't said anything about it yet, though."

That gave the swordsman pause, and his eyes narrowed a little with his piquing interest, tracing his wife's gleeful features as she pulled her feet up and wrapped her arms around her raised knees. Lu Xun's infatuation with the elder Qiao sister had been obvious from their first meeting – and all the more obvious every time her name turned his face a brilliant scarlet – but the strategist didn't spend enough time with Sun Ce's wife to know whether she had been equally attracted to the Wu Empire's newest recruit.

"Lady Qiao?" Zhou Yu repeated, retrieving his cup and finishing the lukewarm tea in one swallow. Xiao Qiao nodded again, her enthusiasm increasing with the attention of her audience.

"Yep. Lu Xun came down for lunch today, and he started stuttering when Da served him tea. She didn't say anything, but I saw her smiling at him when his back was turned." The young woman pulled back to clap her hands a few times, eagerness granting her cheeks a rosy hue. "I'm so excited! Da's never liked anybody before. I hope they hurry up and get together."

The swordsman blinked at her, his frown becoming thoughtful as he studied the buoyant glow lighting her features. "Why do you hope that?" he inquired honestly, and Xiao Qiao rolled her eyes at the question, resting her cheek against the slope of her legs.

"Because everybody deserves to have somebody, Zhou Yu."

Zhou Yu started a little, and his wife smiled at her own answer, the simple expression capturing the light of the strained clouds and holding it in her pensive eyes.

"You see… I've been with Meng for a long time now. And she's never had anyone. I know she doesn't mind, but…" The young woman shrugged, wrapping her fingers into the folds of her robe as she met her husband's gaze. "I'd really like her to be happy, the way I am. I want to encourage her as much as I can." Xiao Qiao laughed a little and scuffed her feet against the edge of the table, her soft slippers barely whispering over the sanded wood. "Isn't that what siblings are for?"

The strategist said nothing, his thoughts drifting momentarily over his own siblings before he dismissed the comparison and settled for studying his wife's idle smile. Xiao Qiao held her position for a long minute, staring out the library window into the folds of the overcast sky, and to Zhou Yu it seemed as though she were looking back across the years of her life, watching the events of her past unfold in the space above the windowsill. He could almost see the memories flitting across her face, shards of the moments he hadn't been around to experience playing out in the depths of her eyes – then the young woman stretched above her head and the spell was broken, her gaze returning his with the warmth of her smile.

"Well, anyway. We'll have to wait and see, I suppose. But I'll keep hoping." Xiao Qiao winked at him, dropping back to the floor and brushing the wrinkles from her skirt as a laugh escaped her lips. "You keep your fingers crossed, too – wish them luck, 'kay, Zhou Yu?"

The swordsman raised an eyebrow, wondering silently what good would come of the suggested action and how much luck truly had to do with the beginning of a relationship. But long before he could decide if any of his thoughts were worth voicing, a soft inquiry filled the library and froze his tongue, widening Xiao Qiao's eyes and stiffening the strategist's shoulders against the cold back of his chair.

"Mama?"

Zhou Yu's gaze shot to his wife's startled features, and together they turned to face the door, the young woman's hand rising to cover her lips as her husband's expression turned to solemn stone. Greeting them from knee height were two tiny coal-black eyes, which shot back and forth between the adults as one small hand clung to the doorframe and the other made its way into a cherry red mouth. Xuan shrunk back from their combined stares and laid his head sideways against the polished wood of the entrance, hiding half of his face in the shadow of the corridor.

"Mama."

The repeated syllables snapped Xiao Qiao out of her trance, and she took a step toward her son before stopping with both hands on her hips, her expression halfway between surprise and disapproval. "Xuan! You little rascal – how did you get here?"

Xuan glanced away from his mother at the question, and Zhou Yu felt his back go rigid as the sixteen-month-old's gaze fell on his face again, his charcoal eyes uncannily similar to Lu Meng's in the chubby lines of his baby face. The toddler chewed thoughtfully on his hand for a long moment before turning back to the strategist's wife, his tiny pearl teeth leaving red imprints in the soft buds of his fingers.

"S'ao," he answered at last, picking at the fabric of his clothes. Xiao Qiao huffed, blowing her gentle bangs out of her eyes as she dropped down to her knees on the coarse surface of the rug.

"I should have guessed. That troublemaker – I don't know how Da ever deals with him. Just like Sun Ce to bring back the most difficult boy on the entire planet!" The young woman turned back to give her husband an almost apologetic smile, and Zhou Yu could see that her expression had already lost its childish impression, adopting the image of a mother once again as soon as her son appeared. Xiao Qiao shrugged under her flowing robe and then held out both arms toward the doorway, beckoning her shy offspring with an encouraging giggle. "Well, come on – don't just stand there. Aren't you going to come see me?"

There was something about the lilt of her cheerful voice that stalled breath in the swordsman's throat, something about the way the afternoon had begun to glimmer in her eyes that was different than it had been only moments before. Zhou Yu leaned back in his chair and watched his wife with a small, considering frown, trying to place what change it was that Xuan's presence had wrought in her carefree attitude. In the doorway, her baby hesitated, the too-large robe draped around his tiny body wavering as he fisted his small hands.

"Mama…" he tried, but Xiao Qiao only shook her head, flexing her fingers in a gesture of summoning.

"No, sweet boy. You come here. Zhou Yu wants to see how well you can walk. Right, Zhou Yu?"

She glanced back over her shoulder to catch his obsidian gaze and the strategist opened his mouth automatically, realizing too late that he had no idea what he'd been planning to say. But it hardly mattered, because his wife had turned away again, holding her ground despite the tremulous eyes and quivering bottom lip that had overtaken her son's expression.

"Don't look at me like that," Xiao Qiao chided, shaking one finger through the early spring air. "You must have walked all the way here from Da's room, so I know you can do it. Now come on – come to Mama."

If a child barely out of infancy was capable of looking skeptical, that was the emotion spilling across Xuan's features as he pursed his lips and his face puffed up in displeasure, one clumsy hand coming up to tangle in the raven tuft atop his head. The toddler sniffled a few times and Zhou Yu braced himself for a temper tantrum, wincing in advance of the piercing screams that seemed to follow children wherever they went. But Xiao Qiao didn't move and at last Xuan seemed to decide that whining was a lost cause, because he took one cautious step forward and then another, staring at the floor as though it might suddenly vanish out from under his feet.

"That's it, Xuan – you can do it."

His mother's cheerful voice brought the child's eyes back up from his wobbling strides, and Wu's leading strategist watched in silence as his wife's son increased pace across the library rug, lifting his feet too high in his awkward movements. Every other motion threw the boy off balance, his body still unaccustomed to the mechanics of walking, and Zhou Yu found that he was sitting as stiffly as if he truly had been carved from stone, his heartbeat racing each time Xuan looked likely to tip over. The adrenaline warred with an uncomfortable feeling in the pit of his stomach – neither one a clear enough emotion that the swordsman could analyze them, both feelings intensifying whenever the baby's eyes found his above the cluttered paperwork.

From the first step to the last it seemed like a doomed venture, but somehow Xuan managed to cross the library without losing his footing, his hands bobbing at his sides like miniature counterweights. Just one stride outside of his mother's reach, the toddler crashed down into a sitting position and refused to move any farther, regarding the young woman with what might have been the early version of a sulk. Xiao Qiao laughed and leaned forward to scoop the child into her arms, and as she straightened she spun Xuan in a tight circle, earning a screech and a halfway toothless smile to echo her own giggles.

"Oh, you! You always have to be so dramatic, don't you? Just like your father." Xiao Qiao pulled the child to her chest and pressed a line of kisses down his forehead and along the side of his face, her fingers smoothing the feathery hair back out of his coal-black eyes. "Trouble, sweet boy – you're nothing but trouble, you know that?" Xuan burbled back at her and tangled his sticky fingers in her ginger bangs, kicking his feet back and forth in an excitement that brought his dimples out even more clearly in his healthy face.

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line as he watched her, and then he shook his head a little, surprised to realize that his wife had never looked more complete – never more whole – than she did now with her cooing baby in her arms.

The decision to have a child had been Xiao Qiao's and no other's, and when he'd granted her permission to keep a family the swordsman had trusted that the young woman had given her choice a good deal of thought beforehand, weighing the difficulties of motherhood against whatever she considered to be the rewards. Still, it had always seemed to the dark warrior that Xiao Qiao had rushed into things when she was very young, and he hadn't been sure her personality was actually suited to parenthood at all, regardless of how badly she'd wanted a baby.

But seeing her now, Zhou Yu realized he'd been wrong – whatever trouble came with caring for Xuan was openly insignificant to the joy written across his wife's face, glowing in her beautiful hazel eyes as she rubbed her nose against the toddler's. The strategist leaned back in his chair and cast his gaze out the open window, and he watched the tumbling clouds coalescing overhead as the young woman's laughter and her child's happy cries echoed throughout the library, resounding off the bookcases as his eyes scoured the strangled sky.

"Zhou Yu?"

The swordsman started a little at the soft hail, and he turned back into the room to find that Xiao Qiao had moved to his side, bouncing Xuan idly against her shoulder. Zhou Yu's mouth went dry as his eyes connected again with the child's unnerving coal-black stare, conjuring with a simple look the memory of the first and only night Lu Meng's son had been placed into his arms – the strategist shook himself and cleared his throat, keeping his features neutral as he glanced up to meet Xiao Qiao's expectant gaze.

"He walks very well," Zhou Yu managed, earning a bright smile from his wife at the compliment. The young woman placed another kiss against the child's temple, and the motion drew his eyes up to her beaming face, pulling his mouth into a thoughtless smile when he noticed his mother's similar expression.

"Isn't he perfect? And so cute, too." Xiao Qiao pushed her toddler's bangs aside with her gentle fingers, twisting from side to side so that the toddler in her arms was caught in a constant rocking motion. "You're cute just like Lu Xun, aren't you, sweet boy? Cute like a baby duckling."

Zhou Yu said nothing, leaning his elbows against the surface of the table so he could rest his chin on the lace of his entwined fingers. If Xiao Qiao noticed his silence, she didn't mention it, and after a long moment she drew back from her child and looked into his small eyes, a smile curving her painted lips.

"Do you know who that is, Xuan?" the young woman murmured, glancing between the baby and her husband's shadowed features. "Do you know who that is?"

The strategist straightened in his seat, a knot like tangled snakes winding through his stomach as the toddler stared straight back at him, coal-black gaze unnerving as it traced the contours of his face. Zhou Yu swallowed. Then at last the child turned his face away and pressed it into his mother's neck, one eye watching the swordsman from beneath her chin as his plump, childish fingers dug into Xiao Qiao's robe.

"Baba."

The half-whisper sent a shiver down the strategist's spine, and he found that he had braced himself against the back of the chair so hard that the decorative carvings were threatening to bruise him, the places where they pressed into his flesh throbbing in pain. But Zhou Yu had a feeling that if the chair weren't holding him upright, nothing would be, so he kept himself rigid in his seat as he stared back at Lu Meng's son, the shortened form of _father_ ringing in his ears as though it had been shouted.

Xiao Qiao smiled at her husband, but the expression didn't quite reach her eyes and there was something sad about the kisses she placed against her baby's scalp, each one lingering too long against his crown. "That's right, sweet boy," she cooed, one hand rubbing circles into the child's back. "Can you say hello?"

Xuan glanced away from the strategist, his eyes finding refuge in the stacks of paperwork as he waved one tiny hand. Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line. Xiao Qiao looked between them both and then gave a small laugh, a tinge of unhappiness lingering in her gaze as she bounced Xuan up and down and cuddled the toddler to her chest, holding him tightly against the dark swordsman's silence.

"It's okay, Zhou Yu – he's just a baby. He's not going to hurt you." The assertion was meant in teasing, but it fell flat as the strategist's obsidian eyes found hers and held them steadily, as hard as the discomfort sliding through his veins.

"You know I am not fond of children, Xiao Qiao."

His wife nodded a little, patting her son's shoulders with a bright rhythm that had ceased to match her halting smile. "I know. But…"

The young woman bit her lip and looked away from him for a long moment, considering the window and the gathering storm as her thoughts flickered across her face, brief as fireflies. When she turned back, her eyes were dark with a kind of worry the swordsman had never before seen bothering her countenance – the kind that came with a gap that could not be bridged, a failure to understand that no simple conversation would solve. Xiao Qiao shook her head, brushing Xuan's hair down against his skin with motions as soft as her words.

"He thinks he's your son, Zhou Yu. He'll grow up thinking that." His wife's gaze was almost confused as it lingered on his face, her forehead bothered by deep furrows. "Is this how you want him to think of you? Do you want him to remember his father this way, barely even willing to look at him? Is that how a child should think of his father?"

The air in the library had become cold, but it was a chill that had nothing to do with the early spring breeze floating through the window, carrying the first flakes of snow down to settle against the sill. Zhou Yu straightened in his seat and gave Xiao Qiao a piercing stare, his onyx eyes mildly angry in his stoic features and unusually dark in contrast to his skin. The swordsman shook his head, and his voice when he spoke was quiet, though no less potent for the decrease in volume.

"You cannot ask that of me, Xiao Qiao." The young woman took a step back at the frost-laden words, but Zhou Yu's gaze made her stop again, holding her in place against the side of the table. The strategist stared into his wife's wavering eyes, raising one hand to indicate the baby in her arms. "You asked me if you could have a child, and I allowed it. You asked that I let you mislead him to believe I was his father, and I allowed that as well. But I told you from the beginning that I wouldn't raise him, and you assured me that I was expected to be a parent only in name."

Lady Qiao's words from the weeks before Xuan's birth came soaring back to him as the wind increased pace and swept around the library in a miniature gale, sending snowflakes over the abandoned paperwork. _You have our full permission to be a completely neglectful father, as you see fit – but in name, you must be the child's father nonetheless._ The swordsman listened to the echoes of the long-ago voice as Xiao Qiao wrapped her arms around her child to shelter him, though whether from the storm or the icy frown on her husband's face there was no indication. There were tears in the young woman's eyes now, and they slid down her cheeks to land against Xuan's smooth forehead, prompting one curious baby hand to reach for her cheek.

"I'm not asking you to raise him, Zhou Yu! I'm just asking you to—"

"To what, Xiao Qiao?" Zhou Yu's voice was cold, the interruption as hard as his obsidian eyes. "To love him?"

For a long moment, Xiao Qiao didn't answer, hiding her face in her son's shoulder so that the silk of his robes muffled her tears and soaked the vestiges of salt water from her cheeks. Xuan's expression contorted in a heavy frown, and lines of confusion settled over his forehead, echoing the jumble of worried baby sounds coming from his lips. The child's gaze came back to the strategist, and Zhou Yu returned his coal-black stare for a long moment without blinking, regarding the boy and his crying mother with equal stillness.

At last Xuan seemed to make up his mind about something. He reached out a hand in the swordsman's direction, chubby fingers splayed in an effort for contact.

"Baba."

Zhou Yu's heart stopped beating. Suddenly there was nothing but a cold emptiness in his chest, and the cold grew sharper as Xuan kicked his feet, striving to extend the length of his tiny arm.

"Baba. Baba…"

Xiao Qiao lifted her face from the fabric of her baby's robes, and her hazel eyes were wide with surprise as she put a hand to the child's head, holding him back against her shoulder. "No, Xuan – don't do that, sweet boy. Baba doesn't want to hold hands."

Another spark of ice shot down the strategist's spine at the words, lodging between his ribs like the breath stalled in his lungs. His wife pulled the toddler closer to her chest so that her sleeves nearly swallowed him, glancing between her husband and the comfort of her son's raven crown as she swallowed the last of her sniffles.

"Come on, little one. We should get back to Da—"

"No!"

Like all baby screams, the single syllable split the air at a piercing pitch, drawing a wince onto Zhou Yu's face and a sharp gasp from Xiao Qiao. Xuan arched backward like a cat and his tiny fists pummeled the folds of his mother's robe, moving in time to his flailing feet as he struggled against the young woman's hold.

"No! No Da – Baba! Baba!"

The child threw a hand in the swordsman's direction again, his fingers clenching the empty air as though seeking something to cling to. Xiao Qiao put a hand to her head as the baby continued to squirm, wriggling in her arms with a series of unintelligible screeches falling from his lips, the senseless sounds matching his unhappy eyes as they locked on the strategist's face. The young woman turned to stare at her husband as well, her helpless gaze finding his through the snow-studded wind.

"Please, Zhou Yu – just give him your hand. He doesn't usually act like this—"

Xuan's elbow connected with her chin and interrupted the plea halfway, his renewed thrashing accompanying another earsplitting shriek. Zhou Yu watched them for another moment in silence, the cold of his empty chest cavity and the displeasure of his mind warring back and forth in his obsidian eyes – then he lifted one hand slowly from the table and held it out to the squalling child, his limb as heavy as the granite that had settled into the pit of his stomach.

Instantly, Xuan stopped screaming. The boy's face lit up at the reluctant movement, and he extended his own arm as far as it would go to meet the strategist partway, his small hand wrapping around one of the dark warrior's fingers with a caution akin to amazement. For a long minute, nothing moved except the toddler, his coal-black gaze scanning the unwillingly offered digit as though memorizing every facet of its surface. Then Xuan let out another screech, this one of joy, and the library was filled with a cascade of baby giggles, the laughter pulling a bright smile onto his chubby face.

Zhou Yu had not spent much time in the company of his wife's son – but nonetheless, he recognized that smile. It was the same smile that had been on the boy's face the night of his birth, the same hopeful smile that had regarded the ruined banquet hall and the uncertain swordsman the first time he discovered what it was to breathe, what it meant to see. It sent another twinge of discomfort through the strategist now, and his pulse slowed as the child let go of his finger at last and shrunk back into his mother's arms, his expression becoming shy as he buried into her neck.

"Baba."

Zhou Yu swallowed, but it wasn't enough to moisten his throat. Xiao Qiao smiled a little, and then she took a step back and turned for the door, pressing her lips against the toddler's temple as she shot her husband a last backward glance.

"Let's go, sweet boy. Da must be wondering where you got off to. Wave goodbye, okay? Wave bye-bye, Xuan."

Xuan peeked over the young woman's shoulder and flexed his fingers, his coal eyes boring into the strategist's despite the growing distance between them. "Bye-bye, Baba," the child cooed, resting his head against the curve of his mother's neck. Then they were gone, vanishing behind the sliding door that led to the shadowed hallway, and Zhou Yu was left alone in the silent library, his chin resting on a solemn hand.

For a long moment, the swordsman didn't move, staring into the depths of his documents as the cold wind scattered his dark hair across his shoulders. He glanced at the papers waiting beside his unfinished lunch tray, but he knew without trying that they were a lost cause now – thinking would be impossible as long as only the spring air occupied the space between his ribs. At last the dark warrior sighed and rose from his seat to shut the window, his movements stiff from remaining in one position for too many hours; the snowflakes brushed his face like the whispering voice of the storm, and Zhou Yu breathed them in before the shutters fell closed beneath his hand, summoning darkness to the quiet bookcases.

The strategist rolled his shoulders backward, a vague attempt at releasing the tension that still lingered throughout his stiffened form, and then he moved back to the table to collect his lunch tray, his blind fingers skimming the lacquered wood in search of handles. Xiao Qiao's hands had been far too full to remove the dishes with her own exit, and there was the possibility that a walk down to the kitchens would clear his mind, dispelling the echo of his wife's tear-stained voice and the touch of her baby's hand.

Zhou Yu crossed the room with measured steps, careful not to upset the meal he hadn't touched as he nudged the door open with his elbow and moved into the hallway, where the light of the midafternoon storm was augmented by torches flickering in their braces.

Perhaps because of Cheng Pu's absent hunting party, the corridors of Lingnan's premier estate were deserted, and the swordsman made his way across the brick floor with the silence of a shadow, his shallow breaths the only sound in the half-darkness. Zhou Yu let his eyes follow the barren walls as the conversation in the library rolled back through his mind; the wavering torch flames seemed to imitate the endless changes in Xiao Qiao's hazel eyes, each new emotion prompting a different shade… the strategist shook his head, pressing his pace as he crossed through an intersection of hallways and proceeded toward the front of the palace, the dishes rattling against their tray with the rhythm of his footsteps.

Zhou Yu couldn't understand why it mattered. Why would his involvement in Xuan's life bring something unique that the boy couldn't find anywhere else? Why wasn't it enough for Xiao Qiao that he had allowed the fallacy of a child under his name, accepted the newborn in front of Sun Ce's entire court? It seemed as though every stage of life with a baby brought new demands on the person who had been the most reluctant to accept that responsibility, most reluctant to allow the child's birth at all.

It wasn't as though Xuan had been left with nothing. Despite his endless complaints to the contrary, Lu Meng was completely enraptured with his son, and the sour warrior had spent almost the entire preceding year in Niuqiao with the Qiao sisters, likely giving every moment he could spare to his lover and her child. Even during the New Year's celebration in Qingshan, the bond between the two had been palpable, clear despite the caution they'd tried to exhibit in their interactions. Twice Zhou Yu had happened upon them sharing an afternoon nap in one of the back sitting rooms, the baby wrapped between two arms more determined to protect him than anything Wu's dark swordsman could offer…

So why wasn't that enough? If Xuan found his father figure in Lu Meng instead of the man whose name he'd been given, wasn't that for the best? Wasn't that the closest their situation allowed to exactly as things should have been? What was so important about the attachment of the name – why did Xiao Qiao place so much weight on Xuan feeling his false father's affection, instead of the affection his actual father was already giving him? The questions had no answers, and Zhou Yu could only shake his head as he moved through the empty hallways.

_You have our full permission to be a completely neglectful father, as you see fit – but in name, you must be the child's father nonetheless._

The strategist's lips curved up in a cynical smile, the memory of Lady Qiao's uncompromising words stalling him for a moment just shy of the estate's entrance hall. He couldn't be sure if the promise had been intentionally hollow or if time had simply rendered it that way – it was an easy thing to say before it was actually time to raise the child, before it was actually time to tell Xuan that his father did not care to see him. Perhaps it was only Xiao Qiao's indecision that led her to ask more and more of her husband as the boy grew older, trying to soften the situation with scraps of the swordsman's attention as though they could take the place of a relationship.

But despite the young woman's makeshift attempts at patching the holes in the tangled web her son had created, it was not a solution she could implement forever – Zhou Yu's interest in a child of his own had not increased at all in the time since Xuan's birth and he had no intention of imitating that interest, either. Parenting was not what he'd agreed to, and he would take no part in it, no matter how often Xiao Qiao changed her mind about his proper role in the life of her son. He had been promised a right to neglect, and it was a right he intended to exercise despite his wife's reservations.

The swordsman also had the lingering conviction that a neglectful father was still better than one like Zhou Fan, whose love for his children had been as fickle as a winter storm and dependent largely on their submission to his whims. The dark warrior wondered momentarily whether Xuan would someday play out his own part in that ending, standing over the bed of a dying father for whom he harbored only resentment and regret – but Shucheng was too recent for the thought to be solely ironic, and Zhou Yu pushed the image away as he moved into the entrance hall, forcing his attention back to the present and the whispering of his silken shoes.

The door to the courtyard had been left open. This would have been unusual even without the snowflakes blowing through the entryway to melt against the brickwork floor, and the cold air circling the estate's first chamber made the strategist pause as soon as he had crossed the threshold between corridor and foyer, one eyebrow raised in mild curiosity. A small puddle had begun to form in the center of the hall, and the swordsman shook his head as he moved to stand beside this temporary feature, his gaze surveying the courtyard and the snowstorm beyond the conspicuously open door.

There was no real way of determining whose hand had forgotten the latch in haste to reach the gravel court and the unpaved road that stretched south from the residence's primary entrance – but Zhou Yu could picture a certain Little Conqueror neglecting the barrier in his eagerness to join Cheng Pu's hunting party, and the image brought a slight smile to his face, propelling him forward until he found himself beneath the yawning eaves of the covered stairway outside.

The snow was still coming down steadily, but the dark warrior could see that none of it was accumulating across the patchy drifts left from previous storms, every flake disintegrating before it reached the ground. In fact, the air seemed almost warm against his face in spite of the wind, which trickled through the wooden beams above his head and sent a low moan across the deserted grounds. The strategist stared up at the clouds beyond the edge of the curving roof and wondered how long the snow would last before rain began to cover Lingnan instead, drowning the last remnants of winter in preparation for a true spring.

_I'm not asking you to raise him, Zhou Yu! I'm just asking you to…_

Zhou Yu smiled again, the expression more complicated than it had been a moment before. Part of him wished he'd let Xiao Qiao finish – he couldn't help but wonder what duty to a child not his the young woman thought he was neglecting.

The swordsman looked out across the courtyard, and for a long moment he held the cool air inside his lungs, letting the chill seep through him as he prepared for his return to the dark, silent hallways. But as he was about to turn away, something to the south caught his attention, and his feet stalled against the rammed earth steps, pivoted halfway in his unexpected distraction.

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed as he stared down the long dirt road that led out of Lingnan from the high residence's gates and on into the countryside, his gaze struggling to follow the billowing cloud of white and brown being tossed up by something just outside his vision. The strategist took a step forward into the full force of the storm, and he blinked back the intervening snowflakes as his mind fought to make sense of the swirl, ignoring the drops of precipitation melting into his robe.

Six small shapes suddenly crested the top of a rise in the road, and Zhou Yu realized with a start that it was a group of horses, though at farther distance than he had originally supposed. The discolored air was the dust cloud rising behind them, a clashing mess of snow and soil – which meant the animals had to be moving at incredible speed, breaking the frozen earth beneath their clattering hooves. A moment later brought enough definition that the dark warrior could distinguish the forms of riders atop the horses, and that one rider was leading a second horse by its unmanned bridle. Then a seed of worry began to unravel in the swordsman's stomach, and he moved farther down the stairs, his pale fingers clenched around the lunch tray's feeble handles.

The scene came into focus like a puzzle, each new piece dropping another stone into Zhou Yu's ribcage. By the time he could hear the hoofbeats of the galloping horses, the only sound at all in the worsening snowstorm, the strategist had guessed that this was Cheng Pu's hunting party, returning ahead of schedule and far too fast for a simple change of plans. As they reached the causeway leading to the estate, the swordsman could no longer hear the rhythm of the hooves over the pounding of his pulse – now he could see that Cheng Pu himself was leading the group, pushing their pace up the last slope preceding the manor's courtyard. They passed the gate and the veteran's expression became clear, severe with a worry that sent adrenaline through the dark warrior's veins.

But it wasn't until he caught sight of the figure slumped over the front of Cheng Pu's horse, crimson ribbon faltering in the wind of the storm, that Zhou Yu began to run, abandoning the lacquered dishes to the stairs.

"Ce!"

He hit the gravel at the same time as the riders, racing for Cheng Pu's mount as the other animals scattered into a loose formation around him. Sun Jian's veteran reined his horse to a sudden halt and two flashing hooves split the air, churning through the storm barely a foot from the strategist and shooting his heartbeat painfully fast in his chest. Sun Ce's limp body slid from the front of Cheng Pu's saddle, drawing a shout of terrified warning from the veteran behind him, and Zhou Yu dodged the horse's rearing limbs to break his fall, his breath stopping altogether as the Little Conqueror collided with his chest in a soundless descent.

He tried to keep them both upright, one arm wrapping around the young officer's waist in search of stability, but the Sun lord's legs would hold no weight and the swordsman found himself tumbling to his knees, landing hard against the surface of the snow-spattered courtyard. Sun Ce was still locked in his embrace, but nothing about his appearance made sense in the strategist's scattered mind – his eyes were closed, squeezed shut against the cold wind and the vision of the storm above him, and he moaned as he came to rest against the ground, his breathing short and frantic through his open mouth. Where his flesh was not red, it was a terrible white, stark against the lines of his sodden bangs and the fallen strands of his ponytail.

This wasn't happening. It couldn't be. It had been a simple hunt, not even a battle—

Zhou Yu bit down hard on his tongue as he tried to secure his hands in the folds of his companion's shirt, but his fingers found no traction against the slippery silk – silk that had turned an unnatural scarlet, coating his pale skin the same color wherever he touched it. The swordsman shook his commander as the feet of the riders hit the ground on all sides of him, the horses' whinnying a sharp counterpoint to his own frantic voice.

"Ce! Sun Ce!"

Sun Ce choked on his exhale, drops of burgundy flying from his lips to mar the strategist's face. Cheng Pu was at their side in an instant, and in a single motion he had pulled the young officer from Zhou Yu's arms and slung him over one steady shoulder, meeting the panicked obsidian eyes for only a moment before he dashed for the house behind them. The swordsman stared after him for a moment in shocked silence, his gaze riveted to the figure limp against the veteran's strong shoulder – then his fighter's composure kicked in and he was on his feet again, tearing after the disappearing pair with his pulse deafening in his ears.

There was nothing as powerful as fear for fueling adrenaline. Zhou Yu had never run so fast in all his years as a soldier as he did then, the steps and the hallways of Lingnan flashing by at a dizzying speed as each stride matched the beating of his heart, so loud now that it echoed against the walls and overrode his pounding footfalls. The strategist could barely see beyond the whirlwind of useless thoughts obscuring his mind, but he gritted his teeth and chased Cheng Pu's silhouette through the shadowed corridors, his eyes following the sickening motion of immobile, tangled, trembling limbs.

By the time they reached the young lord's room he had caught up, flinging the sliding door back so that Sun Jian's veteran could carry his precious cargo into the silent, darkened quarters. Years of trained efficiency kept Zhou Yu moving without pause across the dim floor, but it couldn't stop the hammer striking against his breastbone with every breath, each blow as strong as a physical force threatening to topple him from the net of necessity that guided his movements. The swordsman shoved the coverlet from the surface of the unmade bed and then moved to the windows, and the violent terror in his chest ran through his fingers, throwing back the shutters so that they crashed into the plastered wall almost hard enough to splinter.

Cheng Pu laid Sun Ce onto the cleared mattress, and the Little Conqueror let out another moan, drawing his strategist back to his side the instant the sound left his lips. Zhou Yu stared into the contrasting contours of his face, trying to make sense of the interplay of pale and raw skin that littered the formerly bright countenance – then a warm hand landed on his arm, and his eyes shot back to meet Cheng Pu's, returning the urgent charcoal stare that was nearly as worried as his own.

"Get his shirt off."

The swordsman nodded once and then turned to the form of his commander, undoing the ties on his riding shirt with a dexterity even the still-damp fabric could not prevent. He worked at releasing the clotted silk as the veteran warrior turned instead to the Sun lord's pants, and in a moment he had managed to remove them, flinging a sheet over the lower half of Sun Ce's body to hide the bloodied flesh. Before the cloth came down, Zhou Yu saw that the young officer's legs were covered in deep wounds, gouges that stained the skin around them and the mattress on which he rested – then he turned his attention back to his companion's shirt, fighting the reluctant silk open and laying bare a torso covered in the same sickening disruptions.

The strategist swallowed back the bile in his throat, the impulse not a product of the sheer quantity of blood before him but of the contrast between Sun Ce's body only a night earlier and the tattered form that lay in front of him now. They had both been injured before, countless times in the battle for Wu – but this was different. It was as though slices of the Sun lord's flesh had been ripped away, leaving deep chasms in the drained skin of his chest. And there was just too much blood – too much spreading everywhere, too much to believe his lungs still held breath.

The dark warrior shook himself back to attention and tried to guide the sleeves of the ruined shirt from his companion's shoulders, but the slight movement drew a halting cry of pain from the master of Wu and Zhou Yu's pale hands stopped dead against his skin, the sound ringing in his ears and drowning the rhythm of his anxious pulse.

The swordsman closed his obsidian eyes for a moment, fighting to keep his hands still against the young lord's flesh when every sliver of his being wanted to pull Sun Ce into his embrace and hold him until the world started making sense again. But his emotions weren't helping anyone, and he forced himself under control as he threw one hand in Cheng Pu's direction, a sharp look accompanying the rough gesture.

"Give me your knife."

In seconds the cold metal was against his palm, and Zhou Yu leaned forward across the bed to saw at the threads of his companion's sleeves, his breath tight and painful in his lungs. The Sun lord did not seem to be breathing much better – but he was breathing, and as the fabric ripped under his agitated blade the strategist tried to focus on that, ignoring the shuddering skin that pulled away instinctively from his touch and the way Sun Ce's chest heaved with every inhale, the life-affirming motion almost seeming too painful to continue.

"I sent riders to fetch Hua Tuo, and every other doctor they could find."

The veteran general's words circled the room and the swordsman nodded in answer, preoccupied with the cloth beneath his claret-spattered hands. Every moment that passed was like a lifetime now, every second spent watching the Little Conqueror's contorted face was one he knew had been cemented forever into the folds of his mind. Cheng Pu moved to stand behind him, so close that his breath tickled the hairs on the back of Zhou Yu's neck, and for a moment it seemed to the dark warrior that they were all breathing in the same rhythm, three shattered heartbeats struggling for survival.

Then the shirt gave under the borrowed knife and two pale hands worked to wrestle it away from the body that it clung to, each crimson stain drawing a groan of protest from the young officer as it was ripped from his pallid skin.

"… A-ah…"

The strategist forced himself not to look up, not to acknowledge the sounds that tore into his flesh like fishing hooks as he dropped the knife back into Cheng Pu's hand and slid the cloth out from under the Sun lord's back. "We need water," the dark warrior snapped, his voice so dry it was barely more than a croak despite its urgency. "We have to get him clean." Cheng Pu nodded once and then hastened toward the door, his footsteps as silent as the barrier he closed behind him.

The swordsman straightened in his position beside the bed, drawing his hands from the awfully pale skin to tear a chunk of fabric out of the sleeve of his robe. If he could wipe the excess blood away, then at least he would know how many wounds they were dealing with, how many gashes were siphoning life into the folds of the sheets. But the loss of contact drew a moan of protest from his weakened commander, earning a toss of his head and the accompanying whimper of pain.

"Nn… Yu…"

The fevered inflection of his companion's voice shot Zhou Yu's eyes to the strained, grimacing countenance, and one palm reached up to find his bloodied cheek, worried but not surprised by how cold Sun Ce had become. The strategist tried to swallow, but the motion stuck in his throat and he was left with nothing but a clenched jaw, his sharp features dark with apprehension as he held his lord still against the mattress.

"Shh. I'm right here, Ce. I'm right here."

But what good was his presence to the young officer now – what did it matter whether he was there or not? When the lord of Wu had needed him, he'd been far away, absorbed in problems that now seemed as weightless as the air around them. All his promises to protect – his silent conviction to give his life for the person lying before him – were worthless as crumbling sand, and the frustration of his failure built behind his eyes, obscuring his vision with a haziness he was not accustomed to.

It was only when the first drop landed against his hand that Zhou Yu realized he was crying, the tears as silent and angry and useless as the rest of him.

The Sun lord turned his face into the warmth of his swordsman's touch, both eyes cracking open beneath the weight of his eyelids, and the strategist felt his heart collapsing in his chest as he returned the burdened gaze, unable to reconcile the brilliance of the twin amber he knew so well with the dim shadow regarding him now. There was light still behind the young officer's eyes, but it was barely a flicker of the light that had filled them before, only embers of the phoenix flame once so common to Sun Ce's expression. Something like a choke stuck in the dark warrior's throat, worried and helpless and outraged all at once, destroying his ability to breathe as his companion began to shudder against the sheets.

"Y… Yu…"

Zhou Yu shook his head, adrenaline and his untamed emotions making the gesture rough. "Shh. Just hold still." The strategist's free hand came up to brush the tangled, matted bangs away from his commander's forehead, and already he could feel a fever raging there, so warm compared to the skin of his face that it seemed impossible to have both in one body. The Little Conqueror blinked at him with bleary eyes, every motion as slow and unnatural as the breaths moving through his dry mouth.

"You're… are you…"

The swordsman pressed his lips into a thin line, one hand smoothing the wrinkles back from his companion's brow as the other slid his torn silk sleeve across the ragged body shivering beside him. "Shh. Shh, I'm right here." His motions only seemed to smear the blood across the young officer's form, and after a moment he gave up, flinging the ruined rag to the floor with a violence born of the anxiety in his stomach. There was nothing but blood, and no end to it, and what was taking Cheng Pu so long with the water—

Sun Ce coughed and squeezed his eyes shut, struggling to maintain the heaving rhythm of his chest, and all other thoughts flew Zhou Yu's mind as he watched the sharp, painful breaths moving down his companion's throat, his dark gaze transfixed by the soft quivering of unnaturally red lips. The Sun lord thrust scarlet fingers into the fabric of his strategist's robe and one pale hand came up to cover them, holding the shaking digits against his heart as though he could soak in their trembling and take the suffering with it.

Sun Ce laughed – but it was a halting, truncated sound, only a specter of the brighter expression that was so achingly familiar. His other hand clung to the swordsman's cheek, and Zhou Yu could feel the blood seeping onto his face, transferred with the cold that had painted the young officer's skin ashen around his straining amber eyes. The Little Conqueror's voice was as unsteady as his body, hoarse with exertion as it echoed through the anxious silence.

"You're… crying. Y… Yu…"

Zhou Yu shook his head, not in denial but in angry helplessness. He pressed his lips against the side of the Sun lord's hand and the copper smell of death as he knew it assaulted him, pulling his gaze to his companion's discolored countenance.

"Gods, Ce… what happened to you?"

Sun Ce gave a little croak, his answer interrupted first by a wrenching cough and then by the sound of the door slamming open behind them. The strategist turned in his place beside his struggling commander, and his eyes narrowed in confusion as a flurry of unfamiliar men stormed into the room, their robes flapping around them like an agitated flock of birds. One of them seized his arm and tried to haul him from the bedside, but the Sun lord moaned and Zhou Yu flung the stranger's hand away, glaring between the assembled men with the sharpness of irate anxiety.

"Who are you?" the swordsman snapped, his fingers tightening around Sun Ce's as his anger found a new outlet. "What are you doing here? What do you want?"

The rapid questions and his steel-black eyes upset the muddle of milling gentlemen in the doorway, but one among them appeared unflustered, stepping forward from the gaggle of his followers with a serious expression.

"My name is Yi Zhen Jai," the man answered smoothly, bowing low at the introduction so that his graying beard drooped almost to the floor. "I am a disciple of Hua Tuo, and I was brought here by your soldiers to save Lord Sun Ce's life. I ask that you leave immediately so that my assistants and I may accomplish our task."

Zhou Yu froze in his place beside the bed, his heartbeat stalling as he stared into the doctor's sympathetic countenance. The words drew a soft groan from the young officer at his side, and Sun Ce dug his fingers through the cloth of his strategist's robe, twin eyes almost frantic against the drained skin of his face.

"N-no… no, Yu…"

The swordsman glanced back at his companion, his ability to move stolen by the indecision pounding beneath his ribcage. Before he could answer one way or another, a second hand came to rest on his shoulder, this one gentler but more urgent than the first – Yi Zhen Jai shook his head firmly, tossing his chin toward the open door and the drove of attendants behind him.

"For all your merits, Lord Zhou Yu, you are not a doctor. If you value his life, go now and trust my skills."

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line; he hesitated only a moment longer before he rose from the edge of the bed and lost contact with the Little Conqueror, pulling a moan of protest from his injured commander at the separation. The strategist dropped into a crouch so that he could meet the Sun lord's eyes again, and he tried to make his gaze as reassuring as possible as it traced the pallid features, one hand brushing against his companion's furrowed forehead.

"I'll wait outside. I won't go anywhere, Ce. I promise."

Sun Ce opened his mouth to reply, but a sharp cough interrupted him and Zhou Yu turned away before he could try again, uncertain that he would ever be able to tear himself from the young officer's side if the plea for his presence came one more time. The swordsman moved across the room with hurried strides, frightening Yi Zhen Jai's assistants from their place beside the exit as his obsidian glare swept over all of them in a wordless warning. Then the shadowed corridor swallowed his vision and he slammed the sliding door closed behind him, shutting out the doctor's rapid instructions and the voices of his attendants with the heavy wooden barrier.

There was nothing more he could do.

Zhou Yu leaned back against the door with an exhale as loud as his pulse, and for a long moment he let his obsidian eyes fall closed, blocking the sight of the hallway as he couldn't block the image of Sun Ce's torn and tattered body. But after only a matter of seconds the muted whispers on all sides compelled his glazed eyes open again, and he turned his gaze to the crowds of people gathered around him, their curious and worried stares locked on his darkened features.

It seemed as though every person in Lingnan's premier estate had surrounded the master of Wu's quarters, all of them grave and hushed as they waited in the patches of torchlight and corresponding shadow that littered the corridor. Directly ahead of him were the Qiao sisters, both toddlers pressed against Xiao Qiao's shoulders and Shao trapped behind the cage of his mother's arms. Cheng Pu waited at the strategist's elbow, shifting from foot to foot with the same anxiety that was painted across his face, and a little ways down the hall Zhou Yu could see Lu Xun peering through the assembled crowd, striving for a clear glimpse of his superior between the many murmuring onlookers.

The rest of the mass of people appeared to be composed of servants and maids, a few of the Wu soldiers posted as guardsmen, and the various other workers employed in the service of the empire. All of them were muttering quietly amongst themselves, but their voices came to an abrupt halt as the swordsman's gaze found their nameless faces, as cold as the snowstorm above them.

Zhou Yu sighed a little, resisting the urge to brush a hand against the headache that was forming behind his temples. He was hardly in the state of mind to deal with so many people – Sun Ce was wounded, and that made them his responsibility, but how was he expected to give the estate's personnel his full attention when all he could see in front of him was the Little Conqueror's broken form, that endless shade of crimson? With a deep breath, the strategist glanced above the remaining crowd and found the eyes of his uncertain assistant, motioning the young man forward with a jerk of his head.

"Lu Xun."

Lu Xun started, his surprise at being the first among the crowd addressed by name showing plainly on his innocent face; then he wove and ducked his way between the huddled clumps of servants until he reached his superior's side, dipping his head a little in acknowledgement of the summons.

"Yes, Lord Zhou Yu?"

Zhou Yu closed his eyes for a long moment, keeping his voice low enough to carry only as far as his assistant's ears. "Do something with these people."

Lu Xun shifted, hesitation flickering over his countenance again as one hand came up to dash through his sandy hair. "Do… something, my lord?"

The strategist nodded, his features dark with a fatigue only more severe for the shadows of torchlight cascading in from every side. "Do something. Get them out of here."

The page opened his mouth to protest, cinnamon eyes wide in his youthful face – but something about his supervisor's obsidian gaze must have stopped him, because he swallowed the words back and dropped into a low bow, his bent head muffling the question that finally made its way past his lips. "Lord Zhou Yu… Lord Sun Ce… is he going to be all right? What happened—"

"There's no time for that."

The sharpness of the swordsman's tone straightened Lu Xun abruptly from his bow to a stiff pose of attention, and Zhou Yu ground his teeth together, regretting the flare of anger that was not meant for Wu's newest recruit. Anger at himself, anger at Sun Ce for whatever mindless stunt had put him in so much danger, anger mostly at whoever's hand had wielded the blows struck against his wounded companion – he forced the churning, frustrated emotions back and met the page's eyes seriously, keeping his features as impassive as his worried pulse allowed.

"Forgive me, Lu Xun. The situation is… very difficult at present."

It was only the barest hint of an explanation, but Lu Xun smiled anyway, dropping into another bow as he shook his head. "No, my lord. I shouldn't have pressed you. I'm sorry." The young man took a step back from his superior, watching the strategist with sincerity shining in his intelligent eyes. "Don't worry, Lord Zhou Yu – I'll take care of everything here."

Zhou Yu nodded softly, his gaze following the contours of his dedicated attendant's face as the crowd of servants murmured and shifted behind him. "You'll send letters to—"

"The members of the Sun family and everyone appropriate," Lu Xun finished, anticipating his supervisor's instructions with a tiny smile. "I did tell you not to worry, didn't I?"

The swordsman blinked, genuinely surprised at his aide's interruption of understanding. Then the young man turned away from him to address the assembled crowd, his features set in lines of determination – and though the page had always seemed timid in his interactions with the high bastions of the empire, he showed none of that reserve in a position of authority, his clear voice ringing through the hallway in firm but friendly instructions.

"All right, everyone – please proceed to the audience chamber at once. I will explain everything that needs to be done once we arrive there…"

The staff hesitated, its members glancing amongst themselves and to the generals they were more accustomed to obeying as though trying to ascertain that power had been allocated in the young man's hands. Zhou Yu glared back at those whose eyes he could catch and Lu Xun held his ground, waving his hands in a gesture for retreat – and gradually the servants and kitchen maids began a sort of backward shuffling, turning away from the quarters of their master to head for the center of the estate with a trailing of disappointed mutters.

Lu Xun shot his superior one last smile before following in the wake of their echoing footsteps, disappearing without ceremony down one of the intersecting hallways, and the strategist let his onyx eyes fall closed again, holding a deep breath as he prepared for the people who would be much harder to deal with.

Long before he was ready to confront those waiting silently in front of him, the occasionally cooing toddlers the only indication of their presence, a soft nudge against his foot brought Zhou Yu's eyes flickering open – a downward glance revealed that Cheng Pu had knelt at his feet, his veteran head bowed almost to the floor. The weathered general's hands were clenched so tightly that the swordsman could see his knuckles had gone white, and the face of Sun Jian's faithful warrior was dominated by a frown that cut like a chasm across his features, the expression resonating in his black eyes as he shook his head in a single violent arc.

"Master Zhou Yu… I ask your forgiveness. Sun Ce was under my protection, and I failed to bring him back unharmed—'

"It isn't your fault, Cheng Pu."

Zhou Yu's voice was so soft he could barely hear it himself, but it brought an immediate halt to the apology nonetheless, drawing Cheng Pu's gaze up to meet his own through the dim air of the corridor. The strategist exhaled and the sound became a sigh as he lifted a hand to cover his eyes, massaging the persistent headache that rolled beneath his temples.

"I know you would give your life before you let Sun Ce receive a single scratch. Just… tell me what happened."

It seemed so late to be asking, so long after the fact that the cause hardly mattered anymore – time had slowed down the instant the door to the Sun lord's quarters closed behind him, and now Zhou Yu couldn't have guessed if he'd been standing in the hallway for a matter of minutes or a matter of days. Everything outside the heavy wooden barrier was moving at half speed, every moment spent waiting for an answer from the doctor and his attendants was like a chain of connecting lifetimes, each eon twisting the knot of worry and frustration tighter in his stomach. But there was nothing to do except to wait, and the story would take some time, at least – the strategist let his eyes follow the veteran's face as he straightened from his kneeling position, one hand rubbing at his straggled beard.

"Even if you say that…" Cheng Pu shook his head again, the motion slow enough this time that Zhou Yu could see his forehead wrinkling into angry, anxious furrows that matched his frown. "I should have been watching him more carefully. I shouldn't have let him go off on his own, but I never thought—"

The veteran cut himself off abruptly and the truncated end of his sentence echoed down the shadowed hallway, drawing no answer from those assembled. The swordsman leaned back into the wooden door and waited for the rest of the explanation, his obsidian eyes cold as they watched the struggling lines of Cheng Pu's face. Sun Jian's faithful general pursued his lips, and for a moment it seemed as though the words were going to drown him, each one flickering across his features with the clarity of churning water before the others swallowed it. But at last the veteran forced his tongue under control, and he began again, slumping against the wall of the corridor as if his voice had sapped the last of his strength.

"We reached Dantu at an hour past noon. Sun Ce was… so excited." Cheng Pu shook his head, a wistful smile curving the edge of his lips for a moment before it vanished once again into the stern contours of his face. "He was chasing everything that moved, but the men and I were keeping an eye on him, so I wasn't worried. At last we started a stag, and he raced after it into the woods, riding faster than the rest of us…"

In his mind, Zhou Yu could picture the Little Conqueror's eager smile, the warmth that must have lit his features at the moment he gave chase and left the hunting party far behind him. The brilliance shining in his amber eyes as the tail of his horse disappeared into the trees…

Cheng Pu let out a long sigh, one hand pressed against his forehead as though he were measuring a fever. "I can't explain what happened. We were following after him at a fair pace, calling his name… all of a sudden we heard shouting. We hurried in that direction, and when we found him he was off of his horse, trying to fight them off with his bow. He had no other weapon—"

"Them?"

The strategist's interruption was soft, just loud enough for the words to clear his lips and reach Cheng Pu's ears through the darkness of the hallway. The veteran nodded, swallowing hard to pull his narrative back under control. "There were three, each armed with knives and longbows. They called themselves the retainers of Xu Gong, and his avengers."

Zhou Yu felt his mouth go dry, the cold hand of understanding closing around his stomach as he pressed his lips into a thin line. Across the hallway, Shao shifted behind the bonds of his mother's arms, glancing up at Lady Qiao with confusion dominating his childish face.

"Who's Xu Gong?" he asked, but the Sun lord's wife only shushed him, smoothing his bangs back with a gentle hand. The boy shifted impatiently in her embrace, his gaze dashing between Wu's dark swordsman and the Tiger general's veteran, each of their features lost in grave contemplation. The strategist shook his head, a shadowed smile flitting over his lips before his solemn eyes chased it away.

"Xu Gong. I should have known…"

Xu Gong. The man he and Han Dang had executed only a year before. Had his heart not been lodged so tightly between his ribs that every breath was a stab of physical pain, Zhou Yu might have found it ironic that the ghost they'd tried so hard to dispel had proved himself more dangerous in death than in life, a greater threat to the master of Wu in his silence than in his messages of treachery.

Cheng Pu sighed and bit down hard on one bent finger, staring at the imperfections of the brickwork floor as though his memories were splayed across them, each one waiting to be recounted in all its detail. "When we came upon Sun Ce, he'd killed one of them, but he was bleeding in half a dozen places and failing fast… we made short work of the others and then rushed back here as quickly as we could. I barely remember the ride, because I was listening so hard for his heartbeat…"

The veteran's voice had fallen to a whisper, and it drifted away with the silence of the snowflakes coming down above Lingnan, each word disappearing into the shadows of the corridor so that the sounds seemed to tease the strategist's ears, as hard to hold onto as a distant pulse, as a slowing heartbeat. No one spoke, and Zhou Yu wondered if they were all seeing what he was – the snow-scattered clearing painted unnaturally crimson, the rush of adrenaline in six fighting soldiers, the body sprawled limp across the front of a galloping horse, its hands as still as stones against the animal's heaving flank. Tight, worried voices calling to someone who could hardly hear them, telling someone who'd never believed in giving up that he had to hold on just a little bit longer…

Cheng Pu exhaled heavily, rubbing his eyes with two exhausted hands. "All I could think about was his father."

The swordsman said nothing, memories of Sun Jian's death streaming through his slowly quieting mind. But the waiting and the unanswered questions had finally become too much for Shao, and the boy lost his patience, dodging under Lady Qiao's arms and dashing forward so that he could grab Zhou Yu's sleeve instead. Shao's voice was not that loud, but in the silence of the empty hallway it seemed deafening, echoing back over the group like the crashing waves of an anxious sea.

"What are you talking about? Who's Sun Ce's father? Who's Xu Gong? Why did they want to attack Sun Ce?"

The strategist glanced away from the youth's slate eyes, unable even to find a starting point for the explanation requested. Shao bit his lip for a long moment, then he gave an angry cry and began to yank on the swordsman's robe, shaking the fabric as hard as he could as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Please, Master Zhou Yu! Please tell me what happened! You're covered in blood and I'm really scared!"

Zhou Yu started a little, his mouth falling open as the boy's words recalled a similar sentiment from long years ago – from the campaign against Jia, his and Sun Ce's first real battle. The Little Conqueror's younger voice rang back to him as he looked down at his ruined robe, his eyes tracing the uniform spatter to one deformed handprint clutched over his heart, and he realized that the same shade of crimson that coated his own fingers must be covering the contours of his cheek…

_I was really scared – when I got up here, and you were so bloody…_

In Shao's terrified eyes and the iron grip of his fingers, Zhou Yu saw shadows of the child who had grown up to be his lord and companion, the unifier of the Wu Territory beneath a charismatic banner and an irresistible smile. And in spite of himself – in spite of the dislike of children that had occupied him only earlier that afternoon and the knot of emotions still wrapped around his stomach – the strategist found himself dropping one scarlet hand onto the small, shivering shoulder, his fingers tightening into the thick fabric of the boy's shirt. Shao blinked a little at the contact, and the swordsman shook his head, obsidian eyes dark with the hallway's shadows.

"Sun Ce has been wounded very badly, Shao." The words were as steady as his form, so still he might have been made of granite; Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line and the expression drew furrows of worry onto the youth's smooth forehead. "I don't know what the doctors will have to do, and I don't know how long it's going to take. I don't have any answers for you. But Sun Ce won't give up – you know that, don't you?"

His question did not banish the fear flickering across Shao's childish features, but the boy nodded a little and his slate eyes seemed to take on a tone of understanding, dropping from the strategist's face to the floor of the quiet corridor. Behind him, Lady Qiao shifted and took a gentle step forward, her skirts whispering to each other as she knotted her hands over her chest.

"Come away, Shao," she murmured, her voice soothing and soft like the snow somewhere above them. "Let's go back to our quarters for now. As soon as there's any news—"

"No!"

The shout accompanied a burst of movement, and Zhou Yu's eyes widened as the boy flew forward to collide with his chest, two thin arms twining around his waist with the same tenacity that they'd clung to the drowning cypress six months earlier. Shao shook his head and pressed his face into the swordsman's robes – and in his trembling, the dark warrior could feel suppressed sobs echoing through his body, accompanying the tears that were sliding like spring rain down his cheeks.

"No, Mama! I'm not going anywhere! I'm staying right here until I can see him!" Once again the sensation of memory overflowed Zhou Yu's mind to course through his veins – a young warrior holding onto him, clinging to his soiled shirt with the fear that had made him cry – and the memory wrapped one solemn arm around Shao's back, pressing the boy into his embrace as though by protecting the shards of the Sun lord's past he could protect the Sun lord himself. Shao choked on his tears and stomped one foot against the ground, a futile motion that sent echoes down the long corridor. "I'm not leaving until I know he's okay. I don't care if I have to wait here for days…"

Lady Qiao pursed her lips but said no more, settling back against the wall with her arms folded over her chest in quiet consideration. Xiao Qiao glanced between her companions, and then began to hum a lullaby, bouncing both toddlers against her shoulder as she moved in a slow circle across the shadowed floor to the time of her absent song. Cheng Pu stood against the wall with a silence as pure as death. For a long moment, no one spoke at all, and then Shao sniffled and pulled back from the swordsman's hold so that he could find the obsidian gaze, tear streaks and a quivering chin all that remained of his terrified sobs.

"He's gonna be okay…" The boy bit his lip for a moment before swallowing hard, forcing his coarse voice past his lips despite the unsteady shimmer in his eyes. "Sun Ce's gonna be okay… right, Master Zhou Yu?"

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to reply, but he closed it again without speaking a word, realizing all of a sudden that he didn't have an answer.

.x.

It was long past midnight when the rain began to fall, the harsh rhythm of a spring squall taking the place of the silent snow. Zhou Yu stood against the wall of the corridor with his eyes closed, listening as the thunder invaded the abandoned hallways and trembled under the force of the raging storm. To the strategist's tired ears, the drops pelting the roof over his head sounded as hard as chips of jade, pebbles flung down by the hand of Heaven to shatter against the clay shingles. By morning, he knew, all the snow would have disappeared, banished beneath the relentless force of the warmer rain – winter was coming to a close at last.

Aside from the sounds of the invisible storm assaulting the estate, Wu's northern capital was quiet. The servants who kept late hours had either retired already or were staying away from the quarters of the Sun lord – regardless, Zhou Yu had heard nothing from them since long before sunset, and the generals of Lingnan had retired some time afterward, gradually leaving the grave hallway to its solemn sentries.

Shao had kept his promise to stay. But not long after nightfall, the boy had begun yawning and struggling to keep his eyes open, and he was now sleeping peacefully on the other side of the corridor, his head pillowed in Lady Qiao's lap. His mother sat pressed against the rammed earth of the wall behind her, head tipped gently to one side; for a long time, her delicate fingers had run through the young boy's hair in soothing strokes, but now they had gone still, and her sepia eyes were closed.

The swordsman couldn't tell if she were actually asleep or simply holding a position of such stillness that she might have been a statue, and he couldn't see that it mattered one way or the other, so he stayed quiet to avoid disturbing her and studied their matching features from a distance, reading the lines of worry that still bothered Shao's smooth forehead. The boy shifted as though in the grip of a dream and turned his face into the folds of Lady Qiao's robes, and the torchlight relinquished its hold on his anxious countenance, letting the night's deep shadows swallow his expression.

Sun Ce's room was silent. No one had come in or gone out since the doctors first arrived, and the dark warrior hadn't heard a sound from inside the whole time he'd been waiting, despite straining his ears in search of the faintest noise. All the strategist could really assure himself was that the lord of Wu wasn't dead – beyond that, there was nothing to do but wonder.

Zhou Yu lifted a hand to rub his forehead, and the stiff silk of his stained robes crumpled with the movement, hissing as the patches of transferred blood slid against one another. The sound drew his gaze again to the ominous scarlet, and then his glance flickered to the tightly closed door of his companion's quarters, wishing once again for a report of some kind. The young officer's injuries had not been simple, and in that way he was not surprised by the delay – but nonetheless, the dark warrior couldn't help wanting to know what was happening behind the stiff wooden barrier, just a hint of the treatment Sun Ce was receiving…

As though in answer to his thoughts, there came the soft noise of a latch being released – and then the door beside him began to slip open, the darkness pulling back to reveal Yi Zhen Jai into the torchlit corridor. Instantly the swordsman felt his posture stiffening; as he stepped away from the wall, the knot of emotions that had been resting like a silent stone in his stomach started to unravel, spilling anxiety back across his face. The doctor looked away long enough to close the door behind him, and then he turned to the strategist with a tiny smile on his lips, the shadows of the hallway emphasizing the sleepless circles under his eyes.

"He's alive."

Relief had never felt so heavy. Zhou Yu let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, one hand reaching out to brace his suddenly weak form against the wall. Yi Zhen Jai's voice brought Lady Qiao's eyes flickering open, and he favored her with the same kind smile as he ran a hand through his hair, nodding with an air of absent satisfaction.

"There was a while when I wasn't sure he would pull through… but Lord Sun Ce has the spirit of a fighter." The doctor shook his head, raising an eyebrow at the small boy still fast asleep against the floor. "Which runs in the family, I see. That one looks like a bit of a handful, my lady."

It hardly seem worth the trouble to explain that Shao's connection to Sun Ce had nothing to do with blood, and Lady Qiao must have agreed because she only nodded, brushing her fingers against the soft contours of her adopted son's face. Yi Zhen Jai smiled for a moment longer before he turned back to the waiting strategist, his eyes becoming serious again as his expression darkened under an idle frown.

"Nonetheless… his condition is very serious. The arrows used against him were poisoned, and they very nearly took his life." The doctor moved forward so that he could drop a pouch of some kind into the solemn warrior's hand, and Zhou Yu's fingers curled into a tight fist around the worn fabric, clutching the medicine with all of the worry and frustration resting between his ribs. Yi Zhen Jai stroked his long beard and tangled weathered fingers through its graying strands, the motion urging thoughtfulness onto his gently wrinkled features. "He must remain in bed for thirty days, moving as little as possible – between that and this medicine, the last of the poison will be driven out. But his wounds are deep, and it will take at least one hundred days of rest before he's completely healed…"

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, part of him despairing at the prospect of keeping his eternally restless commander still for a single month, let alone for more than three. But the doctor's eyes were dark with firm instruction, and the swordsman dropped into a shallow bow as he slipped the medicine pouch into his pocket, forcing all of his doubts and concerns to the back of his mind so that his voice remained steady.

"I understand. Thank you, Yi Zhen Jai… our debt to you is beyond measure."

Yi Zhen Jai smiled but shook his head, giving a small laugh that echoed down the hallway and pulled a puzzled frown onto Shao's sleeping face. "No, Lord Zhou Yu – Lord Sun Ce is my sovereign as well. I have done my duty in the service of the empire and nothing more. For now, I ask only that my attendants and I be given places to sleep… the ride back to my master's home is not a short one."

As though they had been waiting for his words, the door to the Little Conqueror's quarters was suddenly pushed back and the doctor's assistants trickled one by one into the corridor, their robes shifting around them like a single undulating sheet of cloth. The strategist blinked a few times at their unexpected presence and then nodded, overcoming his surprise to share a look with the Sun lord's wife before he gestured toward the heart of the estate.

"Rooms have been arranged for you… Lady Qiao will show you the way. Please stay as long as you need to, Yi Zhen Jai – the household is at your disposal."

Lady Qiao stretched above her head in preparation to stand, working the stiffness from her shoulders as the attendants bent in a communal bow behind their master, their tired faces brightening a little at the prospect of ready accommodations. Zhou Yu shifted as they regained their full stature, and then he ran a distracted hand through his hair, pushing the dark strands away from his eyes so he could meet Yi Zhen Jai's gaze between the flickering shadows. Perhaps it was too soon to ask, but…

"Can I see him?"

The doctor smiled as though he had anticipated the question, the corners of his mouth crinkling upward so that the impression of lean dimples appeared on his face. "I recommend it, my lord. He's been asking for you ever since he regained consciousness."

The swordsman swallowed, anxiety fluttering for a moment in the depths of his stomach as the image of Sun Ce's bloodied, broken body swept through his mind. Then he forced his breathing back to normal and made for the open door, his steps far more resolved than the rhythm of his heartbeat. The darkness of the Sun lord's unlit quarters beckoned from the edge of the wooden barrier, and the night swallowed Zhou Yu's vision as he slipped inside and slid the door closed behind him, banishing the light of the torches. The world descended into a conglomeration of vague, dark shapes, each cascading into the other to form a rough impression of the room's arrangement.

The strategist could hear rustling somewhere ahead of him, but for a long moment he didn't move from his spot beside the door, standing motionless in the silence as he waited for a summons. A few more sounds of shifting, a soft moan that caught the breath in his chest – and as the swordsman's eyes grew accustomed to the limited light leaking in from the hallway, there was finally a voice, so hesitant and faltering that had he not known whose it was, he doubted it would have seemed familiar at all.

"…Yu?"

The soft, hoarse syllable propelled Zhou Yu's heart into his stomach, and in an instant he had lost control of his feet, moving toward the bed at a pace just shy of an outright run. He dropped into a kneel at the edge of the mattress, and through the blindness of midnight he could make out the Little Conqueror's form lying still across the sheets, the coverlet tucked around his heavily bandaged limbs. Sun Ce's amber eyes followed his movement across the room, and a small smile creased his lips as one pale hand reached up to find his forehead, pushing back the chestnut bangs in search of a fever.

"I'm really… glad to see you."

He felt so cold. The strategist bit his lip, bracing his free hand against the bed so he could look down into his companion's quiet features, trying to study what little he could see of the tonfa master's body. All of the blood had been washed away, but somehow the linen bandages were almost worse, stark and callous in their patchwork veiling of the Sun lord's skin. Zhou Yu shook his head as his fingers trailed through the limp strands of his commander's ponytail, brushing the line of his neck where the cloth prevented contact – one of the wounds must have been so close to the young officer's jugular, a hair's breadth from taking his life…

"I'm sorry, Ce. I'm sorry. I—" The swordsman bit down hard on the inside of his cheek, forcing his voice steady as the anger and the worry lodged beneath his breastbone threatened to overwhelm him again. "I should have been there to protect you. I shouldn't have let…"

One hand came up to cover his mouth, and the strategist held it to his lips as hard as he dared, pressing kisses to the cold fingertips and across the bandaged palm in the hope that his touch could find the words eluding his tongue. Sun Ce laughed a little – though the sound was not as harsh as it had been earlier, it still sent a shiver down the swordsman's spine, drawing twin obsidian eyes to his commander's pallid face. The young officer tugged on their joined hands to pull his companion closer, and as Zhou Yu took a seat along the edge of the mattress the Sun lord shifted to rest in his lap, pillowing his head in the folds of the crimson-spattered robe.

"Come on, Yu… 's not your fault." The master of Wu's smile was still just a shadow of its former brilliance, but it captured his expression nonetheless as his fingers traced the strategist's worried features, brushing the pale skin like a whisper of wind. "It was pretty… stupid of me to get… off on my own, I guess…"

Part of the swordsman wanted to yell at him, to second the acknowledgement of habitual recklessness and give in to the anxiety that was manifesting as fury where it coursed through his veins. But Sun Ce's word were very light, so quiet that the rain battering the roof above their heads almost drowned him out, and the pause between each labored breath pressed Zhou Yu's lips into a thin line instead, stilling his hand against the curve of the young officer's neck. For a long moment they sat in silence, the strategist holding back his temper as the bandaged fingers followed the contours of his face, finally trailing down to wrap around his waist – then the dark warrior sighed and slid a hand under his companion's chin, drawing the curious amber eyes up to meet his own.

"Were you frightened?"

Sun Ce blinked, his gaze drifting to the ceiling as the question circled them and disappeared under the rhythm of the rain. At last the Little Conqueror shrugged and lifted a hand back to trace his swordsman's lips, accepting again the absent kisses as his smile shone through the midnight storm.

"I don't know… not when I was fighting. But when we were riding, and… when I was in here…" The young officer tightened his hold around the strategist's back, the fabric of his bandages rustling against creases of silk. "I thought I was going to die." The simple statement stiffened his warrior's shoulders, tightening five pale fingers around his commander's own. Twin amber eyes slipped back to their obsidian opposites, and the Sun lord smiled as he shifted into a more comfortable position, resting his head against his companion's thigh. "I really wanted to be with you."

Zhou Yu swallowed, his free hand sweeping through the strands of the chestnut ponytail as Sun Ce peered up at him, studying his grim features through the muted light. Finally the young officer shot him a grin and let his arm slump back to his chest, and the loss of contact drew an uncertain feeling into the swordsman's stomach, an abstract form of fear tensing his fingers in the Sun lord's sheet. The tonfa master tipped his chin to one side, unnaturally still in his strategist's lap.

"It's okay, Yu. This is… just a setback. I'm gonna be back… on my feet… in no time." Zhou Yu swallowed hard, and Sun Ce pulled one of his companion's pale hands to his lips, returning the kisses with a smile that almost outweighed the feeling of his cold, damp skin against the swordsman's fingers. "It's not gonna take… a hundred days. I'll heal way… faster than that."

The strategist shook his head, watching his commander with worried eyes. "Ce—"

"It's… okay, Yu." The Sun lord shot him a victory sign, his hand trembling a little with the motion that didn't match his optimistic wink. "This is… our time, you know? We're just… getting started, and… I can't be down right now. But I won't… push it. I promise."

Zhou Yu just closed his eyes, running his free hand through his hair as the croaking words circled the silent room and undercut the storm. "Don't make promises you don't intend to keep, Ce," he replied, the words sharper than he'd meant them to be. The swordsman shook his head again, glaring into the darkness where the shuttered window would have been. "You won't rest any longer than it takes you to find the strength to stand—"

The strategist cut himself off, turning away from his companion as he forced his jaw shut to hold back the rest of the angry words. Instantly there was a soft hand against his face again, urging his gaze back from the deep corners of the shadowed quarters as Sun Ce shifted closer across his lap, his bandages hissing between the sheets and the heavy coverlet.

"Hey… hey, Yu. Come on, look at me…"

Reluctantly, Zhou Yu did as he was asked, letting his obsidian eyes come to rest again on the face that had taken on an aspect of mild puzzlement. The Little Conqueror traced the lines of his cheek for a moment before letting his hand fall to rest over the swordsman's heart, his now-clean fingers clenching into the bloody handprint that soiled the silken robe. The Sun lord smiled.

"I'm still here. You didn't lose… anything, okay?" The strategist said nothing and Sun Ce nuzzled the hand that rested still as sandstone beside his head, watching his companion with amber eyes that seemed to be growing stronger and more brilliant by the moment. "I won't do anything… dangerous. You and I… we've got too much left… to do, all right? I'm not gonna… die any time soon."

The words made Zhou Yu's throat go dry, and he leaned over to press his forehead to the young officer's, one hand braced against the bed in the closest he could get to an awkward embrace. The swordsman sighed, and a return exhale brushed his face, so soft compared to the rain crashing above them and the wind tearing at the sealed shutters that he could almost have imagined it.

"You can't count on that, Ce," he whispered, staring into his commander's shadowed eyes. But Sun Ce only laughed, draping one arm around the strategist's neck.

"Sure I can. I'm… invincible, remember?"

It was so hard to believe that when the young officer's shivering form was lying beneath him wrapped in bandages, almost every inch of his skin obscured, but cold lips on his stopped Zhou Yu before he could argue, stealing the words that had been gathering on his tongue. The swordsman kissed him back until his lungs demanded the right to breathe, and the Sun lord sighed as he dropped into his companion's lap, his amber eyes burning in the darkness.

"You're not… leaving, right? You're gonna… stay with me?"

The strategist nodded, his fingers chasing the line of the Little Conqueror's jaw. "Forever," he answered, his voice little more than a murmur.

Sun Ce smiled. Then the master of Wu turned his head to the side, letting fatigue overtake his spirit at last – leaving Zhou Yu to watch sleep steal across his bandaged features, _forever_ echoing in his ears as the long night shadows found harbor in his troubled eyes.

End Chapter 44

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Another long chapter. There was a lot I wanted to fit into this one… I hope no one was unhappy about the length. This took a while to update, but I hope the next chapter will come sooner – classes have gotten a little complicated, but I'll try to be consistent, especially as we're nearing the end now. Comments and concerns are always welcome.

A note for Sirithiliel: Sorry that the hangover wasn't included – I'm afraid I'll have to leave that to your imagination. Glad you liked it, and I hope this chapter was similarly enjoyable for you. Thank you for your review.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Technically, Lu Xun didn't join Wu until a few years after Sun Ce's death, but I wanted to try and include all of the major and playable characters one more time before the end of the story. That's why I had them all together, too – some of those people have been getting less screen time as the story progresses, and I wanted to acknowledge all of them as well as I could. I'm glad that you liked it. As for the ending… I suppose you'll have to wait and see. But it isn't a very long wait now, in any case. Thank you for your review.

A note for Rachel Hunter: I'm pleased that you like my portrayal of Lu Xun. Lu Xun is usually written as being very timid, and in a way I wanted to keep that aspect of his character so that I could play off of it later (as in this chapter, particularly). I hope you enjoyed his appearance in this installment as well.

A note for Crazy Insanity: I hope Lu Xun's very minimal character development in this chapter helped your impression of him – he is shy on purpose, but there's another aspect of him that's hard to portray in a story centered on Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, the aspect that's intelligent and diligent. I also wanted to reintroduce Zhou Tai last chapter, because he hasn't been around since before the battle for Xuancheng and his relationship with Sun Quan is always interesting. And yes, I cheated with Lady Li. You didn't really expect a woman that crafty to stay out of power for long, did you? As you mentioned, I do try to give all of the characters a full depiction, which is a little complicated since there are so many of them… the real losers here are Gan Ning and Ling Tong, who never make bodily appearances in this story despite being mentioned from time to time. In any case, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well – thank you for your extremely extensive review.

A note for Morsmordre: You have an incredibly awesome penname. That aside: you read the whole story in one stretch? I am simultaneously amazed and extremely flattered. I'm glad you enjoyed it. I am honored to hear that you felt you were in the story – conveying a sense of reality through the written word is a difficult task, especially in a world so different from ours.

I am glad you've grown attached to the cast of characters, even the Qiaos – I think they're the hardest pair to incite interest in, because Koei made them so irritating. I'm also glad you like Sun Ce – and honestly, I hadn't noticed that he still gets the "young" adjective when Zhou Yu lost that long ago. I think I like your reading of it, though. And I'm pleased that my story could give you a greater interest in Zhou Yu, who is, transparently, my favorite character. I tried to give him a portrayal the way he appears to me, stoic and arrogant and a little abrasive, because I think that's the sort of person Sun Ce would need to match his charisma, his strength, and his confidence. Oh – and I'm glad you like pansy Sun Quan. I like him quite a bit, too – he seems to be a fan favorite. Thank you for your wonderful review.


	47. Chapter 45

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX to a very minor extent).

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Secession – Part 44 

The sun seemed imminent.

All the light of the coming dawn – the deep cherry angling along the seam of the earth, so bright that it was almost mistakable for the rising star itself – had begun to concentrate over one point on the horizon, marking the solar focal point with a shade of red that grew simultaneously deeper and brighter every moment. The clouds hanging in the eastern sky had lost their holographic sheen, but now they looked as though they were composed of melted gold, folds of brocade and wispy hairpins holding back the staggered bands of the impending sunrise.

Nothing at all was moving in the stillness of the early morning – not the shrubs along the roadside, not the birds that had been raising their voices and their waking wings only a little while before. The wind had stopped as suddenly as if a great hand had reached out and caught it, keeping the cold air still as all the world waited for the coming of the sun, each living thing holding its breath in apprehensive welcome to the new day.

Every moment brought more light into the landscape, and every fragment of light revealed something new to Chen Hao's eyes, creasing his forehead with a scatter of worried furrows. Han Ni Castle was growing closer and closer in the distance, the vague outline of its gatehouses and final causeway distinguishing themselves slowly from the incense smoke of the earth. The road was growing wider around their tiny wagon, and the horses had begun to pick up speed, their hooves rising and falling with an energy they hadn't held for many long hours. But of the things steadily growing clearer in the morning light, the one that concerned him most was the blood coating his general's palm, fresh flecks flying from his lips with every rough word.

"Sun Ce…" Zhou Yu's whisper was as harsh as the lines of his face, contorted now as he fought to suppress a wracking cough and failed. The wounded strategist wiped his uninjured hand across his lips and spared Chen Hao a fleeting glance, his obsidian eyes flickering against the brightening sky. "Sun Ce rested for… thirty days… long enough to cure the poison…"

It wasn't only the effect of a raw throat – it couldn't be. There was something so sinister about the liquid coating the space between his commander's fingers, and the soldier realized suddenly that it was the color, as black as Zhou Yu's hair against his deathly pale skin. In the darkness that had been gradually drawing back, he'd mistaken the unnatural shade for an aftereffect of the night, a product of the lack of light that was building in the eastern heavens. But there was no mistaking it now – what he'd assumed to be a crimson stain was truly ominous jet, closer to paint than to any blood he'd ever seen before.

Zhou Yu coughed again, muffling the sound with his soiled hand and spreading the black marks across his chin with his failing fingers. "He was… healing well, so… after that, he began to… walk a little…"

Chen Hao bit his lip, watching the general's shivering form in silence for a moment before he shook his head and placed a hand against his commander's shoulder, concern rendering his voice unsteady. "Lord Zhou Yu… the blood… the blood around your mouth…" His tongue failed him, at a loss to describe the stone in his ribcage that was growing heavier with each clarifying moment of light – but Zhou Yu nodded, swallowing despite the audible hiss of pain that the motion caused him.

"I know, Chen Hao. It's from… the poison."

The soldier felt the bottom drop out of his stomach, breath sticking in his lungs with a sharp gasp. The general gave a short laugh, reaching up to brush the hair away from his eyes and leaving a line of malignant shadow behind.

"I can feel it… burning… in my mouth." Zhou Yu coughed and Chen Hao found himself wincing, glancing out the back of the wagon so he didn't have to see the spatter flying from his commander's lips. The general sighed, choking on the tail end of a breath as he turned his face away from his worried subordinate. "It's… it's been that way… for hours now…"

The soldier started, sitting up straighter as a shudder raced through the famous strategist's form and squeezed his eyes shut. His commander's hands were clenched into tight fists, even the fingers beyond his broken wrist, and Chen Hao bit down on his tongue to inspire his courage as he reached out and took hold of them, flattening the pale digits to Zhou Yu's chest so that he wouldn't worsen the already sickening wound. The general blinked up at him as though trying to clear a haze that had descended over his eyes alone, taking the place of the receding darkness to obscure his subordinate's face, and Chen Hao swallowed hard, shifting closer so that his hesitant hands could keep the shivering body still.

"Lord Zhou Yu…" The soldier shook his head, fighting back the fear of helplessness that was collecting beneath his ribcage. "Please, what can I do? How can I help?"

Chen Hao had the feeling that, at that moment, he'd have walked across the entire world and back again if there were something he could have done to take the blindness away from his commander's gaze, to peel back the mist of the coming morning so that those twin obsidian eyes were as piercing and sharp as they'd been when the story began. He wouldn't have bothered to count the days, or the hours, or the steps disappearing under his feet – the miles to eternity wouldn't have seemed too long if he could just dispel the feeling of Zhou Yu's cold body shaking under his hands, each breath trembling his blackened lips.

His commander coughed, and the crust of blood around his mouth deepened, darker than his eyes now as the coming light of morning filled them with a dim spark. Zhou Yu nodded a little, his uninjured fingers latching into the soldier's sleeve and leaving an oily stain behind.

"Chen Hao. I have to… thank you… for listening to me…"

Chen Hao shook his head, sitting up so he could hold his general more securely against the floor. The weight of his arms seemed so great that they might have been made of stone, and his skin prickled every place that it touched the fallen strategist's battle tunic. "No, my lord," the soldier murmured, struggling to keep his voice low and even despite the desperation that was building at the back of his eyes. "You don't have to thank me. I would listen to your story again if I could – I'd listen to everything you could tell me—"

Zhou Yu coughed again, his eyes closing to block out the harsh, grating sound. Chen Hao shifted a little, seeking a more secure position from which to assist his lord – then he cried out and pulled his hand back from the general's chest as though stung, the appendage flying to cover his heart.

His commander's brow furrowed in a question that only choked him, his lungs stumbling over the inquiry and hurtling into another scatter of coughing, and from the front of the wagon two worried voices came back, so sudden through the stillness of the morning air that they might have been hailing from beyond the rim of the world.

"Chen, you all right? What's going on back there?"

Chen Hao swallowed hard, clenching his hand into the fabric of his shirt as he fought down the startling rush of adrenaline pounding his heart so loudly now against his palm. Zhou Yu was watching him with a gaze hampered by confusion, and the soldier stared back at him as he cleared his throat, searching for his own voice as the cold obsidian regarded him in open puzzlement.

"No – yes, I mean… I'm all right. It was nothing."

There was a mutter and the sound of uncertain shifting from the front of the wagon, but his comrades made no more comments intended for his ears, the creaking wheels and steady hoofbeats taking the place of their curious questions. Chen Hao inhaled so deeply that he wondered if his expanding lungs would break through the ribs that held them, and as he exhaled again his gaze moved to the appendage clutched into his clothing, studying his unnaturally scarlet fingers with a worried frown. Then his eyes moved back to the general, and Zhou Yu looked away from his piercing stare, finding refuge in the wooden siding instead of his subordinate's anxious expression.

"Lord Zhou Yu… your arrow wound…"

His commander shifted, dark bangs falling to hide the equally inscrutable eyes as he struggled with the uneven rhythm of his breaths. "It's nothing," the strategist spat, his whisper turning into a hiss with the repeated words. Chen Hao chewed at his bottom lip, and the chapped skin stung under his nervous habit as he considered the general in silence for a long moment, his loyal mind warring with his worried heart. Then the soldier leaned forward and began unfastening the ties of his commander's battle tunic, revealing again the bandages that coated his sallow chest.

Zhou Yu's eyes widened at the motion, and his good hand came up to swat at his subordinate's rushing fingers, his gaze narrowed in a fierce glare though a series of jagged coughs stopped any verbal rebuke from leaving his lips. Chen Hao ignored his superior's reaction and peeled back the cloth as quickly as he could, pulling the thick silk and leather plating aside so that he could see the white linen strips wrapped around his torso. Except that they weren't white anymore – now they were red, deep red, and the blood had soaked all the way through the leather guard to reach the surface of his armor, as cold as the absent wind where it dried against the soldier's fingers.

Chen Hao sat back from his commander with his hands still at his side, and although he could feel the condemnation in Zhou Yu's eyes he didn't bother to meet them, his gaze steady against the saturated bandages as he inhaled through his teeth. There was no way of knowing whether it was the wagon's crash or the merciless coughs that had reopened the general's wound, or whether it had never clotted properly at all, letting his life trickle away all through the night and the shadowed storytelling. But one way or the other, the arrow's jagged path of entry was open now, represented by the darkest patch of crimson shimmering against his commander's bandaged chest.

Zhou Yu sighed a little and lifted one shaking hand to drape his armor back across the claret pool. "It's… nothing, Chen Hao. Nothing… worth worrying about."

Chen Hao could only shake his head, meeting the general's eyes through the light of the coming day as the wagon bumped across a wheel rut and gritted the strategist's teeth at the pain of impact. The soldier scooted as close to his commander as he could, and this time he didn't flinch as he put a steadying hand against the older man's trembling chest, ignoring the blood seeping into his shirt cuff as he held Zhou Yu still. His eyes were sad beneath the lightening heavens, and the orange of the brilliant horizon, reflected in their charcoal depths like fire in a midnight sea, did nothing to brighten his expression.

"My lord…"

The general opened his mouth to speak, but whatever he was going to say was cut off by another shattering fit of coughing, each sound echoing against the wagon's poor ceiling so that all Chen Hao could hear were the overlapping illustrations of his fight for breath, each inhale useless in his flailing throat. The soldier squeezed his eyes shut and then let them fall open to fix on his commander's contorted features, his handsome face drained of strength and harsh with the spasming diaphragm that refused to give him rest.

In that instant, it was so hard to remember how far Zhou Yu had come – that he had once been a little boy beneath a cherry tree, a resourceful strategist and a pillar of the Wu Empire, and that he had not always been dying.

The general gasped and tried to twist onto his stomach again, shaking with the force of his ragged coughs, but Chen Hao held him still, crossing his arms over each other so that all of his weight – and the weight of worry and desperation and defeat building in his stomach, each emotion chasing the others across his face – every sliver of his being was holding his superior still against the floor, trying to stop the jerking motion of his body as air rushed uselessly in and out of his lungs. The soldier closed his eyes and tried to picture his home, his family, the moments of Zhou Yu's story – anything to chase away the image of his commander's heaving form and the movement that was ricocheting all the way into his bones.

Like a crashing wave, the pictures of an untold narrative flowed over him, each one superseding the others with the brightness of a painted screen; and as they flew by, Chen Hao found himself filling in the gaps between them, imagining things that he hadn't heard so that the story of the general's life was like a scarf spread out before him, devoid of holes or patches for the cold to seep through. He wondered suddenly if that were what Zhou Yu had meant by asking him to remember everything there was no time to tell, all of the details that the night had not allowed them – and then the coughing subsided and he drew back to stare into his commander's thrashing eyes, meeting the twin obsidian with an understanding he couldn't have put into words.

Zhou Yu choked, his uninjured hand latching over his mouth as though it could prevent the heaving coughs and the breakdown of his softening voice. "Sun Ce… he…"

Chen Hao shook his head violently, and his hands clenched into the silk armor over his superior's shoulders, holding the strategist still at the same time as he fought back the urge to shake him. "No, Lord Zhou Yu," the soldier tried, holding his voice steady though the pitch seemed to be rising with his worried frustration. "Don't tell me any more! It's all right – you don't have to finish. Can't you see that you're killing yourself?"

The last question bordered on desperation, and it was loud enough that Chen Hao wondered why the drivers didn't turn back to ask what he was talking about – but their attention was on the ever dwindling road and only Zhou Yu heard him, swallowing hard in his place against the floor. The general was staring at him, his dark eyes stirring with some unfathomable emotion, but the soldier ignored it and pressed on, his gaze flashing across the sallow features of his commander's face as he tightened his hands into fists.

"Don't do this, Lord Zhou Yu! There's still a chance they could save you – we're so close to Han Ni Castle now. We're going to make it – you could make it. You could live, my lord!"

Chen Hao couldn't be sure if it were the cold or the words, but something had drawn tears into the corners of his eyes, and only his warrior's pride held them back, keeping him steady against the floor so that only one of them was shaking. The soldier shook his head again, dropping his voice so that the words would drift no farther than his superior's weakening ears.

"He wouldn't want this, Lord Zhou Yu. Sun Ce wouldn't. I know he wouldn't want you to hurt yourself like this. He'd want you to live – you have to know that, too! You promised to take care of Lord Sun Quan for him, didn't you? How are you going to do that if you're…"

His voice failed him at the last moment, stalling short of the most important word of all. Its unsaid echoes circled the wagon like an apprehensive wind, tightening the soldier's features and widening Zhou Yu's eyes just slightly as his gaze moved across his subordinate's face, calm either with restraint or with the slow decay of the long night that was dying all around them.

For a long moment, the general considered him in silence, and Chen Hao forced himself not to choke, meeting the cold onyx eyes with all of the despair rising in his stomach. Then Zhou Yu shifted and his gaze trailed up to the ceiling, as soft as the tiny smile that had captured the curve of his lips.

"It's all right… Chen Hao."

The soldier blinked, confusion furrowing his forehead as he studied the smooth lines of his commander's solemn face. The fallen strategist shook his head as best he could, and he swallowed a small cough, his chest rising and falling arrhythmically with every breath.

"It's… all right. There isn't… very much left… anymore."

Chen Hao's heart turned to ice in his chest. The solid crystal stopped his pulse in his veins and widened his eyes as far as they could go, burning the coming sunrise into his retinas as he stared at his general through the silent air, unwilling to understand what Zhou Yu meant.

The commander laughed a little, the sound so broken that it hurt his subordinate's ears. "Are you… ready?"

He wasn't. Chen Hao wasn't ready at all. He wasn't ready for the conclusion that he'd known was coming all along – the conclusion he'd dreaded ever since Sun Ce began to chip away at his warrior's heart, engraving his name into the loyal soul of a man who had no place in a war like this, who was following the times as best he could and only trying to survive. It was a conclusion he feared almost as much as Zhou Yu's own, and in the light of the stalling morning it seemed as though the two were happening simultaneously, the founding officers of Wu struggling side by side, dying as they had lived.

Chen Hao inhaled and the sound became a small gasp, stark and cold in his mouth as his expression twisted into a kind of horror, the kind of horror and regret that he hadn't thought possible to feel for a man lost to the earth a decade earlier. But as he sat in the bumbling wagon with his hands pressed to the general's trembling shoulders, the soldier had to admit that he didn't want Sun Ce to die – he didn't want that presence, that spark, extinguished from the world. It seemed all of a sudden as though killing Sun Ce would kill the very sun in the sky, murdering the imminent sunrise so that all of earth fell under the spell of eternal darkness—

But Zhou Yu was speaking again, the words slow and slippery on his tongue; and as he had all night, Chen Hao had no choice but to listen.

"Sun Ce rested for… sixty days."

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Spring had finally arrived in Yangzhou, and it was beautiful.

The long, cold winter had relinquished its hold on the western border of the Wu Empire, and with the retreat of the late snow came bursting rows of flowers and budding trees, new leaves unfurling like triumphant banners in the breeze that carried the sunlight throughout the gardens of the city's premier residence. Each passing day drew the sun higher into the sky, and its arcing journey lengthened above the branches that were gradually regaining their olive foliage, rising up to block the cerulean heavens with the shimmering rustle of new growth. Everywhere the air was thick with birdsong and the rumor of pollinating insects, with the murmurs of the earth as warmth seeped back into the soil and pulled life out of the shadowed ground.

From where he stood along the garden path, Zhou Yu could see nothing but crabapple blossoms in all directions, the soft petals forming a carpet beneath his feet and whispering to each other under the gentle hand of the wind. The scent of them was overpowering as well – the hint of coming summer and the woody fruit that would occupy the open boughs filled every breath he took, a subtle reminder that a change of seasons was following on the heels of their shortened spring. Wu's dark swordsman sighed a little and the soft breeze filled his mouth like a swallow of sunlight, flickering through his hair and across his solemn features as a flock of birds flashed through the sky above him.

Yangzhou was peaceful, a fact reflected in every aspect of its natural beauty. As the strategist looked out across the crabapple orchard, his eyes flitting from one tree to the next with little direction, it was hard to remember that the city was now rather singular in that respect – the last safe haven on the outskirts of the empire.

It would have been hard to guess from the quiet, blooming garden around him, but the vanishing snow had brought with it more than just good weather. Almost as soon as winter released Wu from its persistent veil, the threats on every border of the empire had asserted themselves once again, threatening the sanctity of the kingdom at the time when it was least prepared to handle them. With Sun Ce temporarily out of commission, the generals of Wu had scattered to every outskirt city in the region, struggling just to maintain power in areas not as sturdily subjugated as the center of the empire.

From all reports, the loyal warriors deployed to all available locations were managing so far to hold their own, but each army was requesting reinforcements, short on supplies as well as personnel. Zhou Yu himself had spent the better part of a month riding between the various border cities with stores and new recruits, assisting where he could before other crises pulled him away.

The fortnight stop in Yangzhou had been his longest rest since the thaw revealed the world again to armies and their clashing claims of dominance, but that was coming to a swift conclusion as well – the next morning's dawn would send him to Baqiu, a western city that Han Dang had been struggling to hold against Huang Zu for the better part of the spring. Zhou Yu couldn't be certain his presence in Baqiu would significantly improve Han Dang's efforts, given that he was taking no more than two thousand soldiers with him and would be forced to leave within a few weeks…

The strategist sighed again, his thoughts distracting him from the scenery as a displaced headache flitted beneath his temples. Even Yangzhou seemed to lose the captivating edge of its natural beauty beneath the weight of politics, and that was a weight that never lessened, his responsibilities and concerns only growing with the empire.

And then, of course, there was the reason he was in Yangzhou at all – his greatest concern among them, particularly at that moment…

"Are you ready to come down yet?" Zhou Yu asked of the warm spring air, his obsidian eyes turning to the crabapple foliage above him with a sharp glare that got lost in the wealth of olive leaves. A playful chuckle answered his inquiry, cascading through the boughs as an indeterminate rustling began overhead, shaking petals from the blossoms to rest against the dark warrior's hair.

"Chill out, Yu – I'm fine. It's a nice view from up here."

The swordsman frowned, brushing the fallen flowers away from his shoulders as his gaze searched the entwining branches and finally came to rest on twin amber eyes peering at him through the leaves. Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest and Sun Ce laughed, stretching out along a heavy bough with the emerald vegetation as his backdrop. The Little Conqueror let one hand slip down to dangle from his casual perch, and the strategist moved forward until he could take hold of it, his gaze meeting his commander's as the Sun lord shot him a wink.

"I don't look at you from this angle all that often. I'm just trying something new."

The dark warrior rolled his eyes, giving the hand in his a soft pull to encourage its master's descent. "I can't look that different," he countered, shifting in his stance as he studied the young officer's smile. Sun Ce snickered, plucking a blossom from the twig beside his head and stretching down to tuck it behind his companion's ear.

"Nope. Pretty as usual."

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath, his free hand chasing the flower out of his hair as he shot the tonfa master another pointed glare. "Thank you for your continued ridicule, Ce – I don't know how I'd ever keep my self-image in check without your assistance. Now come down." The strategist's eyes darkened a little as he reached up to brush the thin scar running along the Sun lord's neck, his fingers quiet with the gravity suffusing his expression. "You aren't supposed to be climbing trees at all."

The young officer made a face at him, and the swordsman watched his commander in silence, his gaze flitting over the wealth of small scabs that were healing on his face and the exposed skin of his arms. It had been two months since Xu Gong's retainers had ambushed the master of Wu in the hills outside Dantu, and Zhou Yu could not remember a longer sixty days in all his life. He himself had been busy assisting in the sudden crises of the empire – and despite his promise to be careful, the Sun lord had been pushing the limits of his recuperating body as soon as Yi Zhen Jai declared the poison cleared from his system, struggling to get out of bed and past the watchful eyes of the Qiao sisters whenever duty pulled the strategist from his side.

It was almost a month now since they'd moved the Little Conqueror south to Yangzhou, partly because Lingnan was becoming a target of Chen Deng's attacks and partly in hopes that Lady Wu and Shang Xiang, who were stationed in the city as temporary administrators, could keep Sun Ce under better control than his wife had managed. As far as Zhou Yu could tell, that aspect of the plan had utterly failed – despite Yi Zhen Jai's repeated reminder that rest was the only way to recovery, the swordsman had yet to see a day go by when his commander was not testing the extent his body could put up with.

That was where their excursion into the garden had started in the first place – the Sun lord's invitation to take a walk. And that was why the strategist had accepted, though his hands were full already with preparations to leave the next morning – because the walk was truly an excuse for the young officer to show how much progress he had made, part of a continual attempt to reduce his sentence of rest from the one hundred days that still seemed so long.

"You're such a spoilsport." With a dramatic sigh, Sun Ce swung down from the branch and landed on his feet, sending a spark of adrenaline through his companion at the impact. The master of Wu made a face at his serious swordsman. "And anyway, that was a compliment. I don't know what your problem is." The young officer stuck out his tongue and then commenced brushing fallen leaves and petals from his loose clothing, scattering the symbols of spring with brusque motions that drew a small frown onto his companion's face.

Zhou Yu reached out and caught his lord's wrist mid-movement, earning a blank stare from his commander as he shook his head sharply. "Don't be so rough, Ce. Your wounds haven't completely healed yet." The Sun lord huffed, pulling away to run careless fingers through his mussed ponytail.

"Look, it's fine. I'm not made of glass. Most of them are already turning into scars – they're not going to bust open like fireworks." Sun Ce smiled as he dropped a hand onto his strategist's shoulder, amber eyes glowing with the spring sunlight. "Ease up, okay? It's not a problem. Shang and I had a handstand contest a few weeks ago, and nothing happened then."

The swordsman's inclination was to argue the point, recounting the doctor's orders that he shouldn't even have been moving from his quarters yet, but there was a hint of impatience flickering across the tan features that reminded Zhou Yu not to press the issue too many times in one day, since his commander's temper had always been tenuous at best. The strategist sighed a little and let it go, stepping back a pace as the wind picked up and slipped between them with a cascade of petals.

"I thought Shang Xiang refused to go along with your childish schemes anymore," he replied instead, regarding the Sun lord with a measure of curiosity. Sun Ce elbowed him at the unflattering description, but his smile remained undimmed, as bright as his jovial eyes as he turned toward the center of the garden and resumed their interrupted walk.

"They're not childish – they're fun." Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow but said nothing, matching the Little Conqueror's pace along the gravel path and watching his unguarded features with a considering gaze. The young officer snickered, slinging his arms behind his head as he stared into the expansive sky between the boughs of the flowering trees. "Besides, give me a little credit. We've been siblings for more than twenty years. I know how to push her into things by now."

The swordsman shook his head, a small smirk catching his lips as the path twisted and drew them further into the unpruned vegetation of the garden. "And… which of you won the contest?"

Sun Ce laughed, slipping an arm through the crook of his companion's elbow as he punched one victorious fist into the air. "What kind of a question is that? I did, of course! Shang's never been any good at handstands." The lily pond glimmering behind him made a fitting backdrop to his shining grin, and Zhou Yu couldn't help a slight smile at the triumphant expression, his eyes tracing the contours of his commander's sunlit features.

"It doesn't sound like much of a challenge, then."

The young officer shrugged, his fingers slipping down to twine between his strategist's as the path made a sharp turn and headed back toward the sprawling estate. "Well, it wasn't. But that wasn't really the point. We had a bet going, and I wanted to win."

Zhou Yu felt his forehead furrowing in mild interest, his dark eyes sweeping across his lord's grinning countenance as an image of the Sun princess flitted through his mind. Shang Xiang was almost twenty-two now, and from the limited time he'd spent with her in the previous fourteen days she seemed to have matured far faster than her eldest brother, exhibiting a level of seriousness and restraint that he didn't remember from their younger interactions. Shang Xiang's smile was no less frequent than it had ever been, but it had become a little more reserved, as though life had taught her what a privilege it was to assume that expression.

The dark warrior wasn't sure if the change was a product of circumstance or just the slow progression of time – but either way, he found himself wondering what the more practical, settled young woman would find worth betting over. Conveniently, Sun Ce was speaking before he even had a chance to ask, swinging their joined hands back and forth through the warm air and the beams of sunlight that broke through the crabapple canopy at intermittent intervals.

"See, we were arguing about whether I was allowed to get out of bed or not, and I said if I could beat her in a handstand contest, I shouldn't have to stay cooped up anymore. She didn't want to do it, though. So I promised that if I lost, I wouldn't try to move around at all until the hundred days were up." The Sun lord laughed, reaching out to poke his swordsman in the arm. "I guess she underestimated me since I've been down for a while… sucker. That's what happens to people who think they can take me on."

Zhou Yu sighed a little, casting his commander a flat glance between the wisps of his dark bangs. "Is that why you've been running around with no restraint since I got here?" His tone was as disapproving as his obsidian eyes, chastising their amber opposites through the petal-studded wind sweeping around them. The Little Conqueror shrugged, but his satisfied smile offset the apparent nonchalance of the movement as he squeezed his companion's hand and directed his gaze forward once again, the wealth of afternoon light emphasizing his amused expression.

"Hey – it was a fair deal. She's the one that decided to gamble with me." Sun Ce winked, shooting his strategist a victory sign as his customary confidence consumed his voice again. "Everybody should know by now that I never lose. If they want to challenge the great warrior Sun Ce, they can take their falls."

The swordsman rolled his eyes, but he chose not to say anything, directing his gaze instead to the path ahead of them. Between the arms of the expansive orchard's trees, he could see the estate coming back into view, its walls visible only as a vague apparition beyond the pink and green conglomeration of foliage. The Sun lord hummed under his breath, minorly off-key as usual, and for a long moment nothing spoke but the twittering birds in the crabapple boughs and the wind rippling through the leaves of the false, uneven horizon that the tops of the trees seemed to form as they stretched away into the garden. Then Sun Ce sighed and closed his eyes, turning his face up to the sky with a carefree smile playing at his lips.

"It feels so good to be outside… sheesh, am I ever sick of being locked up in that place."

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, his features shading serious again as his pace slowed and his gaze traced the contours of his commander's countenance. Most of the tan skin had recovered perfectly, swallowing the scars that the young officer's fight with Xu Gong's retainers had left him – but there were still one or two scabs waiting to disappear, and the scar against his neck would likely never fade… the strategist exhaled softly, running a hand through his dark hair as the master of Wu's eyes flickered open again.

"It isn't very much longer, Ce. Just another month."

Sun Ce grimaced, his free hand reaching up to tug a few leaves from their arching bough so he could crumple the thin olive strips in his palm. "That's easy for you to say," the Little Conqueror grumbled, scuffing one heel against the gravel of the garden path as he walked. "You're the one who's out doing stuff."

Zhou Yu paused in his stride, turning back to face the Sun lord with a slight frown marring his features. "Ce—" he began, but the young officer cut him off, raising one hand in understanding as he shook his head. The chestnut ponytail settled restlessly over his shoulders as Sun Ce smiled, a softly cynical expression that matched the light in his amber eyes.

"Nah – it's okay, Yu. I just… I really want to get my hands into it again, you know? I really want to be out there getting things done, instead of being chained up in this place." The Sun lord shook his head again, a short laugh escaping his lips as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Besides, things are about to get really boring around here. You're leaving tomorrow, and these days Shang's about as much fun as watching grass grow, even if she can't hold a handstand…"

The swordsman swallowed and said nothing, watching his commander with silent, somber eyes. The master of Wu smiled as he squeezed his companion's hand, but the expression seemed a little hollow, not nearly as bright as its mirror image a minute earlier.

"I know you've got a ton of things to do – you probably shouldn't have stopped here in the first place." One guilty hand came up to scratch the young officer's ear as he shrugged, amber eyes flickering with offhand culpability. "I guess that was my fault, but I was just really sick of Shang and Mother hanging over me all day like I was on my last leg…"

Zhou Yu's frown deepened as he took a step toward the idly musing Sun lord, his free hand coming up to push his bangs back out of his vision. "You know I'd rather be here than anywhere else," he replied quietly, and Sun Ce grinned, his gaze tracing the lines of his strategist's face.

"Yep. Can't blame you, either – I'm way better company than anybody on the front lines right now." The swordsman rolled his eyes, and the young officer considered him in silence for a moment before stepping close enough to drop a hand onto his companion's shoulder, his fingers twining into the silken shirt. The Sun lord shook his head, his features shadowed by a sincerity that belied the casual tone of his voice. "I just kinda wish you weren't leaving tomorrow, that's all."

Zhou Yu sighed, watching the tendrils of his commander's ponytail flickering with the warm spring wind. "I wish that as well." Sun Ce laughed, and the sound wrapped around them like distant music, mimicking the flight of the breeze-blown petals.

"Well… you can't win 'em all, I guess."

The swordsman found that he didn't have an answer to that, nor any way of altering the validity of the statement – protecting the empire had become his responsibility as long as the tonfa master was injured, and at present that empire required his presence far from its center. But he didn't like the way the Little Conqueror's smile was slowly fading, mellowing into only a vague curve in place of his customary shining grin, and for lack of a better solution he leaned forward a few inches and found the young lord's lips, closing his eyes to the surprise stealing across his companion's sunlit features. Sun Ce started a little at the contact, but in a moment he'd relaxed and reached up to wrap his arms around his dark warrior's neck, deepening the kiss as he returned it.

"Ce! Zhou Yu! Are you out here?"

A sudden, unexpected voice split the garden air, widening both officers' eyes as it shattered the serenity of the still, silent orchard. In an instant, the Sun lord was out of his swordsman's arms, staggering back a few steps as Zhou Yu glanced around them for the source of the soaring, familiar voice, his pulse racing with the instinctual anxiety of being caught.

For a moment, nothing moved, and then Shang Xiang appeared around the intersection of a few gravel paths closer to the palace. From the immediate brightening of her expression and her increased pace in their direction, the strategist guessed she hadn't been able to see them before she turned the corner – he exhaled heavily as his shoulders slumped from their apprehensive position, releasing the tension that years of caution had instilled in him.

Obsidian eyes turned back to find their amber opposites, and Sun Ce shook his head in a firm arc, smirking at his stern companion as a frown possessed the dark warrior's lips again. "Hey – don't look at me like that," the young officer insisted, rolling his shoulders back in a loose shrug. One tan hand reached out to poke his swordsman in the folds of his silken shirt as the Sun lord's smile grew into a teasing grin. "You definitely started it this time."

Zhou Yu crossed his arms over his chest, directing his attention back to the oncoming figure as he silently admitted that – for once – the master of Wu was right. Shang Xiang had sped up to a fast walk, the soft breeze trailing her sleeves out behind her as she waved to them, and the light breaking through the crabapple branches above her chased the intermittent shade across her face, distorting her features like an ever-changing mask. Sun Ce waved back to his sister and then stepped forward to sling an arm around his companion's shoulders, leaning up so that his voice tickled the strategist's ear, the whisper as playful as his undimming smile.

"When this is over, let's finish that, okay?"

Zhou Yu shot him a look, every word of an unspoken answer echoing through his unamused eyes. The Sun lord only laughed. Then Shang Xiang's steps brought her level with them in a patch of broken sunlight, and the young officer released his swordsman to greet her, his hand jumping to his temple in a sharp salute.

"Hey, Shang. What brings you out here?"

The young woman shook her head, smiling despite herself as she leaned forward to wag a chastising finger in her elder brother's face. "I could ask the same of you, Ce. You're not supposed to be up at all." The Little Conqueror waved her words away with a mindless gesture, and Shang Xiang rolled her eyes before turning to the dark warrior instead, her hands sliding to her hips in a pose of authority. "And you shouldn't be encouraging him, Zhou Yu. Don't you have a lot of things to do before you leave tomorrow?"

The strategist raised an eyebrow, and Sun Ce made a corresponding face at his sister, one hand coming up to run through the windswept strands of his cascading ponytail. "Jeez, Shang – what are you, a drill sergeant? Coming all the way out and finding us just to spoil our fun…"

Shang Xiang crossed her arms over her chest, the Sun lord's retort pulling an equally childish expression onto her face. "I'm just trying to look out for you, Ce. Not that you'd ever appreciate it." The young woman huffed a little and then regained her more mature smile, glancing between the two of them as she pushed the auburn bangs back out of her eyes. "But actually, I didn't come to ruin your good time. It's just that a messenger's arrived, and he wanted to see you as soon as possible." Her hazel eyes darkened a little, and the warrior princess put a considering hand to her chin, regarding the gravel with the shadow of a frown creasing her lips. "He said he came from Wanling…"

Zhou Yu straightened, and he shared a look with his companion before the master of Wu found his tongue, the air of the commander he always became in battle flickering across his sunlit features. "Wanling? Never heard of it."

The dark swordsman frowned, his brow furrowing with lines of mild confusion. "It's a town not far south of here – no more than three days' ride. No one is stationed there at present, but as far as I know they haven't had any trouble in the recent months…" The strategist shook his head, glancing between the Sun children as puzzlement coalesced in his obsidian eyes. "I can't imagine what he wants. Wanling shouldn't be under threat of attack, as it's farther from the borders even than we are here…"

Sun Ce's expression took on an aspect of serious consideration, and one hand came up to rub the back of his neck as the soft breeze danced patterns of petals across their feet, somehow less inviting than it had seemed a moment earlier. "If they really are being attacked…" The Sun lord looked up to catch his warrior's gaze again. "That could be trouble. We don't have a lot of people just hanging around right now, since everything else's been so crazy."

Zhou Yu nodded, and the three officers stood for a moment in abstract silence, each lost in their own contemplation of the difficulties that a new year had brought to the Wu Empire. Then the Little Conqueror shook himself and regained his customary smile, reaching up to clap a hand onto his swordsman's shoulder as he gave a slight shrug.

"Well, let's go see what he wants, anyway. It might not be bad news – maybe they're just having a festival or something and want to invite us."

Given the number of incidents that had risen up to threaten the cohesion of Wu in the previous two months, Zhou Yu had his extreme doubts that anything but bad news could come from unmonitored quarters of the empire, especially as Shang Xiang had announced the messenger's particular hurry to deliver his correspondence. But there was no way of knowing except an audience, so the dark warrior kept his thoughts to himself and fell into step behind Sun Ce as the young officer set off for the palace, the alternating light and shadows of the crabapple branches rendering his eyes unreadable.

Shang Xiang skipped a nervous step so that she could walk abreast of her brother, and in spite of the warmth of the afternoon sun it seemed as though the air had gotten a little colder. The Sun lord said nothing more, and for a long minute they walked in silence, leaving the orchard behind them as cluster after cluster of the flowering trees slipped back into the depths of the garden and revealed the high residence in front of them. At last Shang Xiang cleared her throat, a smile capturing her lips again as they passed out from beneath the last of the crabapple canopy.

"So, Zhou Yu – you're going to Baqiu tomorrow, right? To help Han Dang?"

The dark warrior simply nodded, but Sun Ce rolled his eyes and made a face at his good-natured sister, dodging the reach of an unpruned shrub as the group made their way onto the covered walk that protruded from the palace's back wall. "Don't remind me," the young officer grumbled, his footsteps echoing against the brick of the floor and the high eaves overhead. "This place is gonna get so dull. I wish I were going, too."

There was an undercurrent of frustration to the familiar sentiment that drew a slight frown onto Zhou Yu's lips, and his gaze traced the shadowed contours of the Sun lord's face, searching for an immediacy his offhand tone denied. But Shang Xiang didn't seem to catch it, because the young woman only pouted and mock-punched her brother in the shoulder, the contact far lighter than usual.

"Hey! Are you insulting my company?" the Sun princess demanded, and the master of Wu stuck out his tongue at her, the loss of the sunlight making it impossible to tell whether amusement or some other emotion dominated his amber eyes.

"What company? You spend all your time with Mother anyway. That and looking for a husband."

Shang Xiang blushed, casting the silent strategist a furtive glance beneath the cover of her eyelashes. "Ce! Don't just say things like that. It's embarrassing."

Sun Ce shrugged, following her line of sight to the stoic warrior who followed like a shadow in their wake. "What's embarrassing about it? That's what you want, isn't it? Besides, I already told Yu – I don't know what you're all self-conscious about."

The young woman huffed, crossing her arms over her chest as the door to the residence's interior came into view a little ways ahead of them. "You promised to keep it a secret!" she hissed, giving her brother a slight smack to the shoulder. The Little Conqueror made a face back at her, and Zhou Yu couldn't help rolling his eyes – Sun family sibling squabbles always seemed to reduce the participants' maturity levels by about twelve years.

As they reached the end of the open walkway, the swordsman reached forward and slid the interior door open, standing aside so that the bickering pair could pass into the cool, dark corridor ahead of him. Shang Xiang was still frowning heavily, and the young officer beside her couldn't help laughing as he caught sight of her expression, three sets of footfalls sounding casually down the long hallway.

"Come on, Shang – I mostly kept it a secret. It's just that Yu doesn't count. I've always told him everything."

The Sun princess scoffed and turned up her nose at the attempted mollification, and the dark strategist watched in silence as his companion swallowed an impending snicker, his sunshine features flickering for a moment with undeniable amusement before he forced it back. Sun Ce reached out to sling an arm around his sister's shoulders, pulling the young woman close enough that she could hear his whisper but his playful smile was out of her line of sight.

"So how's that going, anyway? You have anybody picked out yet? It's been almost a year since you started looking." Shang Xiang nudged him in the stomach and straightened back to her full height, but she sighed in spite of herself as the Sun lord banked left down another branching corridor, leading the group deeper into the heart of the residence.

"No," the warrior princess admitted after a short silence, a sharp scowl settling over her pretty features. Shang Xiang dropped her hands to her hips and glared at the passing doorways as though they were personally responsible for her lack of a love interest, her hazel eyes narrowing with mild aggravation. "Why is there nobody good to marry anymore? I can't find a single man who's worth what a wedding would cost. They're all really old or really ugly… or married already."

Zhou Yu felt his forehead furrowing a little at the final qualifier, and he was momentarily tempted to ask what married man the Sun princess had in mind – but her brother beat him out, a teasing smile dancing across his lips again as they passed a train of tray-laden servants and crossed a second intersection. "Hey, there's always Gan Ning," the young officer suggested lightly, and his sister swung at him for the comment, just missing as the master of Wu ducked the familiar path of her fist.

"Ce! Would you be serious for once? This is really important!"

The young woman huffed as she glowered into the shadows of the hallway ahead, auburn hair bobbing above her shoulders to the rhythm of her steady gait. The Sun lord shrugged again, throwing his swordsman a backward smile when the warrior princess had turned away. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow in response to his commander's amusement, but he said nothing, letting Shang Xiang's voice fill the corridor unimpeded and just thanking chance that there weren't many members of the staff around to overhear her.

"I know _you_ settled down for life at sixteen or so, but some of us aren't that lucky! I'm almost twenty-two – most girls are married at fourteen!" The Sun princess paused for a moment as though considering her own words, and when she resumed the lecture her voice was much quieter, becoming somewhat sheepish to match her embarrassed expression. "I mean, of course I wasn't ready to get married then, but… I'm not getting any younger, and I'd really like to have children…"

The mention of children shot an image of Xuan through the strategist's mind, and he stiffened as they rounded the final corner and the audience hall came into view ahead, his briefly slowing pace drawing a puzzled glance from Sun Ce. The Little Conqueror caught his eyes for a moment before turning his attention back to the passage before them, one hand coming up to scratch the back of his head as a short laugh brushed his lips.

"You sure you want some of those, Shang? They're nothing but trouble, you know."

His sister stuck out her tongue, prodding his shoulder with an accusatory finger. "Neither are you, but people still like having you around." Zhou Yu blinked at the assertion and the young officer feigned an indignant expression, his mouth hanging open so wide that Shang Xiang couldn't help laughing behind her hand, the light of the midday torches accentuating her lovely features. "Okay, okay – maybe you're just _mostly_ trouble. But still…" The master of Wu snorted under his breath, and the Sun princess shrugged as they came to a gradual stop in front of the entrance to the audience chamber, her eyes adopting their customary carefree shade once again. "Anyway, I guess it doesn't matter right now. The Qiao sisters are coming down in the next couple days, since it's not safe in Lingnan anymore – maybe I can ask them for help."

Wu's dark swordsman raised a skeptical eyebrow at her offhand proposal, and Sun Ce choked as he tried to suppress a snicker, his lips curving into a playful smirk as he reached for the handles of the tall double doors. "Oh yeah, Shang – great idea," he joked, a chuckle interrupting the effect of his deadpan. "Ask the Qiao sisters – they've got great taste. I mean, Lu Meng – you just can't find a better catch than that."

Shang Xiang huffed, folding her arms over the silk of her bright robe as a small frown darkened her features. "Be quiet, Ce! You haven't got any better taste than they do!"

The emphatic statement made Zhou Yu blink, caught off guard by his own unexpected entrance into the debate, and the Sun lord's hand paused halfway to the door, two sets of startled eyes turning to regard the warrior princess in shared curiosity. The young woman flushed an instant shade of crimson, and she held up both hand in apology as her gaze shot between the two officers, her features almost as surprised as theirs at the words that had escaped her tongue.

"I – I mean… no offense or anything, Zhou Yu…"

The Little Conqueror's brow furrowed in genuine puzzlement at the amendment, his expression a match to the hand that came up to scratch thoughtfully at his chin. "No offense? How can he _not_ take offense at that?"

Shang Xiang ducked her head, shrinking back a little so that her bangs masked her embarrassed hazel eyes like a silken curtain. "I just meant… you know… he's not _my_ type or anything…"

Sun Ce waited a moment in the awkward silence for any further explanation, and then he nodded decisively, a sliver of his brilliant grin slipping back across his face as he watched his squirming sister. "Gotcha. Well, I'm glad we cleared that up. We can finish this discussion some other time – for now, let's get this over with." And so saying, the young officer leaned forward and shoved the double doors to the audience chamber open, striding into the hall before his smile could explode into another round of laughter at the Sun princess's expense.

There was a lone man standing in the center of the hall, his gaze wandering the plastered ceiling and the sparsely decorated walls, and at their sudden, unannounced arrival he jumped and then fell into a swift kneel, dipping his head toward the carpet in a series of bows. Zhou Yu frowned a little as the rest of the empty room came into view, and he wondered for a moment why guards hadn't been left with the messenger in Shang Xiang's absence – the soldiers in Yangzhou's premier estate had been ordered to heighten their security measures until Sun Ce was completely healed, and leaving an unfamiliar man unattended was not a fitting application of those instructions. But the master of Wu either didn't notice or didn't care, because he proceeded into the hall with a customary smile and greeted the courier easily, gesturing the man back to his feet.

"Hey there. Shang said you've got a message for me – you're from Wanling, right? Who sent you?"

The messenger hesitated, his expression shading uncertain before he bent into another low bow. "Actually, Lord Sun Ce… no one sent me. I came on my own, because… because no one else was going to. But I am from Wanling, yes."

Zhou Yu felt his forehead furrowing at the evasive answer, and a slight frown slid over the Sun lord's lips, confusion flitting through his vibrant eyes. "No one else was going to? What does that mean?"

The man shifted in place, one hand rising to brush the dust of the road from his plain, weathered features. "Perhaps it would be best if I started at the beginning, my lord… my name is Fan Nong. I am a soldier of the platoon stationed in Wanling."

Wu's leading strategist took a step forward, and from the blank apprehension in his raven eyes Zhou Yu could tell the messenger didn't recognize him. "Are you under attack?" the swordsman asked, his tone deathly serious as he crossed his arms over his chest. Again the man hesitated, his fingers stilling against the strands of his uniform bun.

"Not… exactly, my lord." The dark warrior frowned, and Fan Nong hurried on before his abstract answer could earn him a reprimand. "That is, we're not being threatened by Huang Zu or the rest. We've been luckier than the other cities that way…"

Sun Ce sighed under his breath, shifting in his stance as impatience began to leak across his friendly expression. "So what's the problem?" the young officer inquired again, and the messenger nodded, his black eyes hardening in his face as he launched into his narrative.

"It began with the snowmelt, my lord… most of our reserves had been used up over the winter, and there was not much food to be had." The ghost of an unpleasant memory slid across Fan Nong's countenance, but he pushed it back, shaking himself to regain focus as the three officers watched him in silence. "We were all right until the diseases broke out a month ago, but then there were too many people sick to sow the rice shoots – my commanding officer ordered us to assist the farmers, but most of the fields had to remain fallow." The man's eyes trailed down to regard the carpet in silence, and Shang Xiang put a finger to her chin, her pretty features overshadowed by a perplexed frown.

"Why didn't you send a letter to the capital? We could have sent you additional supplies."

Fan Nong only shook his head, remaining quiet as the dark swordsman answered for him. "No, we couldn't have, Shang Xiang. We are short supplies as it is – we barely have enough to maintain the armies, as they are fighting on so many fronts at once. The cities have unfortunately been forced to fend for themselves."

Shang Xiang started a little at his reply, and the messenger nodded, his hand trickling through his road-weary bangs to push them out of his eyes. "We didn't want to trouble you, my lord. We'd heard reports about… that is, we knew the border forces were having a difficult time, so…"

The Little Conqueror folded his arms over his chest, and his amber gaze studied the uncertain lines of the courier's face as he took a step forward, drawing the man's attention back to himself. "So is that the problem? You don't have enough food?" Fan Nong blinked a little, and then he shook his head more quickly than before, a small smile ghosting over his thin lips.

"No, my lord. I only wish it were still that simple…" The soldier ran a hand across his tightly coiled hair and his black eyes flickered among the three officers, apologetic and worried at the same time. "Only a week later, a man came to Wanling – a Taoist priest. He called himself Yu Ji, and… I know it's difficult to believe, my lord, but he cured all those who were ill. He also made the rains come – within days, the rice crop was flourishing again, even better than usual."

The Sun lord started, sharing a quick glance with his equally surprised strategist before he turned back to the messenger. "What? How'd he do that?" Fan Nong shook his head, his shoulders rolling back in a loose, tired shrug.

"I cannot explain it, my lord. But he did – I watched the sick suddenly become well and the rice shoots growing with my own eyes. Yu Ji's faith must give him the power of witchcraft."

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line, watching the soldier with cautious eyes. Though he lacked any particular reason for it, the swordsman had never liked the influence of the supernatural, and he had a basic mistrust for holy men of all kinds, perhaps a remnant of his childhood in the times of the Yellow Turbans. Still, he kept his mouth shut and let Sun Ce resume the questioning, his bright amber eyes far more interested than before.

"So, this Yu Ji guy… he came and saved you? Is he still around?" Fan Nong nodded, and the master of Wu turned to share a look with his dark warrior, a hopeful smile creasing his features. "If we could get somebody like that to work for us—"

"I don't suggest you try it, my lord," the messenger broke in hastily, and the Sun lord blinked at him, the toe of one slipper tapping against the carpet.

"Why not? He sounds like a great ally."

The soldier shook his head. "I know, my lord – he sounds that way. But he's the cause of the trouble I've come to report to you. And from what I've heard, he doesn't think very highly of your rule… no insult intended, my lord," the man added as a swift amendment, dropping into a shallow bow to avoid the mystic's opinion being misinterpreted as his own. At the words, Sun Ce's face regained a measure of seriousness, and a flash of the determination that had conquered Wu flickered across his face, hardening the line of his jaw from its usually carefree contours.

"…Go on."

Fan Nong nodded again, his gaze trailing between the young officer and his companions as he resumed the train of his story. "You see, Yu Ji was regarded as a saint by everyone in the city – we lodged him in our own camp and fed him from our stores, though we had little to spare. But after a few days, strange things began to happen."

The messenger's face had become troubled, as though there were a puzzle in front of him that he simply could not solve, and his eyebrows knit together in unguarded consternation. "People from the village started to disappear. At first, we hardly noticed – they were unmarried men, merchants down on their luck who had just been hanging around to make trouble, and no one missed them. Then there were a few of the older beggars, and some of the younger children, and finally one or two of the soldiers in my unit."

The Little Conqueror shared a baffled look with his swordsman and then his sister, his countenance dark with confusion. "What? Where did they go?" The courier only shook his head.

"I don't know, my lord. We never found them, though my commanding officer sent out search parties. Then we encountered other mysteries – food started to go missing from the storehouses, though they were under constant guard. Some of us found ourselves without weapons in the morning, though they had lain beside our mats just the night before." Fan Nong shrugged again, his expression heavy and perplexed. "I can't explain any of those things to you, my lord. We haven't yet discovered them."

The Sun lord looked as though he would have liked to ask for details, but Zhou Yu stepped forward in a preemptive interruption, drawing the soldier's eyes back to his. "Why are you sure this has to do with Yu Ji?" the strategist asked, and the messenger started a little, giving a sheepish smile as he realized he'd gotten off track.

"Oh… yes, my lord. Well, about a week later, some of the men in my unit started acting… strangely." Fan Nong put a hand to his brow, rubbing his temples either in bewilderment or to chase away a headache. "You have to understand, Lord Sun Ce, that most of the men in Wanling joined your army as volunteers almost a year ago – we are all completely loyal to you. Or rather, we were, but…" The courier shrugged helplessly, his black eyes wide in the light of the chamber. "Suddenly there was all this talk of rebellion or desertion, even from my company commander. Suddenly no one was thankful for our post anymore, even though we were not at the front lines and had been mostly untroubled by the problems of the empire…"

The master of Wu blinked, but Zhou Yu shook his head softly, shifting in his stance. "Fan Nong…" The courier jumped at the use of his name, and his black gaze flew to meet the strategist's as the syllables echoed through the air of the audience chamber, deepening the swordsman's frown as he gestured vaguely toward the outer door. "The entire empire is in a dangerous position at present. Sun Ce has been injured, and our enemies seem intent on closing in from every side. It is not unusual for soldiers to contemplate desertion in times of hardship."

Fan Nong shook his head hard, his hands tightening to dust-lined fists at his side. "I know, my lord, but – but I'm sure Yu Ji is involved! I saw him… I saw him brainwashing one of the men."

The Little Conqueror's features darkened with a confused frown, and he folded both arms over his chest, watching the messenger with curiosity burning in his amber eyes. "Brainwashing? What do you mean?" The soldier knotted his hands together in front of him, his fingers slithering over each other like a tangle of nervous snakes.

"I mean… controlling them, my lord. Controlling their thoughts. Their voices. I…" The courier hesitated a moment and then pressed on, squaring his shoulders though a measure of uncertainty had slipped back across his face. "I had a companion with me in Wanling – my brother-in-law, though we are more friends than family. It was his idea to join your army in the first place, my lord, and he's always spoken highly of you. One night we were eating rations in camp, and he was arguing with a few of the other soldiers – they were blaming you for the famine and the wars, and my friend was defending you."

There was a kind of pride glowing in Fan Nong's eyes, but it faded after a moment and his gaze fell back to the coarse carpeting, softening like his voice as his brief smile flitted away. "Yu Ji happened to be walking by, and he stopped for a moment just behind us, as though he were listening to the talk. I had leaned backward to pick up more wood for the fire, and suddenly I saw Yu Ji reach out and touch the back of my friend's neck. His hand was empty, but…"

The messenger shook his head, confusion and anger mingling on his features in the form of a vicious frown. "I don't know what he did, my lord. But my friend turned to look at me, and his eyes were different than I'd ever seen them before, so cold and distant. When he began to speak again, they were the same words that had been coming from our comrades' mouths only moments before – words against you, my lord, for whom he'd never had anything but respect!"

Zhou Yu's eyes narrowed, and he shared a look with Sun Ce, whose face had become more and more serious as the story progressed. The master of Wu exhaled in a harsh sigh and put a hand to his chin, meeting the troubled obsidian eyes evenly through the silence of the audience chamber. "What is he up to…" the young officer asked in a mutter, and Fan Nong shook his head again, holding out his hands in a gesture of surrender as though the question had been directed specifically to him.

"I don't know, my lord. I don't know if he's planning a rebellion, or just trying to cause us difficulties, or if he has some grudge with you – I can't pretend to know the inner workings of a mystic's mind. But…" The soldier stopped and bit the inside of his cheek, glancing between the officers of Wu with something akin to desperation on his face. "But I don't want any more of my comrades to fall under his spell, and I have to confess to being a coward – I was too frightened to attack him myself, for fear of what he might do to me."

Once again Fan Nong fell to his knees, this time leaning forward to rest his forehead against the carpet in a full bow. "Please, Lord Sun Ce. Send someone to help our village. I understand the empire is short-handed just now, but surely it wouldn't take too much of your time – we are desperately in need of your help. Even my commanding officer has fallen under his spell…"

The dark strategist put a hand to his lips, and from the small frown on the Sun lord's face he knew they were running identical calculations, accounting for every officer of the Wu Empire and trying to imagine who could take time out of their battle schedule to rescue Wanling from the underhanded mystic. Zhou Yu closed his eyes for a moment to concentrate, but the effort provided him an answer no different from his initial inclination, and he stepped forward with a soft sigh, the movement pulling Fan Nong's raven eyes up to his through the fringe of his dust-encrusted bangs.

The swordsman shook his head. "I'm sorry, Fan Nong. But as you said, the empire is already stretched to its military capacity. We have no one to spare right now. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do—"

"I'll go."

Zhou Yu's eyes widened, and his gaze shot back to find the resolute contours of the Little Conqueror's face, his mouth set in a thin, determined line. Shang Xiang's jaw dropped open in her unconcealed surprise, and even the messenger started to his feet, one hand reaching toward the master of Wu in a gesture of supplication.

"Lord Sun Ce – but you're injured, my lord. I wouldn't ask you to—"

"It's fine." His short tone snapped the courier's mouth shut and interrupted the protest halfway, his voice and expression equally unwavering as both hands slipped down to rest at his hips. Sun Ce nodded once. "You're not asking me to do anything. I'm making this decision myself. I don't know what this Yu Ji guy is up to, but I won't stand for it – we'll march for Wanling in two days. Is that going to be soon enough?"

Fan Nong remained speechless, frozen against the fibers of the thick rug in his utter shock, and the Sun princess's forehead furrowed as she bit her lower lip, the words she wanted to say warring back and forth across her tongue. But Zhou Yu felt no such reserve, and he pivoted sharply to face the young officer with a tight frown falling over his lips, onyx eyes darkening under the weight of disagreement that had dropped like a great stone into the pit of his stomach.

"No, you won't. You aren't leaving this city until you're completely healed."

The Sun lord raised his chin in open defiance, and as the line of his jaw tightened Shang Xiang managed to find her voice, hastening across the floor to take hold of Fan Nong's shirt and pulling the startled soldier to his feet. "How about the two of us wait outside?" the young woman suggested with a breathless laugh, and then she steered the messenger through the audience chamber until they reached the great double doors, still hanging wide from their casual entrance.

The twin slabs of wood slammed shut behind her with a deafening _thud_ that echoed around the room, and for a long moment its reverberations were the only sound breaking the still air, every second of unsaid words raking the tension between the two officers higher and higher. Then at last Zhou Yu stepped forward to square his stance, and one pale hand came up to trail through the loose strands of his hair, knocking his bangs out of his line of sight so that nothing obscured his companion's stubborn face.

"You can't be serious."

The Little Conqueror scowled, his muscles tensing as though in preparation for a physical fight. "Why not?" he challenged, drawing himself straighter so that the difference in their height was at its minimum. The strategist shook his head, and the motion was deceptively calm for the concentration of emotion swirling in his eyes, each moment tightening the displeased line of his lips.

"You're still injured," he returned, keeping his voice level because the obstinate light in Sun Ce's eyes and the heavy disbelief settling between his ribs assured him he would be losing his temper before too long. The Sun lord scoffed under his breath, taking a step forward as he held his arms out in a gesture of demonstration.

"I'm fine, Yu."

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, his hands clenching into fists at his side despite his effort to force them still. "It's only been two months since you were attacked by Xu Gong's men. You should be resting."

"I've been resting too long already." The young officer's reply was quick like sharpened steel, cutting off the echoes of his swordsman's protest before they even reached the walls. The master of Wu patted himself on the shoulder, but in spite of the careless motion his eyes were hard, equal to the strategist's as obsidian and amber clashed above the carpet. "I'm practically good as new already. I told you it wouldn't take me a hundred days to heal, didn't I? That doctor didn't know what he was talking about."

The dark warrior balked, shaking his head more stiffly than before as the frustration and anxiety amplifying inside of him made the motion rough. "You can't do this."

Sun Ce took another step toward him, and now they were close enough that Zhou Yu could see tiny black flecks in his companion's eyes, growing starker against their golden background as the Sun lord's pride took possession of his features. "What do you mean I can't?" the young officer asked, his shoulders stiffening at the uncompromising statement. "I don't need your permission. This is my empire and my body, and I'll do what I want to with them!"

With the last assertion, his voice had risen to a shout, and the swordsman found that without trying to his own words matched his commander's in volume, sounding back against the walls of the audience chamber and rolling over them like the wind on an open plain. "No way in hell, Ce. If you think I'm going to let you put yourself on the line like this—"

"It's not your decision!" Sun Ce yelled back, one hand coming up to fist into his strategist's shirt. Zhou Yu opened his mouth to retort, but the Little Conqueror beat him to it, each word snapping from his lips with the force of a firecracker. "Look, we don't have any other choice! Everyone else is busy already! Cheng Pu and Lu Meng are too far north, and you're going west tomorrow, Huang Gai and Taishi Ci are barely holding onto Liyang and the gods only know what Li Shu is up to! I'm the only one around who can do this!"

The strategist found that he had lost control of his frown, which had contorted into a full glower as he ran a preoccupied hand through his hair and glared into the Sun lord's shadowed eyes, every limb tight with anger and agitation. "There are still other ways, Ce. I can take care of it on my way to Baqiu. It won't take more than a week to detour past—"

The young officer snorted, a sharp shake of his head cutting off the swordsman's suggestion long before he could finish. "A week? Han Dang's already struggling! He doesn't have a week! Are you just going to let him die out there? Are you going to let Baqiu fall right back into Huang Zu's hands?"

Zhou Yu's voice had retreated from its full shout, but the deathly cold tone it adopted instead was hardly less infuriated, assuming the texture of lead as every moment wound the strands of their argument tighter and tighter in the pit of his stomach. "If it would keep you safe—" he began, but he had no chance to finish, because the master of Wu's wide eyes and dropping jaw cut him off, matching his commander's backward step of surprise before a reply exploded from his lips.

"How can you even say that?" Sun Ce accused in a high shout, and the strategist exhaled through his teeth, throwing one hand to the side in a gesture of violent frustration.

"Because this is madness, Ce! You're going to get yourself killed!" The swordsman moved forward until he could take hold of his companion's upper arms, his fingers holding too tightly as he stared into the defiant amber eyes glaring back at him and shook his head viciously through the broken air. "You promised me you wouldn't do anything dangerous until you'd completely healed!"

"This won't be dangerous!" the young officer retorted, wrenching backward to tear himself from his dark warrior's hold. "He's just a priest, Yu! I could take him out with my eyes closed! That soldier could have taken him out! But if they're going to need me around to tell them what to do, then—"

"Why do you always have to do this, Ce?" The question lost control of its inflection halfway through, and suddenly Zhou Yu realized he was yelling again, the sharp words ricocheting off the chambers walls to land like missiles between their angry forms. The strategist took a deep breath to push his emotions back down into his ribcage where they could be controlled, but one look at the Sun lord's obstinate face shattered whatever composure he'd regained, pulling another shout from his lips to scatter around the room. "Why do you always have to behave like an idiot? Why do you always have to push your limits like this?"

The Little Conqueror's hands balled into fists, and he shook them in his swordsman's face, his countenance livid with defiance and the same anger swirling through his companion's veins. "I'm not pushing my limits, Yu! This is fine! Why don't you ever believe me?"

Zhou Yu bit out a choking laugh, incredulity showing in sharp relief on his severe features. "Believe you? How can I, Ce? You're so damn reckless all the time! You have no regard for personal safety and no concept of your own weaknesses, but that doesn't stop you from running off into the first sign of trouble as soon as you can saddle your horse—"

Sun Ce hit him, and the crack of experienced knuckles against his jaw resounded through the audience chamber, echoing back over the two officers like a crash of thunder. The strategist's neck snapped backward and immediately his arm was cocked for a return punch – but as his eyes shot forward again his gaze caught on the thin scar running down his commander's neck, and he held his hand, his fist unclenching and falling back to his side without contact. The master of Wu blinked a little, and then Zhou Yu sighed, forcing his voice back to a decent volume despite the throbbing in his swelling cheek.

"I don't want anything to happen to you."

The Sun lord stepped back a pace, his features flickering between anger and indignation. "Nothing's going to! I'll be fine!" he shot back, the return just shy of a shout. The young officer shook his head hard, his amber eyes adopting a note of injury and confusion as he reached out to take hold of the swordsman's shirt again. "Look, I'll be careful, all right? But I can't just sit around here doing nothing anymore! I can't!"

The dark warrior gritted his teeth, dashing one hand through his hair as the worry building in his stomach laced his voice like thorns. "Why don't you understand, Ce – I just don't want to lose you!"

Sun Ce gave a short laugh in reply, releasing his companion's shirt as his fingers wound into tight fists again and disbelief scattered across his features. "So you're going to keep me in a little box for the rest of my life? You're going to keep me locked up in this place where nothing can get to me?" The strategist opened his mouth to respond, but the Sun lord was faster, one foot smashing into the carpet in demonstration of his disagreement. "I can't live like that, Yu! I can't just sit here and wait for China to fall into my lap! I'm gonna conquer the land with my own hands, Yu – my own hands!"

As he spoke, he held them up for demonstration, and Zhou Yu slapped them away, earning an instant of surprise from his commander before the expression soured back to resentment. "And you couldn't wait one more month?" the swordsman spat, the words like venom as they crossed his tongue. The Little Conqueror threw his hands up in frustration.

"What difference is a month going to make? You wouldn't be satisfied with that!" The strategist blinked at his lord's accusation, and Sun Ce stepped forward again until they were so close that the brightness of the audience chamber barely entered his eyes, brilliant amber shading to angry saffron in the absence of light. "Would a hundred days really be enough for you? Would that mean so much more than sixty? You're going to lock me up here until I rot!"

Zhou Yu shook his head, anger and worry sharpening like physical knives in his stomach as he glared into the Sun lord's indignant countenance. "Ce—"

"No!" The young officer was breathing heavily, every furious exhale bursting over his companion's face like smoke from a raging wildfire. Sun Ce grabbed onto his swordsman's forearms, his fingers tightening around the pale flesh with the strength of entwined ropes. "It doesn't matter what you say! I'm going! I'm going and I'm leaving in two days! I won't let you stop me, Zhou Yu!"

_Zhou Yu_. His full name broke over the audience chamber like a gasp, and in an instant everything had gone silent, the walls swallowing the last echoes of their master's assertion and leaving the air with nothing. The strategist's eyes widened and he opened his mouth to retort, but there was a starkness to his commander's expression that spoke of unyielding determination, rising exasperation and the stubbornness of a mule – a starkness that spoke too plainly to a losing argument and the power he didn't have, the power he'd never truly had to stand in the way of Wu's reigning conqueror.

Without saying a word, Zhou Yu stepped back and yanked his arms away from the Sun lord's hold, and his companion's nails scratched deep furrows into his skin as they broke apart, ten tan fingers fighting to keep contact. The swordsman's back had gone rigid like a board; even without a mirror, he could tell that his features had darkened into a deep glower, his lips lost to a thin frown that found resonance in his eyes as the throbbing in his cheek matched the throbbing of his angry heart. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, Sun Ce content to glare right back at him through the fringe of his chestnut bangs. Then at last the master of Wu slumped a little in his fighting posture, a heavy sigh escaping him as he took a step toward his stiffened warrior and let a shrug roll through his shoulders.

"Hey… come on, Yu." The strategist only continued to watch him in silence, his eyes narrowed in warning of his barely contained temper. The young officer smiled a little, but the expression only flitted across his face for a moment before vanishing into the vestiges of his open frustration. "I'll be careful, okay? I will. I'll stay out of the fight – the soldiers can handle one priest if they've got me there to lead them. I won't get involved in it." The assurance did nothing to assuage the stoic fury clear on Zhou Yu's countenance, and the Sun lord moved closer before he spoke again, one hand settling onto his companion's rigid shoulder. "Besides… you don't have to worry. I'm invincible, remember?"

That was all it took to snap the little that remained of the swordsman's temper. Zhou Yu wrenched backward to dislodge his commander's hold and in an instant he was shouting again, all of the anxiety inside of him building up behind the words so that each one echoed around the room like an explosion, almost loud enough to shake the walls.

"No, you're not, Ce!" Sun Ce stared at him, his jaw falling open as the normally calm strategist lost control of his voice. The dark warrior threw one hand to the side in a rough gesture, the motion releasing a little of the blinding anger that had started to interfere with his vision. "You're not more invincible than the rest of us! You are so childish – you always have to have everything your way, exactly at the instant that it enters your mind! If you weren't so damn impatient—"

The Little Conqueror's face contorted, and once more his yell broke through the swordsman's discourse, shattering the previous syllables with the force of his exasperated anger. "Yeah, you're right, Yu! Then maybe I wouldn't do things this way! But you know what? Then I wouldn't be who I am, either!"

The declaration rang around them like a cacophony of jarring bells, and for a moment both officers fell into sudden silence, watching each other as they listened to its echoes. Zhou Yu inhaled and the breath was painful against his tight chest, pushing out on his stiffened muscles as he met the master of Wu's eyes above the coarse carpeting, each gaze judging the other's reaction. The strategist gritted his teeth despite the pain in his jaw, and he closed his eyes for a split second before they returned to his commander's face, tracing the unguarded features set in determined lines. When the Sun lord spoke again, his voice was much quieter but no less intense, so full in tone that it carried across the audience hall despite its softness.

"I could play it safe, or just let other people take care of my problems…" Sun Ce shook his head, and the light flickering over his neck seemed to emphasize the scar resting above his collarbone. The young officer sighed to himself, eyes never leaving his dark warrior's countenance. "But then I wouldn't be doing it my way. I wouldn't be chasing my dreams with my own two hands, like I always have. That doesn't change, Yu, no matter what. I'm not gonna change what I believe in."

Zhou Yu ran a hand through his hair, his fingers stalling at his throbbing temples to try and rub the abstract headache away. "Ce—"

"No, Yu." The Sun lord's voice wasn't angry anymore, but it stopped his strategist's protest with the same immediacy as his earlier shouts, the resolve underscoring his words enough to halt the objection unspoken on his companion's lips. Sun Ce folded his arms over his chest, his chin high with unwavering determination. "You can't stop me this time. This is important to me, and I'm not going to let Yu Ji step on everything I've worked for. I'm going to Wanling."

The swordsman's jaw tightened, sending a flash of pain through his swelling cheek, but the young officer didn't budge and after a long moment Zhou Yu felt his posture falling, his shoulders slipping from their angry stiffness into a slant of worried defeat. The dark warrior exhaled slowly and then forced his feet into motion, pacing back across the floor to stand in front of his steadfast commander. The Sun lord watched his approach with curiosity burning in his amber eyes, but he didn't move, his mouth holding a sharp frown as the strategist came to a rest in front of him and the audience hall resumed its silence. Zhou Yu sighed, and one hand came up to brush his bangs back from where they interfered with his line of sight, letting his gaze fall across the Little Conqueror's features without obstruction.

"Listen…" the swordsman began, but he broke off after a moment and glanced toward the chamber's entrance to evade the brilliant amber staring up at him. The strategist pressed his lips into a thin line. "I'll ask a few of the squads to stay behind tomorrow… they can go with you to Wanling."

Sun Ce started, and then his face brightened at the admission of surrender hidden in his dark warrior's words. Zhou Yu turned back to look at him, and the concern seeping through his stomach only tightened as excitement replaced stubbornness on his companion's countenance.

"I'll take care of the preparations. Just… lie down for the rest of the afternoon, all right? Rest until it's time to leave."

The light that had been returning to the Sun lord's features scattered under a slight frown, and the young officer shook his head as the shadows of argument crept back into his eyes, chasing whatever measure of composure had returned straight out of his narrowed gaze. "What? I can't do that, Yu. I'm leaving in two days – I have a ton of stuff to do! Besides, I already told you, I'm—"

"Fine!" Once again Zhou Yu's temper shattered beneath the force of his companion's obstinacy, and the swordsman turned on a sharp heel and headed for the exit, his shout crashing back across the audience chamber like a furious thunderstorm. "Do what you want to, Sun Ce!"

Twin obsidian burned into the wood of the double doors before they hurtled open beneath his hand, and in a moment he was into the torchlit hallway, his abrupt appearance startling Shang Xiang and Fan Nong from their quiet conversation along the wall. The Sun princess opened her mouth to speak, but the strategist denied her the chance, moving down the hall with the speed of the wind and disappearing around the next corner before the words could even leave her lips.

He didn't stop until he reached his quarters, and as the sliding door slammed shut behind him Zhou Yu turned and smashed his fist into the wall, his features twisted in a shadowed snarl. He kept up his attack on the plastered barrier until he lost feeling in his fingers, and then he let the pulsing digits fall back to his side, bruises already forming over his pale, assaulted skin to match those along his jaw.

Three steps brought him to the edge of the bed, and with nothing but anxiety left inside of him the swordsman sunk down against the mattress, his head falling into useless hands.

.x.

Midnight found Zhou Yu kneeling at the half-height table in his temporary office, bent over the scrolls and reports of everyday paperwork with a fickle oil lamp lighting his solemn features. The moonlight came through the open window to pool mere inches from his position, a great sea of ivory that spread across the brick floor and the edges of his sitting mat, and he had been working long enough by then that had he chosen to lift his head from the endless documents he could have watched the bright disk climbing into the sky, just now at the peak of its waxing cycle. But the strategist had eyes only for the characters on the parchment before him, and he had scarcely raised his head since the last flames of sunset fell back behind the curtain of dusk, abandoning the world to a star-studded darkness whose only effect was to make him strike the lamp.

The swordsman sighed as he dashed his signature across a few proposals and set them into a different pile, leaning back on his heels to roll the stiffness out of his neck as one hand came up to brush the considerably reduced swelling of his cheek. The reports coming into Yangzhou were not by any means favorable – every scroll only affirmed what he already knew, that the empire was in varying states of crisis from Kuaiji all the way to Changsha, battling either the surrounding warlords or the far more dangerous opponents of shortage and disease.

The first rice crop would be maturing within a month, and until then there was little Zhou Yu could do to alleviate the problems running rampant throughout Wu. In truth, his perusal of the reports at hand was probably no more than busywork. But there was nothing like busywork for keeping his mind at bay.

_I'm going and I'm leaving in two days! I won't let you stop me, Zhou Yu!_

The dark warrior frowned, closing his eyes for a moment to ward away the silent echoes of his companion's voice. Sun Ce was an idiot who had never listened to reason, and sometimes the strategist wondered why the Little Conqueror bothered keeping him employed if he wasn't going to accept any advice that came from his lips – but that was just his frustration talking, and he knew it, which made the thought bitterer if not easier to control. But it was hard not to be angry when the Sun lord did things like this…

The swordsman exhaled heavily and dragged another scroll into the spot in front of him, his rough motions making the oil lamp flicker as he forced the useless commentary back out of his mind. Neither his reflections nor the memory of the earlier argument were helping him get his work done, and for now that was his only objective – if he kept his attention focused on the task at hand until it was time to leave at dawn, there was a chance he'd actually finish reviewing all of the backlogged piles of paper that no one else bothered to read. Well, no one except Lu Xun, but the young page was stationed in Xuancheng at that moment to assist Sun Quan while Zhou Tai was in Moling...

The dark warrior let another sigh slip through his teeth, his free hand coming up to massage his temples as his eyes scanned the wooden scroll. Just thinking about the arrangement of Wu officers was enough to give him a headache – as though the day's events and the prospect of riding to Baqiu in a matter of hours weren't enough to do that on their own. And then, of course, there was the master of Wu himself, who was always worth a headache and whom the swordsman hadn't seen since he'd stormed out of the audience chamber a good while earlier…

_Knock knock knock_.

Zhou Yu shook his head, a cynical smile falling over his lips as he reminded himself that speaking of the devil was generally the best way to ensure his untimely appearance. He didn't bother to answer the request for admittance, bending over his papers instead so that his bangs swung forward to hide his eyes and the creases of lingering annoyance settling over his forehead. For a minute, nothing moved, and then the sound of the door sliding slowly open broke through the stillness of the makeshift office, pressing the strategist's fingers tighter around his brush but not halting their diligent motion.

"…Yu?"

The note of cautious inquiry in the salutation stalled Zhou Yu's breath in his lungs, and he waited a long moment in silence before letting his gaze trail up from the cluttered table to find his commander's face, just peering through the partly open door. The swordsman said nothing, and Sun Ce watched him in silence before clearing his throat, his tan fingers loose against the edge of the doorframe.

"Still working, huh?"

The dark warrior nodded slowly, his glance flickering back to the reports spread out before him as his free hand idly massaged his bruised jaw line. Dong Xi was requesting more troops to stabilize Fengqiao, since there'd been so many bandit attacks in the region after the snow melted, but there was little or nothing to give him regardless of the problem…

The Sun lord slipped inside and the door fell closed behind him, the soft sound of impact drawing twin obsidian back to the amber opposites of the unwelcome visitor. The Little Conqueror leaned back against the wall, his chestnut ponytail limp across his shoulders like the soft strands of wind ghosting through the window to battle the oil lamp's oscillating flame.

"Are you gonna… come to bed anytime soon?"

Zhou Yu sighed, his eyes falling closed as one hand came up to soothe the furrows away from his forehead. "I don't know, Ce," he answered, his tone shorter than he had intended. His dark gaze slid along the slats of the scroll, absorbing the information as his brush made comments along the marginal edge. "I have a lot of work to do before I leave."

The stiff words earned no reply from the young officer in his doorway, and the strategist gritted his teeth in minor irritation as he bent closer to the half-sized table, letting his hair fall forward to limit his view to the reports in front of him. The silence reigned unchallenged for a long moment, long enough that the swordsman couldn't help wondering when his companion had learned to be so quiet, and then soft footsteps headed in his direction across the floor, silk slippers barely whispering against the coarse brickwork.

Zhou Yu didn't look up until the Sun lord knelt at his side, and then he gave his commander a sharp glare – but Sun Ce either didn't notice the deterrent look or he didn't care, because without saying a word the Little Conqueror slid forward to slump across his dark warrior's lap, folding his arms over the strategist's thigh and resting his cheek on his overlapping wrists. The young officer sighed and closed his eyes, and for a moment the swordsman could only watch him with a frown shadowing his features, unsure exactly what the movement was supposed to tell him and how to deal with the sudden obstruction to his work.

At last the dark warrior exhaled heavily, his free hand running through his hair as he glared at the back of his companion's head. "That isn't going to make me finish any faster," Zhou Yu told him flatly, reaching out to pull the next scroll open in front of him. But the Sun lord only nodded, the slight motion echoing through his strategist's legs.

"Yeah, I know. I can wait."

Twin amber eyes stayed tightly closed in the serene contours of his face, and the swordsman scowled a little as he turned back to his work, determined to ignore the figure resting in his lap and the annoyance taking root in his stomach. He forced his gaze down to the open documents and continued reading Dong Xi's report, taking note of the specific numbers of soldiers and supplies the general was requesting in careful script along the side – and for a few minutes, it almost worked, his thoughts retreating into the haze of politics and leaving the office behind. But before long he had applied his signature and his seal to the last slat of the scroll and piled it alongside the others, and as he dragged a new set of papers forward his eyes fell on his commander's hand, tracing abstract patterns onto the rough floor.

Zhou Yu hesitated for a moment, and then he replaced the brush against his ink stone, the tiny click drawing Sun Ce's eyes back up to his. The strategist leaned forward to brace his elbow against the table, letting his chin fall to rest on fisted fingers as his solemn gaze followed the contours of the Sun lord's face. The master of Wu watched him in equal seriousness, his head tilted almost curiously to the side.

"I can't change who I am, Yu." The soft assertion broke the weave of night air around them, and Zhou Yu blinked as the words settled into his ears, a much quieter continuation of their earlier argument. The young officer shifted a little, pillowing his cheek against the fabric of his companion's clothing. "Even if I could, I wouldn't do it. I like being me."

The strategist pressed his lips into a thin line, the anxiety that had been sleeping so long beneath his ribcage stirring and dropping his hand down to brush through his commander's chestnut ponytail. He shook his head and stared out across the room, feeling the Sun lord's eyes warm on his face as he watched the puddle of moonlight sliding ever closer to them.

"I know that, Ce. I wouldn't want you to. I just…" Sun Ce nudged him with one elbow, and the swordsman's gaze flitted back to his neutral features, watching the lamp's indecisive flame flickering intermittent light and shadow over his face. "You worry me," he finished, his voice barely louder than the whisper of the wind against the open shutter. The Little Conqueror shrugged, his amber eyes unreadable in the darkness.

"Yeah, but you've always been like that. You'd worry even if there was nothing to worry about."

The offhand observation made Zhou Yu stiffen, and his hand stilled between the strands of his commander's ponytail, unwinding from the tangled nest of chestnut to reach for his brush again. The Sun lord caught him before his fingers touched the hollow wood, and the master of Wu frowned as he dragged his companion's palm back toward himself, amber eyes echoing his disgruntled expression.

"Yu—" Sun Ce stopped abruptly, and he turned the pale hand over in his startled fingers, blinking as he noticed for the first time the massive discoloration blooming across his strategist's knuckles. "Sheesh, what'd you do?" the young officer asked, his voice halfway amazed as he outlined the patches of black and blue with curious fingertips. Zhou Yu's frown deepened.

"Nothing. Don't touch it." The Sun lord snorted, pulling the appendage in question forward until he could press the dark warrior's palm across the line of his tan cheek, holding it steady against his skin as he met the displeased onyx eyes above him.

"Nothing, huh? Doesn't look like nothing to me. Looks like you got in a fight with a brick wall. Matches your face." The strategist said nothing, and at last his commander sighed, shaking him as best he could without raising his head. "So it's a risk, Yu! We take risks all the time – every day we go out on a campaign. This is what we have to do to conquer the land. Nobody's going to just walk up and hand it to us! But it's worth it, right? Worth the risk? Isn't that why we do this?"

With every question his eyes became deeper, darkening with the sincerity and honest confusion that the words drew onto his face. Zhou Yu watched him in silence for a long moment as the sound of his hopeful voice died away, considering his answer as thought and emotion chased each other across the contours of his mind. Then the swordsman shook his head, and the motion drew a frown onto his companion's countenance as his fingers traced the lines of Sun Ce's features.

"You don't understand, Ce." The master of Wu opened his mouth to argue, but the strategist stopped him, his thumb pausing over the young officer's lips to stall the unspoken words. The dark warrior sighed under his breath. "All of this, conquering China… what good would there be in a land without you to lead it?"

The Sun lord blinked, his eyes widening a little as the strategist's answer stole whatever counterargument he'd been intending. Zhou Yu studied his surprised expression for a moment longer before turning back to his papers, reading through the reports though his brush hand was still caught in his commander's grip, and for a while everything became silent, the young officer's heartbeat and the warmth of the oil flame all he could feel. Then Sun Ce shifted and a soft chuckle fell from his lips, the sound tingling against the skin of his companion's thumb and dragging his reluctant eyes away from the scrolls once more.

"Well, you don't have to worry, then." The Little Conqueror smiled, and the change seemed to bring a new degree of warmth to his countenance, chasing the shadows away better than the lamp or the moonlight had managed. "I'm still all for leading it."

The swordsman shook his head but remained silent, returning the Sun lord's gaze with a gravity that found expression in the thin line of his frown, and the young officer just continued to smile, letting his strategist's fingers wander through his chestnut bangs and push them back so that nothing diminished the glitter of the oil flame in his waiting amber eyes. The flood of moonlight crept stealthily along the floor until it covered the master of Wu's lightly kicking feet, and Zhou Yu watched their movement with his lips pressed together, trying to sort through the anxiety and lingering resentment that his commander's quiet company was slowly disintegrating. At last Sun Ce sighed, and he turned over to lie full on his stomach against the floor, both arms stretched out above his head.

"You know what I'm gonna do as soon as I get back? From Wanling, I mean."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow, leaning back on one palm as his other hand massaged circles into the young officer's back. The Sun lord rolled his shoulders in a loose shrug and tipped his head to the side, glancing up to catch his strategist's gaze.

"I'm going to write you a letter. I'm going to write a big 'I told you so' on a piece of paper and send it to you. And as soon as you get back from Baqiu, I'm going to say it again. Again and again, as long as it takes you to believe me."

Zhou Yu rolled his eyes, easing the tension away from his commander's shoulders with experienced fingers though he didn't bother to dignify the declaration with a response. Sun Ce's feet flopped back against the floor, each slipper scraping the bricks no louder than the wind whispering through the open window, and his heavy exhale ricocheted through the dark warrior's thigh, rearranging the fabric of his shirt where it slumped across his soldier's frame.

"Yep, that's what I'll do," the young officer announced with a decisive nod of his head, the strands of his ponytail tickling where they slid against his companion's hand. "And then I think I'll kiss you, just to prove my point."

Zhou Yu scoffed under his breath and the Little Conqueror turned over in response, folding his arms under his head in a makeshift pillow as the swordsman's hand drifted to rest over his heart. The strategist tried to focus all of his attention on the soft throbbing under his fingers as the Sun lord smiled up at him, the expression resonating through his brilliant eyes and in the warmth the dark warrior could feel radiating into his skin with every heartbeat that passed between them. Sun Ce shifted and wrapped one arm around his swordsman's waist, tangling his hand into the long, dark hair that fell down his companion's back and tugging a little as he wound the strands around his tan fingers.

"We've got so much left to do here, Yu."

His voice was like a prophecy in the darkness, brighter than the flailing oil flame and more soothing than the moonlight slowly consuming them in its movement across the floor. Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line and the young officer raised a hand to trace them, following the contours of his bruised cheek as the familiar smile grew more powerful with every flicker of the lamp it absorbed. The Sun lord laughed.

"There are all these new challenges waiting for us out there, and there's still a lot of fighting to do. Just thinking about it makes me excited. I'm not gonna let anything stop me. So you don't have to worry, okay?" The swordsman opened his mouth to answer, but the words died on his tongue and he closed it without speaking. Sun Ce shook him a little, pressing closer in his embrace. "Okay?" he prompted again, amber eyes glowing with reassurance, and despite himself Zhou Yu found his shoulders slumping from their rigid posture, the knot of worry in his stomach fading just slightly as he stared into the confident contours of his companion's face.

Finally the strategist had no choice but to sigh, his hand moving to trail through the bright red ribbon and the chestnut ponytail it contained, the shake of his head as soft as his touch. "I'll be waiting for that letter," he murmured, pale fingers tracing the line of his commander's jaw. The Sun lord grinned, leaning into his touch with a cheerful wink.

"No problem – I'd never pass up a chance to rub something in your face. As soon as I get back, I promise."

The swordsman nodded, obsidian eyes losing a little of their shadow as the rough cut of granite in his chest thawed back toward the heart it had been before the afternoon's argument and accompanying anxiety. For a moment, the young officer was content just to watch him, smiling like a beacon of encouragement in the darkness of midnight – then he stretched above his head and rolled up into a sitting position, his back hand braced against the floor as he tipped his head to one side.

"So… are you still mad at me?"

Zhou Yu hesitated, but his silence drew a sulk onto the Little Conqueror's face and at last the strategist rolled his eyes, one hand rising to brush against the line of his companion's cheek. "No," he muttered, and Sun Ce's smile slipped into a full grin once more, chasing the shadowed wind away from his features as the oil lamp flickered in his burning gaze.

"Then you'll come back to bed with me, right?"

The swordsman glanced at his unfinished paperwork, and the Sun lord shook his shoulder to pull the onyx eyes back to his own, his expression melting into a pout as the moonlight slid across his legs.

"Give me a break, Yu. You're going on campaign tomorrow. Get at least one good night's sleep first."

Zhou Yu's lips curved into a slight frown, his gaze moving between the pile of scrolls and the insistent contours of his commander's face. He briefly debated trying to come to a compromise between the two, but the silence went on long enough that the lord of Wu decided to take the initiative himself – the tonfa master huffed as he pushed himself back to his feet, snatching the lamp from the table and taking a backward step toward the door. The strategist blinked at the sudden disappearance of his work station's light, and from across the room Sun Ce shot him a playful smile, jiggling the lamp back and forth so that the flame flickered precariously in its bronze bed.

"Come on, Yu," the young officer coaxed, unable to contain the undertone of amusement running through his words. "One night off won't kill you. This'll all be right here when you get back from Baqiu – nobody's gonna touch it, I swear."

Zhou Yu glared at him, but his commander remained unfazed, another step toward the door his only response. Their eyes battled back and forth through the midnight air for another moment – but the Sun lord had the advantage and eventually his dark warrior found he had no choice but to sigh, giving his companion another hard look as he rose to his feet and worked the cracks out of his spine.

Sun Ce grinned in triumph, and as the swordsman crossed to his side the young officer reached out and caught his hand, pulling his reluctant strategist out the door and into the corridor before he could change his mind. Zhou Yu cast his irritated eyes up to the ceiling as they walked through the long deserted corridors, the torchlight and the breeze through the open windows their only company – but in spite of his intended annoyance at the disruption, he found that the Sun lord's fingers felt much better between his than the cold brush had, and he couldn't help massaging the tan skin as the echoes of their footsteps preceded them down the hallway.

The tonfa master sent him a smile over one shoulder, and as the silence of the sleeping estate closed in around them the dark warrior felt the last trickles of anxiety and frustration disappearing inside of him, banished by his companion's touch and the warmth that always came with it.

Wu's leading officers proceeded through the residence in silence, their inevitable footfalls the only challenge to the quiet of a peaceful spring night and the scent of the crabapple blossoms wafting through the palace's hallways. When they finally reached the door to their temporary quarters, it was to find that the moon had beaten them there, already spreading a coverlet of light across the unmade bed. It shone through the window like a disk of white jade, surmounting the garden trees that stood as silent sentries outside, and the Little Conqueror whistled in approval before releasing his strategist's hand and dousing the lamp, his eyes shining just as brightly without the tiny flame.

"Guess we don't need this after all…"

The Sun lord dropped the bronze vessel onto a side table and began readying for bed, his aimless humming filling the room with slightly off-key music as his silk jacket slumped into a pool on the floor, shimmering like the moonlight. Zhou Yu pulled the door shut and followed his companion's example, heading for the trunk that held his sleeping robe as one hand worked at the ties along the front of his shirt.

Long before he finished, the master of Wu got in his way, slipping into his embrace and sliding both bare arms around his neck. The swordsman raised an eyebrow in silent inquiry, and Sun Ce smiled at him, tangling his hands through the dark warrior's hair.

"How about I show you I'm at a hundred percent?" the young officer suggested with a slight smirk, leaning up to clarify the offer with butterfly kisses against his strategist's colorful jaw. Zhou Yu balked, incredulity docking in his eyes even as one arm rose to wind around his companion's waist.

"Weren't you the one who advised I get a full night's sleep?" he countered, and the challenge earned a childish face and a laugh from the Sun lord wrapped around him.

"Oh, come on. You weren't planning on sleeping anyway. As soon as I was out, you were gonna sneak back to your office."

The swordsman raised an eyebrow at the amused defense, but his eyes found the young officer's and admitted silently that they knew each other almost too well. Sun Ce twisted a strand of his strategist's hair around his finger, his hands playing in the cascading shadow as he leaned up to bump their noses together.

"I'm not going to see you for three weeks, Yu. Aren't you at least going to miss me?"

The moonlight and the midnight air around them had taken on the texture of red silk, soft and heavy and warm despite the gentle whisper of the wind, and Zhou Yu found he couldn't fight the tiny smile drifting across his lips. "You…" he began, but he lost the words halfway, everything he'd been planning to say shooting like sparks between his eyes and the Little Conqueror's, a bridge between amber and obsidian glittering with the distant stars. The young officer grinned and relaxed into his embrace as the pale arms pulled him so close that the dark warrior could feel their combined heartbeat throbbing against his skin. Sun Ce laughed.

"Kiss me already."

And Zhou Yu did.

.x.

Dawn came too soon. When Wu's leading strategist raised his head from the chaos of pillows and sheets that his bed had become, blinking at the influx of light settling across the floor of his quarters, it was to find that the sun was already rising, peeking through the arms of the crabapple trees outside as it made a slow ascent from the horizon into a sky relinquishing reds and brilliant yellows to the clear blue of a beautiful spring morning. Outside, the garden was awash with shafts of mist drifting down between the boughs, and the dew decorated the sill of their open window like entwining webs of mother-of-pearl, each of the water drops sparkling in the light of the shyly climbing sun.

Zhou Yu raised a hand to stifle his yawn and shook himself as best he could, chasing the sleep that a short night had not cured away from his hazy onyx eyes. His immediate inclination was to roll over and drift off again, as disinclined to fully regain consciousness as he was to leave the warmth of his position, but already the responsibilities of the dawning day were flitting through his mind, the long years as a soldier putting duty far before preference on his list of priorities. Huang Zu's forces wouldn't wait for his arrival, and Han Dang was already running up against his limits…

The swordsman took a moment longer to collect himself, and then he pushed away from the mattress, leaving the tangle of blankets and Sun Ce's arms behind him. His movement drew a displeased moan from the young officer, who curled in on himself in search of lost warmth, but the dark warrior cast him only a fleeting glance before he moved across the room to dress, pulling on his riding clothes and flicking the disheveled strands of his hair back over his shoulder.

By the time he had finished and regained some semblance of presence of mind, the red halo of the sun had faded back to pure white, and its light against the walls encouraged him to hurry in the last of his preparations, earlier intentions to leave at dawn flitting through his thoughts. Zhou Yu dropped his saddlebag against the doorframe and turned to glance around the room for any last belongings, and as he did so the figure still encased in jumbled sheets gave a tremendous yawn, one amber eye cracking open to survey him in sleepy confusion.

"…Yu?"

The strategist gave an inaudible sigh, moving to sit at the edge of the bed and sweeping the mess of his commander's bangs away from his untroubled forehead. Sun Ce shifted closer and one arm flopped across the dark warrior's lap, holding the swordsman in place with clumsy fingers knotted through his sleeve.

"You leaving?"

Zhou Yu nodded in answer to the nearly incoherent mumble, and the Sun lord curled toward him, snuggling into his side to block out the light of the sun and the day coming with it.

"Mm…"

The strategist smiled to himself, but the expression faded as one hand reached down to brush the scar marring his companion's neck, the healing tissue unnaturally smooth against his fingertips. "Be careful in Wanling," he instructed again, onyx eyes narrowing a little as the weight of anxiety returned to his stomach. The young officer waved him off, dragging the covers tighter around himself so that he looked as though he'd been wrapped in a silkworm cocoon.

"Yeah, yeah…"

A moment passed by in silence, standing motionless as the swordsman swept snarled strands of chestnut hair away from the curve of his commander's jaw and the Little Conqueror breathed in the quiet morning air, his mouth just open with every inhale. Then Sun Ce rolled onto his back and blinked up at his companion through the rays of the rising sun, a drowsy smile playing across his lips and echoing in his half-lidded eyes.

"Hey… when you come back, will you go through Danyang?" Zhou Yu nodded again, and the Sun lord's smile brightened, lighting up his face more completely than the dawn. "Bring me some of those lemon cakes?" he asked, the words half a request and half a hopeful statement.

The strategist rolled his eyes, but he reached out to brush the young officer's bangs back and answered nonetheless, his hand skimming the soft lines of the tonfa master's jaw. "All right," he assented, and Sun Ce grinned, reaching forward to hug his swordsman around the middle.

"I love you," the Sun lord murmured, and Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow, one hand trailing through the cascade of the mussed chestnut ponytail as the other settled over his companion's.

"You love me, or you love Danyang's lemon cakes?" The swordsman's mild inquiry pulled another laugh from the young officer's lips, and his amber eyes flickered with the fire of the fading sunrise as he shrugged, his fingers lost in the folds of the dark warrior's shirt.

"Can't I love you both?"

Zhou Yu shook his head, but he didn't bother to answer, an unintentional smile flitting over his expression as he studied the Little Conqueror's satisfied features. The sound of hurried footsteps clattering first one way and then the other in the hallway outside pulled his obsidian gaze to the tightly closed door, and the strategist sighed as he rose from the bed, drawing Sun Ce's unfocused eyes after him.

"I should go."

The road to Baqiu was not a short one, and the hours of the journey promised to be long, a week in transit if they made good time – and the later he left, the longer it would take to arrive, a delay Han Dang might not be able to overcome. But the Sun lord reached up to catch his hand and the swordsman had no will to pull away, turning back to meet the playful gaze as the master of Wu tugged on his captive arm.

"Hey. Aren't you gonna kiss me goodbye?"

Zhou Yu couldn't help shaking his head again, but he moved back to the bed and did as requested, bending to meet the young officer's lips for a long moment before slow steps propelled him toward the door. A glowing smile fell across Sun Ce's face, and the strategist watched him with unwavering eyes as his companion snuggled back into the blankets, his features half obscured by the edge of a rogue pillow protruding from the nest of bedding.

The Sun lord yawned, blinking heavily as he observed his dark warrior's retreat. "Catch ya later, Yu," the young officer murmured, and Zhou Yu felt himself smiling, one hand reaching down to grab his saddlebag as the other hesitated against the doorframe.

"Goodbye."

Sun Ce waved at him, tan fingers crinkling with the familiar motion, and despite his parting sentiment the swordsman studied him for a minute in silence, letting his gaze trace the customary expression and the brilliant amber eyes glittering beneath his tousled bangs. Then Zhou Yu turned away and exited into the corridor, letting the door fall shut behind him and abandoning that beautiful smile to the warmth of the gathering sunrise.

End Chapter 45

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Well, here we go… moving into the last saga of this incredibly lengthy story. Another long chapter – I hope no one minds. I'll try to update soon; this update only took about a week and a half, but the next one may be a little longer, depending on my schedule. Comments and reviews are always welcome. Thanks for reading.

A note for Morsmordre: Thank you for pointing that out. I do proofread the chapters before they go up, but it seems like I always miss something. I've changed it now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter – thanks again for reviewing.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Sorry it made you cry, though I am honored that I am able to evoke that kind of emotion with fictional characters and words on a page. Whether Lu Xun actually figured out their relationship or not, he has his suspicions now, and beyond that… well, that's your choice to fill in. I hope you enjoyed this chapter, though I'm afraid there isn't very much left that isn't emotionally straining. Thank you for reviewing.

A note for Crazy Insanity: Dramatic? I suppose so. Did you think I was going to kill Sun Ce that starkly? Well, for what it's worth, Chen Hao was wrong – Zhou Yu will finish his story. And as to Zhou Yu's reactions over Sun Ce's death… I guess you'll just have to wait and see. I'm glad you liked Xiao Qiao's character development. It always seemed to me that someone like her would mellow out so much if given a child to take care of, so I took care to write him in, as well because the complication of Zhou Yu's position in that situation made it interesting to write. That, and I hadn't really written a toddler yet – always an experience. And yes, Lu Meng is a softie under his Grinch façade; that's part of what makes him such an enjoyable character to play off of. I hope Lu Xun's ability to take control wasn't too sudden – he struck me as the sort of person who would seem really shy and uncertain until he was called on to rise up, and then he'd be as capable as the rest of them. I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well.


	48. Chapter 46

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX to a very minor extent).

A/N: **Warning – this chapter contains a character death.**

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Secession – Part 45 

Baqiu was not as pleasant as Yangzhou had been. Spring in the western reaches of Wu had brought torrents of rain instead of sunshine, and everything in Han Dang's temporary camp was dirty, cold, and wet. The clouds railing overhead had kept up a steady downpour ever since Zhou Yu's arrival three days earlier, and the earth beneath the soldiers' tents and their makeshift stable was nothing but mud, a gradually worsening mire that sucked at the boots of anyone traversing it and made each stride a struggle for freedom. The moisture above the ground had settled into a sinister mist, though the clouds were so low that the fog might only have been an extension of their lowest curls; moving around in the limited visibility was a trial most of the men now avoided whenever possible, and the camp was silent as death, only the occasional splatter of footsteps breaking through the dreary silence of the storm.

All in all, the strategist would be glad to get back to the center of the empire and the warmth of a kinder spring as soon as circumstances allowed. Where he stood in the command tent, bent over a half-hearted table of barrels and stolen boards that Han Dang was using to keep his scrolls out of the muck, the rain was only a handspan from his head against the sagging fabric of the tent, and the incessant pounding would have been more than enough to give him a headache if the rest of the situation hadn't already managed that. The swordsman gritted his teeth against the damp cold seeping into his bones as he perused the map laid out in front of him, the edges of their territory and the location of Huang Zu's forces barely discernible through the lines of smudged ink that were inevitable in this kind of weather.

How he was expected to plan an attack when scouts couldn't even be sent out to survey the terrain was a question the dark warrior would have liked to put to the person in charge. But as that was himself, there was little to be gained by asking and less by putting off the inevitable, so he'd been wading through Han Dang's minimal intelligence reports for the previous three days, leaving the allocation and management of the new recruits who'd come with him squarely in the veteran general's hands.

As far as Zhou Yu could tell, the only blessing of the situation was that Huang Zu's army was equally hampered by the infernal weather and hadn't tried to launch a surprise attack against the Wu forces when they would have been most vulnerable to it. That wasn't much to smile about, however, and it wasn't an advantage at all – which left him right back where he'd started, sorting through the scraps of information the scout parties had managed to collect before the rain set in and trying to construct some semblance of a battle plan from that.

The swordsman sighed, the sound half exasperated and half exhausted, and one pale hand came up to run through his hair, sweeping the clammy strands away from his obsidian eyes as he dragged another set of papers to the forefront of the workstation. Conditions in Baqiu were perfect for nothing but disease and misery, and an attack from either side of the battlefield seemed doomed to failure, but he retrieved a brush from amid the rabble of documents and sketched a line between the northwestern hills anyway, indicating a rough path of advance toward the stain he assumed to be Huang Zu's main camp.

In all likelihood, the trials of the empire would pull him west again before the assault on Liu Biao's former officer actually occurred, which was a little ironic considering how useless the strategist's advice would probably prove to be in combat – but Han Dang was a capable general, if short on supplies and currently low in morale, and he would have to trust the veteran to be a skilled improviser as well.

As though summoned by his thoughts, there was a great splattering of approaching footsteps and then the tent flap flew open behind him, drawing the dark warrior's gaze to the dripping officer who had invaded his shelter and brought a wave of windblown rain along with him. Zhou Yu straightened from his contemplation and Han Dang shot him a damp smile, one battle-scarred hand coming up to brush the tenacious raindrops out of his charcoal eyes.

"Not the nicest weather we're having," the veteran remarked mildly, stamping his drenched boots against the pooling mud of the doorway and sending splatters of the mired earth up to decorate his battle tunic. The swordsman snorted under his breath but said nothing, turning back to his papers as the general moved to stand beside him, water dripping down his folded arms to muddle the unsuspecting ink of the documents. Han Dang released a heavy sigh, his palm chasing back the raven hair that had escaped from his bun. "I've had to call off training today – accursed climate. Any luck in here?"

Zhou Yu shook his head a little, flicking the brush back and forth between fingers as restless as the obsidian eyes above them. "Not much. I've identified a possible line of advance, but without further information I'm afraid that's all I can do. At present it looks most advantageous to move along the creek, as Huang Zu should be avoiding that area…"

His fingertip traced the line of the stream where it lay in muted curves between the prominent hills of the parchment terrain, but he drew back when the paper became soggy, the misplaced raindrops leaving an ink stain against his pale flesh. The strategist put a hand to his chin, dark eyes narrowing in exasperation as he second-guessed himself for the fourth time that afternoon.

"However, the weather being what it is, there's a chance that this area will be flooding. You'll have to adapt to the situation as you go – and it may mean climbing a few of the rises to get around. Before you move out, make certain to secure a supply route… retreat may not be easy once you leave this area." Zhou Yu rubbed absently at his frustrated temples, the headache beneath them bothering him almost as much as the storm overhead. "If you don't plan to advance in the next few days, we should consider moving the camp. We're in a low area here, and it won't take much more rain before the river becomes a hazard…"

At his side, Han Dang shifted, nodding a little before his eyes flitted up to the swordsman's drawn features. "I understand, Zhou Yu. We'll be careful." The veteran paused, and for a long moment the rain was the only sound between them, two pairs of serious eyes meeting through the dark, clammy air. Then the Tiger's officer sighed and ran a hand over his tightly bound hair, earning a raised eyebrow from the younger man at his side as a half-smile slid across his lips. "You're planning to leave ahead of schedule, then?"

Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line at the question, the shadows of the silenced afternoon darkening his features as he nodded. "I may stay another week, but…" The strategist shook his head once, his hands solidifying to fists as he gazed across the open maps and the wealth of documents surrounding them. "There's nothing more I can do here. When the army advances, victory will depend more on improvisation than an established plan, and you've far more battle experience than I."

Han Dang chuckled, the soft sound drowning beneath the voice of the howling storm and the weight of water bombarding the tent over their heads. "I suppose that's true, Zhou Yu. Nonetheless, we'll undoubtedly miss your intellect."

The swordsman shook his head again, a cynical smile creasing his expression as one hand brushed back his errant bangs. "I'm afraid my intellect has not been of much use to you so far. Unfortunately, that seems unlikely to change in the next few days, but I will do my best to provide you with a more comprehensive strategy before I leave."

The words were more serious than his offhand tone betrayed, and the sentiment drew a slight frown onto Han Dang's face, five thoughtful fingers rising to study his stubbled chin. For a moment, the charcoal eyes flickered with a light that Zhou Yu had only ever seen directed at Sun Ce before – an almost paternal concern that their veterans had inherited from the late Lord of Jiang Dong – and then it was gone, banished beneath a rough cough as Han Dang cleared his throat.

"Zhou Yu… ever since your arrival, you've seemed a little preoccupied."

There was technically no question attached to the statement, but as the strategist's gaze flitted up to find his comrade's countenance he could see that the unyielding stare was fixed on his face, scanning the circles under his eyes where they contrasted so sharply with his pale skin. The dark warrior sighed and his exhale ruffled the edges of the dampening papers before him, brushing the table with a restraint foreign to the raging storm outside.

"I haven't been sleeping well," he answered at last, reaching up to massage his temples though the motion seemed to have lost its ability to soothe headaches years before. Han Dang blinked, his lips angling into a considering frown.

"Is it the rain?"

"Mm." Zhou Yu flicked a few strands of hair over his shoulder and leaned forward across the maps, hiding his shadowed gaze in the contours of the smeared parchment. In actuality, the rain was the least of his problems – the demons that kept him awake were all inside of his skull, nowhere so tangible as falling from the sky above him.

As the weather had been fair until they arrived in Baqiu and the number of troops marching with him had been minimal, the swordsman's company had reached Han Dang and the foremost extension of the Wu army in just shy of a week, a full sunrise faster than he'd anticipated. It had been ten days now since he'd left Yangzhou behind, which meant eight days since Sun Ce had proposed to set out for Wanling on his reckless rescue mission. And although it was still early, Zhou Yu couldn't help the worry that had been steadily circling his stomach as the last few sunsets came to a close without delivering correspondence of any kind from the irrepressible Little Conqueror.

The strategist knew there were ten thousand different explanations for the letter that had not yet appeared in his hands. If he were honest with himself about the passage of time, ten days was about the minimum he could expect to wait for the transport of the communication in question, assuming that the Sun lord's campaign in Wanling had gone perfectly and Yu Ji had simply dropped dead upon his arrival. It was not unlikely that the master of Wu had been delayed leaving by the Qiao sisters' return to Yangzhou, or that the courier bearing his letter of triumph might take as long to reach Baqiu as the company had. Anything at all might have gotten in the way of a speedy delivery…

And then there was always the possibility that Sun Ce had neglected to send the letter at all, or that he'd gotten distracted by his homecoming and the messenger's departure had been subsequently pushed back – in which case, the young officer would be receiving another stern lecture as soon as his swordsman returned from the front. Zhou Yu was strongly considering giving his rebellious companion one of those regardless of how quickly the letter reached him, because every day without the victorious piece of parchment in his hands was reminding the dark warrior just how bad an idea the campaign had been in the first place.

There were ten thousand things that could have gone wrong. Of them all, Zhou Yu was only afraid of one – but that fear alone was strong enough to keep him up at night, listening to the jade rain splintering against his roof and praying to the storm-strangled sky for fast communication.

A heavy hand on his shoulder and the first flash of lightning in the heavens above pulled the strategist's wandering thoughts back to the dim tent around him; he glanced up to see that Han Dang's eyebrows had knit together in idle concern, darkening his features so that through the shadowed air his face was like a ceremonial mask, solemn beneath a corresponding frown. The veteran general cleared his throat again, and a far-off growl of thunder swallowed the sound, echoing through the slatted folds of the rain and rendering his usually strong voice almost inaudible.

"Take a break, Zhou Yu. You haven't left this tent since yesterday." Han Dang sighed into a kind if tired smile, the expression amplifying what little light there was in his sincere charcoal eyes as he patted the young swordsman on the back. "If you can't work with these reports, I'll have to find a few more – that's all there is to it. Get some sleep tonight, and I'll send the scouts out again."

Zhou Yu was tempted to tell Han Dang that his avoidance of the shelter functioning as a makeshift barrack had less to do with a commitment to paperwork and considerably more to do with the thoughts that threatened to consume him every time he closed his eyes, images of Sun Ce's injuries two months ago flashing across his mind in reds and whites that became starker with each repetition. But the strategist swallowed a sigh and opted for a simpler reply instead, brushing back his bangs as another sharp flare of lightning amplified the tension building behind his temples.

"There's no need to put the soldiers in danger, Han Dang." The dark warrior leaned back on his heels and crossed his arms over his chest, obsidian eyes narrowing half in thought and half in irritation at the headache ricocheting like thunder within the confines of his skull. "They've had a difficult enough tenure here without that. I'll continue working with these maps – it's possible that I only need more time."

Time and a miracle. But he left the second condition silent and let the rain overtake his voice again, filling the tent with the song of the spring storm and the sound of water drowning the sodden earth outside. Zhou Yu retrieved his brush and made a few more noncommittal strokes along the slats of a well-smeared scroll, watching the black tics run uselessly into one another so that the marks, had they really meant anything to begin with, would have been fully illegible now. The swordsman sighed through his teeth and gave Baqiu's waterlogged representation a firm glare. It was almost as though the map were imitating the actual condition of western Wu, obscuring its inked geography in much the same manner as the actual storm was getting in his way.

For a long minute, neither of the officers spoke, each of them staring at the stained documents as though the lay of the land and the arrangement of enemy forces might suddenly rise up and make themselves clear through the approximate smudges and well-worn creases of the coarse paper. At last Han Dang exhaled and moved to sit on the opposite side of the table, dropping onto the off-balance stool so heavily that he nearly took the wooden tripod over with him. The veteran laughed in surprise and Zhou Yu made no comment, staring at the useless brush in his hand and remembering once when he had flung a similar implement at Sun Ce to earn his peace and quiet – then Han Dang's voice spilled into the air once again, so quiet that it was barely discernible above the pounding gale.

"Those men you brought with you… they aren't bad, for recruits, but they haven't had nearly enough training." The strategist glanced up to find his comrade's serious eyes, blinking a little at the offhand comment. The veteran general nodded softly, almost as though to himself, and shifted to brace his feet more steadily against the dampening ground. "They're not ready for the front line. If I use them in battle now, they'll only die. You'll have to take them back with you when you go."

Zhou Yu straightened from the inadequate maps to regard Han Dang with his full attention, his handsome features darkening beneath the weight of a thoughtful frown. "They're that incompetent?" The older officer nodded again, using his teeth to pull calluses from his palm.

"I'm afraid so. I don't know how long they were in Niuqiao, but it wasn't long enough."

The swordsman sighed, one hand rising to rub the bridge of his nose at the string of misfortunes that just hadn't seemed to stop since snowmelt. "I'll have a word with Lu Meng about that," the strategist muttered, giving the cloth of the waterlogged tent a severe glare in place of the bad-tempered warrior who was in charge of training new soldiers. He turned back to the general with a far less accusing stare, the seriousness of their discussion placing his ink brush back against the overflowing tabletop. "Are you certain you can't find any use for them? I have no other reinforcements to bring you right now."

Han Dang grimaced, the shadows of the sodden afternoon making his expression harsher in the muted light of the drowning sun. "I don't need many. If there were even a palace guard with a little more experience that we could substitute…"

Zhou Yu shook his head, catching the somber charcoal eyes above the wrinkles of the disarrayed maps. "You know the empire is stretched to its limit as it is. Few of the palaces have standing forces anymore, except for Yangzhou. There are simply no more soldiers to be had." The veteran pursed his lips but said nothing, and the dark warrior waited a moment before shaking his head again, his long hair barely stirring under the weight of the damp air. "I'm sorry, Han Dang. I know the situation is not ideal at present."

Han Dang nodded and leaned back on his stool, and another lightning strike sent flickers of a life of war flashing over his face. "I understand. But there's no need for them to die uselessly – take them back to Niuqiao, at least. Let Lu Meng have another go."

The swordsman watched him in silence, studying the hard contours of his face and the experience weathered into his skin in deep lines – and to Zhou Yu it seemed as though he could see thousands of other military scenarios like this one playing out across the general's memory, each one a distinct patch in the fabric of his experience. Then Han Dang shook himself, and in an instant the mirage was gone, disappearing into the rain-shadowed air as a coarse hand came up to brush his unshaven chin.

"Your wife and her sister must be in Yangzhou as well, then. They've moved south from Lingnan by now?" The strategist nodded, and his comrade chuckled into the late afternoon, shooting the dark warrior a quick wink across the makeshift table. "Ah – no wonder you're so eager to get back there. More interesting things in the heart of the empire than way out here."

There were. They went by the name of Sun Ce, and Zhou Yu was more and more certain that he would be binding the Little Conqueror in question for the remainder of his recommended bed rest, as that was likely the only way to force his cooperation and secure his anxious swordsman's peace of mind. But that wasn't the response Han Dang was anticipating, and it seemed best to keep the words firmly behind his teeth where they couldn't ignite the coals of worry and frustration glowing in his stomach into a full blaze – so the strategist didn't answer at all, and after a moment the veteran was forced to resume the train of conversation himself, a gentle cough dispelling the silence that had descended between them with the weight of the deepening mist outside.

"You must have enjoyed seeing your wife in Lingnan. It seems that your paths rarely cross these days."

There was a note of earnest, sympathetic goodwill in the general's observation, and Zhou Yu felt he had no choice but to answer, rifling through the stacks of useless paperwork to disperse the open-ended anticipation that lay beneath the other man's words. "I'm afraid I was a little distracted in Lingnan," the swordsman murmured, his fingers tightening around the documents as a memory of Sun Ce struggling to breathe beneath a crimson sea flickered through his mind. The strategist shook his head sharply. It wouldn't come that close ever again – and if that meant accompanying the Sun lord on whatever idiotic exploits struck his fancy for the rest of their lives, it would be a small price to pay in order to ensure his safety…

Han Dang was quiet for a long moment, and his features seemed lost in the depths of thought, though Zhou Yu couldn't have guessed what occupied his steady mind from the marble contours of his unchanging expression. Then the veteran straightened in his seat and sent the younger warrior a slight smile across the table, the curve of his lips just a little forced at the corners.

"Well… you had a chance to see your son, at least. How is Xuan?"

The swordsman stiffened, and then he cursed himself for stiffening and forced his muscles to relax, noticing at once the way Han Dang's hawkish eyes had narrowed upon registering his reaction. The strategist gritted his teeth and leaned forward to push a crop of papers aside in a semblance of organization; he forced his movements to remain measured despite the gaze that was now leveled on his stoic face, intense with a scrutiny that he could feel even while his eyes scanned the useless documents. Zhou Yu took a moment to collect himself, and then he straightened back to his full height and returned the older general's stare with a composure that didn't match his wary heartbeat, each breath trying to calculate the correct length of pause before he was required to respond.

"He is well. But he prefers his mother's company to mine, so we did not spend a great deal of time together."

It likely wasn't a lie, though the dark warrior had been surprised and a little unnerved by the child's insistent attachment to him during their brief contact in Lingnan. But the answer only raised Han Dang's brow, the general's expression solid as stone around his careful, contemplative eyes. Silence filled the command tent once again and hung suspended like a curtain as the two officers of Wu considered each other through the murk of the railing storm; then the veteran let out a heavy breath and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, charcoal gaze following the shadows that lined the swordsman's tightened jaw.

"Zhou Yu… there's something I've been meaning to ask you for over a year now. I've never found the right time…" Han Dang paused to shake his head, a slight smile flitting over his lips before the overwhelming battery of the storm chased it away again. "I suppose this is not the right time either, but…"

Zhou Yu felt as though a rod had been shoved down his spine, and the tension that came with the general's light words pulled him straighter in his stance, narrowing twin obsidian eyes in guarded apprehension. "What are you talking about?" he asked, the question nearly disappearing under the whistle of the wind.

The veteran pressed his lips into a thin line, his gaze trailing to the muddied floor and the uneven legs of his makeshift table, and for a moment the strategist wondered if he were even going to finish, hesitation and resolve chasing each other across his weathered face. At last Han Dang looked up again, his expression vulnerable with honest indecision.

"Do you remember the night Xuan was born?"

The swordsman's back had gone rigid as a wooden plank, stiffening his shoulders painfully tight beneath his battle tunic – and if the wary feeling coalescing in his stomach was any indication of where the conversation was going, Zhou Yu wanted nothing to do with it. But Han Dang's eyes were waiting for an answer, and the dark warrior cleared his throat before speaking, his tone even despite the sudden chill that seemed to have taken hold of the air around them.

"Yes, I do."

What other response was there? As long as he lived, he was going to remember how Lu Meng's child felt in his arms, how unexpectedly light the boy had been and the unwarranted smile lighting his ruby, wrinkled features – the long walk to the temple through sleeting rain like the rain above them now, and the way Sun Ce's selfish impulses always seemed to make things so simple.

But what he was remembering more clearly than ever was Han Dang's contemplative silence and the fleeting look of consideration in the veteran's eyes – sentiments that the shadows had reinstated across his features, glowing like the sparks of distant watch fires as the general's brow drew together in thoughtful furrows.

"That night… what Lord Shi Huang said about your wife being in Niuqiao all winter while you and Sun Ce were fighting Yan Baihu…"

Han Dang stopped and studied the young strategist with a careful gaze, and Zhou Yu held his features steady, refusing to surrender his composure under the gentle scrutiny. The silence stretched on for a moment longer before the veteran laughed a little, a breathless and sympathetic sound that echoed like the rolling thunder beneath the trampling waves of the storm.

"Listen, Zhou Yu – I'm not trying to cause trouble. There are a number of things that aren't my business, and a good many more I've no right to know. I understand that loving a beautiful woman can make you overlook a lot of things, especially when we're away at battle so much of the time." Han Dang shook his head again, a sliver of memory dashing through his coal-black eyes in the wake of the lightning. "Trust me, I've lived long enough to make my own mistakes—"

"What are you asking me, Han Dang?"

Sun Jian's veteran started a little at the interruption, his eyes leaping up to find the swordsman's as the terse syllables rang through the air in cacophony to the storm, and Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, ignoring the near uncountable rules of protocol he had breached as he returned his older comrade's astonished stare. The Qiao sisters had told him that his protection was all Xuan required, and he was doing his best to provide that – but the longer the general talked, the more opportunities there were for a slip of the tongue, and he already wasn't sure how to answer the impending question. Han Dang had been with them in Fengqiao for the battle against Yan Baihu, and there would be no explaining an absence he hadn't taken into the fabric of the man's memory…

Han Dang shifted in his seat and his eyes narrowed as he peered through the shadows of the gathering storm, studying the dark warrior across from him with a small, calculating frown that sent sparks of concern through the strategist's stomach. But before he could so much as open his mouth, the splatter of nearby hooves and a horse's distressed whinny pulled both of their attention to the camp outside, sharpening Zhou Yu's frown and pulling the veteran general to his feet as a series of shouts rang out in the cold, waterlogged air.

"Halt! State your name and purpose!"

There was an answer too quiet to be intelligible, and then the sound of something hitting the mud-soaked earth, and the two officers exchanged a glance across the wasteland of abandoned paperwork, Han Dang fingering the dagger at his belt as the swordsman's obsidian eyes shot to the tent wall rippling with the effect of the unrepentant winds. Before the Tiger's loyal retainer could draw his weapon or the strategist raise his voice, the tent flap in front of them burst open and delivered a sopping soldier into the midst of the shelter, raindrops flying from him as he came to a stop in the muddied doorway and dropped his head in a low bow.

"Lord Zhou Yu! Message for you from Yangzhou, sir."

A tremendous sigh escaped the dark warrior's lips, and he felt for a second as though he might simply collapse from the weight of worry lifting away from his shoulders and momentarily closing his onyx eyes. "Thank the gods," Zhou Yu muttered, his voice barely audible above the worsening squall and the soft rhythm of his footfalls toward the exit. "Where is it?"

The soldier blinked, his surprise at his superior's impatient inquiry showing on his face as Han Dang shifted and made his way around the temporary table. "I… I left it with the courier, sir. He's just outside. He seemed to be in a hurry, but I didn't realize—"

"It's fine."

Four steps took him level of the infantryman, and with another he was in the doorway, the sound of the rain intensifying as though to warn him for what was coming. The swordsman ducked past the sodden flap of the entrance and surrendered to the force of the storm without a second thought, and in an instant he was soaked to the skin, his dark hair plastered to pale flesh by the gale that simply refused to ebb. The horse was waiting away to his left, its nervous hooves pawing at the drowning soil as its master held the saturated reins, and he headed in that direction, the soldier's protesting voice and Han Dang's low footsteps following him like shadows.

"Sir, wait – if you'll wait just a moment, I'll retrieve it for you—"

Zhou Yu had been waiting ten days already. If getting soaked would put the letter in his hands five seconds faster, it was a small price to pay for the release that only Sun Ce's teasing, overconfident correspondence would give him, the four words he'd been anticipating, for the first time in his life, without disapproval. If the rain got into his bones and chilled him so badly that he couldn't sleep peacefully for a week, it would still be worth the reassurance his whole campaign in Baqiu had been lacking, the spark that wound its way through whatever came in contact with the Sun lord's impatient hands…

The messenger looked up at his approach, and the strategist had to shake his head a little, noticing the dark circles under the man's eyes in spite of the shadowed air around them. As glad as he was to have the letter sooner rather than later, telling the courier that his errand was urgent might have been a bit of an undiplomatic move on the Little Conqueror's part. The rider looked as though he hadn't slept in days, which he likely wouldn't have done had he known the exact nature of his mission… Zhou Yu drew to a halt in front of the anxious horse and with half of his mind he heard Han Dang moving across the mired earth behind him, stopping just shy of his shoulder as the messenger dipped his head in a short bow.

"Lord Zhou Yu?" The dark warrior nodded, the fog of the assaulted campground bothering his eyes a little as the courier pulled out a small token and held it in his sopping palm, raindrops running in smooth arcs down the dull jade. "I was told you'd hold the opposite seal to this. I'm ordered to verify the identity of the receiver."

The swordsman felt his expression darkening somewhat with a slight frown, but he reached down and retrieved his token of office from his belt anyway, dropping the carved stone into the messenger's hand and receiving a short bow in return. Zhou Yu shook his head as the man fitted the two ends together, an impatience he was unaccustomed to sliding through his ribcage and into his hardened eyes. It was just like Sun Ce to play up the bureaucratic aspect of the delivery, to put so many formal conventions around one enormous 'I told you so,' but there was such a thing as being excessive…

Behind him, Han Dang shifted, one hand rising to clear his sopping bangs from a wrinkled forehead as the courier returned his superior's token and turned to dig into the saddlebags. "Who's the letter from?" The strategist glanced over one shoulder at the inquiry, resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the memory of his companion's childish declarations.

"It's from Sun—"

"The beautiful and dignified lady of the house of Wu, widow to Sun Jian and mother of my lord."

The messenger's answer made Zhou Yu pause in his response, and the fingers of the storm tightened around his heart as he turned back to face the waiting rider, obsidian eyes widening with a surprise that felt so uneasy in his stomach and sent a flicker of vulnerability across his face.

"Lady Wu?"

The man nodded, his features shading uncertain as he ran his free hand through his hair and sheltered the letter beneath the flap of his sleeve. "Yes, sir. That is, I was sent by her honored personage. I haven't read it, so I can't say for certain—"

That wasn't right. Sun Ce was an idiot and a prankster and there were unnecessary challenges he'd introduce to the delivery just for the sake of irritating his swordsman, but getting his mother involved wasn't one of them. The dark warrior's eyes narrowed and his hands clenched into unintentional fists, his pulse suddenly pounding as loud and as fast as the rain falling all around him. The Sun lord knew how worried he was going to be, and if the young officer had done this anyway just for the sake of sending another jolt of panic through his companion, Zhou Yu was going to wring his neck.

With a newly apprehensive hand, the strategist reached out to take the letter, turning his back to the wind and rain so that the parchment stayed as dry as his drenched fingers would allow. The paper felt like wax under his hold, slipping against the wealth of raindrops and the gale slowly disintegrating it from the outside edges in, and in his haste to get it open the swordsman tore away a portion of the bottom, flinging the blank shred into the storm swirling on all sides. The rainwater was running in his veins now, colder than the howling wind that sent a sharp shiver down his spine and made every breath a painful counterpoint to the uncertainty circling his stomach.

This wasn't funny, and if the teasing aspect of the Little Conqueror's personality had gotten the best of him in the composition of his letter, Zhou Yu was never going to forgive him—

Han Dang took a step closer in hesitant anxiety, his muscled frame blocking some of the storm that was wringing the dark warrior's clothing around him like a sopping flag. "Not the letter you were expecting?" he asked softly, coal-black eyes curious in the lines of his scoured face.

The strategist didn't answer. The paper had finally come open in his hands, and the four short columns of the message were arresting his gaze, his body so heavy that it felt as though it had turned to stone. The swordsman pressed his lips into a thin line, onyx eyes devouring the words he had hoped never to receive as his fingers turned to ice around the dissolving parchment, gripping Lady Wu's epistle as though his hands alone could undo the worry curling like a snake between his ribs, driving poison into his flesh to the time of his racing heartbeat.

_Master Zhou Yu,_

_Sun Ce has been wounded. Come as quickly as you can._

_Lady Wu_

Zhou Yu squeezed his eyes shut, praying that a miracle would erase the characters now locked forever into the folds of his memory – but only the rain did his bidding, sliding down the open parchment and smearing the ink into an illegible smudge. The dark warrior's hands tightened around the fading paper, and in his mind he cursed himself over and over, damning the lack of resolve that had let his selfish, foolish, reckless commander get away with exercising his whims one more time. Sun Ce was an idiot – an idiot, and he should never have let the master of Wu out of bed, let alone all the way to Wanling by himself—

"Zhou Yu?"

The strategist opened his eyes again, Han Dang's worried voice pulling him back from the cascade of useless thoughts to the rain-soaked camp and the gaze of the courier tracing his features, raven eyes unnerved by his silence. The swordsman swallowed hard, fighting down his heartbeat and the gravity settling like uncarved stone into his stomach as he turned to face the Tiger's veteran, his glance dashing between the general's patiently worried countenance and the nameless soldier who had come up beside him.

"Sun Ce's been injured."

Han Dang started, one hand leaping instinctively to his dagger as thunder smashed through the strangled heavens above them and the infantryman's mouth fell open in surprise. Then the soldier began to run, and as Han Dang's powerful voice rang through the stifled air Zhou Yu saw that the man was aiming for the stable, tearing the makeshift door open and disappearing into the darkness with a speed that seemed impossible over the quagmire of their camp.

"What? Injured, how? I thought he was in Yangzhou."

The swordsman shook his head, drops of water flying from him with the sharp motion that only worsened the tension and alarm turning in ever tightening circles beneath his pulsing heart. "He was. Something came up."

Something trivial – something the master of Wu should never have dealt with in his weakened state, and if he didn't think he'd be hurting Sun Ce more than himself the strategist would have jammed his sword through his chest in anger at his own stupidity, his own powerlessness to defy the indomitable will and the reassuring smile that always came with the Sun lord's worst ideas. The dark warrior spun to face Lady Wu's messenger, frightening the rider back a step with the vicious line of his frown.

"How long did it take you to get here?"

The courier sputtered, his eyes wide either with surprise or with fear, the distinction between which Zhou Yu didn't care enough to consider. "Th-three days, my lord. I rode as hard as I could—"

The strategist shook his head again, one hand running through his disheveled, sopping bangs as he pivoted back toward his fellow officer. "This is bad. This is very bad. Three days. He could already be—"

The dark warrior cut himself off, biting down on the tongue over which he was losing control and holding his breath against the tide of pure fear that his near admission sent crashing over him. Han Dang said nothing, his eyes as serious as the endless string of heedless, indistinct warnings running through the swordsman's blood as he ground his hands into fists, the nails diving into his palms like the barbs of an arrow point.

He didn't know how Sun Ce had been injured, or how badly, but Lady Wu's brevity was the worst signal of all, and the fact that the letter had been penned by her rather than the Little Conqueror meant that the young officer couldn't even sit up from his bed, provided he was conscious and even still breathing—

He was. He had to be.

Zhou Yu met the veteran's eyes and exhaled through his teeth, the sound harsher for the wind all around them and the adrenaline only growing more impatient inside of him, as thick now as his blood. "I have to go. I'll leave this in your hands." Han Dang only shook his head, resignation as dark as worry across his sodden face.

"I don't understand."

The strategist put one hand to his temple, his glance flitting to the stable again as the soldier reappeared leading his saddled horse, the animal flicking its ears against the rain and trotting to keep up with the infantryman's urgent steps. "I don't have time to explain," he snapped, anxiety burning so brightly in his veins that he was sure Han Dang could see it echoing through his obsidian eyes and consuming his stoic expression. "I have to go. He needs me there."

Or perhaps it was the other way around. Perhaps it was Zhou Yu who needed to hear that sheepish laugh and see that undimming smile so badly that the desire was driving his nails tighter into his palms, threatening to break the skin as the storm shrieked and lightning sent a shock of white light over the veteran's solemn features. Perhaps it was the swordsman who needed to fall down at the edge of his companion's bed and be so impossibly angry with the Little Conqueror, because so angry would be so much better than so, so worried, than so frightened that his dashing heartbeat seemed ready to propel the central muscle right out of his chest and into the unforgiving rain, into the storm that threatened to reach down and simply swallow him.

Han Dang's eyes were displeased, but the general remained silent, folding both arms over his chest as the horse came to a whickering halt beside the messenger's and Zhou Yu launched into its saddle, twining the reins around his fingers as though they were a lifeline, the last slippery cypress roots keeping him out of a flooding river. Lady Wu's courier took a step forward and put a hand against his mount's shivering neck, coal eyes serious but unsure in his countenance.

"Should I go with you, sir?"

Zhou Yu shook his head, pulling his horse in the direction of the exterior road and letting his eyes fall on the cluster of cloud-choked hills away to the east. "No. You're exhausted – you'll only slow me down. Stay here until you recover." And with no more warning than that, the anxiety in the strategist's stomach slammed his heels into the animal's flank, earning a whinny of surprise from the already soaking mount and a flurry of jumpstarted hoofbeats.

"Lord Zhou Yu!"

Through the wind screeching across his ears and the thunderstorm flashing above him, Zhou Yu couldn't tell who had shouted – but it didn't matter, and he didn't care, and in a flash of seconds he was out of the camp, the fog reeling back on both sides of him like a frothing sea as the horse tore its feet away from the sinister earth and headed east through the tumult of the spring squall. The swordsman ducked low to the animal's heaving flank and gritted his teeth, obsidian eyes flickering under the onslaught of raindrops that splattered over his face but brought no respite to the nest of fear and impatience writhing through his stomach like insidious serpents.

_Hold on, Ce. You have to hold on. I'm coming._

He was going to make it in time. He was. Because as long as there was still breath in his lungs and a heartbeat slamming against the cage of his ribs, he would never let anything happen to Sun Ce.

.x.

The road to Yangzhou was a long one, but it was so much longer for a man who carried anxiety with him, the shadow of his fears perched like a second rider along the back of his steed. For all that he perceived of the landscape around him and the sounds that gave it color, the dark warrior may as well have been blind and deaf, his eyes oblivious to anything but his imagination of Sun Ce's battered, bleeding form and his ears perceiving only the struggling breaths moving in and out of the Little Conqueror's lips somewhere ahead of him. The frightened adrenaline that accompanied each image pushed him faster, faster and faster over the broken ground beneath the sobbing clouds of Baqiu.

Zhou Yu did not stop until his horse could not sustain a canter any longer, and then he stopped only long enough to trade for another, remounting and racing on before the gatehouse attendants could do more than recognize his seal. The cities he passed through and the curious faces of the people within them were nothing more than a blur in his periphery, a vague presence at the border between his mind and the rest of reality. Time itself seemed to lose its meaning – he counted seconds by the heartbeat striking like a gong inside of him, by the pounding hooves against the dry roads of western Wu, and if it hadn't been for the passage of the sun above his head he wouldn't have known that the earth was continuing to spin at all, dragging the blue sky and the stars across Heaven in alternating curtains.

The world was nothing – obsidian eyes registered nothing but the soil beneath him and the heaving flanks of his panting horse, the earthy smell of the animal's mane where he leaned low across its neck and the wind chilling and drying his soaking form as the rotation of the stars carried him out of Baqiu and into the warmth of the empire's deceptive spring. The dark warrior stared into nothingness and the shards of his life surrounded him, sliding through his mind one by one so that his memories smoothed the endless rocking of the steed beneath him, glittering like broken pottery in the contours of his numb, unfocused thoughts. But nothing could soothe the worry shooting through his stomach, heavy and cold as it kept his heartbeat too high to be steady and jabbed his heels into the flank of his loping mount.

First night. First sunrise. Second day. On the second night, he reached Danyang, nothing more than a walled city with every house tightly shut to keep out the evening air. As the echo of his horse's hurried strides ricocheted against the barricaded shutters of the town's sleeping fringes, a promise that seemed so long ago it might have been another lifetime whispered through his thoughts – Sun Ce's smile and his murmuring voice got caught in the swordsman's mind and they caught his breath as well, forcing the uncertainty in his gut into a knot so tight it might have been a spear point.

But it was early morning by then, and nothing stirred in the silence, and Zhou Yu's heart hesitated for only a moment before he clicked his tongue and set his horse back on the eastern road, gravel spattering from the powerful hooves as they left the quiet stands of the deserted market behind and proceeded empty-handed.

Second sunrise. Third day. The road was as long as his lifespan, and to the strategist's tired eyes it seemed to grow longer with every breath he took, to stretch on toward an infinity that would never release him from its fickle hold. The sunset carried him into the forest west of Niuqiao and the arms of the trees stole the last of the vanishing light, wrapping him in a cloak of darkness that extended through the trunks on every side but couldn't stop his body from trembling against the saddle.

The strategist ground his teeth together and cursed the fatigue that was making him shiver, but he didn't stop, crouching as low as he could and winding his stiff fingers tighter around the leather reins that kept him mounted. Suddenly dusk was upon him, swooping down and dousing his eyes on the wings of the night, and then Zhou Yu could see nothing at all, and he could do little but leave navigation to the horse, hoping his mount would keep to the elusive road camouflaged beneath winter's decaying underbrush.

He closed his eyes and listened to the wind whispering through the leaves above him, thousands of voices urging him to hurry under the thread of his exhausted heartbeat. The sound dragged him into a daze, and as the night wore on the swordsman laid his head against the horse's neck, only the fierce pounding of the gallop that rocked through his body keeping him shy of sleep.

In the darkness of his weary mind, the Sun lord's voice came back to him, ringing through the trees as though he were speaking from somewhere high above the earth, high up between the stars that were only fleeting flashes of light between the boughs of the forest. Zhou Yu held onto the distant words as tightly as the reins cutting deep bruises in his pale hands, the marks disappearing and reappearing in time to the throbbing hoofbeats.

_I'll be careful, okay? Besides… you don't have to worry. I'm invincible, remember?_

An idiot. Sun Ce was an idiot. Didn't he know there was no such thing as invincibility? Hadn't their life of war taught him how easy it was to die? Had he learned nothing from the father he had buried, from the soldiers who accompanied them to conquest and never came back? Didn't he understand that playing with his life was also playing with the lives of everyone who loved him, everyone whose life would be gray and empty without his presence?

_We've got so much left to do here, Yu. There are all these new challenges waiting for us out there, and there's still a lot of fighting to do. Just thinking about it makes me excited. I'm not gonna let anything stop me._

But it wasn't about what the Little Conqueror allowed to stop him. It was about what he couldn't rise against, what he couldn't keep from crashing over him like the waves of a tumultuous sea and holding him down, what pushed him to his limits and just kept pushing him until stopping was no longer his choice. It was about the forces that rose up to drown him and overcame that clear, irrepressible spirit, trampling the banner of his soul against forsaken ground…

_But it's worth it, right? Worth the risk?_

Zhou Yu shook his head, twining one hand through the horse's mane and pressing his forehead into the soft, sweating skin. It wasn't. The problem with a risk was that it contained the possibility of losing. And now that he was staring into it, staring into the eyes of mortality beneath the cold, star-spattered sky, he understood that nothing was worth that loss – nothing at all.

For a long time, the strategist thought nothing more, teases and traces of his sunshine companion's voice echoing around his mind beneath the beating of the wind and the flicker of the coarse mane over his face. When at last he opened his eyes again, it was to find that his mount had dropped to a trot, its whole body shivering and panting beneath him as the powerful hooves crushed fallen branches and new grass bent beneath the weight of the surreal starlight. For one heart-wrenching moment, the dark warrior thought they had lost the path, and his inhale broke halfway down his throat – but then the loose gravel and vague bearing of the road rematerialized beneath them, leading through the forest as thin as a strand of spider web, and Zhou Yu sighed into an exhale, one hand brushing back the bangs plastered to his forehead.

His horse's ears pricked back in curiosity at the soft sound, the animal's pace picking up a little as its master wrapped his reins tighter around tired hands and shifted in his stiff saddle. The swordsman sat up straighter but didn't bother to retake control of their navigation, letting his charger pick the easiest path through the woods as his obsidian eyes trailed between the trees and the gentle wisps of fog that were slipping like a river around their roots. The drops of formulating dew were crisp and silver under the swollen lip of a waning crescent moon, and they swirled like eddies around the horse's feet as it clopped quietly along the lane that travelers had long left empty.

The strategist sat back in his seat and let the rhythm of the gradual trot ricochet through his body, each motion jarring through his bones with a jolt he was too tired to avoid. They hadn't reached the edge of the forest yet – but when they did, Yangzhou would be only a short distance farther on, resting in the basin of the wooded valleys that covered Wu's northern expanse. That left a few hours' riding, more if the horse could not sustain a canter any longer, which was a possibility he had to concede because they'd been traveling so fast before nightfall…

His mount slowed to walk and then halted completely, and Zhou Yu frowned as he listened to the silence, trying to gauge what had caught the animal's attention. To his ears, the forest remained as unbroken as it had a moment before, but the horse whickered once before stepping into a higher trot, each stride rippling through its weary muscles with an eagerness they hadn't carried in many long hours. The swordsman's forehead fell into confused furrows, but he didn't pull back on the reins, letting echoes of the hopeful hoofbeats lead them through the silent trees parallel to the forgotten road.

Zhou Yu rubbed one hand across his eyes, trying to clear his mind of the haze that sleeplessness had left lingering between his thoughts. He could hear something now, an indistinct trickle of sound that was barely more than a distant buzz, but he couldn't place it, even as the noise grew louder and the oscillating pitch of the rustling became sharper all around him. Not until the great line of fog rose up in front of them and the ground fell into a loose slope did he realize that it was the voice of a river, the moonlight playing off of its surface so that the whole stream looked like a dragon cloaked within the mist, rocks and shadows forming the scales along its shimmering body.

The strategist blinked at the suddenly apparent waterway, and his horse tossed its head back, the uncut mane prickling against his pale skin. Zhou Yu's lips quirked into a small smile that lacked any semblance of amusement, and with a weary sigh he slipped from the animal's back, stumbling hard as he landed against the ground and his stiff legs propelled him back into the side of the saddle. The swordsman winced and his mount whickered, and the dark warrior rolled his eyes as he curled the reins more securely around his hand, taking one tentative step after another in the direction of the river.

"There may have been more graceful ways of doing that…"

His murmur stole into the depths of midnight and disappeared, and the brief sound made the forest seem all the more silent, its deep reverence unbroken except for the splash of the horse's front hooves into the water and his vanishing words. The voice that accompanied them was harsh with three days' continuous journey and the dust of the rainless roads beyond Baqiu, and Zhou Yu pressed his lips together to prevent himself from speaking again, displeased with his rough throat and the statement addressed to no one but the sickle moon. Wu's leading strategist exhaled and his breath evaporated just like his words, the fog of the enveloped stream leaning up to brush his face as he gazed out over the rippling water, onyx eyes tracing the opposite banks and the shores of the forest beyond.

He didn't remember passing a river on his way to Baqiu, which meant the army must have taken another path on their journey, but the position of the moon told him they were still headed east and the water was not deep – perhaps as high as his waist at its center, more than capable of being forded without dismounting and far too docile to demand a change in course. There was no sign of a bridge, but the road continued uninterrupted on the other side of the creek and the dark warrior wondered momentarily what happened when the modest waterway flooded, swallowing its shallows so that crossing became impossible.

But that question brought him back to Sun Ce – Sun Ce lost in the Yangzi's waters, Sun Ce vowing to bridge the rivers of the country as soon as he had it in his hands – and the Little Conqueror stirred the demons of worry and frustration sleeping in his stomach, uncurling them from their tight knot so that they could interfere with his heartbeat again. Zhou Yu squeezed his eyes shut against the sight of the moon's curling smile, five fingers coiling through the leather reins as his free hand rose to brush his temples. He had thought that the exhaustion of three days' riding and three days' unanswered anxiety had worn the emotions out of him – but it seemed there was nothing the master of Wu could not accomplish after all.

His horse had begun to drink from the river, and it didn't bother to look up as its rider turned to press into the weight of its shoulder, the faded scent of sweat and leather closing onyx eyes to the callous moon and the expanse of ebony that cloaked it, the stars whispering among themselves as his hand tightened through the looped reins. The swordsman sighed and his breath tickled the tiny hairs along his mount's back, worry climbing through his ribs until it reached the apprehensive heart pounding at his core. They couldn't stop for long – no longer than necessary, because there wasn't a second to spare and if his anxiety rose any higher the strategist knew he was simply going to explode…

No. He wouldn't. Because Sun Ce needed him in Yangzhou – needed his help, and his presence, and a lecture loud enough to rattle the pillars of Heaven. Needed to be shaken until he understood that he was never, never to do something so dangerous and reckless and frightening ever again—

His exhale was as heavy as the stone in his chest, all of the worry he couldn't dispel floating over his tongue as the same useless thoughts took him in a useless circle one more time. Zhou Yu raised his head a little, obsidian eyes flickering against the stale moonlight as he swallowed a mouthful of shadows and set his glance down the winding river, chasing the fickle bank with a gaze too heavy to flit from one shore to the other.

"He isn't going to die."

His voice was strange even in a whisper, and the words drew his horse's mouth away from the water, pulling eyes as black as the endless sky back to consider him over one coarse shoulder. The dark warrior shook his head, pressing his face back into the animal's skin and winding one arm around the saddle to keep himself upright. They couldn't stop for long, because too long on his feet and he was going to fall, because there was so much of the road to go and only one place in all of China that was going to make his heartbeat stop throbbing so loudly against his chest…

"He's a child of the Sun family. He can't."

He couldn't. Because what good was a land without the young officer to lead it, and what good would breathing be if he weren't standing at the Sun lord's side, where he'd always been – where he belonged, where he wanted to stay.

Zhou Yu's eyes had fallen closed again, and in his mind he pictured the bank on which he was standing, the soft soil cascading into the folds of the river like pieces of fabric heaped untidily together, their meshing colors pallid under the light of the fading crescent. He tried to imagine Sun Ce standing beside him, but no matter how he concentrated the image was not quite right, distorted somehow so that the Little Conqueror's face was far too pale or his amber eyes would not hold the starlight, deep like wells of midnight water in the contours of his features,.

The lord of Wu was speaking to him, his lips moving slowly around each of the words, but for all his efforts the strategist could only hear one phrase repeated over and over, whispering like the shaking leaves overhead and the touch of the wind against his skin as the tonfa master's smile assumed the curve of the moon.

_Come back… soon, 'kay?_

The swordsman tried to reach for him, but his arms were too heavy, locked around the saddle like arcs of granite; and against his will he found that he was being pulled into the river, dragged through the swirling water and away from those eyes he knew so well, the grin that was just a little sheepish to match tan fingers waving at him, waving like the crimson ribbon flickering around his chestnut ponytail.

_Catch ya later, Yu._

Later wasn't good enough. Zhou Yu wanted to touch him now – to pull the young officer into his embrace and never let go, never stop feeling that breath against his neck and that heartbeat over his. But he was cold, so cold, and his hand wouldn't release the reins—

With a sharp gasp and a splash that shot his eyes wide open, the strategist lost his footing on the slippery riverbed and plunged into the water, sinking up to his thighs in the frozen runoff of the unnamed creek and the mud lurking beneath its sparkling surface. Drops splattered up to hit his face and the swordsman swung at them with one surprised hand, disoriented by his collision with the winding stream and the abrupt change in scenery. Sun Ce's visage vanished and was replaced by the rushing water, and Zhou Yu's mouth fell open as he confronted his own moonlit reflection in the tumbling surface of the freezing brook, the contrast between the skin around his eyes and the ashen contours of his countenance taking the place of a far more precious image.

The horse, which had been crossing the stream of its own accord and dragging its master along before he lost his balance, skittered a little to the side and turned back to gaze at him, its neck helplessly twisted by the reins that were still wrapped around one astonished arm. The echoes of the strategist's collapse ricocheted into the forest and disappeared, swallowed by the curtain of the souring night, and for a long moment only the river moved, hurrying away from the steed and its startled rider under the glow of the dying moonlight.

Zhou Yu stared into the folds of the stream beneath him, too shocked by the cold consuming his legs and the unexpected saturation of his clothing to so much as move – then he gritted his teeth in flaring anger and struggled to his feet against the river rocks, throwing himself up into the saddle with the force of the anxiety pooling in his stomach.

The sudden maneuver and the added weight on an uncertain footing startled his mount badly, and for a moment the animal did nothing but dance in place between the shifting eddies – then two swift heels jabbed into the nervous flank, and with an indignant whinny and a brief plunge they were back on the road, the horse's hooves tumbling into a loose, uneven gallop. The dark warrior ducked low against its neck, water flying from his drenched form in a trail of falling stars, and through the windswept strands of his bangs twin obsidian eyes glared into the midnight air, all of the emotions he had ever known rising up inside of him in one tremendous inferno that pushed his charger faster and faster over the trampled earth of the abandoned road.

They couldn't stop – because this wasn't going to be the end. Because they had so much left to do, so many things waiting for them in the world of the living. Because Sun Ce wouldn't let it end this way, and neither would he.

.x.

He arrived in Yangzhou at dawn.

A cloudless sky fading from brilliant gold to pale blue stretched across the Wu's capital as tired, clopping hoofbeats took Zhou Yu at last through the gates of the silent city, shadows of horse and rider stretching long behind them in the light of the newly risen sun. Nothing moved in the streets or between the residential courtyards, and even the gardens were still beneath the glowing rays of crimson, not so much as a flutter of wings disturbing the motionless air that the night winds had abandoned in their passing.

It was the most frightening silence the swordsman had ever heard, and it forced his mount into a wary trot as they passed along Yangzhou's central causeway, the cautious hoofbeats that echoed back across them the only sounds in the entire city. Wu's leading strategist straightened in his stiff saddle and glanced around him, studying the tight shutters and stoic doors of the cottages that constituted the town's outskirts, but he could see no one at all, which only amplified the apprehension pressing his lips into a thin line.

He inhaled and the silence filled his mouth, far bitterer in taste than the dust of the road that had rimmed his lips for days and stuck like grains of sand between his teeth, and for a long moment the dark warrior held his breath, wishing he had no need of that distasteful air in his lungs. Then Zhou Yu clicked his tongue and the horse tripped into a canter again, its ears laid back along its head in anxiety as long strides took them toward the palace, the clatter of its hooves breaking through the quiet city like a solitary heartbeat.

The swordsman closed his eyes as he rode through the soundless streets, his hands clenched through the reins and the strands of his charger's mane so tightly that he wasn't sure they'd ever come unlocked, his body recoiling from every impact that the animal's gait sent through him as memories of Yangzhou flitted one by one across his exhausted mind. He saw again the first victorious conquest, their soldiers marching through the streets with banners held high in their weathered grips; the first summer in the high residence, maps of Wu covering the tables in preparation for their attack on Xuancheng; he felt again the warmth of the spring wind and the fingers of a familiar hand wrapped around his only two weeks earlier. He could hear the sound of birdsong and that rippling laugh mixing with the whispers of the crabapple blossoms…

The images accompanied him along the high road leading to the Sun lord's estate, trailing behind him before the rays of the sun chased them away and left him standing alone in front of the gate – the gate that was tightly shut, its heavy doors stanch and unyielding in the new light.

Zhou Yu stared at the blocked entrance as his horse pranced sideways a nervous step, muscles trembling under the sheen of its russet coat – and for the life of him the strategist could not decide what to do, days without rest and the knot of preoccupied frustration in his stomach rendering his mind utterly useless. The gate was shut, but he needed to go inside, because Sun Ce was somewhere in that palace and the dark warrior was going to find him if it meant flinging back every single door—

"Lord Zhou Yu?"

The strategist started, his head whipping around with an urgency that frightened the man behind him back a step and dropped him into a series of low bows, the servants' bun that topped his raven hair bobbing with his stuttered apology.

"F-forgive me, my lord. I didn't mean to startle you, but you were only standing there, so—"

Zhou Yu wheeled his horse in a circle to find the intimidated charcoal eyes, and the gateman shrunk in on himself, meeting the swordsman's desperate glare with surprise and uncertainty clear on his features. The dark warrior swallowed hard, fighting down the taste of the dry roads before he forced his words into the cold air of early morning, his voice shattering the silence in a hoarse croak.

"Sun Ce." The servant's mouth fell open and the strategist tried again, shaking his head hard as another rough bark fell from his lips. "Where is Sun Ce?"

The man fumbled with his words for a moment, surprise and indecision chasing each other across his face so quickly that Zhou Yu could barely catch hold of one emotion before the other superseded it. Then he lifted one shaking hand to point back toward the city, his eyes glittering with almost unnatural brightness in the light of the climbing sun.

"At – at the temple, my lord. They all are. They asked me to direct you there as soon as you arrived…"

The swordsman nodded, tightening his grip on the reins and wrenching his horse's head back in the indicated direction with one swift pull. "Thank you," he grated, his voice less harsh than a moment before as speech softened his dry tongue and the unused throat beyond it.

The man bowed again, and Zhou Yu turned away from him to start back into the depths of Yangzhou's twisting streets – but something made him stop, his kick hesitating just shy of his mount's skin and his obsidian eyes sliding back to catch the servant in a piercing gaze. The gateman blinked a little, his features growing uneasy under the scrutiny and the tight frown claiming his superior's lips, and then the dark warrior swallowed hard, a heavy feeling rising up in the back of his throat to interfere with his unsteady words.

"Why are you wearing white?"

The man started, glancing down at his long robe and the cloth pooled around his feet as though seeing them for the first time – then his eyes shot back to the strategist's and Zhou Yu drove his heels into his horse's flank, frightening the animal into a leaping gallop that took them back down the central avenue with the speed of the racing wind, flattening the dark warrior against his saddle and shattering the quiet streets of the soundless city once more. The moths of anxiety that had been sleeping so long in the swordsman's stomach took flight in a great cascade of tingling apprehension, their wings scraping his ribcage and shooting adrenaline through his veins again as they banked back and forth down Yangzhou's alleys, aiming for the temple where smoke had begun to rise, curling up into the sky in long loose spirals.

Zhou Yu bit down on his tongue hard enough to draw blood, and though the horse could go no faster he plunged his heels into its side again, his heartbeat sprinting as fast as the pounding hooves beneath him as they dodged through the silent cottages and sent dust tumbling up behind them. Now he could see nothing at all – nothing but the trails of smoke rising over the temple and sparking in the morning light like great shafts of silver, nothing but the blazing white garment of the gateman behind him, bright as the sun where it was slowly climbing into the cerulean dome of the sky.

White was the color of mourning – the thought sent a sharp shiver down his spine, but the strategist shoved it away, pressing as close to the horse's neck as he could and glaring at the road ahead with unseeing obsidian eyes. No it wasn't. Not today. Because this wasn't the end, and there was so much left to do, and he couldn't let it end this way…

_Catch ya later, Yu_.

Zhou Yu shook his head, driving back the tightness in his throat and the worry that was clouding his vision with every sharp inhale, forcing back the memory of that voice as they rounded the last corner and clattered into the final causeway in a trail of dusty hoofbeats. Later wasn't soon enough – he couldn't wait that long. He couldn't wait at all. He couldn't live one more hour without Sun Ce locked within his arms, without that vibrant voice chasing the fear back out of his narrowed eyes—

There were crowds of people gathered at the base of the temple steps, and they fell back as the horse came crashing into their midst without stopping, white waves of a white sea shimmering in the sunlight. Zhou Yu didn't see them as he leapt from the saddle and hit the ground on sore legs that barely held him, as he released his reins to the thin air and aimed for the long trail of stairs, staggering into a stiff jog as the anxious thread of his heart began to sway even faster, pulsing in his ears like a drum and hammering his feet onto the cragged stone.

He was halfway up the steps before a body collided with his chest, and the swordsman wrapped his arms around it in a wave of overwhelming relief, pulling the form into his embrace as ten rigid fingers got lost in the folds of soft, glowing silk. For an instant, the feeling in his stomach vanished, chasing all of the adrenaline away from his shaking limbs and dropping weariness back across his dirt-ridden features – but then a voice split the air and the strategist's eyes shot wide open, stiffening his shoulders so tight that they felt ready to snap.

"Don't, Master Zhou Yu. Please don't."

Zhou Yu stumbled back from the figure pressed against him, and the shock of the light gray eyes staring up at him was almost worse than the childish, unscarred face that held them, white cloth draped around the young man's form like wisps of summer clouds. Sun Quan shook his head and reached out to clutch the fabric of the swordsman's sash, tears sliding down his cheeks as he pushed himself back into the dark warrior's embrace and buried his head in the dusty battle tunic.

"Please," the youngest Sun child whimpered, crying harder for the strong arms that had fallen away from his body and the rigid line of the officer's back. "Please don't go inside. Please, Master Zhou Yu – please."

Zhou Yu stared at him in silence, the worry and the panic in his stomach reasserting themselves as he watched the young man shaking against him, clinging to his clothes in order to stand upright. Then a soft hand landed on Sun Quan's shoulder and a second voice intruded on his hazy, uncomprehending mind – but this wasn't the voice he wanted to hear either, too soft and too sad in its trembling whisper.

"Let go, Quan."

His dark gaze shot to the Sun princess's countenance, and anxiety slashed through his stomach like a knife as he noticed the tears shining in her eyes, too, stuck behind her eyelashes though the red tracks running down her cheeks said they hadn't always been. The strategist gritted his teeth, the blood from his bitten tongue sliding between them like liquid copper – then he pushed Sun Quan into his sister's embrace and resumed his dash up the weathered stairs, ignoring the following cries of the Sun children and the glittering flickers of their white robes in his periphery. His heart was pounding so hard now that it hurt the cage of his ribs with every beat, and before Zhou Yu knew it he had broken into a full sprint, taking the steps two at a time and leaving the glowing disk of the pristine sun behind him as he plunged into the darkness of the temple.

The shadows swallowed every vestige of his vision, and for a long moment the swordsman reeled to a halt, nothing but blackness and the pinpricks of distant torches greeting his worried eyes. Then there was a patter of silken footsteps and two tiny hands reached up to find his shoulders, their mistress's voice emanating from somewhere just ahead of him.

"Zhou Yu…"

The strategist blinked hard, and as his eyes adjusted to the temple's interior he shoved Xiao Qiao away from him so that he could move forward again, earning a startled gasp from his wife as she fell back into the waiting arms of her sister. Lady Qiao sent him a glare that echoed the shadows of the silent room, but Zhou Yu wasn't looking at her – he was looking everywhere else, his gaze dashing around the walls in a desperate search for the amber eyes that should have been shining out of the darkness, should have been breaking through the light of the thin flames with the power of an overwhelming, unstoppable smile…

Twin obsidian came to a halt on Lady Wu's face, and the knot of terror in his stomach rose up and threatened to consume him as she returned his worried glance, features calm with the same dignity that had always held them, that hadn't faltered even when war dragged her husband into an early grave. The swordsman swallowed, because there was an uncomfortable pressure at the back of his throat and it was prickling up behind his eyes, pressing his teeth together so tightly that they ached as his gaze traced her flowing robe, every line as pure as snow.

This wasn't right. This wasn't going to be the end, because the entire span of a lifetime was still stretching out ahead of him and they had promised to walk that together, because there was so much left to do and so many challenges were out there waiting for them…

His eyes fell on the altar at the center of the temple, and Zhou Yu ground his hands into solemn fists, fog rising up to interfere with his vision again as his gaze followed the trailing arms of the shroud draped across it, the long silken robe and its careful embroidery taking the place of the usual brushwood and ritual vessels. The strategist shook his head, pressing his lips into a thin line as the sensation behind his eyes became sharper and the torches flickered firelight across his features.

Sun Ce was an idiot, but he wouldn't have climbed up onto the altar and slid beneath the trailing robe, because even Sun Ce knew that those shrouds were only for the dead.

Three steps took him to the center of the shadowed interior, and the swordsman stared at the dancing lines of the tumbling silk for only a moment before he flung the shroud back, throwing the long train of fabric to the floor and drawing a shout of protest from the monks lost somewhere in the shadows. But he didn't hear them – he heard nothing, nothing at all but the parting words of the figure before him, that sunshine voice sliding through his ears and banishing all others.

_Catch ya later, Yu_.

Zhou Yu squeezed his eyes shut, his nails digging into the skin of his palms as the space between his ribs suddenly became empty, his heart disintegrating under the pressure falling like a stone into his stomach. When he opened his eyes again, he was crying, one tear after another falling down his face to leave a line in the dust of a useless road. His pale hand reached out to touch the Little Conqueror's neck, halting above his faded scar and pressing into the yielding flesh over his jugular. But he felt nothing – no heartbeat, no breath, none of the warmth that had characterized the Sun lord's skin for the seventeen years he had known him.

_Would you cry for me if I…_

The dark warrior shook his head, his gaze tracing the features that were so familiar and yet so strange under the light of the fickle torches – the young officer's brow was smooth and unworried, but his eyes were closed, hiding the embers of phoenix flame that blazed so brightly every time he laughed, and his lips were not smiling, barely parted in a frozen frown. But more than anything it was his skin, so cold that the strategist had to withdraw his hand and grip the folds of his companion's robe instead – his fingers halted over the place where that vibrant, beating heart should have been, digging into line after line of beautiful white silk.

Zhou Yu choked on his inhale, and without intention he found that he was sliding to his knees, leaning forward so that the stone of the altar held him up and he was face to face with the master of Wu. The swordsman rested his forehead against the Little Conqueror's shoulder – but he was still, so still, the way that his restless spirit and endless dream had never let him remain for long.

"Gods, Ce…"

The dark warrior wrapped one arm around his commander's torso, holding the Sun lord's form as close as he could – but it wasn't the same, because there was no pulse in that tan wrist and no amused breath shifting over his face, mimicking the wind under an open sky. Zhou Yu shook his head, the tears making his voice even less steady than it had been before.

"Why? Why are you doing this to me?"

The strategist squeezed his eyes shut, and his face contorted under the changing shadows of the low torches, all of the emotions that had been throbbing inside of him for so long coalescing into a single knot of despair as he slammed one fist against the floor, the impact echoing around the shadowed room and through his reeling knuckles.

"I told you not to make promises you couldn't keep. I told you not to do anything dangerous."

There was no answer – but he'd known there wouldn't be. The silence sent a sob shuddering through his body, and he swallowed it back, grinding his hand into the stone floor and tightening his hold on the figure lying so static in front of him. Zhou Yu lifted his head from the cold white silk and stared into the contours of his companion's face, his gaze following the lips that were never going to smile at him again, the eyes that were never going to hold his in that interchange of amber and obsidian that they'd had so many times, the only voice he treasured forever banished from his ears…

The strategist shook his head, harder this time as he lost control of his tears and watched them slipping down to land against the quiet skin of Sun Ce's neck. "Why are you doing this, Ce?" he asked again, his voice breaking halfway through and plunging into a whisper. Zhou Yu pressed his lips into a thin line to keep them still, his hands shaking against the folds of the Sun lord's robe. "Why are you going somewhere that I can't follow you?"

He wanted to. He always had before. What would his direction be without the young officer to lead him, without that familiar hand dragging him down the road to an undecided future – what sense was there to the beating of his heart if it was beating alone?

The swordsman dropped his head back against the Little Conqueror's shoulder, letting the folds of ivory cloth close his eyes to the shadows and the sound of flitting footsteps echoing around the temple's close walls. In his mind, he pictured Sun Ce's brilliant amber eyes flickering open, imagined that indomitable grin creasing his lips again as breath lifted his chest in a gentle rise and fall, rearranging the stark robes of his funeral garment with the soft, involuntary motion. Zhou Yu held on as hard as he could, digging his fingers into the smooth silk so that nothing could pull him away – but nonetheless he was slipping, losing contact with the Sun lord and losing sight of his beautiful smile until all he could hear was the laughter behind his companion's words.

_Catch ya later, Yu._

Later wasn't soon enough. He could never wait that long. He couldn't wait a lifetime to hear that voice again.

But the dark warrior slid backward and the choice was taken out of his hands – the strength to stay upright deserted him, and he hit the floor unconscious, nothing but pristine white flooding his onyx eyes.

.x.

_Hey, Yu?_

Zhou Yu shifted, trying to turn his head in the direction of the inquiry – but he felt heavy, too heavy to move, his limbs tight and painful as though they had been bound. He tried to settle for opening his eyes, but he found that to be beyond his capability as well, his eyelids presenting him with nothing but darkness. Somewhere there was a sound like shifting cloth, and then that voice came again, ringing through his hazy mind with the clarity of a temple chime.

_Yu… come on, wake up already. You promised to spar with me this morning._

The swordsman opened his mouth to respond, but not a word left his lips, his dry tongue and the weight that pushed down on his ribcage leaving him mute. Zhou Yu frowned and furrows of frustration marred his pale forehead, an idle irritation directed at the darkness that drowned his eyes flitting through his disoriented mind. Everything was soft and warm, but the warmth was smothering, wrapped around him so that his chest constricted with every breath. Nor was it the warmth he wanted – the warmth that came of another body braced within his arms, the warmth of the sun shining through that smile…

He could hear the laughter in Sun Ce's voice now, the undercurrent of amusement that no doubt accompanied a childish face.

_Sheesh. I didn't know you were so lazy. If you don't hurry up, I'm going without you._

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, his hands clenching into powerless fists at his side. He was trying to rise, trying to stand and follow those carefree footsteps, but his limbs wouldn't move, no matter how he struggled – couldn't the Little Conqueror see that? No – he couldn't make his voice cooperate either, and without his words the Sun lord would understand nothing but his motionless silence, nothing but the fatigue that kept him so still against the folds of the darkness.

From somewhere came the sound of faraway voices, and somewhere light was beginning to break through, loosening the burden that kept his eyes closed so tightly. Somewhere the feather of a distant breath was moving over his face, each exhale soothing the skin that felt raw and swollen along his cheekbones…

_Aren't you gonna kiss me goodbye?_

Zhou Yu's eyes shot open and he lurched into a sitting position, memory flashing through his mind in a cascade of shattered shards – and then a headache slammed into his temples and he wished he hadn't moved so quickly, one hand rising to block the brightness overwhelming his vision as he fell back against the headboard.

For a few minutes, the swordsman did nothing but breathe, forcing down the throbbing of his pulse and the needles driving into the space behind his eyes until the pain had subsided enough to grant him control of his thoughts. Then slowly his fingers fell back into his lap, and the strategist blinked against the power of the sunlight streaming through his open window, the gentle spring wind brushing his bangs across his forehead and whispering past the crabapple blossoms perched outside.

The room seemed vaguely familiar, and it took Zhou Yu a moment longer to realize that that it was his room, his temporary quarters in Yangzhou. The sheets tangled around him and the bed beneath them were his, too, in the same way – but he had never used them, because Sun Ce preferred the room he'd been given upon arriving from Lingnan and there had been no reason to sleep alone…

The rays of sunlight streaming through the spring air hardened to icicles and drove themselves through his flesh, and the dark warrior squeezed his eyes shut again, the pain behind his temples flaring as he pressed his lips into a thin line and held back a choke. The sound got lodged in his lungs instead and for an instant the swordsman found his couldn't breathe – but it didn't matter, because he didn't want to, because every breath only pushed out against the hard, cold nothingness that was holding the space where his heart used to stand.

Empty. He was empty and so was the space beside him, a hollow in the sheets where Sun Ce should have been.

Zhou Yu slipped back into the depths of the bedding, and both hands came up to hide his eyes from the overwhelming sunlight, trapping the same useless tears against his lashes and the tight line of his jaw. The sobs were harder to control this time, and the strategist rolled over to bury his face in the coarse silk of the pillows so that even he could not tell if he were making any sound. His pulse pounded in his ears with the volume of thunder, and the unsteady vibration of every heartbeat dug his fingers through the cloth of the sheets, fists clenching as he fought to decide whether to press the fabric against his aching chest or to tear it apart.

As the breeze swept through his window and sent a shiver down his trembling back, Zhou Yu drove one fist into the headboard and kept striking until he couldn't breathe at all, the obstruction of the pillow over his mouth and the exertion of his weary muscles making his lungs heave within the confines of his ribs. The swordsman pulled his throbbing fingers back to his chest and forced them against his flesh as hard as he could, but it wasn't enough – nothing was enough to fill the space the Little Conqueror had left inside of him, and nothing ever would be, because he had left his dark warrior nothing but the images of his firelit corpse and the words that echoed round and round inside his skull—

_Catch ya later, Yu._

The strategist ground his teeth together, his fists shaking with the emotions he couldn't have named that were rising up and raging through him, wave after wave of empty, helpless anger sending tears into his sodden pillow. That voice was going to haunt him, shadowing every footstep and every breath he took for the rest of his life, because Zhou Yu knew he'd have gone deaf without protest if it meant he could hear the young officer's laugh one more time with his own ears—

What did he have left? He had a battered void under the cage of his ribs and the shards of a fractured dream, and none of it seemed strong enough to justify the heart still beating from somewhere inside the darkness of his mind, the pulse in his wrist assuring him over and over that he was alive.

The swordsman shook his head hard, and his flared at the sharp motion, sending sparks of agony all the way down his spine. It wasn't enough, because without Sun Ce there was nothing in the world worth breathing for.

_Would you cry for me if I died?_

"Yes, damn it!" The words emerged from his lips in a wrenching shout – but the pillow muffled the explosive syllables and his voice was too weak to carry very far, breaking in the middle with the strain of his trembling form. Zhou Yu curled around his bedding and crushed the suffocating coverlet into his arms, his nails tearing into the thick fabric as he swallowed back his choking breaths. "How can you ask that, Ce? How can you—"

But just as they had before, his questions solicited no answer from the silent sunlight and the wind sifting through his scattered hair, and the strategist cut himself off halfway, shoving his mouth farther into the pillows to stop up the words that were only worsening the sobs convulsing through his chest. The dark warrior's vision had become nothing but a shifting blur, as useless now as his hands and his voice and the anger that was suddenly simply gone from the pit of his stomach, leaving him even emptier than before.

The rustling of the crabapple boughs sounded like echoes to his clouded ears, and Zhou Yu struggled to decipher them as he closed his eyes and slumped into the contours of his mattress, the last vestiges of strength abandoning him limp against the sheets.

_You're… crying. Yu…_

The swordsman raised a hand to cover his eyes, shaking his head as the breeze slipped through the window to brush his aching skin. "You little idiot," Zhou Yu whispered, fighting down the pressure at the back of his throat that came with the nickname. "What am I supposed to do without you, Ce? What do you expect me to accomplish without you?"

The wind flickered through the branches outside and the pattern of leaf shadows on the far wall shifted under its subtle hand, and for a moment the strategist thought he could discern the features of a familiar face in the mosaic pattern, twin amber eyes glowing against the plaster. But then the mirage was gone, and the dark warrior rolled onto his stomach so that the blank sheets consumed his vision, the fabric soaking the last traces of saltwater from his features as two pale arms wrapped around the dampened pillow and pulled it into an embrace that could no longer be completed.

For a long time, Zhou Yu didn't move, listening to the heartbeat steadily slowing in his ears and the trembling breaths moving in and out of his lips. He drifted through the dazed contours of his exhausted mind, watching with eyes too tired to cry anymore as Sun Ce laughed and smiled and shouted and finally lay still, twenty-five years of restless spirit coming to a halt beneath the sallow shroud.

The swordsman curled one hand into a fist and the memories tingled against his skin, each one flowing through his fingers and into his thoughts with a burst of color and sound, with a flicker of words that ghosted over his ears like a teasing sigh. He could feel the Sun lord's touch sliding over his skin, kisses drifting across his lips and fingers latched around his arm and one angry fist landing on his jaw, and for lack of another option he accepted the contact in silence, remaining motionless as the wind brushed through his hair and sent a shiver down his back, speaking in the silenced voice of the Little Conqueror.

_I'm still here. You didn't lose anything, okay?_

Zhou Yu just closed his eyes, too exhausted to reply.

When he opened them again, it was to find that a fair amount of time had passed – the sun had moved so that it was no longer peering through the crabapple boughs outside his window, and the shadows of the fickle leaves had vanished from the opposite wall, leaving the plaster a uniform brown under the touch of the quiet wind. The strategist pushed himself up onto his elbows and glanced around the soundless room, his headache still throbbing softly at the back of his skull as one pale hand came up to rub his forehead with dazed, disoriented fingers.

Zhou Yu shook himself a little, and he slid gingerly into a sitting position against the carved headboard so as not to excite the tension rolling through his temples as badly as he had the first time, obsidian eyes searching the faraway sky in absent calculation. If he'd had to guess, it looked as though the day had progressed to late afternoon, but how long that meant he'd been sleeping was harder to judge…

"You're finally awake."

The swordsman started, his head snapping in the direction of the door as the soft voice announced he was not alone in the silent room. From her position against the wall beside the exit, Lady Wu sent him a delicate smile, gentle footsteps carrying her toward the edge of the bed with a cup secured in her steady hands. The dark warrior gaped at her for a moment, and then he straightened in his seat and ran his fingers through the scattered strands of his hair, striving to make himself presentable despite the heaviness that was still present in all of his limbs and the fogginess of his mind.

"Lady Wu…" The Tiger's widow shook her head, discouraging his words as she reached the raised mattress and pushed the cup into his hands, her smooth fingers brushing his in the exchange of lacquerware.

"Never mind that, Zhou Yu," she murmured, and Zhou Yu fought back the prickling in his throat brought on by her smile before he took a sip of the warm tea, the steam soothing his face as the woman laughed under her breath. "You forget how long I have known you. I remember when you used to come in from the garden up to your elbows in mud after summer sparring matches. Do not worry your dignity over me."

The strategist pressed his lips into a thin line, studying the graceful contours of Lady Wu's face with debating eyes, but in the end he said nothing more and only lifted the cup back to his mouth, chasing the possible words away with a heavy swallow. Sun Jian's widow nodded to him and dropped into a kneel at his bedside, her alabaster robes spreading around her like a cloak of moonlight as she smoothed them with a mild hand.

"I'm relieved to see you awake. We were all very worried when you lost consciousness." Lady Wu shook her head, and the careful coils of her hair bounced against her soft skin, the wrinkles at the edge of her mouth retaining her smile as a flicker of shadow slid through her eyes. "The village doctor said you were only suffering from fatigue… I suppose you didn't bother to take care of yourself on the way back."

Zhou Yu shifted against the headboard, and his eyes trailed down the length his arms as Lady Wu's voice slipped through the afternoon air, soft and soothing like a breath of wind. All of the road dust was gone from his fingers, and the bruises that the reins had left along the back of his hands showed up clearly now in contrast to his pale skin, as did the discoloration marking his knuckles where they had met first stone and then wood. He could see that his battle tunic had been removed – instead, he was wrapped in endless folds of ivory silk, a mourning robe keeping him still and warm against the sheets.

The swordsman squeezed his eyes shut as another jab of desolation shot through his stomach, and Lady Wu reached out to take the cup from his lightly shaking hands, placing the forgotten tea on his side table as the dark warrior's voice fell unsteadily from his lips.

"I…"

The Tiger's widow smiled under her calming eyes, one palm reaching out to settle on the strategist's tight shoulder. "You've been sleeping for three days. You must have been exhausted." Zhou Yu gritted his teeth against the emotions writhing through his ribcage, and Lady Wu sighed as she withdrew her touch, both hands finding harbor in the upset bedclothes instead. "You should be careful with yourself, Zhou Yu. One tragedy is enough for this household."

The swordsman exhaled through his teeth, fighting to keep control of the jabbing needles behind his eyes as one hand rose to massage his temples. He couldn't cry anymore – crying would give him nothing but a headache, and if the Sun lord's mother could hold herself in more control than he…

"Three days…" Lady Wu nodded, and the dark warrior swallowed against his croaking voice, trying to force his tone steady as he cleared his throat. "Then I… the funeral…"

_Funeral_. The word almost robbed him of the little composure he had managed to regain, and Zhou Yu bit down on his tongue so that the pain would hold back the emptiness circling like nausea in the pit of his stomach. His hand drifted down to cover his eyes as Lady Wu shifted in her seat against the floor, and he pressed the pale flesh against his eyelids as hard as he could, praying his fingers would banish the tears at least until he was alone again.

"They waited as long as they could, Zhou Yu. They knew you would want to participate, but…"

The swordsman said nothing because he didn't trust himself to speak; he stared into the darkness of his palm as he listened to the Tiger's widow breathing at his side and felt the wind cooling the back of his neck, its fickle whisper sending a shiver through his stiff shoulders. Soft fingers wrapped around his fist where it had tightened into the sheets, and the strategist held his breath to keep his tears safe within the emptiness of his chest as Lady Wu's touch unclenched his hand.

The woman hummed as she ran her thumb over his knuckles, smoothing the rigid fingers until his hand lay flat in hers. "They all left for the temple early this morning. I imagine they should return soon." The words made Zhou Yu blink, and despite his intentions his palm fell away from his eyes, drawing his gaze to Lady Wu's through the afternoon light.

"They… they're at the funeral now?" The Tiger's widow nodded, and the dark warrior felt furrows of confusion creasing his forehead as he studied her placid features, bewilderment superseding the pressure that had become so constant at the back of his throat. "And you… you didn't go with them?"

Lady Wu smiled, turning his hand over in hers and placing the pale fingers back against the spring coverlet. "I thought it unwise to leave you alone, Zhou Yu. It might have been very difficult when you woke up." The dignified woman sighed under her breath and the soft sound sent a stab through the tangle of emotions already trapped around the swordsman's stomach, tightening his throat as the Sun lord's mother glanced up to catch his eyes. "And that aside… there are many ways to grieve. A funeral is only one."

_Grieve._ Zhou Yu swallowed hard, pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth to push down the dagger that had gotten lodged beneath his lungs, pricking the back of his eyes and pressing out against his chest so that the sharpened edge threatened to break through and spill his heart – what used to be his heart, the stone where his heart would have been – into the folds of the sheets. For a long moment, neither of them spoke, and then the strategist gritted his teeth against the tremors that wanted to ricochet through his body, daring himself to speak despite the pressure at the base of his throat that was jeopardizing his control over each unsteady syllable.

"Lady Wu… I… words cannot express my condolences…"

The dark warrior cut himself off as his tone buckled and became a harsh whisper, pressing his lips into a thin line to hold back the shudder that was flickering in his lungs. He couldn't do it – he couldn't finish, and he couldn't keep the tears out of his eyes for too much longer, because already his vision was beginning to swim in wavering lines and he was afraid that if he blinked the haze would solidify and slide down his cheeks…

Lady Wu watched him in silence for a moment, and the swordsman kept his face turned away from her, half for fear that his control would fail at any moment and half because he knew that meeting her warm gaze would only make his shoulders tremble harder against the headboard. Then the Tiger's widow sighed, and one soft hand came up to take hold of his arm again, smoothing the silk of his mourning sleeve as the wind trailed around them and brushed dark bangs out of his eyes.

"That is true, Zhou Yu." Zhou Yu blinked at the quiet words, and without thinking he turned back to meet the woman's patient eyes, confusion taking hold of his features as Lady Wu gave him a graceful smile. "Words mean very little, especially from a talented speaker like you."

The strategist's mouth fell open slightly in his surprise, but before he could speak again Sun Jian's widow shook her head, fingers wrinkled by long years of motherhood rising to touch the line of his cheek. The dark warrior jumped a little at the contact, and Lady Wu laughed, the sound of her amusement so quiet that it almost vanished under the echo of her unruffled words.

"Your tears, however… those tell me more than your words ever could."

Her voice was calm and unhurried, as gracious as her untiring smile, and as he stared into her golden eyes – golden yellow just a shade shy of that blistering, brilliant, beautiful amber – Zhou Yu felt the assertion hardening to lead and plunging into the depths of his stomach, stealing whatever strength had remained in his exhausted form and slumping his limp body back against the headboard. Two pale hands came up to cover his contorting face, and in spite of his frustrated attempt at composure his skin was damp again, the saltwater stinging his open palms.

The knowledge that he was crying only made the tears come faster, and in the end it was all the swordsman could do to keep his sobs silent, the soundless convulsions yanking his shoulders forward in sharp jolts as his ribs prepared to collapse inward to fill the space where his heart had disintegrated. Lady Wu said nothing, quiet as a ghost at his bedside as he fought to keep his voice down and failed, losing control of the rough words that were so bitter on his tongue.

"I shouldn't have let – I should have been there to protect him—"

Zhou Yu shook his head and drove his teeth into his tongue, forcing himself silent again as he held his breath to stop the shudders that were shaking his limbs against the tangled sheets. The wind picked up and raced around the room like a sharp inhale, and in the rustle of the crabapple leaves the strategist could almost hear a voice, that same laughing voice murmuring under the play of the coral blossoms.

_Come on, Yu… it's not your fault._ _It was pretty stupid of me to get off on my own, I guess…_

The strategist slammed his fist into the mattress, already bruised knuckles roiling at the soundless contact. "Idiot," he whispered, the sound hissing out from behind clenched teeth as he choked on his struggling exhale. "He's always been an idiot, and I swore I wouldn't let—"

_I really wanted to be with you_.

Lady Wu sighed again, and Zhou Yu listened to the sound behind the darkness of his forceful hand, the woman's invisible fingers brushing down his arm in soothing strokes. "No one is blaming you, Zhou Yu," she murmured, and the swordsman shook his head, his body trembling just enough that the tears kept building beneath his lashes.

"I am."

There were so many promises he had broken, so many damn mistakes slipping through his useless fingers—

Sun Jian's widow laughed, her touch disappearing for a moment as the soft scrape of lacquer on wood dispersed between them. "Of course you are. How could you not? We all think that way when we lose someone."

The tea cup was pressed into his empty hand, and the strategist's fingers curled around it automatically, lifting the vessel to his lips as though the lukewarm liquid could chase his shivers away. Lady Wu pressed her cold palm against the line of his jaw, diffusing the swollen heat that crying had brought to his pale skin.

"I doubt any of you understood how long I did the same after Jian died. It was the only thing that made the days go quickly." Behind the shield of his fingers, twin obsidian eyes cracked open and studied her dignified smile, his aching ribs holding back the silent sobs as Lady Wu shook her head. "But it passes, Zhou Yu. It will pass for you just as it did for me. Though I expect it may take a long time… you've always been so passionate, and I know how much you loved him."

Zhou Yu stiffened under her gentle touch, and his hand fell away from his features as he stared into the woman's golden eyes, trying to read the undercurrent of her tranquil words. The widow's features told him nothing, and for a long heartbeat the swordsman regarded her in shocked silence, his tears pushed back by an entirely different kind of emotion slipping through his stomach, wisps of uneasy surprise overtaking his blotched countenance. Lady Wu only nodded, memory and the shadow of sadness flickering across her face – she waited a moment more before leaning up and dropping her voice to a sheltered whisper, the words barely audible over the sweeping wind outside.

"The hardest thing to endure is waking up alone."

The strategist's eyes shot wide, his gaze snapping across the woman's face as his heartbeat stalled in his chest. Before he could regain control of his breathing or tame the rush of questions tearing through his heedless mind, there was a soft knock on the door, and the wooden obstacle slid back to permit Shang Xiang's ashen face, her hazel eyes far dimmer than usual.

"Mother? We're back – oh." The Sun princess stiffened as her eyes met the dark warrior's through the silent air, and Zhou Yu turned away, staring into the rustling crabapple boughs in place of the tearstains that lined the young woman's countenance. "You're… you're awake…"

The swordsman gritted his teeth, clenching one fist into the disheveled sheets as his other rose to hide his undoubtedly flushed features. Behind him, he could hear Lady Wu getting to her feet and brushing her robes back in order, the mourning silk hissing under her careful fingers.

"Go find your brother, Shang Xiang. He asked to speak to Zhou Yu as soon as possible."

There was a moment of silence before the door slipped closed, and then a gentle hand fell to rest against the strategist's shoulder, pressing soothing circles into his rigid back.

"Just breathe for a little while, Zhou Yu. I know you cherish your dignity. Breathe and drink the tea, and everything should be normal by the time Quan arrives."

An image of the sobbing young man pressed into his chest flitted through the dark warrior's mind, and just after it came the image of Sun Ce's final expression flickering beneath the fickle light of the temple torches – but he forced them away, holding onto his composure with all his strength and lifting the cup back to his lips so the cooling liquid could push his emotions back down his throat.

The wind sighed over his raw cheeks and the crabapple blossoms waved outside his window, one of the low-hanging branches knocking silently against the sill, and every mouthful of tea slowed the weary heartbeat in his ears until at last Zhou Yu found he could close his eyes without tears collecting along the edge of his lashes. He held a deep breath and let the spring breeze cool his burning skin, focusing on the rhythm of his pulse as the woman behind him began to hum again, her gently pleasing voice echoing like a lullaby against the plastered walls.

The swordsman wanted to ask her how long she'd known about his relationship with her son, and why she'd never said anything before – but he worried that speaking might tear his self-control out of his hands again, and in the end he kept quiet, glancing between the varying bunches of leaves and blossoms without a sense of direction. For a time he couldn't have calculated, they stayed immobile in the silence, the first conversation they'd ever shared alone replaying through his weary mind – then at last there was a second knock, and he could hear the door sliding open behind him, a flurry of overlapping footsteps intruding on the solemn sanctuary.

"Master Zhou Yu…"

The strategist closed his eyes, listening for a moment to the reverberations of the youngest Sun child's voice – so desolate that the speaker sounded as though he might have been all alone in the world, stranded and lost in the drift of an endless sea. Then Zhou Yu steeled himself and turned back to face the room's interior, his gaze passing over each of the visitors' somber features in turn. Xiao Qiao bit her lip and Lady Qiao put a steadying hand on her sister's trembling arm, and behind them Shang Xiang leaned back against the wall, her expression distant despite the unnatural glisten in her hazel eyes.

But it was Sun Quan who ultimately drew the swordsman's attention, and he returned the drowning blue-gray stare with his back pressed hard against the headboard, keeping his body still by virtue of the decorative wood. Sun Quan sniffled and rubbed one hand across his mottled, flushing face, his eyes as desperate as his voice had been. Then the young man's composure crumbled and he dashed across the room to throw himself down by the side of the bed, burying his head in the dark warrior's lap as loud, wrenching sobs tore through his gangly form.

"Master Zhou Yu—"

In the hopeless, vulnerable words, the strategist saw again the image of a twelve-year-old bound in his mother's soft embrace, anguish for a lost father streaming down his childish cheeks. The swordsman pressed his lips into a thin line to force down the lead weight at the back of his throat and one pale hand came to rest on Sun Quan's shoulder in the closest he could offer to comfort, scarred fingers hiding the wrinkles of the mourning robe and the shudders coursing beneath it. The last Sun child shook his head hard, and the disheveled strands of his bun came loose at the rough motion, scattering locks of uncombed hair across his stainless silk.

"H-how do you do it, M-Master Zhou Yu?" The question was so underwrought with tears that Zhou Yu almost couldn't understand it, a difficulty only worsened by the muffling effect of his gathered blankets. Sun Quan's fingers tightened into fists around the tangled sheets as a strangled sob stuck in his throat, his whole body shivering under the officer's hand. "H-how do you stay s-so strong? I've tried, but no – no matter what I do I – I just keep crying—"

The strategist swallowed against the pressure in his chest, forcing back the admission that he couldn't seem to stop crying either. For a long moment, until he could be sure he had control over the tone of his voice and the syllables waiting on his tongue, Zhou Yu didn't answer, offering the last Sun child the warmth of his hand and nothing more. Finally Sun Quan's sobs began to subside, and the swordsman took a deep breath before opening his mouth, composure fluttering like a struggling moth within his ribcage.

"Tell me what happened, Sun Quan."

The young man choked, and the tremor that went through him was almost enough to rob both of them of their control, but the dark warrior bit down hard on the inside of his cheek and held himself steady against the wall, his free hand curling into a fist that dug five uncut nails against his palm. Sun Quan breathed heavily for another minute before he dared to raise his head, and then two glimmering sea-gray eyes came up to find the obsidian above them, wavering with every shaky word that fell from his lips.

"There's – there's someone who can explain that b-better than I can…"

Zhou Yu frowned a little at the response, his forehead furrowing in confusion as he glanced to the women waiting silently against the opposite wall with similarly solemn expressions. But before any of them could speak, another figure appeared in the doorway, and his familiar face widened the strategist's eyes a little as he gaze passed over the rough chin and one arm allocated to a hanging sling, silence stalling on his tongue before he managed to recall the man's name.

"Fan Nong…"

The soldier nodded, dropping into a low bow before his hesitant eyes came up to find the swordsman's stoic countenance. "Yes, my lord. I am honored to be in your presence again, although… although I wish it could have been under better circumstances."

Zhou Yu swallowed hard and Sun Quan gave another sniffle, his fists tightening into the folds of the overwhelming blankets as the dark warrior's hand stiffened against his back. For a moment, nothing interrupted the weighted silence but the wind in the branches outside and the voice of the crabapple blossoms conversing among themselves, and then the messenger shifted in his stance, one hand coming up to rub the side of his neck.

"We… Lord Sun Ce and I… we left for Wanling three days after I arrived. He wanted to go as soon as possible, but it took a little time to get things in order, and I was tired from the journey here…"

Fan Nong hesitated and the swordsman sent him a light gesture, indicating that the man should continue despite the way his heartbeat had begun to pound in his ears, expanding and contracting with every breath as though it were trying to swallow the emotions lurking in the confines of his stomach. The soldier bit down on his lower lip, his gaze wandering to the floor and losing contact with the onyx eyes of his superior as one boot scuffed against the coarse rug.

"It took three more days to reach the city, and I asked Lord Sun Ce to wait in the forest outside while I went to search for any allies I could get in camp. We'd brought four squads with us, but I was worried they wouldn't be enough…" Fan Nong shook his head, a shattered laugh falling from his lips as his uninjured hand slipped back to his side. "He didn't want to wait. He wanted to charge in right away."

Of course he had. Sun Ce never wanted to wait for anything. Zhou Yu let his eyes slip closed, and in the darkness of his tired, unsteady mind he pictured the Little Conqueror crouched beneath the late spring foliage of the outlying forest, his impatient amber eyes shifting in the intermittent sunlight. The strategist shook his head, but he kept his eyes closed so that the blindness of his compromised vision became a stage for the words of the soldier who suddenly seemed so far away from him.

"I went back to camp and found that most everybody was under Yu Ji's control by then… I tried to slip away again, but he came upon me when I was gathering my weapons and…" A shift. Uncertain leather moving against the carpet, the sound of fingers brushing uneven cloth. "I don't know what he did to me. All I know is that I didn't come to again until after… after…"

Zhou Yu tightened his hand around the sheets beneath him, and he tried to imagine that the fabric was a facet of his composure, the method for holding back the coils of despair that the messenger's unfinished statement wound closer and closer around his aching ribs. Three deep breaths passed through the swordsman's lips before he trusted himself to speak again, confronting the blackness before his eyes with the controlled tone of a tongue that was a hair's-breadth from losing control.

"How did you break your arm?"

A heavy sigh. The scratch of nails against dusty skin. "I… Lord Sun Ce did that… I think. When I… when I came to, I was lying under the stars. I felt as though I had been beaten all over. Around me were the other soldiers – the men of my company, and the men we'd brought with us. They… I guess Yu Ji must have brainwashed them all…"

A cynical smile fell across the dark warrior's lips, and he shook his head again, pressing into the carvings of the headboard because the bruises were better than the shudders locked so tightly between his clenched fingers. Brainwashing. So in the end, the squads he'd sent with Sun Ce had only been tools in the hands of a demon, one more step toward the Sun lord's demise…

The irony made him want to slam his fist into the wall until every bone in his hand splintered into the shards of nothingness so sharp inside his stomach – but Fan Nong was speaking again, his voice echoing around the room and into the ears of its silent sentries with the shadows of memory dancing through each syllable.

"I tried to get up, to look around me… Lord Sun Ce was just standing there, surrounded by all of the other soldiers, and he looked back at me as I sat up. He was… he was so bloody, but… he was smiling at me…"

That same smile – the smile that victory had always put onto his charismatic countenance, that reflected so well under the brilliance of his amber eyes. In the darkness of his mind Zhou Yu could see the tonfa master standing in the center of a wasteland camp, grinning as the soldiers around him slowly regained consciousness and struggled to their feet. His chestnut ponytail was dashing through the wind to scatter over damp shoulders, shoulders as dark as the crimson ribbon fluttering through his hair.

"_Don't worry, guys – I got him_."

A low cough circled the plastered walls, weight shifting from one foot to the other in an attempt to regain the evenness that was slipping from the soldier's voice. "I… I tried to call out to him, but he… he lost consciousness almost immediately. All of us – all of the soldiers, that is… he didn't kill any of us, my lord, even when we were fighting against him—"

Of course he hadn't. He hadn't even though doing so might have saved his life – because despite being an overconfident idiot and a reckless, unstoppable soul, Sun Ce had never harmed the people of his empire. Never had he strayed from the path of a ruler, asking _is there no other way_… demanding another way and relying on his strength to get him through even when there were easier options that required nothing but sacrifice.

The strategist bit down hard on his tongue to keep his composure from wavering, to keep the serpents of guilt and self-loathing trapped in his hollow chest – because it was his place, his responsibility as the young officer's minister, to find another way, so that the decision wouldn't be left in those reckless hands…

"We rushed over to him, and my commanding officer took charge. He sent a messenger to Lord Sun Quan in Xuancheng and one here ahead of us, and then he asked me to accompany Lord Sun Ce home while he brought the village back to order. We traveled as fast as we could, but the journey back took two days as well…"

Two days. Eight days after his departure for Baqiu, Sun Ce had been rocking back and forth in a racing wagon, drenched in his own blood and swathed in swollen bandages – surrounded by soldiers he didn't know and voices he didn't recognize, watching the stars wheel overhead through foggy, slitted eyes. At eight days Zhou Yu had been bent over the makeshift table in Han Dang's command tent, his mind filled with nothing but the pounding rain and the occasional idle stab of irritation at his companion's missing letter. The Little Conqueror had been dying against warped wooden planks, his hair scattered around him by the creaking bounce of the wheels and the rhythm of the horses' ceaseless hooves, and his swordsman had been concerned only for the miserable weather—

Though his eyes remained closed, the dark warrior lifted one hand to hide them, his fingers moving across his temples in a silent massage – but the motion was useless, because it wasn't a headache running tension through his throbbing skin. It was anger, and desolation, and every other emotion that his softly shaking muscles were barely suppressing – Fan Nong's boots whispered as he backed up a step, his voice losing its steadiness with every syllable.

"In the wagon, he… he was mostly unconscious… he didn't seem to be in pain, my lord. I tried to keep him company, but… but I couldn't understand most of the things he said…"

Of course not. The master of Wu's mind would have been disordered, delusional from the injuries he had sustained and the unhealed scars breaking open across his tan skin. But if Zhou Yu could have taken the man's place in that stained cart, he would have pressed his ear to the young officer's lips to catch every meaningless breath, because even the harsh vestiges of the Sun lord's voice were more precious than any sound that remained in a world without him.

Fan Nong stepped back again and the strategist's tired eyes came open to flit across his plain features, reading the absent tears that soldier's pride was holding back as the messenger bowed low once more.

"I… forgive me, my lord. Lord Sun Ce was… a virtuous leader, and… and none of us in Wanling will ever forget what he did for us."

The swordsman pressed his lips into a thin line, nodding slowly as the man's gaze came up to meet his and a spark of understanding flashed between them, flickering melancholy over the soldier's features and driving a crossbow bolt into the dark warrior's stomach. Then Fan Nong turned and disappeared into the shadows of the abandoned corridor, and the door slid closed behind his retreating footsteps, the heavy wooden barrier cutting off his echoing retreat with a gentle snap.

The women on either side of the entrance shifted, the Qiao sisters sharing a long look as Lady Wu's hand came up to rest on her daughter's strong shoulder – but it was Sun Quan who spoke, lifting his tearstained face from the folds of the strategist's blankets to find the solemn obsidian gaze above him.

"Lu Xun and I rode as fast as we could…" The young man swallowed so hard that Zhou Yu could see the movement sliding down his throat, and as the last Sun child began to shake against him the strategist closed his eyes again, distant hoofbeats echoing through his mind as the wavering voice continued its hushed narrative. "We arrived after two days, but Brother – he was already… dying…"

Two days. The same day he'd set out from Baqiu, driving his horse as fast as it could run over the sodden, slippery ground, Lady Wu's words burned forever into the contours of his memory. In a darkened room candles were being lit, and with his blind eyes Zhou Yu could see their flames flickering in the flapping fabric of Sun Quan's traveling cloak, the lanky young man running across the shadow-spattered floor to kneel at his brother's side, terrified breaths falling from his lips almost as irregularly as those of the bedridden figure beside him.

Two trembling hands were clinging to Sun Ce's robe, holding on with the same desperate fear that had his fists clenched in the swordsman's sheets now, the same horror so clear in his unstable voice.

"_Brother… Brother, please…"_

The dark warrior gritted his teeth against the throbbing heartbeat behind his temples, and two dim amber eyes wound their way almost lazily across the features of the crying child beside him, that familiar laugh falling from his lips – but it was different this time, because the sound was so soft it barely carried to the ears of his mother and sister one step back and held none of the young officer's usual confidence, halting and broken by sharp breaths.

"_Quan… what took you… so long, kid?"_

He was still smiling – smiling that goddamned precious smile like he couldn't see the darkness waiting in the corner of the room, like he didn't know why there were tears on his younger brother's cheeks and collecting one by one beneath his strategist's eyelashes. Sun Quan was scooting closer to him and gripping the blankets as tightly as he could, his knees shuffling against the carpet – just as they did now, the fabric of his mourning robe hissing like the wind through the trees outside as he pressed his face into the swordsman's constricting stomach.

"I begged him not to go, Master Zhou Yu…"

Two sea-gray eyes squeezed shut as his pitiful head shook back and forth, back and forth with the rhythm of his sobs and the slow, uneven breaths trickling from the Little Conqueror's lungs. _"Please… please, Brother. You can't leave me alone like this. I can't do this alone. I'm scared, Brother! I'm scared and I can't—"_

"_Hey."_

A sharp voice accompanying a sharp look, a spark of displeasure riding through the hazy amber eyes as Sun Ce dropped a hand onto his younger brother's shoulder. But the motion was unsteady, his fingers shaking, none of the strength that had made him so powerful remaining to hold his limbs still, so that his lips trembled as he spoke – trembled just like Zhou Yu's were, though he had pressed them into a thin line and made no attempt to reply, watching his companion through the shadows of time as the Sun lord smiled and curled toward Sun Quan's sobbing form.

But even that movement was hard, and a wince shot across his countenance as he spoke through the shuddering of his wounded body, wrapping his arm around the younger man's back.

"_Don't do this… to me, Quan. I'm not gonna… give my empire to a… to a pansy. C'mon… be strong. You've gotta be stronger than even me, Quan… stronger than… Father—"_

Why was he laughing? Why did Sun Ce have to be laughing as the words crossed his struggling tongue, slipping through the air in a harsh whisper that dragged a tear down Shang Xiang's blotched features and caught Lady Wu's breath. But the laugh was more of a cough, and all of a sudden he was choking, crimson flecks as dark as his flickering ribbon coating the skin around his mouth. The Little Conqueror rolled onto his stomach so that the pillows muffled his choking, and the strategist pressed his hand down over his eyes to keep them closed, too intelligent to trust his composure for keeping back the moisture that was threatening to spill down his cheeks with every unseen memory that prickled like a needle behind his eyes.

There were tears on the Sun lord's face as well, but they were tears from the pain, trails of saltwater cutting into the lines of his battle-scarred countenance as the young officer turned over to face his family again, his gaze flitting between their solemn features as another broken laugh cut through the silence.

"_All of you… come on. Let's have some… smiles, huh? I don't want a bunch of gloomy… d-downers to be… the last thing I see—"_

But his words only made Sun Quan cry harder, and Shang Xiang dropped into a crouch at his side to wind her arms around the shaking young man's shoulders – just as she was doing now, her soft footsteps crossing the silent floor before her knees hit the carpet and her voice took over the narrative.

"He was so upbeat. I don't know how – how he did that…"

A choking laugh, and without opening his eyes Zhou Yu could see the tears streaming down her face, because they were there in his mind, too, just like her shattered, struggling smile. Shang Xiang rocked back and forth on her heels, the darkness of the candlelit room shining in her hazel eyes and down the damp lines of her cheek as she stared into her brother's fading grin.

"He was always that way… strong like that. He didn't want us to – to cry, even though we…" There was a hiccup, and through his blindness the swordsman could see her burying her face in Sun Quan's shoulder, hiding the sobs just as she had after the death of her father years before. "Even though we were losing him…"

Of course he hadn't. Sun Ce wouldn't have wanted to leave anyone crying. He would have wanted his funeral to be spent sharing stories of the ridiculous trouble he had gotten into, would have wanted his memory to forever put an unintentional smile on the face of the people he'd left behind. He'd have wanted to be the laugh that kept coming back to the lips of the people who had loved him – because in the Little Conqueror's mind, few things had ever been as worthwhile as happiness, and he'd have wanted that for the remnants of his kingdom just as he'd wanted it for himself.

And that was why he was smiling – a smile that was only a little bitter around the edges, not half as bitter as the desolation flooding Zhou Yu's mouth with every breath and the pounding heartbeat over which he was quickly losing control. Sun Ce was losing control of his, too – it was erratic in his wrist, far too fast in the fingers that reached out to push his sister's lips into an insincere curve.

"_You'll look after this… pansy, right… Shang? You'll keep him… in line for me?"_

The Sun princess was nodding – either that or she was shuddering, pressed into her younger brother's back so that her hazel eyes were hidden from the fickle light of the candles and the shadows creeping ever closer across the coarse floor. The Sun lord watched her in silence for a moment, the strength of his smile fading a little – fading the way it did right before he fell asleep, when drowsiness slid through his amber eyes and made them flicker under the strands of his chestnut bangs, the only time that he was still enough to be held close. Except that this was a different kind of stillness, the kind his strategist had never wanted to see, because this was the kind where the morning sun wouldn't open his restless eyes again…

The master of Wu's gaze drifted past his huddled siblings to land on the face of the woman behind them, a face that was graceful and dignified even in its sadness. Sun Ce cracked a tiny smile, his laughter sheepish now as it drifted between his arduous words.

"_Mother… thanks for… everything, and all that…"_

Lady Wu didn't move, her shoulders back in a stiffness that was as warm as her golden eyes – the only eyes in the room free of tears, because there was a deeper sorrow in her half-smile than words or tears could have given her noble features. The Little Conqueror lifted one hand to rub across his forehead, his fingers mimicking Zhou Yu's as the swordsman fought to keep control of his expression, to catch the thread of composure that was slipping so fast through his hold and away into the darkness. His wife's voice joined the distant account, her form and her sister's stepping out of the shadows of the young officer's quarters to receive his parting words.

"He… he wanted all of us to be happy, Zhou Yu. He wasn't… wasn't sad at all…"

No. The Sun lord was still smiling – smiling as he looked over the bowed heads of Shang Xiang and Quan's clinging forms to find Lady Qiao's solemn features, Xiao Qiao sticking fast to her arm as though the older girl were an anchor who could keep the shadows from swallowing them both. Sun Ce shot them a wink, but the simple motion took so much effort that his breath became a pant under his voice, the sound growing starker as his body trembled against the jumbled sheets.

"_We had some g-good times… right, you two? Have some more for – for me, okay?"_

Xiao Qiao was weeping, shaking her head as she wrapped both arms around her sister's waist and the ginger strands of hair stuck to her damp, flushing features. But Lady Qiao took her example from her mother-in-law, just as she always had, and nothing but the tight line of her pretty lips spoke to the grief that had to be seeping through the cage around her heart – it made her shoulders shiver just as Zhou Yu's were, just as his whole body had begun to, rattling the headboard back against the wall.

The Sun lord shook his head, the motion so slow and tired that it made the dark warrior bite down hard on his tongue, fighting back the senseless beating of his heart as Sun Ce's began to wane, his pulse growing dull though his brilliant eyes were growing brighter with each leaden breath.

"_And that… that kid… give him my best, okay?"_

Shao. The boy hadn't crossed the swordsman's mind until that moment – but the memory of the child's sobbing in Lingnan and the tiny nod from Lady Qiao weren't enough to distract Zhou Yu from the figure who was heaving now beneath his bedclothes, amber eyes widening at the shudders rocking through his body. The strategist wanted to reach through the folds of his mind and pull the Sun lord into his embrace, to hold his companion still against his chest until that terrible shaking went away – but he couldn't, because his arms didn't reach that far and Lady Qiao's voice was breaking through from the other side of the darkness, keeping him one step away from the bedside where he'd have given anything to be.

"He asked that Lord Quan be made ruler of the empire. He asked that… we all serve Lord Quan after his death."

Sun Quan was crying again, his eyes bloodshot and swollen as he pressed his face into the vanishing warmth of the Little Conqueror's stomach and held on as tightly as his fingers allowed. _"Brother… I can't, Brother, you know I can't. I've never been any good at fighting… please, Brother, please…"_

But Sun Ce was only smiling, smiling as he jerked against his pillow and his hand clenched around the young man's shoulders, tears he couldn't control sliding down his cheeks as the sting of his wounds ground his teeth together.

"_C'mon – Quan – don't be such a… such a baby. It's not like you'll be all – all alone. There's… everybody'll hel-help you out… You've gotta thank 'em all f-for me, 'kay? Taishi Ci, and – and Meng, and…"_

Shang Xiang had curled into a ball around her youngest brother, her warrior's hands holding them both upright as Sun Quan pressed his fingers over his mouth to quiet his sobs – just as Zhou Yu was doing, one pale palm braced against his lips to keep himself silent, because there was no stopping the tears anymore and trying seemed so useless. Sun Ce was shivering under the touch of his mother's warm hand, and for a moment his smile faltered, irony sliding like steel through his flickering eyes as a stalling laugh echoed up to the ceiling.

"_Damn… I di-didn't really want it to… end this way—"_

A vicious cough tore the words in half, and the Sun lord slung his elbow across his mouth to keep the blood from spattering – but it was a lost cause, because the crimson flecks were already scattered all over his dark warrior's memory, each one stabbing the back of his closed eyes like a needle and sharpening the tremors coursing through his body. But he wasn't trembling half as badly as the master of Wu, nor was his breathing so rough, coming faster and faster as exertion pushed against his straining lungs and his heart struggled to beat within his chest.

Lady Wu's silken footsteps moved across the room to rest beside her children, and her voice pulled Sun Ce's eyes back to the faces of his family, glittering amber that was like phoenix flame even as the light reflected off of the sweat streaming down his skin.

"You have to know, Zhou Yu…"

One tan hand reached out into the darkened air, reaching for the answering hand of one who wasn't present to receive it.

"_Hey…"_

Lady Wu was shaking her head; the strategist could hear her robes shifting with the simple motion. But no matter how he tried, he couldn't stretch far enough to catch the Little Conqueror's hand, to pull him through the darkness of his mind and into the arms that were aching just like the throb of the pulse in his ears.

"He didn't want to go without you."

The Sun lord tried to smile, but it was more of a grimace now, that shining expression losing radiance with every exhausted breath fighting through his lips.

"_When… when Yu gets – gets back…"_

Zhou Yu's breath caught in his throat, the sound of his name in that faltering voice almost more than he could stand. The syllable flashed through his mind in ten thousand different intonations, every time the young officer had used his nickname breaking over him like an ocean storm – in anger, in laughter, in teasing, in the joy that had never been as clear anywhere as in his unstoppable grin. But the expression was fading now, growing dimmer and dimmer as Sun Ce choked and a raw chuckle scattered from his harsh exhale.

"_He's gonna be so… so mad at me…"_

The swordsman bit down hard on the skin of his palm, forcing back the shaking of his shoulders with the physical pain. He was. He was so, so angry with his impatient, foolish companion, and so everything else that the emotions were getting in each other's way, clenching tighter and tighter in his stomach like a writhing nest of serpents. The one thing that didn't stop were the tears, and those were clear on the Sun lord's face, too – but somehow, the strategist still knew he was crying alone, and that the inconstant heartbeat accompanying his through the darkness of the candlelit room wasn't going to stay.

Sun Ce's hand clenched into a fist, falling back to his side as he lost the strength to hold it out, and Zhou Yu's breath died in his throat, the entire world going still so that the jagged whisper falling from the Little Conqueror's lips was as clear as if he had shouted – the way he had shouted so many times, in excitement and in fury and in playful encouragement. But he wasn't going to anymore, because he only had the power to whisper, and even that was failing fast.

"_When he – when he g-gets back… tell him…"_

The dark warrior shook his head, the motion tight as Sun Quan shifted in his lap and the Sun lord's eyes widened under a painful inhale. The young officer didn't have to tell him anything – he already knew, all of the words that had passed between them in seventeen years replaying in his suddenly perfect ears. But the master of Wu was speaking anyway, forcing his voice past his lips as a ribbon of crimson slipped down the side of his mouth.

"_T-tell him…"_

The strategist swallowed hard, and Sun Ce grinned, his amber eyes fighting halfway open as the light of the dying sun shone in his features and his fingers bent in a shaking wave.

"_Tell him that I… beat him to the – the other side, and… and I'll be here to r-rub it in his face as… as soon as he makes it."_ The Little Conqueror was laughing, and the sound drew a tiny smile onto his swordsman's lips, the expression invisible behind his powerless hand. His companion sighed, chestnut ponytail stark as his bright red ribbon against the ashen skin of his neck. _"I'm not g-going anywhere, though… s-so he can… take his t-time…"_

Zhou Yu choked, and then he watched as the light began to fade out of Sun Ce's brilliant eyes, disappearing little by little like a summer sunset as his body convulsed against the sheets, his ribcage jerking with every spasming breath. Sun Quan cried out and Shang Xiang raised her voice in fearful answer, but the dark warrior was deaf to their shouts – all he could hear was the pulse of the young officer's heart racing faster and faster in his wrenching chest, the beats becoming closer and closer together until he couldn't even trace them anymore, his eyes locked on the frown that was overcoming his commander's beautiful smile like a pattern of shifting storm clouds under the force of angry winds.

There was a jolt, and a gasp, and then there was nothing – nothing at all, and the silence was worse than his faltering breaths had been, far worse than the sound of his trembling voice. Because now Zhou Yu's heart truly was beating alone, and the weight of that solitude pressed down on him so hard that he wasn't sure he would be able to carry it, to keep walking with the burden of his own heartbeat and the memory of the one he had lost throbbing side by side in his ears.

But in the end, he had no choice – because giving up was something Sun Ce's memory would never have allowed him, and there were still things that he needed to do before he could follow his shining companion into the darkness.

_I'm not g-going anywhere, though… s-so he can… take his t-time…_

The strategist took a deep breath and held it, forcing his features steady as the tears dried on his cheeks and the soft wind soothed his pulsing headache, sending a whisper through the crabapple blossoms that were waiting with the same patience at the unconquerable spirit that had left him behind. Then Zhou Yu's eyes came open and he pushed away from the headboard, bracing both hands against the mattress to hold himself in a full sitting position.

Sun Quan blinked at the change in position and his gaze met the swordsman's in open confusion; the dark warrior turned in his seat and slung both legs over the side of the bed, startling the Sun children to standing stances and scaring them back a step with the abruptness of his movement. The strategist tested his feet against the ground, and then he forced himself up out of the confines of the bedclothes, staggering a little as his head reeled and Xiao Qiao's worried voice broke through the silence.

"Zhou Yu, be careful! You should still be resting—"

But by then the swordsman had regained control of his feet, and he held up a hand to quiet her, obsidian eyes searching the face of each Qiao sister in turn before his gaze swept back to Sun Quan's startled countenance. Zhou Yu took two steps toward the young man and dropped slowly into a kneel, ignoring the gasp from the Sun princess to his left and the uncertain backstep of the young lord before him.

"M-Master Zhou Yu—"

The strategist shook his head, his weary eyes regarding the coarse rug as one hand reached up to rest over his heart, feeling the beats all the way through his fingers as a quiet exhale fell from his lips.

"No, Sun Quan. It's all right. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

There was a soft rustling of skirts from the uncertain women around him, only Lady Wu remaining completely still as a shuddering breath parted the last Sun child's lips. Zhou Yu's expression fell into a cynical smile, his pulse throbbing so loudly in his ears that he was surprised the others couldn't hear it.

He was still alive. And that meant he had a duty to perform, no matter how strongly the darkness was calling to him, beckoning him with the promise of a familiar hand…

"If you will let me… if you'll accept my loyalty to you as ruler of Wu…" The title stung the back of his eyes, but the dark warrior had spent his tears thrice already and there was nothing but regret remaining in the pit of his stomach, regret that softened to solemn honesty as he looked up to catch Sun Quan's quivering eyes. "I vow to exert what little power I have for the benefit of your empire, from this day until the end of my life."

The swordsman bent his head again, and the young lord shifted beside him, uncertainty clear even in the soft movement of his feet. "But… Master Zhou Yu…"

Zhou Yu smiled at the floor, no amusement flitting across his expression despite the curve of his lips. "You need not doubt my sincerity, Sun Quan. I would gladly suffer any form of death for you."

What did death have left to take from him, after all?

The youngest Sun child did not answer, but the folds of his mourning robe were trembling, sure indication that tears were slipping down his unscarred face again. A moment passed in silence, nothing but the breeze and the leaves outside moving through the waning afternoon light – then Lady Wu took a step forward and her voice echoed against the plastered walls, calm like a banner standing in steady wind.

"All hail and honor Lord Sun Quan, master and ruler of the Wu Empire."

To his left, Shang Xiang hit her knees in a sharp jolt, and the Qiao sisters followed suit, hands trapped in butterfly knots over their pristine robes. Without looking up, Zhou Yu could feel Sun Quan's gaze passing along the crest of his bent head, as unsteady as the silk pooling around his feet. Then the young lord found his voice, and though there was an undercurrent of hesitation remaining in his tone the words themselves were filled with the spirit of the Sun family, standing in echo to a dream now silenced.

"I… I will strive to live up to all of your expectations. I swear to become strong like my father and brother before me, and… and with all of your help, I will bring this land under the rule of Wu."

The strategist closed his eyes, feeling the tendrils of the wind against his face and listening to the laughter of a soul too distant to call back anymore. Then Zhou Yu looked up and twin obsidian locked with the tentative sea-gray of a new master, the swordsman's thin lips quirking into a long-dead smile.

"Well, Lord Sun Quan… we have many things to do before that becomes a reality. Shall we begin?"

xxxxx

Sunrise.

The rays of the rising star's red halo spilled across the land around the wagon like a blessing from Heaven, coating everything in a crimson sheen that lifted a flock of birds from the depths of the roadside trees and sent them flying across the golden clouds of the blistering skyline, their wings black in silhouette as they crossed the glowing disk of blood jade moving slowly away from the invisible horizon.

With each moment of added brightness, there was an equal measure of warmth invading the cold of the darkened world and chasing the last vestiges of the shadows away, banishing the night wind to the far reaches of the world where it would await the waking of the stars again. The sun moved into the yellow of the eastern sky and the flames that seemed to follow it began to fade, leaving a white circle of mourning to make its gradual progress toward the zenith without the power of the claret bands that were washing out to pastel blue beneath it.

"I need to rest."

Zhou Yu turned his face away from the silent soldier to hide the tears slipping down his cheeks, each track glittering red-gold in the newly risen light. And Chen Hao said nothing, because he was crying, too.

End Chapter 46

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Well… I did it. This chapter was pretty hard to write – I wonder if it will be hard for any of you to read as well. In any case, we're truly heading toward the end now – one chapter and an epilogue to go, and then the story will be over, which is honestly extremely surreal for me. Comments are always welcome – thank you to everyone for reading my story, and I hope this chapter was worth the wait.

A note for Ever Kitsune: Well… how did I do? Was this chapter more emotional than the last two? Zhou Yu will indeed reach Han Ni Castle, and most of the reactions to his death will be in the epilogue, so stick with me a few more chapters. I'm glad you liked Sun Shang Xiang in the last chapter. Thanks for your review.

A note for Morsmordre: I'm pleased that you like Lu Xun. I also thought it was rather funny of Zhou Yu to turn the tables on him – but then, I'm on Zhou Yu's side. Xiao Qiao and Zhou Yu hadn't interacted one-on-one in this story before because Zhou Yu's interactions with anyone but Sun Ce are very hard for me to write, possibly because he'd rather be alone and isn't all that attached to them, but I wanted to explore that relationship a little before the end. Yes, Lu Meng got the short end of the stick in the whole baby endeavor, and Xuan's attachment to Zhou Yu may have been unnecessarily cruel of me – but children often seem to want what they can't have, and I think that would be the same with a father figure. I'm pleased that I managed to frighten you in the attack chapter despite my early disclaimer that Sun Ce would survive – suspense is necessarily very hard to construct in a story like this. I can't explain the echoing effect during their last fight either, but I'm glad that you liked it, and I'm honored that you found something to like in Chen Hao, as I agree that it's hard to get attached to original characters. Thank you for your amazingly lengthy review – I hope this chapter was also enjoyable for you.

A review for Crazy Insanity: Knowing exactly what's going to happen has been the challenge of writing this story, too – I try to put a new spin on events everyone knows are coming, because that's the only way to get the emotional reaction I think these characters deserve. I'm glad you feel you received additional insight into Sun Ce's character, although I'm not sure how… I didn't slip out of my perspective, did I? Sun Ce is one of those rare people where what you see really is what you get, or at least I mean him to be – I hope that comes across in his character. I like Sun Shang Xiang as well, and I was glad for the chance to develop her character in the last chapter. As for GN/SSX… that's one of the pairings I like in a broad Dynasty Warriors sense, and it was going to be in this story originally until I realized how historically unfeasible that actually was. So instead I contented myself with Sun Ce's jokes throughout the chapters. And no, Gan Ning hadn't joined Wu yet in the last chapter – not until 208. You may be right that I'm a little cruel, considering the letter and the lemon cakes… but it could have been worse. I could have given Zhou Yu and Sun Ce no reconciliation before Sun Ce went off and got himself killed. Actually, I couldn't stand to do that. It would have killed me, too. As always, thanks for the grammar catch and the review – I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations.


	49. Chapter 47

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX to a very minor extent).

A/N: **Warning – this chapter contains a character death.**

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Secession – Part 46 

It took a few minutes of weighted silence for the soldier to pull himself under control again, and by the time his soundless tears had dried on his cheeks the sun had become a pure white disk in the folds of the parched sky, stirring the morning wind and the cries of the summer birds with its unhurried rise to the top of the world. Chen Hao wiped one stained sleeve across his face and wrapped his free arm around his raised knees, daring to sit back from Zhou Yu for the first time in hours as the noises of daybreak flitted through the wagon under the coarse pattern of hoofbeats and creaking wheels, every moment seeming far too bright for the heaviness of the general's vanishing words.

For what seemed like forever to Chen Hao's slowing heartbeat, the two men sat in silence, each of them staring into their own distance with nothing but breath passing between them. The soldier looked to the west and watched the twilight sky's final retreat behind the faraway ridges and sparse forests that they had traveled across under the hand of darkness, and in his mind his superior's words flowed over one another, losing coherency and chronology as the story's conclusion replayed in the softening folds of the clouds above them. Then Wu's fallen strategist sighed, and two charcoal eyes came back to find the obsidian that had been guiding them all night, surprised to see a tiny smile lingering across the commander's thin lips.

"That's… the end… then. You… you know the rest."

There was a note of mild awe in Zhou Yu's voice, and it flickered across his face with a sincerity that made Chen Hao wonder whether even the general had believed in his power to hold off death until every necessary word was freed from his lips. The assertion sent a shiver down the soldier's spine and he found himself leaning forward again, his hands braced on either side of his commander's shoulders as Zhou Yu's gaze lost its focus and scoured the ceiling in a senseless trajectory.

"My lord… thank you."

He didn't clarify the statement, but he didn't have to – his meaning was all around them, glowing in the sunlit air and the tenor of the wind murmuring against the wagon's canopy. It made Zhou Yu shake his head, the motion rough and uneven as his voice faltered into an unsteady whisper.

"No… without an audience, there's… there's no use for a story."

The general choked and a bloodstained cough breached his lips, breaking the silence of the morning and sending a shock of anxiety through his soldier at the abrupt noise. Zhou Yu rolled onto his stomach to soften the shaking, and the fallen strategist dug his uninjured hand into the wood of the vehicle's side, nails scraping the old boards in a helpless search for traction.

"I… I should—"

A second cough shattered his flailing voice, and Chen Hao bit down on his lower lip as he leaned forward to press both hands against the commander's back, keeping his tone as steady as he could to counterbalance the intermittent shudders running through his superior's shoulders. "You should rest, my lord," he finished under his breath, directing his gaze out the front of the wagon so he didn't have to see the struggling lines of the strategist's contorted face as the awful sound of his gasping surrounded them. "You've told me everything you need to. Just rest. We'll be there soon."

And so they would. Only a short distance ahead, rocking back and forth between his comrades' stiff forms to the rhythm of the groaning wheels, was Han Ni Castle, its rammed earth walls rising up in front of him in a darkness that defied the climbing sun. The road to the front gate had all but disappeared under the course of the general's last narrative, and even as Chen Hao watched, the first guardhouses were rolling past them, modest gray buildings with curious faces filling their windows. Everywhere around them, Wu's banners were flickering in the cold morning breeze, the great masses of red fabric slinging back and forth so that the empire's emblem rippled like moving water – water dyed with the blood of its loyal soldiers and the loyalty of its fallen officers.

Zhou Yu opened his mouth to speak, but his shivering limbs stole the syllables before they could leave his tongue and at last the commander lowered his forehead to rest against the warped floorboards, resigning himself to the quivering of his clammy, sweating skin and the coughing that pulled blood down his chin in a steady stream. Chen Hao pressed into his superior's back to hold him as still as possible, and he closed his charcoal eyes to the image of Sun Quan's great fortress, choosing instead to relive the general's story behind the darkness of his eyelids. Somehow that swiftly fading chronicle, the words depicting scenes that had passed by so many years before, seemed more real to him than the stark walls of the castle growing ever closer ahead of them…

_You know the rest._

He didn't. But he could imagine it – and as the horses slowed to an upbeat walk and the voices of the drivers rang out ahead of him, sharing information with the gate guards and the mounting whispers of a curious staff, Chen Hao began to fill in the holes, constructing images of Wu's great strategist to span the ten years alone that had led him to the floor of a desolate wagon and the company of a reluctant soldier.

He imagined a bed with only one person in it, no amount of blankets warm enough to take the place of the figure missing from its folds. He imagined Zhou Yu standing under Heaven's unceasing downpour and watching the tumbling clouds with no regard for his sodden clothing, his lips moving over questions that no one else could hear. He imagined the general seated at a knee-high table with the paperwork of a flourishing empire spread out in front of him, sleeping only when his eyes could remain open no more and he slumped over the piles of documents under the light of an extinguishing candle – because without the King of Wu's laughter and stubborn hand to pull him away, it was clear that the commander would never have left his work unfinished.

He imagined Zhou Yu standing on the bow of a burning ship and staring into the starlit sky high above Chi Bi, cinders glowing in his obsidian eyes as victory pulled his memory back to a spirit as strong as the flames…

There was a clatter as the wagon reached the fortress's front courtyard, its tired wheels clicking and creaking against the paving flagstones, and suddenly there were voices all around him, countless unintelligible syllables rushing through his mind like the smoke of a dying fire. Chen Hao's eyes came open and he found himself staring up the front steps of the castle to the enormous door flung wide beneath its arching eaves, the interior nothing but a tunnel of darkness despite the newly risen light. Decorating the courtyard around him were stone lions in various degrees of a predatory crouch, each of their fearsome faces well-suited to the military headquarters of western Wu, and every aspect of the architecture held an element of grim intensity that made the fortress appear starkly less than inviting.

People of all varieties were milling around the halted vehicle, their curious eyes peering past the canvas roof and over the baseboard to catch a glimpse of its occupants – Zhou Yu struggled to sit up and Chen Hao pressed one hand into the general's back to keep him down, choosing to consider his commander's injuries before his dignity even though he knew the general would have made the opposite choice. The fallen strategist shot him a dark glare, and Chen Hao received it evenly – that glare had lost its power over the course of the night, diminishing with the strength seeping out of Zhou Yu with his blood and the words that had given the soldier such an unobstructed view into his soul. Nothing as simple as a displeased look was capable of breaking that connection anymore; even death had likely lost that power.

The general opened his mouth to speak, his lips cracked beneath the stain of his blackened coughs, and Chen Hao bowed his head, holding his commander's gaze as steadily as the strategist's shaking form allowed. Then there was a scatter of pounding footsteps and a face appeared at the back of the wagon, two unscarred hands gripping the baseboard so tightly that his nails seemed likely to break against the unforgiving wood – the voice that rang out was higher than Chen Hao had expected, but it was powerful nonetheless, as startled as the Lord of Wu's sea-gray eyes flashing over his wounded officer.

"Zhou Yu! Zhou Yu, can you hear me?"

Zhou Yu choked and a spatter of blood hit the floorboards, tightening his soldier's hand against his battle tunic and pressing Sun Quan's lips into an ashen line. Then the Lord of Wu turned back to face the courtyard, one hand flying out in a worried gesture that set his unraveling hair bun sliding down the fur of his robes.

"Get him inside! Bring a litter!"

There was a great flurry of activity from all sides, and through the chaos of the bustling household staff Sun Quan's eyes found Chen Hao's, a thousand questions about the soldier's identity and his hand on the strategist's shoulder flitting across the young ruler's face. But there was no time for them, and before Sun Quan could so much as open his mouth he had to step sideways to avoid the oncoming stretcher, four strong men bearing a wooden litter across the courtyard and dropping it onto the stones with an echoing crash.

The noise jerked Zhou Yu's head up from its resting place against the floor, his disoriented gaze dashing around the contours of the humble wagon – then there was a soft scuffle of leather boots on wood and one of the men vaulted into the back of the vehicle, his raven eyes blinking as they met Chen Hao's and once more at the sight of the general splayed out before him, crimson stains decorating his clothing and the floorboards beneath his chest.

The guardsman's eyebrows knit together, but he wasted no time – in one swift motion he had reached the commander's side, rolling Zhou Yu onto his back and exposing his sallow features to the morning light again as he shot Chen Hao a fleeting glance.

"Help me lift 'im."

The soldier swallowed, nodding hard as his hands found a new position on the strategist's trembling back, and together they lifted their superior a few inches away from the wooden floor, bracing his shoulders against each of their knees. Zhou Yu coughed and the blood from a raw throat rolled sideways down the line of his cheek, as black as the spark slowly dying in his eyes – two more men reached over the wagon's baseboard and took hold of his legs, and in an awkward shuffle Chen Hao and the guardsman propelled the general toward the back of the vehicle, trying not to crush his scattered hair or to disrupt the weary breaths that their movement seemed to be making shorter and shorter.

Chen Hao gritted his teeth, adrenaline and exertion running through his muscles as he fought to keep Zhou Yu from smacking his head against the cart's raised end. Suddenly the weight disappeared from his arms, and then the strategist was in front of him, being laid onto the stretcher by hands that seemed far too rough – they jostled the wounded man back and forth in an attempt to hold him above the ground, useless words flashing between them as they finally released the commander from their unsteady fingers.

Twin obsidian eyes came open again, and the soldier's breath stalled as they caught his own above the wagon's baseboard, the light of the risen sun streaming over Han Ni Castle's walls and glowing almost amber in the general's piercing gaze. Then the litter was lifted into eight ready arms and Zhou Yu vanished behind the canvas roof of the halted vehicle, heavy footfalls carrying him toward the fortress on the bouncing wooden support.

Chen Hao swallowed hard and turned for the head of the wagon, crawling over the warped floorboards so that he could watch the procession moving into Sun Quan's estate, the Lord of Wu himself in tow; he watched until the last attendant had withdrawn into the darkness, and then he slumped back in his seat, a feeling of emptiness he couldn't explain writhing up between his ribs.

Suddenly all the world seemed to be showing up in sharp relief, as unreal as the space next to him that Zhou Yu no longer occupied, where his straining heart had left a dark pool to warp the floorboards in his absence. The cerulean sky arching high above the cart in cloudless daybreak, the whickering of the tired horses stamping their hooves against the cobblestones, the blood in black and red that remained on the soldier's hands and his well-stained sleeves – nothing was as clear in his mind as the images of the general's fading story, nothing as solid as the last look from onyx eyes that the sunrise had made so unnaturally bright.

The guardsman beside him wiped one hand across his forehead and shot Chen Hao a fleeting glance, sighing through his teeth as he slipped out the back of the wagon again and hit the ground in a soft landing.

"He's a goner. Nobody bleeds that much and lives."

With those words as his parting sentiment, the man turned and left them behind, ambling across the courtyard with his shadow stretching long in front of him. Chen Hao watched him go in silence, unable to summon even anger at the callous remark – because it was true, and he'd known that for hours, the truth of the general's mortality becoming more and more inescapable with every breath that leaked through his jet-lined lips. Because everyone in the courtyard had seen the light in the strategist's eyes, and every one of them knew how short light like that burned…

But somehow, even though he'd watched Zhou Yu failing as the hours of the night rolled away around them, even though he'd been listening to his commander's voice become softer and more broken with every piece of his story, Sun Ce's death still seemed more concrete in his mind, and his imagination of the fading Little Conqueror was at least as sharp as the memory of the general dying right beside him. There were no tears for Zhou Yu where they had been for the first King of Wu, the salt still drying against his weary face – Chen Hao leaned back against the headboard of the silent wagon and dropped his forehead to rest against his knees, coal eyes watching the floor through the slats of his shadowed fingers.

Perhaps it was that their deaths seemed to hold such different meanings. With Sun Ce, it was as though a brightly burning candle had been blown out midway through its wick, leaving the hall it had once occupied in a sudden, blistering darkness that stole breath from the lungs of all those who had needed his light. In the case of Zhou Yu, the candle had long outlived its lifespan, whittling down its wick one searing ember at a time as the flame grew dimmer and the light surrounding it folded inward, flaring only when no other candles dared to raise their heads…

Sun Ce hadn't wanted to die and Zhou Yu didn't want to live, and the division between the two stretched like an enormous chasm before the soldier's eyes, pulling a tiny sigh from his lips as both weary arms wrapped around his raised legs. Zhou Yu was a warrior, and a leader, and Chen Hao knew he would mourn the general in the way that all soldiers did, keeping their gazes even and their shoulders back in respect for the man who had directed them with unfailing strength, carrying on just as he'd have wanted them to. That was the way of the army with a death like this, inevitable in the long years of an unending war—

But Sun Ce was different. In losing the King of Wu, the soldier hadn't been able to keep the tears off of his cheeks, because even though they'd never met Chen Hao felt as though he were losing an admired friend, the kind of ruler who inscribed his name onto the hearts of everyone that followed him and who tore that piece of their hearts back out when he left for the land of darkness. Sun Ce had slipped into a space unoccupied by any commander Chen Hao had ever known, which was strange because he had never known the legendary Little Conqueror either…

Or perhaps it was just that only the sentimental cried for a man who was going home. And simple though he was, Chen Hao had never been sentimental.

Either way, his eyes were dry, and the soldier let them slip closed as the horses whickered behind him and his comrades began to murmur among themselves, their voices standing in harmony to the summer wind sifting across the wagon's battered canopy. Then the full weight of a sleepless night pressed down on him, and before Chen Hao could so much as release his deep breath drowsiness was pulling him into the well of silent dreams, his vision doused by the warmth of dawn and the fading laughter of the brightest sun.

.x.

There was something wrong with the hallway. Zhou Yu couldn't place it, no matter how hard he squinted at the wide windows and flickering torches moving past him at an unusual angle, their light catching in the corners of his eyes and sending flares of an unfamiliar headache through a mind that was too dazed to make sense of the world on all sides of him. But there was something wrong nonetheless – something about the way the walls were churning and twisting like billows of smoke that didn't seem right to his disorganized thoughts, though he couldn't have articulated why.

There were hushed voices moving around him, but for all Zhou Yu could understand of the conflicting murmurs they might have been whispered tendrils of the wind or the thread of a coursing brook, the sounds flitting in one ear and out the other before he could decipher them. There were faces above him, too, countenances drawn into serious lines under the light of the dawning day – but none of them were familiar, and after a moment the swordsman abandoned his effort to focus on their oddly melting features, his gaze settling on the plane of the roof high above the swiftly moving caravan in place of the grim attendants who bore his stretcher ever deeper into the silent fortress.

To the weary strategist, it seemed as though the ceiling of Han Ni Castle's corridor was drifting off into an infinite sky, the painted motifs growing indistinct as the colors ran together and swallowed one abstract design after another. The assimilation was a little disconcerting, and Zhou Yu would have liked to mention it to one of the nameless individuals around him, but he couldn't seem to make his voice obey his command and none of them looked liable to listen even had he found the strength to shout, every one preoccupied with whatever errand was driving them so quickly through the forsaken halls in the first place.

The dark warrior sighed between his clenched teeth and settled for closing his eyes, holding back the taste of his tainted blood as the litter turned a corner and his body recoiled under the pressure of the smooth motion. There was no part of him that didn't ache now, excepting the broken wrist that had lost feeling long before their arrival at Han Ni Castle, but the pounding in his head was the worst of all because that made it so hard to think…

Through the fringe of bangs crusted to his forehead, Zhou Yu could see that there was a doorway ahead of the swiftly moving party, and it flew open under an unseen hand as the procession tumbled into a room flooded by open windows, the new sunlight pouring inside with such brightness that the strategist could not restrain a soft groan. Every ray felt like a knife striking the back of his eyes, but he couldn't lift a hand to cover them, because either he had been bound to the stretcher or he had lost the ability to raise his arm. There was a chance of that, since mobility had gotten harder and harder as the hours galloped toward daylight, each small motion almost taking more effort than he could find in himself to put forth—

The indistinct sound of pain emerging from his lips prompted another rush of muttering from the ghouls around him, and the swordsman scowled to himself as he swallowed hard, fighting back the poison in his throat to gain control of his voice once again. He wouldn't settle for a moan – he could manage more composure than that. He'd conquered the taste of the black blood hours ago, the bitterness sliding over his tongue like unwashed metal, and he could conquer its effects as well…

"Lay him onto the bed! Be careful!"

Sun Quan's voice – Zhou Yu recognized it despite the wavering tone and the muffled way it came into his ears, as though they were filled with water or cotton or the buzzing insects that were interfering with his eyes, tiny flashes sparkling in the sunlight and crisscrossing his vision with every breath. The insects were understandable, seeing as all of the windows had been left open in the room and each creature was so small it might have been a falling star far in the distance – perhaps his hair was blocking his ears and impeding his hearing, muting the oncoming syllables so that they barely registered in his drifting mind…

With a heavy jolt that made him bite his tongue, the swordsman found himself dumped into the pristine sheets of an unmade bed, wincing as the shock radiated through his aching head and dug his fingers into the twisted sheets. The blood in his ears roared in protest, and his unsteady heartbeat pounded like a war drum on the back of his skull, distracting him from the activity swimming around him and the shadows of uncountable people moving back and forth across the unchallenged windows.

Then there was a face suspended above him, two worried hands coming to rest at either end of his pillow as the sea-gray eyes that were somehow familiar found his through the clouds blocking his vision, their master's expression shadowed with uncertainty. He couldn't place the features, though he felt he should have been able to—

"Zhou Yu…"

Zhou Yu blinked a little, and Sun Quan's voice pulled his countenance into limited focus through the mist hanging over his eyes. The dark warrior summoned all the strength he had into his uninjured arm and tried to swat at the muddled air around him, hoping that the movement of his splayed fingers would disrupt the shade that had been bothering his vision ever since the sun began to rise – but before he could effect any change to the smog circling his brow, the Lord of Wu caught his hand and squeezed it between two sweating palms, his lips driving into a fierce line as he shook his head.

"Don't worry, Zhou Yu. It's going to be all right now. You're here – you made it. One of the servants is fetching a doctor, and—"

The strategist found himself laughing, and even to his own ears the sound was painfully harsh, grating against the dim contours of his mind as he stared into Sun Quan's startled eyes. But if he could laugh, then he could speak – Zhou Yu swallowed down a wracking cough and dug his fingers into his young master's hand, searching for a stable anchor because the bed beneath him was spinning, spinning and rocking up and down in a way that made him nauseous with every sprinting heartbeat.

"Don't—"

Another cough broke across his lips, and the swordsman gritted his teeth, trying not to taste the blood between them as his breath buckled and abandoned him halfway. That wasn't enough – he would have to do better than a single faltering syllable if he wanted Sun Quan to understand the words trapped within his mouth. The dark warrior swallowed again and focused all of his concentration on the young man before him, settling for a biting whisper in place of the voice that had fully deserted him.

"Don't be a – a fool, Sun Quan."

The Lord of Wu started at the admonishment, and Zhou Yu choked on his trailing exhale as he glanced sideways across the folds of his pillows, watching as the last sifting robes of the attendants disappeared out the door, leaving a large shadow to linger by the exit in heavy silence. A large shadow that took slow steps in their direction and left the doorway behind, its features invisible under the overwhelming sunlight as every cracked word fought free of his lips…

"There's no… saving me. Forget the doctor. Just – just let it go."

Let it go. Just like Sun Ce's kite all those years ago, sailing through the sky under the twist and spin of a young boy's cheerful, determined voice. The kite was back in his field of vision now, and it interfered with the surprise coming over Sun Quan's face, its rough paper contours lessening the emotion in his ruler's startled eyes.

"Zhou Yu…"

The strategist shook his head, but after one swift arc he abandoned the motion, the worsening throb inside his skull driving him to distraction at the time he least wanted to lose focus. There were a thousand things he had to say, but his voice was barely cooperating and he had no way of knowing how long Sun Quan would listen…

"Lock… l-lock the door."

The Lord of Wu blinked at him with wide eyes, his gaze flashing toward the entrance and back with a speed that made Zhou Yu dizzy even without doing the same himself. The young man ran his free hand through the scattered strands of his hair, sweeping them back from a face that seemed to be warping just a little under the hand of the glowing sunlight, its features wrinkling like still water disrupted by a stone.

"But… the Qiao sisters and Lu Xun are…"

The swordsman ground his teeth together in order to shake his head again, fighting down the pain as his chest convulsed and a jagged shudder ran through his body, sharpening the headache even more than his negation had. "They don't – don't need to see this. Just lock the… damn door…"

There was too much innocence remaining in his wife and her sister, in Lu Xun's wide cinnamon eyes, for a death like his to slide easily from their thoughts. There were too many children wandering the corridors of Han Ni Castle, touching its murals and tapestries with curious fingers – and though they'd never managed to reach his heart, Zhou Yu couldn't help wanting them as far from the bloody tatters of his body as he could keep them, as far from the reality of war as the fortress's sturdy walls allowed…

The Lord of Wu hesitated a moment longer, and then he sent a quick nod to the shadow behind him, chasing it back a few steps with his affirmative glance. The dark warrior tried to focus his attention on his master's face, but something was wrong with his vision – as he stared up at Sun Quan's apprehensive features, all the strategist could see was a little boy in too-large clothes, a squealing child with the summer in his smile, a sobbing youth pressed into the folds of his mourning robe, those sea-gray eyes overflowing with tears. Right in front of his puzzled gaze, time rolled back and reduced the ruler of the Wu Empire to a frightened, pleading youngest son again, watching the last breaths of a dying man with fear and unguarded uncertainty…

Zhou Yu knew that couldn't be the face above him, though – because Sun Quan hadn't cried in years, not since Sun Ce's death, and even worried the contours of his features were hard and stern, only his gaze betraying any emotion as it dashed across the lines of the swordsman's failing face. But he couldn't seem to make the mirage go away, no matter how hard he squinted, and as the sound of the latch echoed around the room he abandoned the effort, accepting again the soft features of the Tiger of Jiang Dong's lastborn – the eyes of a child with unwanted responsibility falling into his hands shard by shattered shard.

"Sun Quan…" Zhou Yu's voice was little more than a croak, and the figure beside him jumped at the rasping sound, but no matter how hard he swallowed the dark warrior couldn't keep his tone under control – couldn't keep the syllables from reflecting the moth that had gotten trapped beneath his ribcage, its erratic wings riling his heartbeat ever faster. "I ask your – your forgiveness…"

Sun Quan shook his head, his tongue for once at a loss for words, and the shadow at the door moved in their direction again, its footsteps silent across the tilting, twisting floor that was so disorienting to twin obsidian eyes. Now the swordsman could make out Zhou Tai's stern features through the light of the blinding sun, but his scars had disappeared under the sheer power of the searing morning beyond the windows, leaving his face as smooth and unworn as it had been at their first meeting. For him, too, time was stepping back, revealing the officer as he had been before twelve long years of war for Wu interfered—

The granite warrior came to a halt at his master's side, and in their solidarity Zhou Yu saw again the regent of Xuancheng and his faithful protector, a youth unready for his task and the man who had sworn to be his shield – he bit down on his tongue to hold himself steady and summoned his voice from the depths of his writhing stomach, staring past the silent officers to find the surface of the slowly blurring ceiling with watering eyes.

"My apologies… I couldn't – couldn't keep my promise to you—"

_I vow to exert what little power I have for the benefit of your empire, from this day until the end of my life._

In a way, he had. But what had he truly accomplished in all those years, aside from one victory over Cao Cao and endless campaigns against Shu that ended in failure just as this one had? It seemed to the dark officer suddenly that the final years of his life had held little meaning at all, and the thought sent an angry shiver down his spine, igniting the tremors that were one by one taking possession of his helpless body.

"I – I wanted you to unify… all of China—"

The strategist turned away to bury his coughing in the folds of the pillow, and for a moment he thought his lungs had collapsed, so unwilling was breath to reenter his lungs after it had been dispelled under the harsh choking. But he wasn't finished yet, and he had sworn to hold off the God of Death until every worthwhile word escaped his lips, so the shadows would have to wait a little longer…

The gasping warrior dug his fists into the folds of the twisted sheets, daring his will to prevail over the darkness that was sliding across the floor in lukewarm waves, lapping at the edges of the bed where they collided with his periphery. It wasn't Sun Quan he had wanted to hand all of China to – but the true addressee of those words had gone a long time ahead of him, and that dream had already been silent for a decade, beyond his reach before death had so much as conceived of his demise—

A warm hand landed on his arm, and to Zhou Yu the master of Wu's skin felt as though it were burning, so agonizingly tepid against his flesh that he had to fight down the urge to shake it away.

"Don't say that, Zhou Yu," the young man murmured, and the swordsman could barely hear him above the silence that was gradually filling his ears, a constant background drone growing heavier and heavier with every breath. The strategist's gaze drifted to his master's lips, relying as much on their motion as the sounds to understand Sun Quan's leaden words, which were formal in a way that his eyes could not manage to remain. "You have been invaluable to Wu. Without you, I would have nothing. My only regret is that you are leaving me so soon."

Zhou Yu had so many regrets that they swept across his mind like a field of silk curtains, obscuring his memories and the fabric of the past in the constant intervention of reflection and hindsight. But of them all, dying was not going to be one.

The dark warrior tried to shift against the mattress that was rocking like a capsizing boat, barely keeping him within its boundaries because it was tumbling so violently. He turned his head so that he could see the Lord of Wu more clearly, but his body was heavy enough that he hardly managed it, the motion so arduous that it felt as though the entire world were sitting in the center of his chest and pushing down on his wounded ribs, pressing the arrow's poison deeper and deeper into his flesh. Every moment under the weight of the world made his breath come shallower and his heartbeat faster, and with each flicker of his eyelids the swordsman felt fatigue sweeping through his muscles like the summer wind outside, sapping the little strength that remained inside him with its insidious exhale.

He'd been fighting for a long time, and more than anything he wanted to surrender, to give in now that his winding narrative had come to a close. But he had to keep going – because Sun Quan was looking at him with those childish eyes, those eyes he had first known in the chubby face of a toddling one-year-old, and there was too much left to tell the young ruler before he fell into the shadows…

_Lu Su._

Zhou Yu forced his lips open, but he could hear nothing, not a sound reaching his ears even as Sun Quan's reaction showed that he had understood the name on the swordsman's trembling lips. The strategist frowned, trying to dispel the silence that was slipping through his thoughts like running water and banishing all noise from the world around him. But it was a lost cause, and he wasted little time in the attempt, forced to trust his inaudible voice as the buzzing in the back of his mind grew more and more distinct, an intense hum like the mutter of ten thousand wasps concentrated behind his eyes—

_Lu Su should take over my position. Lu Meng is to assist him._

Sun Quan was nodding, and his mouth was moving, but without being able to hear him Zhou Yu found he could catch only every few words, struggling to reconstruct the patchy response through the shadows teasing the edges of his vision. _Zhou Yu – Jing province – where should_… But he could not hold them long enough in his hazy mind to construct a coherent question, and the darkness was starting to interfere now, blocking out the blazing sunlight and darkening the features of the young ruler's face as though an ink brush were sliding slowly across his vision, deep strokes covering the boyish countenance in illegible characters…

Perhaps the characters weren't illegible. Perhaps they read _death_.

Sun Quan and Zhou Tai whirled to face the door behind them, and though he could hear nothing the dark warrior assumed that there was someone outside the locked entrance, perhaps pounding and pounding on the impassable wood the way his pulse was ricocheting inside his skull. Then there were words on the Lord of Wu's lips again, flitting fragments of hardly fit together despite his desperation to get them out. _Zhou – Qiao is – should I—_

The strategist shook his head as well as he could, and to his relieved surprise the motion didn't hurt anymore, not even the poison in his mouth stinging as he took a deep breath and summoned his voice once again. The swordsman couldn't be sure whether he were truly speaking audibly, or whether what he said would even be understandable when it reached his listeners' ears, but he pushed the words from his lips with all of his willpower, resisting the shadows that were taking the place of blankets around him and dragging him into their warm and soundless embrace.

_Keep Cao Cao away from the northern border. We must take He Fei. Be careful of Liu Bei – Zhuge Liang will stop at nothing to get what he wants…_

Zhuge Liang. Zhou Yu felt a cynical smile flitting over his lips as the Sleeping Dragon flashed through his mind, arrogance coloring his otherwise neutral countenance – but the image was vague, and the enemy strategist seemed to ripple in his memory, his face wavering back and forth like a tapestry in heavy wind.

Sun Quan's lips were moving above him, but the dark warrior didn't even try to decipher his words anymore, and his ears had long gone deaf, losing connection with the world around him as midnight leaves began to drift across his vision, distracting obsidian eyes from the countenance of their master. All the little pieces of the darkness were building in the corners of the room, coming together like a complicated puzzle whose shape he couldn't guess as it crept closer to him on soundless, sinister feet—

Sun Quan was shaking him, his mouth pressed into a thin line as Zhou Tai stood solid as granite at his shoulder – but the contact was little more than a memory in the back of Zhou Yu's mind, and it was far easier to ignore than the iron weight pressing down on his torso, crushing his ribs and forcing the breath out of his raw throat with rougher and rougher exhales. The strategist frowned to himself at the uncomfortable feeling, and he struggled to keep his lungs expanding beneath his aching chest, trying to slow the beat of his unsteady heart back to normal as the shadows reached out and sealed his eyes, stealing the Lord of Wu's startled visage from his splintering vision.

_Zhuge Liang… he's dangerous. Don't let him gain the upper hand…_

But Zhuge Liang was quickly fading from his mind, expelled by matters far more pressing and a power more insidious than the man's clever, feline smile. Despite his best efforts, the swordsman couldn't force his eyelids open anymore, and a rough sensation of panic caught in his stomach as he pushed back into the silent contours of the sheets, fighting the tangles of fabric as though they were the arms of a mighty river dragging him down, down, down into the flooding waters and drowning him in the stillness.

The strategist had given the end of his life so much thought over the previous decade that it seemed as though the disappearing world should have been a release, a final respite from the days that had refused to stop coming, each rebirth of the sun another reminder of what he had lost. But the reality wasn't what Zhou Yu had been expecting, and he couldn't help wrestling against the pressure in his chest, a soldier's instinct to survive rising up in his veins and sending adrenaline through his marble-encased limbs. He couldn't breathe at all anymore, and the cold hand wrapped around his ribs was getting tighter and tighter with every frantic heartbeat—

What if he'd been wrong? What if this wasn't the right path after all? This was the final road, the last choice he would ever make – once he started down this path, return would be impossible.

Perhaps it already was – there was nothing but darkness in front of him now, and even if he could have freed his limbs from their invisible shackles he didn't know which direction represented the way back and which marked the journey to infinity, the emptiness around him descending into senseless ebony and an even more maddening silence. But what if this wasn't the answer he'd been acknowledging for the last ten years, during every moment of the night that had killed him…

Zhou Yu's felt his face contorting, but his fight for freedom only made him shudder, severing the last sensation of Sun Quan's hand against his arm and his last tangible connection to the world spinning around him. Vertigo slammed against his skull though he couldn't find the strength to move, and the swordsman felt his heart racing faster and faster inside his battered chest, each beat pulling him farther into the darkness. It was a progression he couldn't stop no matter how tightly he clenched his fists around the silk bedclothes and drove his nails into his palms—

_Hey… Yu?_

Zhou Yu's eyes shot open, and the sunlight flooding through the windows blinded him instantaneously, chasing the darkness away and shattering his brief vision into an endless field of pristine white.

He couldn't see anything, and he couldn't move any easier without the weight of the shadows pressing down on him, his throat still tormented by its useless will to breathe. But this time forever wasn't silent, and there was a laughing voice reaching through to him out of the mourning haze, so familiar that it made his heart ache within the confines of his chest.

_Come on, wake up already._

The strategist swallowed, breath deserting his lungs as he stared into the ivory folds of the emptiness around him – and then he discovered that it was so much easier not to breathe, and the last sighing exhale left his lips as relief brushed over his face, the weight disappearing from his body as soon as he had stopped trying to fight back.

Somewhere that long-dead voice was speaking to him, and as he listened the swordsman found that he was raising one arm, searching for the hand he hadn't been able to reach a decade earlier.

_If you don't hurry up, I'm going without you._

No, he wasn't. Because he'd promised to wait. And even as the teasing threat brushed over his deaf ears, Zhou Yu could feel five tan fingers twining through his, leading him toward the apex of the blinding sunlight just as they always had, pulling his reluctant steps down the path to the future without so much as a backward glance.

But the dark warrior wasn't reluctant this time. The white encompassing his vision was so much more welcoming than the darkness that had threatened to drown him in its endless waters, and the alabaster was more beautiful than anything he had ever seen – anything except one brilliant, brave, unbreakable smile, and that was waiting somewhere ahead of him, somewhere at the end of the hand wrapped around his.

Sun Ce was laughing again, and Zhou Yu closed his eyes, trying to hold onto the sound as the Little Conqueror's tone took on the spark of twin amber bright with playful fire, echoing around them like the voice of a sunset wind.

_Aren't you gonna kiss me?_

Yes, he was. Just as soon as he reached the young officer at the end of that insistent hand. And there was no distance he wouldn't walk to get there…

Zhou Yu felt the corners of his lips quirking up into a tiny smile, the last expression to bother his quieting features and the blood scattered across them. Then he opened his eyes and stepped into the sunlight, letting the warmth of daybreak settle over his body where death was leaving it cold – content to follow, as he'd always done.

End Chapter 47

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

One down, one to go… just the epilogue remains after this, and I'll try to get that up pretty fast. I don't think part of me ever thought I'd get here – but here I am, and I hope I did it justice. Thanks to everyone for sticking with this story so long, and I pray it's living up to all your expectations. I'd hate to fail on the last lap.

As a general comment, since it came up in so many of the reviews: Were Zhou Yu and I the only ones surprised that Lady Wu knew about his relationship with Sun Ce? I didn't actually see that coming at all. I was trying to figure out how to work that scene, and Lady Wu sort of recommended herself to my unconscious mind, and then came out with a bombshell… Lady Wu is one of the characters in this story over whom I have the least control. In any case, thanks again for all of your comments. I never really expected anyone to read this story, and it means a lot to me that so many of you have.

A note for Xing Cai – Xiao: Thank you for your comments. I am surprised you read the story, though, if you don't like this pairing. May I ask what prompted you to do so?

A note for Kufuge: Nice to hear from you. I am honored by your words, and glad that I succeeded in giving the last chapter meaning for you. I hope these final chapters live up to your expectations as well.

A note for Ever Kitsune: I apologize for depressing you, but I am glad you felt Zhou Yu's emotions were well-rendered. Having never lost a significant other, I wasn't sure I would be able to put the proper weight behind that. Before the arrival of the letter, Han Dang was planning to ask Zhou Yu whether he truly was Xuan's father, because he was the only one who noticed the discrepancy between Zhou Yu's argument and the truth during the chapter where Xuan was born… that was a loose end I had been intending to tie up for a long time, so I took advantage of that break in the action to do so. I am glad you were touched by Sun Ce's death scene, and by childish Sun Quan… and of course, you are more than welcome to draw whatever you like from this story, and I would love to see the finished product if you do. I am honored that my chapter affected you. Thank you for reviewing.

A note for Crazy Insanity: Well, obviously I've already replied to your review several times in another context… however, allow me to say again that I am honored by your lengthy comments and apologetic once again if you disliked the course of the last chapter. And you sure had a one-up on me in terms of Lady Wu – that woman never ceases to surprise me, even though she isn't in the story very often. I have not read the book you mentioned, but I will consider doing so on your recommendation. I apologize if the scene of Sun Ce's death was too confusing to follow – I wanted to have Zhou Yu's reaction to that rather than just to Sun Quan's retelling, because it seemed more powerful this way, but I may have woven the present and the past too closely together in my attempt to do so… I hope it didn't distract you too badly. Thank you as always for your comments.

A note for Morsmordre: I apologize for making you cry – on the other hand, however, I am flattered that my writing managed to evoke such strong emotions in you. I was wondering how many people would understand that the chapter before last was the final time Zhou Yu would see Sun Ce alive – I was afraid I overdid their parting scene a little, but apparently I did not. Lady Wu's character strength amazes me also… I think the difference between her and other characters is that she isn't very passionate at all, and even in his angry anti-sociality Zhou Yu is a passionate character (Sun Ce's passion doesn't require explanation). I think that's why she and Da Qiao can keep their composure better than the rest of the cast. I do not see Zhou Yu's crying as a weakness either, because I don't know how else one would react to the death of a lover, unless the situation simply did not allow it – but due to an idea I had, the issue of crying will come to the forefront in the epilogue as well. I did change the part about their first kiss, along with other portions, including their first exchange of "I love you"s (although that may actually have been before you read the story at all). All of the revised chapters will get reposted with the last one – and while most of them are not drastically changed, they all have new wording or dialogue because my writing has been improving with time. Hopefully that will improve the overall quality of this story at least a little. Thank you as always for your review.


	50. Epilogue

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

Warnings: Violence, minor adult content, slash.

Description: The story of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's past – will eventually be Zhou Yu x Sun Ce, with other pairings mentioned on the side (LM/XQ, DQ/LX, and GN/SSX to a very minor extent).

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Secession – Epilogue 

For a long time, as the sunlight shone through the windows of the silent room and spread into a golden pool across the coarse carpet, neither Zhou Tai nor Sun Quan moved, the young ruler kneeling motionless at Zhou Yu's side as his bodyguard stood solemnly behind him. Not a sound reached their ears but the rhythm of their dissident breathing, the beat of each man's pulse in his wrist, and the distant calls of birds singing back and forth in a cloudless sky, their high voices ignorant of the mourning encircling the swordsman's final quarters.

Sun Quan's lips held their tight line without faltering, and his features were frozen beneath the weight of his ice-gray eyes, as stoic as the granite warrior at his side and the walls standing in sentry around them. Then the Lord of Wu got slowly to his feet and reached across the bed to pull the coverlet over his strategist's unmoving body, dragging the fabric up to the stern officer's chin so that everything but his blood-lined mouth was hidden from view, the wreckage of his ruined ribs swallowed by folds of careless fabric.

Zhou Tai shifted in his stance, and his slate eyes trailed to the windowsill as his master straightened and crossed both arms over his chest, the youthful contours of his hardened face retaining their heavy frown. Then the granite warrior began to sing, his low tone tripping into an archaic melody that echoed like cascading gravel beneath his unremarkable voice.

"Oh soul, come back… in the east you cannot abide. Oh soul, come back. In the south you cannot stay…"

Sun Quan closed his eyes, and then he took up the traditional summoning song as well, his voice meshing into matching tenor with his guardian's as it drifted through the soft sunlight and over the quiet corpse.

"Oh soul, go not to the west – oh soul, go not to the north. Oh soul, come back… climb not to Heaven above. Oh soul, come back… go not down to the land of darkness."

The words rang in their ears for a lingering moment, and then they were gone, disappearing under a breath of wind that ruffled Sun Quan's hanging sleeves and the strands of Zhou Tai's braided hair. The young ruler ran his tongue over dry lips and his gaze settled onto the handsome face of the dark warrior, studying the features that their plea had not revived – then a heavy sigh escaped him and relaxed his shoulders under his thick robe, drawing gray eyes back to the face of the loyal officer standing in his shadow.

"Rest in peace, Zhou Yu…"

Zhou Tai dipped his head in a shallow bow, the daylight playing across his scars with the texture of moving water. The Lord of Wu turned for the door and his guardian followed without a word, echoing his young ruler's footsteps as they crossed the soundless room and left the aura of death behind them.

The knocks delivered to the barricaded door had stopped some time earlier, leaving the corridor beyond Zhou Yu's everlasting quarters in unchallenged silence – but when Sun Quan drew the wooden barrier aside and stepped into the sunlit hallway once again, it was to find three faces waiting for him, each expression drawn in a different degree of concern.

Lu Xun lifted his head and his cinnamon eyes were wide with apprehension, surveying his master's face as Lady Qiao straightened in her stance beside him. Xiao Qiao pushed away from the opposite wall and moved to stand in front of Sun Quan, her hands knotted into worried butterflies over her chest – one look at his face dragged the hovering tears down her cheeks and whirled her back into her sister's arms, and Lady Qiao's embrace held her up as the older girl locked her hands into the shaking silk, soothing the young widow with gentle fingers.

"Shh… shh, it's all right, Little Bird. Shh…"

Lu Xun closed his eyes, sorrow and respect chasing each other across his expression as his lips moved in a silent chant and his hands softened from their anxious fists to rest still at his side. Sun Quan watched them all for a moment, his lips never leaving the confines of their stoic frown – then he turned and moved away down the empty corridor, leaving the three to their private grieving and letting his footfalls fill the air of the motionless walkway.

He was halfway to his quarters when a hand on his shoulder stopped him, and the Lord of Wu turned back to see that Zhou Tai had caught up with his unwavering strides, penetrating slate eyes scanning his countenance. The young ruler raised an eyebrow, returning his guardian's stare as they stood frozen in the hallway without even the currents of the summer wind swirling around them. Then Zhou Tai withdrew his hand and tilted his head to one side, gesturing toward the front of the palace with a stoic nod.

"Come with me."

Sun Quan pressed his lips tighter together and said nothing, but he did as requested, following his guardian through the corridors and down the front steps of the central estate, past the wagon that had brought Zhou Yu from the front lines and through the expansive courtyard until at last they reached the fortress's outer wall. The sun was climbing ever higher into the clear sky, and it shone on their necks as they ascended to the top of the parapet, warming the officers under their morning robes and lighting the world around them with the glory of its golden rays.

Zhou Tai stopped when they reached the balustrade, and he rested both hands against the rammed earth as Sun Quan came to a halt beside him, two pairs of eyes gazing out at Nan County and the road that stretched across it like a line of faded ink. The granite warrior said nothing, but they both knew he didn't have to – a long moment passed in silence and then the Lord of Wu sighed, leaning forward so that the railing supported his elbows and he could massage his temples with a weary hand.

"I lost a brother today."

His murmur vanished into the heavy summer air, superseded by the scrape of his slippers against the earthen floor as he shifted in place. Zhou Tai nodded, his eyes never leaving the landscape around them.

"But you did not cry for this one."

Sun Quan rubbed a hand against his lips, his face contorting under a severe scowl as he adjusted the neckline of his robes. "I do not have that liberty anymore," the young ruler replied, his sea-gray eyes scouring the texture of his hardened palm before he pressed it flat against the wall. "This is my empire, and it cannot afford to have a childish ruler standing at its head… I would be dishonoring my father and brother if I were to remain weak when I am trying to fulfill their dreams."

Zhou Tai chuckled, and the unusual sound drew his master's gaze up to his solemn face, only the bare hint of a smile curving his marble lips. The loyal guardian shook his head, and his posture relaxed as his eyes followed a line of birds sweeping across the cerulean sky, their sharp wings cutting a path through the early morning.

"Weak… crying does not make you weak, Master Sun Quan. It makes you human."

Sun Quan frowned, his hands grinding into fists as he straightened against the wall. "Perhaps Wu cannot afford that either," he snapped, his voice harsh despite the gentle breeze.

Zhou Tai said nothing further, and for a long time the two men stood wordlessly at the top of the parapet, their mouths set into similar frowns. The Lord of Wu ran a hand through his hair, his eyes scanning the horizons of his kingdom as he ground his teeth together – but they both knew he could not stop himself from breaking his guardian's silence, because he had never been able to before.

"When I was a child, I…" Sun Quan shook his head, a half-smile falling onto his lips though amusement did not grace his somber expression. "I cried all the time. I cried over nothing. And my brother… until his last breath, he never stopped teasing me for it. Ce knew I was a weakling, but he handed his kingdom to me in spite of that – he told me to stop being such a child. How could I betray him after… after he was willing to trust me with everything he'd worked for?"

Zhou Tai pressed his lips together, and for a moment the granite warrior did not answer, watching the patterns of birds moving around them and the sunlight reflecting across the gravel of the road that unfolded into the west. Then the young ruler's guardian straightened to his full height and his gaze came to rest on his master's hardened features, as unreadable as the contours of his chiseled face.

"If Lord Sun Ce were still alive… do you think he would be crying?"

Sun Quan started, stepping back from the balustrade as his eyes dashed across Zhou Tai's face and his mouth fell slightly open in unconcealed surprise. Then the young ruler collected his scattered composure, and he turned back to face the countryside glowing beneath the newly risen sun, avoiding his protector's stare as his frown reclaimed its familiar place.

"That's – that's different, Zhou Tai. They were…"

The Lord of Wu lost his words halfway and settled for rubbing a weary hand across his brow, banishing the startled furrows that the granite warrior's question had caused as another sigh slipped over his tongue. Zhou Tai raised an eyebrow, directing his gaze beyond the line of the wall as a tiny shrug rolled through his shoulders.

"Perhaps. But Xiao Qiao is also crying, and there was little between them."

Sun Quan only shook his head, and his guardian waited for a long moment before he leaned forward to brace his body against the railing, a soft exhale parting his stone lips and drifting out into the warmth of the sunshine.

"In the times of the sage kings, all those present at a funeral wept when they faced the body of the deceased. During the Zhou and the Han, the same honors were observed. Now there are so many dead in a day that every eye seems to have lost its access to tears." The Lord of Wu blinked as he turned to find his warrior's gaze, and Zhou Tai smiled, the expression unfamiliar against his stony features. "To cry upon losing one whom you love is not a weakness, Lord Sun Quan. It is only an acknowledgement of that love. There is nothing to be ashamed of in loving someone."

Sun Quan pressed his lips into a thin line, the sunlight coalescing in his eyes and melting a little of the ice that had built up within their ocean depths. The young ruler swallowed hard, his composure faltering just slightly as he reached out to rest one uncertain hand against his guardian's shoulder, hesitation underwriting his steady tone.

"Zhou Tai…" The warrior nodded, his slate eyes focused only on his master's countenance, and Sun Quan took a deep breath, his gaze drifting out across the earthen wall to fix on a distant point of the sky. "If I… if I were to die…" Sea-gray eyes swept back across the terrain to find his guardian's face, counting the scars that had been earned on his behalf over a decade earlier. "Would you cry for me?"

Zhou Tai's smile deepened, the curve of his lips filling out as his hand came up to cover the Lord of Wu's where it waited against his shoulder. His weathered fingers traced Sun Quan's and trailed down to wrap around the younger man's wrist, keeping them together with a simple knot.

"Not only I," he murmured, shaking his head as an expression of calm sincerity slipped across his features. "Every person with whom your path has ever crossed would be unable to keep from doing so. Yours is a heart that inspires love in those who know you, even without their intention."

The Lord of Wu let out a heavy sigh, and then he turned to face his kingdom, leaning into the strength of the balustrade and dropping his head into his hands. As his shoulders began to shake, Zhou Tai pressed his palm into the young ruler's back in an offer of silent comfort, and then he gazed out across the land of the rising sun, his slate eyes echoing the warmth of the blazing summer morning.

"I would cry, too… if I lost you…"

Sun Quan's muffled murmur broke through his fingers to reach the granite warrior's ears, and Zhou Tai's mouth fell into another smile, the expression shifting over his stoic face like the flicker of shadows beneath a passing cloud. The steadfast guardian lifted his eyes to the infinite sky and let the unscarred cerulean consume his gaze, nodding against the whispering breeze.

"I know. And that is why I will follow you to the far corners of the earth, wherever your road may lead me, until the end of my days."

.x.

The room that the Qiao sisters shared in the north wing of Han Ni Castle was silent, but it wasn't empty. Xiao Qiao sat on the foot of her bed with both legs dangling over the side of the soft mattress, her feet swinging in slow arcs that set her robes swaying above the soft carpet, and the sound of silk rustling against her sheets was the only noise in the stillness. The young woman's face was still flushed with the sting of her drying tears, but her sobs had stopped and her pretty hazel eyes were clear again; her gaze trailed into the distance as though the future were laid out across the expanse of air before her, permitting study of its inscrutable pathways as the breeze picked up and raced around the quiet quarters, stirring the bedclothes and cooling her sorrowed skin with its passing touch.

As she watched the leaves shivering outside her window, Xiao Qiao let out a tiny sigh, and she shook her head a little, braids bouncing back and forth against her lithe shoulders. Three children were gathered around her moving slippers, the boys warring with paper boats in a conflict that was for once completely mute and the little girl watching them with fascinated coal-black eyes, and they looked up to their mother's calming face at her soft exhale, sharing a glance before the eldest got to his feet. Xuan took a step toward the beautiful young woman and tugged the offhand wrinkles out of his robe, pressing the white silk flat as his charcoal eyes followed her gently smiling lips.

"Mama…"

Xiao Qiao motioned him forward, pulling the eleven-year-old to a seat at her side and brushing back his hair so she could kiss the soft skin of his temple. "Yes, sweet boy?" Xuan shifted and pulled away from her caress, but the withdrawal only brightened her smile, forcing her to stifle a light giggle at the affronted expression flitting across her first son's face before it vanished into his serious frown.

"Is Lord Sun Quan going to let us stay here, even without Father?"

Xiao Qiao wrapped one arm around the youth's waist and pressed him into her side, resting one red cheek against the crown of his head as she studied the waiting faces of her other two children. "Of course he is," she murmured, tightening her embrace as the assurance drifted away in the warm summer air. "Da has been a widow for almost ten years, and no one has asked her to leave…"

For a moment, her face crinkled again, old and new sorrow narrowing her eyes as a fresh line of tears collected beneath her lashes. But she was distracted from her impending sobs by Hailing tottering to her feet and clawing her way up her mother's ivory skirt, determination glowing in her five-year-old eyes. The little girl tumbled into the young woman's lap and pressed her face against Xiao Qiao's chest, ten tiny fingers digging into the fabric of her robes.

"Am I an orphan, Mama?"

The young widow laughed, lifting her daughter's chin so that she could drop a kiss onto each of her healthy cheeks. "No, silly girl. I'm still here, aren't I?" Xiao Qiao was smiling, but a heavy sigh fell from her lips as her second arm wrapped around the Hailing's waist, holding her baby as close as the space of their bodies allowed. "I'm still here…" she repeated in a whisper, her gaze trailing out the window to get lost in the clumps of bursting summer leaves.

For a moment, as the words died around her, she pressed her lips into a thin line and closed two hazel eyes, and the years of her life flashed across her face like the light of a flickering candle, each one standing alone for the length of a heartbeat before the others chased it away. But she wasn't really alone – she hadn't been alone for a long time. And as soon as the battle was over, there would be arms to hold her again, to keep her warm as she said goodbye to the memory of an old friend…

Yin pushed his paper boat aside and moved to lean against his mother's legs, his back pressed into the draping folds of her skirt as he blew raven bangs out of his eyes. "I want Master Lu Meng to come back," the boy announced, eight-year-old fingers twining through the strings of the carpet and yanking them out one by one. "He promised to teach me how to use his halberd next time he comes to visit. This place is boring without him."

The words made Xiao Qiao blink a little, but they drew a far more severe reaction from her eldest son, who reached down to cuff his brother on the back of the head with a blazing glare. "Shut up, Yin," the youth snapped, nudging the younger boy hard in the back with one angry foot. "Our father just died – how can you think about a stupid halberd?" Yin made a face at him, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head and sliding out of his brother's vindictive reach.

"So what? I didn't know him. He never spent any time with us anyway. What does it matter if he—"

Abruptly the boy stopped, and he bit down on his tongue as coal-black eyes dashed across his mother's face, tracing the tears that were resuming their journey down her blotched cheeks as surprise overtook his countenance. Then Yin turned around and pushed himself up to a full kneel, pressing his face into the young widow's lap and shaking his head so that the raven strands of his hair scattered messily across her skirts, spreading like ink stains on a dampened page.

"Mama… I'm sorry, Mama." The boy's hands tightened to fists in the cloth of her mourning robe, his muffled voice far more subdued than it had been a moment before. "I didn't mean it…"

Xiao Qiao shook her head, and her arm unwound from around Hailing's back so that she could run her fingers through the youth's repentant locks, chasing his hair back into a rough order as a soft laugh split her trembling lips. "Shh… I understand, Yin. I do. It's true, you didn't know him…" Her second son raised his wary head and the young woman slipped lithe fingers under his chin, tracing the line of his steady jaw as a smile offset her tears. "But… he was a good man, Yin. He gave me many things that I treasure – especially the three of you."

There was an unusual sparkle to her eyes as she finished, a light that might have hinted at a deeper meaning if anyone had been looking closely enough to catch it. But only her children were present, and they remained quiet for a long moment as she held them close, three hearts beating in time to hers under the pulse of the summer wind. Then Xuan turned in her embrace and fixed his mother with a solemn stare, sincerity shining in his youthful features and the depths of his coal-black eyes.

"Don't worry, Mama… as long as I live, I'll always remember that I'm the son of a great strategist."

Xiao Qiao swallowed hard, and then her laugh echoed around the walls like the cry of a temple bell, bright and gentle as she pressed her eldest son's face into the skin of her neck so that she could pull him closer.

"Yes, you are, sweet boy," she whispered, hugging Xuan as tightly as she could. "Yes, you are."

.x.

Han Ni Castle's garden was quiet under the glow of the mounting sun. Except for the birds rustling in the bushes and the sound of the wind chasing its way through the olive foliage of the murmuring trees, nothing disturbed the peace of the summer light streaming between open boughs, its rays breaking into elusive patterns across the base of the small pavilion. Within the confines of its partial walls, Lu Xun knelt to light a dish of incense resting on the pockmarked bench, then straightened back to his full height and dropped the poker to the flagstone floor, grinding the cindered stick beneath a silent heel.

The young clerk sighed a little, and as trails of sweet smoke began to curl up from his offering he put his hands together in a gesture of respect, cinnamon eyes falling closed as one of his old poems drifted away from his lips in an uncalculated melody. "The falling stars sing back to me in the voice of one I have lost…" The measure of his tone was calm and even despite the sorrow shadowing his features, and as its echoes died away he swallowed a mouthful of sunlit air, watching the embers writhing in front him with unseeing eyes. "I wish you peace, Lord Zhou Yu…"

"May I join you?"

Lu Xun started at the soft voice behind him, and he wheeled around to find himself staring into Lady Qiao's attractive countenance, a graceful smile curving across her lips. Instantly the young man's cheeks began to burn, and his mouth fell open in a stammer as a line of scarlet settled beneath his wide eyes, triggered by the calm presence and the beauty of the woman before him, neither attribute dimmed despite the thirty years resting in her sepia gaze.

"E-Elder Lady Qiao, I… that – that is…" Lu Xun took a deep breath and held it for a moment until the throb of his anxious heart had slowed somewhat, and then he smiled at the young widow as best he could, keeping his voice neutral despite the butterflies of uncertainty flitting across his face. "Of course, my lady… I would be honored."

Lady Qiao dipped her head in a gentle bow, and then she moved across the pavilion's shallow steps to stand at the clerk's side, her hands rising to match his in wordless reverence. Lu Xun watched her for a moment as the silence settled between them, soft and thick like a well-worn cloak, and then he forced his eyes closed against his will, listening to the distant cries of the birds as the breeze fluttered through his robe and tangled their sleeves together.

Lady Qiao smiled to herself as her gaze followed the blushing line of the young man's face; then her attention turned to the spires of silver smoke rising in front of them and her voice broke into the warm morning air, encircling them with the charm of a faraway lute in peaceful melody.

"There is a little oriole upon the hillock gray – but I have known no fear save that I fall along the way…"

Lu Xun sighed, cinnamon eyes coming open to trace the dissipating patterns of smoke filling the air around them. "He died so young…" Lady Qiao nodded a little, twining her fingers through the fabric of her sleeves to hold the fickle silk still against the gathering breeze.

"It seems as though the good always do."

The clerk shook his head, running one hand through the strands of his sandy hair to push them away from a furrowed brow. "It doesn't have to be that way. It shouldn't. If we could only bring an end to this cruel war—"

The young man cut himself off, biting down hard on his tongue as his companion's gaze trailed up to his face, and for a long moment the silence stood stagnant between them, nothing moving but the breeze tracing their figures and the branches rustling beneath it. Lu Xun took a deep breath and held it, and at his side Lady Qiao began to hum, continuing the thread of melody she had begun without its ancient words. At last the young clerk raised a hand to cover his mouth, speaking through his fingers as though he were unsure whether he should be speaking the hopeful words at all.

"That's what I am fighting for. Lord Sun Quan has my allegiance, and I will do all in my power for him, but… but my heart is only looking for an ending. I want to bring peace back to the world, so that no one else has to die."

Lady Qiao smiled, tilting her head to one side as she studied her companion's solemn face. Then she leaned forward and lifted the dish of incense into her hands, laughing softly as she took a pinch of the warm ashes and tossed it up into the smoke-infused air.

"That is what I would like as well," the beautiful widow murmured, her sepia eyes sparkling in the muted rays of the sun as the embers tumbled to a halt around her graceful feet. "I would like my daughter to marry someone who will be with her until they have both gone gray with wisdom. And I would like everyone in the world to be given a chance to become like you, Lord Xun."

At her words, Lu Xun's heart began to race again, the flush on his cheeks deepening as he stared into Lady Qiao's dignified countenance and one hand tugged at the seam of his wavering sleeve. "Like… like me?" he asked after a pause, swallowing to drag a degree of stability back to his startled voice.

The woman smiled, placing the spent incense back on the edge of the stonework bench and dusting the ashes from her fingers. The wind brushed through the pavilion and carried a little of the smoke away, and on its wings she stepped forward until she was standing just in front of the young clerk, two sepia eyes boring into uncertain cinnamon as a jeweled laugh fell from her lips.

"Yes… like you."

Lu Xun pressed his mouth into a thin line, his hands clenching to fists in search of his composure, and Lady Qiao reached up to place one palm against the cloth over his heart, her fingers twining into the fabric as the young man stiffened and the ribbon of crimson deepened along his cheeks. The clerk's eyes dashed across her face in nervous astonishment, but Lady Qiao did not withdraw her hand and at last the Zhou Yu's assistant recovered his tongue, though not the quiet confidence that it usually accompanied.

"How – how am I, m-my lady?"

His question was unclear in its anxious stutter, and embarrassment pulled Lu Xun's gaze to the ash-coated floor, his stance shifting so that eddies swirled through the dust around them. But the inquiry only made Sun Ce's widow smile, and the woman closed her shining eyes against the warmth of the sunlight, her features as pristine as the white of her skirts as she leaned into his embrace.

"Gentle," she murmured, her fingers tightening in the cloth of her companion's robe. "And that is something I never want you to lose."

Lu Xun's blush took on the brilliance of the summer hibiscus, and he opened his mouth to answer her, his posture tight beneath the laughing wind. In the end he found he had no words, and he settled for the conclusion of his song instead, the old verses slipping from his lips in familiar prose as one hand came up to rest against Lady Qiao's immaculate shoulder, not daring to pull her any closer. The smoke danced around them in tumbling clouds and the smell of the incense closed his eyes as the wings of the rising birds carried his words into the endless sky, every note as soft as the ashes scattering to the far corners of the world.

"In dreams I find you, in sleep I hold you… forgetfulness never comes. Your song shall not be silent."

.x.

The rain never seemed to stop falling in Zhaisang. It was raining as the clattering hoofbeats came to a brief halt at the garrison's outer watchtower, and it was raining as the messenger jumped from his horse and dashed into the command tent, his body shivering with the chill of the unending downpour. Taishi Ci looked up from the maps he had been arranging and his sharp features descended into a heavy frown, reproving the dripping man with his expression as much as his words.

"I said I didn't want to be disturbed today. I am trying to finish a few crucial matters – can the lot of you not get a small degree of courtesy through your thick skulls?"

His voice was harsh, but the man only bowed, producing a letter from the depths of his sash and holding it out to the irate officer with a gesture of respect. "My apologies, my lord. Forgive me, but… I bring news from the front."

Taishi Ci's brows drew together at the announcement, and he straightened from his half crouch to approach the courier in a swaggering stride, snatching the scroll without the barest hint of gratitude. But his hazel eyes widened as he yanked back the bamboo slats and followed the bleeding characters scrawled across them, and after a moment his shoulders slumped beneath the weight of his armor, falling like the rain outside as a sigh escaped his lips and the disordered document was pushed back into the messenger's waiting hands.

"Ah…" The Wolf general pressed his lips together, the hard line of his jaw tightening as he moved his head in a slow nod. When he spoke again, his voice was much softer, though no less brash for its decrease in volume. "I understand. I suppose you may as well hand that around – no sense trying to keep it quiet. They'll all have to know in time."

The courier bowed again, tucking the scroll under one sopping arm as he turned to duck back out into the rain, his footsteps vanishing in the residual splash of leather against the mired ground. Taishi Ci raised a hand to rub at his chin and considered the flap of the tent in silence for a moment, and then he moved across the diminutive shelter and stepped into the storm himself, his long braid sticking to his neck beneath the force of the gale.

The Wolf warrior gave the clouds no more than a passing glance before he moved through his camp and out into the meager village beyond, keeping his head low as his strides echoed back against the cottage walls and disturbed the puddles that were quickly taking the place of Zhaisang's unpaved streets. In a matter of minutes, he had reached the inn, and he slipped through the door in his usual brusque fashion, startling the innkeeper where he'd been dozing at one of the low tables in the absence of customers.

"Hey, old man." Taishi Ci flicked the rainwater from his sleeves and dropped down at a table by the door, one hand reaching up to brush his bangs back from two piercing eyes. "If you have the leisure to sit around daydreaming, I could use a pot of hot wine."

The innkeeper staggered to his feet and took a step away from his unexpected visitor, his fingers wringing into the cloth of his tunic in a surprise summoned by the general's abrupt entrance. But after a short pause, he dropped into a bow and pressed his hands together in front of him, a tired smile coming over his middle-aged face as he surveyed the officer's stalwart features.

"Yes, my lord… of course. It will only take a moment." The man took another step back and turned for the kitchen, hesitating with his hand on the rough-hewn doorframe as curiosity flickered over his weathered countenance. "You're drinking alone, my lord? In that case, I will only bring one cup—"

"No." Taishi Ci's interruption cut through the air between them like a tempered sword, but the curt silence diffused under his sigh an instant later, the sound as soft as the hand rising to clear his furrowed forehead. The Wolf general rolled his hazel eyes, glancing at the ceiling through the sodden strands of his bangs and shaking a head a little with thoughts that remained hidden behind his offhand scowl. "No… two cups."

The innkeeper blinked in unguarded confusion, his black eyes scanning the warrior's features as though hoping to glean some insight from the grim line of his mouth – but before he could turn to fulfill his customer's unusual order, another voice rang through the heavy air, holding its own against the pounding of the storm.

"Make that three."

Two pairs of eyes turned to regard the open entrance, and Sun Shao smirked as he pushed the lingering raindrops from his face, slate eyes greeting his superior as self-assured footsteps led the young man to the other side of Taishi Ci's table. The innkeeper stepped back into the depths of the kitchen and disappeared with his bewilderment only multiplied, and the Wolf general snorted as his subordinate dropped into a seat on the other side of the table, resting his chin on one impatient palm.

"I suppose you're old enough to drink now, aren't you?"

Sun Shao scoffed, leaning back on hands that twenty-two years had left mostly unscathed. "I suppose you're getting too old to stop me," he shot back, and Taishi Ci swallowed a chuckle, shaking his head as the innkeeper reappeared and placed a heavy wine-warming vessel in the center of their table. The Wolf general poured a measure of the clear liquid into one wooden cup and set it aside; then he filled the others to their brims and pushed one across the table in his comrade's direction, the innkeeper's retreating tread playing like the rhythm of the rain across his muted words.

"You heard, I take it."

Sun Shao sighed and lifted his goblet into two steady hands, taking a deep swallow of the liquor before his tongue produced an answer. "It was only a matter of time," he muttered, wiping a hand over his mouth and nodding though his indistinct words left both of them unsure whether it was the death or the news he was referring to. Sun Ce's adopted son gazed up at the ceiling and his lips fell into a vague smile, childlike admiration playing out across his handsome features. "He was a good man. He saved my life once… he and my father."

Taishi Ci considered the young warrior in silence, taking one sip after another of the raw alcohol and rolling the taste between his teeth as the rain throbbed like a heartbeat above them. Then the Wolf general huffed, dropping his cup back to the table and reaching for the handle of the wine warmer as his arrogant voice trailed into the damp afternoon air.

"When I first met your father, he was about as old as you are now…" Sun Shao blinked and Taishi Ci shook his head, a rough chuckle falling from his lips to the sound of the cascading liquor drizzling into his cup. "Reckless. Cocky. Full of himself. You're just like him. I look at you and I see him all over again."

The young man opened his mouth to reply, but he seemed to consider his words just before they left his tongue and silence settled between the two soldiers instead, heavy like the drum of the storm and the soft curls of steam trailing up from the clay wine vessel. Then a tiny smile curved the officer's lips and he shook his head, his exhale underwriting the amusement in his answer.

"Just like him…" Sun Shao smirked, gazing up at the ceiling as though his memory were playing out between the exposed beams. "No. Not yet. But I'm working at it, and someday… someday I may be."

Taishi Ci watched him without speaking, his lips holding their stern line as he studied the honest warrior's features and the wind began to wail through the inn's roughshod entrance, carrying the sting of the rain in its embrace. The Wolf general's gaze fell on the untouched glass of wine resting at his elbow, and he watched the liquid's smooth surface for a moment before a scoff fell from his lips, drawing his young comrade's eyes back to the damp but sincere contours of his marginal smile.

"I suppose… to be just like him… you'll have to find a friend like Zhou Yu, won't you?"

Sun Shao began to laugh, shaking his head again and tipping the last swallow of wine back into his mouth. "If I had a friend like Zhou Yu, I wouldn't need much else, would I?" the young man joked, grabbing the handle of the clay vessel and refilling his cup in a splash of cheerful drops.

Taishi Ci raised an eyebrow at his answer, and the shadow of reminiscence flitted over his face as he regarded his own cup with a serious stare, tendrils of rainwater sliding down his neck to disappear into the plates of his armor. It was impossible to guess where his private thoughts had taken him, but at last the Wolf warrior snorted and his eyes shot back to the carefree officer before him, bright with a humor apparent to him alone.

"No… no, I suppose you would not," he muttered with a mild scoff, and Sun Shao blinked at the vague response, his youthful gaze fixing on the older general's unreadable expression. Then Taishi Ci seized the pot of wine and raised it into the air between them, his canine smirk back on his face as the thunder began to crash high overhead and the storm intensified to an outright gale. "All right, Sun Shao – let's test your mettle, then, shall we? Your father once beat me at a drinking contest. I dare you to do the same."

The young man's mouth fell open for a moment in surprise, slate eyes echoing the lightning that had begun to crackle in the sky outside. Then the Little Conqueror's son grabbed his cup and Taishi Ci did the same, lacquered wood meeting in the middle with an unvoiced toast.

"You're on," Sun Shao accepted, his head tipping back in an overconfident smile. The rain dripped down the line of the doorframe and the afternoon vanished beneath the warmth of falling wine, and the liquor in Zhou Yu's unbothered cup rippled with the force of the friendly challenge, predestined to remain the last one standing.

.x.

It was dark when the wagon rolled to a stop in the center of the tiny village, the whickering of its horses and the last creak of slowing wheels the only sound beneath a cloudless, starstruck sky. Chen Hao sat up slowly from his position against the weathered wood of the headboard, and as he rolled the kinks from his neck he took a deep breath of the cooling air and held it over his dry tongue, the breeze adopting the texture of the stars and tingling where it settled into his lungs.

The moon was shining through the vehicle's open back, a crescent waxing its way toward complete one handful of light at a time, and to the soldier it seemed as though the midnight goddess were smiling at him, her gently curving lips swollen with an amusement that had been absent the night before. He wondered for a moment what had induced the change in humor, and then he shoved the thought away and pushed himself to his feet so that he could crawl out the back of the wagon, climbing carefully over the baseboard to give his stiff limbs time to adjust to the change in position. Every movement felt as though he were stretching taut cloth as far as it would go, but he slipped down to the ground and straightened nonetheless, trusting shaky limbs to hold him upright as he gazed around at the quiet doorsteps of the familiar houses, each one dark but for the glimmer of fires shining through their uneven windows.

From his position at the head of the humble vehicle, the uninjured driver turned and spared Chen Hao a considering glance, the emotion in his raven eyes invisible under the hand of the gathering night. "You're sure you want off here?" The man's question drifted between them like the wind that was singing through the trees high above, and the soldier only smiled in response, knowing as he did so that his comrade could see nothing but the moon's fickle shadows on his face.

"Yes…"

Two coal-black eyes came back to sweep across the quiet street, and Chen Hao let a heavy sigh fall from his lips as the whispers of the night surrounded him, teasing his ears with words too distant to understand. It had only been four days since war and the orders of an uncompromising ruler had sent him from the village that surrounded them now, a sword in his hand and the family he'd left behind dominating his thoughts – but despite the short span of sunrises, Chen Hao felt as though his feet hadn't touched that slipshod path in a lifetime, and the familiar swaying of the bamboo grove behind him was enough to send emotion writhing through his ribs, every breath of the clear air worth more than a drink from the well of Heaven itself.

Everything inside of the soldier was longing to break into a run, to abandon all pretense of composure and sprint straight for the only door that mattered, the door that Zhou Yu's story had somehow made all the more precious – with a great effort, he held himself still, returning his comrades' searching stares as the horses stamped their weary feet and the stars sung out above them. At last the driver shrugged and turned back to tighten his hold on the reins, the worn leather slipping easily between his fingers as his words fell like stones through the surrounding shadows.

"Have it your way. Lord Sun Quan wants us back as soon as we've finished with the doctor, so… we'll stop here in the morning. You'll be ready?"

The question sent a thorn of regret into the throb of Chen Hao's heart, but he shook it back and kept his voice steady, his stance stiff with the soldier's pride that hadn't seemed to fit him before the road home from Jing Castle. "By sunrise," he promised, nodding as the darkness swept across his features.

Sunrise. It was a scant few hours of sanctuary, but it was more than many in Sun Quan's force would be enjoying that night, and far more than the grave that might have been waiting for him on the fields of the Nan Territory…

His comrades shared a last look and the injured man shot him a salute over one shoulder, his lips curving into a smile that was almost natural on his contemplative face. Then the driver clicked his tongue and the reins snapped in his hands, and the horses began to move again, tossing their heads and shaking the starlight from their manes as the wheels turned and carried the rickety wagon on down the road, leaving its silent passenger behind in a trail of curling dust.

Despite his fatigue and the camaraderie that was so new it was almost uncomfortable in his chest, Chen Hao found himself waving, and he waved until he couldn't see the swaying forms of the soldiers anymore, the night reaching out and folding them into its uncompromising embrace. Then he turned and let the adrenaline in his muscles free from its chains, and in an instant he was running, flying through the back streets of his tiny village with the rhythm of the turning wheels echoing in his pulse.

Chen Hao's feet knew the way even without his guidance, so he directed his eyes to the sky instead and lost his thoughts in their scattered depths, searching for the patterns that had come to mean so much more after one night in the company of a dying man. The Wings, the Chariot, the Fortress – he found them all and each one brought a smile to his face, sending a string of borrowed memories through the contours of his mind. In the darkness of the settling night, it seemed as though every star represented a moment of his fallen general's life, and each one winked at him as the gravel scattered beneath his racing strides, story after story flitting across his vision with the brevity of the sighing breeze.

Sun Ce's smile, and Zhou Yu's eyes, and the red ribbon of forever falling in between them – he saw everything again with a clarity that his vision had never attained before, and with every breath he wanted to shout the words he'd heard back out into the sky, releasing them to the moonlight where they belonged. Then the door of his cottage appeared along the curve of the alley, and nothing else mattered, the last few steps carrying him on the wings of the shadowed wind.

The weak barricade burst open under his hand, and Meicheng gasped as she whirled to face the entrance, her hair scattering loose across her shoulders as the ladle fell from her hands and nearly rolled into the cooking fire. For a moment, there was no sound between the soldier and his wife but the pulse of his heavy breathing, two sets of eyes colliding through the summer air – then the young woman clutched her heart with five startled fingers, raven gaze tracing his features as shocked words stammered from her lips.

"H-Hao… what on earth – Heaven, I thought you were a bandit—"

Chen Hao shoved the door closed behind him, and with three strides he'd crossed the dirt floor and pulled his surprised wife into his arms, pressing her thin form as close as the confines of his armor allowed. Meicheng stiffened against him, and then she pushed away to stare into his coal-black eyes again, two hands knotting into the fabric of his well-stained sleeves.

"Hao, what are you doing here? What's wrong? You're supposed to be on campaign…"

Chen Hao shook his head, and without intention he found a smile sliding across his lips, brightening his expression far better than the fire as he pressed his forehead to hers, longing for the feeling of her breath against his face. "It's nothing," he murmured, and even to his own ears the words sounded strange, too high and too strained to lend the response credibility. "Nothing's wrong. I'm just… so happy to see you."

And he was. He had never been happier to set eyes on her plain face, on the tendrils of dusty hair framing her puzzled features and the work-roughened hands finding anchor against his shoulders. All of the smoke from the cooking fire and the ashes darkening her skin were more beautiful makeup than any he'd ever seen, and even the outright shock consuming her countenance was enough to fill the emptiness that Zhou Yu's story had left somewhere within him—

With a shuffle and the stamp of tiny feet on a swept earth floor, Li wriggled out of the confines of his mother's blankets and stumbled across the room to grab his father's leg, his pigtails bobbing back and forth along the crest of his head as a glowing smile lit his lean features. "Baba," the little boy announced in a shout, and Chen Hao bent to lift him into weary arms, kissing the child's cheek and his neck where the sackcloth was exposing his sun-hardened skin. He wondered if he had ever understood before how much that voice meant to him, and how the wide-set eyes of his only son were closer to perfection than he'd ever realized…

Chen Hao took a deep breath and held it, letting the weight of the night push out against his lungs in an acknowledgement of a burden he couldn't explain, of a responsibility he hadn't asked for but wouldn't have dreamed of abandoning now that it had landed in his hands. Then he broke away from his wife and took a seat beside the fire, cradling Li in the crook of his arms and staring into the flames where they danced and twisted around the soot-painted cooking pot. Meicheng watched his movement in silence, and she crossed her arms over her chest, a frown falling across her lips as she studied her husband's unworried countenance.

"All right, Hao – what is going on here? Put Li to bed, and then you and I can talk outside…"

But the soldier only shook his head, pulling the little boy closer into the folds of his cloth armor and closing his eyes. The scent of the rice gruel wafted around them like burning incense, and to Chen Hao it seemed as though the air surrounding him had gotten very full, every moment hanging like the last breath before a dive into cold, black, endless waters. Then his eyes came open and he felt a smile conquering his expression, warmer for the embers ahead of him and the child in his lap, ten tiny fingers playing with the stains scattered across his shirt.

"No, Meicheng. Not tonight. Come here – come sit with me."

His wife started a little at the disagreement, but Chen Hao only laughed, lifting Li up so that he could rub his nose against the child's smaller one. The boy's eyes met his in curious affection and the soldier wrapped his arms tighter around the thin back, laughing though he couldn't have guessed what emotion was conjuring the sound. Skeptical steps brought Meicheng to his side, and as she found her place on the floor the soldier turned to hold her gaze as well, meeting her uncertain eyes with the warmth of his growing smile.

He didn't know where Zhou Yu's story had left him, and he didn't know where the sunrise would end up taking him either, a life of war less predictable than the drums sometimes made it seem. But he had one night to acknowledge the words that had been sewn into the contours of his soul, and he had one way to do so – the way that Wu's fallen strategist had taught him, hours of midnight falling aside under the spell of his unyielding tongue.

Chen Hao pulled Meicheng in close to his side, and as Li's fingers came up to trace his lips the soldier shook his head, the whisper of the stars echoing in his ears. "Not tonight," he repeated, his eyes chasing the flames and the darkness all around them. "Tonight… I'm going to tell you a story."

The End

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Well… it's been a great ride, everyone. Thanks for the endless support – I don't know how this story would have turned out without so much encouragement, but I'll bet it wouldn't be half as good. I am deeply indebted to all those who have given my story their attention over the course of the year-and-three-quarters this took to finish. I never imagined when I started that this story would get so out of control (we won't even go into a page count), but I don't regret the effort that went into it, nor the conversations it produced. Thank you all for your time and patronage – I truly do appreciate it.

What's the story of this story? I played Dynasty Warriors and I saw a narrative between two characters that was never going to be told – a tragedy that had no meaning because no one understood what had been lost. And so I set out to give Sun Ce and Zhou Yu the lives that Sun Ce's death took away. I hope that I succeeded in that regard.

As a side note: According to his official biography, Taishi Ci was dead already before the Battle of Chi Bi. He died in 206 and never took part in Wu's later battles where ROTK features him, notably not the siege of He Fei. That aside, I really wanted to write him into this scene, so history fell by the wayside a bit. I hope no one was particularly offended.

In closing, some people deserve my deepest gratitude for their unseen contributions to the story. Those people are: Michael Loewe, Rafe de Crespigny, Sima Qian and others who allowed me to construct a semi-accurate picture of life at the end of the Han; Monika, for her extensive knowledge of and input concerning horses; my mother, for her extensive knowledge and input concerning pregnancy and raising children; my father, for his input during distance and time calculations for realistic army movements; Professor Williams, for his assistance with miscellaneous questions; and Pseudonym Narcissist, for helping me brainstorm and the single-handed creation of Lady Li.

And, of course, viewers like you. Thanks again.

A note for Alinea: I am honored by your words, and honored as well that I made you cry, though you have my apologies in that regard. I have tried to give all of these characters life, because a tragedy doesn't mean anything until you care about the people who are going through it. Thank you for your review – I hope this chapter was a fitting closure for you.

A note for Ever Kitsune: I am glad that you were touched by Zhou Yu's death as well. I am also grateful for your words – I made this story because no one had, and I hope I filled the void well enough. I hope the epilogue was worthwhile in your opinion – thank you for you continued support.

A note for Morsmordre: Well… I won't apologize for making you cry, then. I am glad, however, that you found my description of Zhou Yu's last moments believable. As you said, it was difficult – I tried to imagine what it might be like to die, and I can't be sure, of course, if I got it right, but I was thinking about the few instants between when your lungs stop and your heart fails and your brain dies, and tried to fill in the gaps accordingly. That aside, I realize the end was a little cliché, but… I don't know. Zhou Yu was falling into the darkness, and then I didn't want it to end that way, because so much of Sun Ce had to do with light. In any case, I am glad it didn't detract for you. And yes – sadly. His death is the happy ending.

A note for Crazy Insanity: "Finally managed to shut you up"? Apparently not. But actually, I understood your review quite well – the saddest part of Zhou Yu's death for me was Sun Ce calling out to him. Because until then, Sun Ce was dead but he wasn't really gone – but then he was. They both were. I confess the epilogue was a little hard to write without either of my favorite characters. And the light… I didn't realize it at first, but there is an unintentional connection between sunrise and death in this story. Sun Jian, Sun Ce, Zhou Yu… all of their deaths are connected to dawn. Funny how dawn is usually a new beginning… anyway. Thank you for your review, and your constant support. I hope this was a worthwhile ending.


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